A new update for xbox consoles is now rolling out to Xbox Insiders and eventually all users. The goal is to make consoles like the xbox series x and Series S “carbon conscious”, so that they use more renewable energy. Essentially, the console will try to schedule updates at a time when it will use the least amount of fossil fuel. According to Xbox, this will happen by using “regional carbon intensity data” when available. While the positive environmental impact is welcome, Xbox also says the upgrade could end up saving users money on their electricity bills.
“For example, instead of your Xbox activating during nightly maintenance at a random time between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., your console will activate at a time when you can use the most of renewable energy into your local energy. This reduces reliance on fossil fuels and CO2 emissions, and could save you money,” a new post on Xbox Wire says.
Xbox notes that this change is part of a broader effort by the company to reduce the overall impact of gaming on the environment. The company has emphasized the benefits of using the Shut Down (power saving) option on Xbox Series X|S in the past, stating that it “reduces power usage by up to 20 times when off compared to sleep.”
However, for those who prefer sleep mode, new customization options are coming. Those users will soon be able to adjust a setting called “active hours,” which will allow them to have sleep mode active during parts of the day and system shutdown during others. This will automatically be enabled on Xbox Series X|S based on the user’s most frequent gameplay hours and will adjust as the console is used more frequently. Xbox One users will also have this option, but players will need to manually make these settings.
In the blog post, Xbox goes into more detail about how much these options can help reduce power usage, and it’s interesting to see what impact these small changes can have. Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 consume a lot of energy, and it looks like Microsoft is trying to change that, where possible. Of course, the potential financial benefit is pretty great too!
Do you use the power off or sleep function on Xbox? What do you think of this change? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter and on Hive at @Marcdachamp to talk about everything related to games!
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