A new sustainable power saving method has just arrived on the Xbox Series X that promises to be up to 20x more efficient than existing power consumption modes without impacting performance.
The new shutdown update, which has reached all Xbox Insiders on Xbox Series X, aims to reduce power consumption when the system is turned off. Dubbed “the first carbon-inclusive console,” this sustainability mode means you can download updates and Xbox Series X Games through the night using significantly less power than in normal sleep mode.
As a reference system, Xbox Series X consumes about 10-15W in sleep mode. The new power-off mode consumes just 0.5W of power while providing the same basic functionality.
It’s not just Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S Insiders who can take advantage of the new shutdown mode as this update is also available for Xbox One platforms. This means that if you’re looking to save money on older Microsoft systems and you’re an Xbox Insider, you’re also catered for. Note that boot times will be slower when this setting is enabled on older systems.
The Carbon Aware update also adds functionality for active hours. Once Power Off Mode is enabled, you can manually configure the times your Xbox has a start and end point to go to full power. This means you can adjust the time you use the system to make it more strict on a daily basis.
There’s no official word on when this update will roll out to everyone on Xbox platforms, but we’ll let you know when that changes. Microsoft has tried hard Xbox Sustainability Actions (opens in a new tab) since March, as we previously discussed considering new graphics modes to save money as well. If you’re worried about your electricity bills while gaming for an extended period of time, these modes can help in the long run.