How Much Electricity (Power) Does Xbox Series X Use?
The Xbox series X is the perfect console for gamers of all ages. This console offers an amazing and unique gaming experience. But do you know how much electricity it will consume, and how it will affect your energy bill by the end of the month? We did testing and found out exactly how much energy this console consumes, and we also compared it with current competitors in the market. So, let’s see how much electricity actually does an Xbox Series X use.
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How Much Electricity (Power) Does Xbox Series X Use?
So How Much Electricity Does Xbox Series X Use? If your playing Xbox Series X on a regular LED TV you will use approximately 220 watts (160 watt for the Xbox + 60 watt for the TV). For the 2h gaming session, you will use 440 watt-hours, which will cost you about 6 cents (13 cents per kW is the average price in the United States).
According to the tests, the maximum power consumption of the Xbox Series X is between 160W and 170W when playing Dirt 5 at 120Hz on a 4K TV, while the average power consumption of the Xbox One X is noticeably higher, around 185 watts.
The Series X’s power consumption can theoretically go to a maximum of 315W, but its average value is actually closer to 180W as we measured it by a Kill-a-Watt device while playing ‘next generation’ games. It’s a good figure compared to the 120W gaming power average for the original Xbox One and average power consumption of 185W for the Xbox One X in gameplay.
The Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5 both use much more electricity than their previous generations, according to a report by environmental-advocacy group NRDC. However, it is found that they draw less power than previous generation systems while using streaming video apps.
I wrote a similar article about PS5, so you can read it here: How Much Electricity (Power) Does a PS5 Use?
Electricity (Power) Consumption of Xbox Series X
The next generation of consoles just like Series X’s are much more power-hungry than ever before and they will consume twice the energy on a standard 60″ TV. The Xbox Series X draws 160 to 200+ Watts of electricity when you are playing it at the peak, which is much higher than their previous models and more than a regular 60-inch TV.
When it comes to the power consumption of Xbox Series X, it all depends on the type of mode in which you are. Therefore, you should pay attention to each mode, because the difference in consumption can vary a lot. Below we will present you the average values for each mode.
- Switched-Off Mode: When your Xbox is turned off, there is a little power consumption between 0.1 to 0.3 watts per hour because of the LED lamp that is turned ON.
- Stand-by Mode: During this mode, the Xbox consumes between 4 to 6 watts per hour. In case that Xbox is doing some updates true internet, it can use up to 13-15 watts per hour.
- Menu Mode: In this mode, the console will consume between 70 to 80 watts per hour.
- Gaming Mode: This is the most used mode in Xbox Series X. The power that is used in this mode varies between 160 to 180 watts per hour. This also varies of the resolution and the graphics of the game that is played.
Xbox Series X is Less Economical With Demanding Games
The Xbox Series X and PS5 draw between 160-200 watts of electricity (power) while they are in use. This is higher than the previous generation, which varies depending on what type of game you are playing. With less graphically intensive games, it can be as low as 80 watts while more intense graphics will increase up to 200+watts. Newer video games that are much better graphically will consume even more than 200+ watts of power out of the Xbox.
Related Article: How to Connect XBOX (One S) to TV?
Xbox Series X Energy Usage Modes
How much electricity (power) the Xbox Series X will use depends on the operating mode. Each mode consumes different power due to the hardware and graphic card demands. If we let Xbox in the Idile mode, the power consumption will be around 80 watts. Each console has a lot of other operating modes, and for each mode we will list the consumption in the table below.
Xbox Series X Usage on Different Operating Modes:
| Mode: | Watts: | Cost Per Hour: |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series X Offline | 0.1-0.3 W | $0.0001 |
| Xbox Series X Standby | 4-6 W | $0.0005- $0.0008 |
| Xbox Series X Idle (Menu) | 80-90 W | $0.0104- $0.0117 |
| Xbox Series X Blu-Ray Mode | 90 W | $0.0117 |
| Xbox Series X Netflix | 87 W | $0.0113 |
| Xbox Series X Game Install | 100 W | $0.0130 |
| Xbox Series X Gaming Mode | 160-200 W | $0.0208-$0.0260 |
Xbox Series X Vs Others – Electricity Comparison
Now that we’ve gone through the detailed power consumption of the Xbox Series X, we need to compare this console with other popular models on the market and see how it stands out. Let’s take a look at how much electricity each console consumes.
| Console: | Watts: | Cost Per Hour: |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox Serie X | 160-200 | $0.0208-$0.0260 |
| Xbox One X | 65-180 | $0.0085-$0.0234 |
| Xbox One X | 35-90 | $0.0045-$0.0117 |
| PS5 | 50- 220 | $0.0065-$0.0286 |
| PS4 Pro | 75-160 | $0.0097-$0.0208 |
| PS4 Slim | 55-110 | $0.0067-$0.0143 |
| Wii U | 35 | $0.0045 |
How To Activate Power Saving Mode on Xbox?
After you do the initial Xbox setup, if you want to activate the power saving mode on your console follow the steps below. Here are the steps to follow.
- Press the Xbox button to open the guide
- Select “Profile and system” then go to “Settings”, find “General” and tap on “Power supply mode and start-up”
- In this menu, select “energy saving”
With this option, you will easily save money on console consumption, without losing a lot of functionality. Switching your Xbox to energy-saving mode according to NRDC would add an additional 10 seconds of load time.
For example, streaming content via Amazon Prime or Netflix on Xbox Series X are drawing 10 to 25 times more power compared when you are using streaming devices. This is because Microsoft is opted to benefit the gamers to quickly switch between gaming and streaming content. So when you are playing your favorite game on Xbox, in the background the Netflix is being watched.
The NRDC says that Xbox Series S uses the least amount of power when streaming content (31 to 41 watts), while the Xbox Series X uses 40 to 53 watts. On the other hand, the PS5 drew the most power, 68 to 70 watts.
How to Actually Measure Power Consumption?
The easiest way you can measure Xbox electricity usage is with the use of Kill A Watt Meter. By using this gadget, you can very precisely measure and monitor how much electricity did some device consumed in real-time. For those who want to buy this, you can get it easily on Amazon HERE.
This Watt Meter will also help you to measure any other electrical device that you have in your house. With it, you will get a much better insight into how much power each electrical device consumes. So I definitely recommend that you buy this device!
If you want to know how much power TV use, read this article; How Much Electricity (Power) Does a TV Use?
Tips For Saving Electricity on the Xbox Series X
Now that you know the power consumption of an Xbox Series X, users may wonder how to reduce it. Therefore, we’ll give you some tips on how to save energy. In reality, the elements to put in place are the same as with any electronic device.
For example, turning off the game console when it is not in use effectively minimizes power consumption. In addition, other techniques also make it possible to keep control over the energy consumption of a video game console.
Here are some tips that will help you to use less power with your Xbox Series X:
- Switchable Multiple Socket: By using this method, you can switch off all devices at once, so no electricity is wasted in offline mode.
- Turn Off the Internet: Disable the internet connection available on most current consoles when it is not a question of playing online.
- Regular Updates: Update regularly your Xbox rather than a lot at once.
- Sleep Mode: This mode will help you save energy when you take a pause from time to time. You can easily resume the game whenever you want and continue.
- Standby Mode: Ability to adjust the settings so you can save energy in standby mode. While this is a small savings, it will definitely help.
- Blu-ray Mode: For those who love to watch movies, it is recommended to use a Blu-ray player. With it you will consume much less watts, compared to Xbox that will consume 50% more.
Final Thoughts
After the Xbox Series X hit the market in November 2020, we knew something special was waiting for us. The new Xbox model was much better than many of us expected, from graphical interface, to design, and to quality.
But what interested as also is how much energy this new and modern Xbox will consume. In this article, we saw that consumption varies from different modes to the type of game. Gaming mode requires the most electricity. But there are also ways to save energy. If you have any questions, feel free to write.
