Electricity prices are rising, and you probably want to know which console is the king of electricity consumption. Gaming consoles, often used for long hours, are no exception. Comparing PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch reveals significant differences in power consumption.
PlayStation 5: a consumption monster
Sony’s PlayStation 5 is known for its good performance, but this comes with notable energy consumption.
When powered off, the PS5 draws 0.1W, which is negligible but not zero. In standby mode, this consumption increases to 3.3 W, which remains modest compared to other electronic devices.
Things get more interesting when the console is actively used. In standby mode with background downloading, the PS5 consumes 44.3 W, a relatively high figure compared to other consoles. On the main menu, consumption is 57.4 W, dropping to 47 W after 10 minutes of inactivity. When streaming content, such as Netflix, the PS5 consumes around 80W.
In terms of gaming, the PS5 is particularly demanding. During gaming sessions with titles like Overwatch 2 and Cyberpunk 2077, consumption varies between 190-220 W and 215-230 W respectively. This makes the PS5 the most energy-intensive console among the models tested. These numbers show that, despite its impressive capabilities, the PS5 can have a significant impact on your electricity bill.
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Xbox Series X and S: More energy-efficient alternatives
Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and S consoles offer comparable performance to the PS5, but with slightly lower power consumption. In off mode, Xbox Series PS5.
When downloads are in progress in sleep mode, the Series from Xbox. On the main menu, Series X consumes 41.8 W, rising slightly to 45 W after 10 minutes, while Series S remains at 28.3 W.
For streaming, the Xbox Series X and S consume 44.8 W and 44.5 W respectively, less than the PS5. In terms of gaming, consumption is 150-170 W for Overwatch 2 and 170-190 W for Cyberpunk 2077 on Series X. The less powerful Series S consumes 65-77 W for Overwatch 2 and 80-84 W for Cyberpunk 2077. These numbers indicate that while the Xbox Series
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Nintendo Switch: The champion of energy efficiency
The Nintendo Switch, particularly in its OLED version, stands out for its much lower energy consumption than its competitors. When off, it consumes between 0.1 and 3.5 W, depending on its charging state. In standby mode, consumption is 0.3 W, increasing to 3.5 W if the console is charging.
Consumption in standby mode with background downloading is 2.9 W, much lower than that of the PS5 or Xbox Series. On the main menu, the Switch consumes 3.6 W, which is negligible compared to other consoles.
For gaming, the Nintendo Switch consumes only 6.5-8 W for titles like Overwatch 2, a paltry figure compared to the PS5 and Xbox Series. The Switch’s low power consumption is partly due to its lower performance and semi-portable design, but this makes it an extremely energy-efficient option.
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The results !
The power consumption of consoles varies considerably.
The PS5, although offering higher performance, is the most energy intensive, which can have an impact on your electricity bill. The Xbox Series X and S, while more economical than the PS5, still consume a significant amount of energy, with the Series S being the more economical of the two. The Nintendo Switch clearly stands out for its low energy consumption, making it the most economical option for players concerned about their power consumption.
Technical specifications of the consoles:
| PS5 / PS5 Digital / PS5 Slim | Xbox Series | Xbox Series S | Nintendo Switch | |
| Target performance | 4K at 60 FPS | 4K at 60 FPS | 1440p at 60 FPS | 720p at 30 FPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Zen 2 – 8x Cores clocked at 3.5GHz (variable frequency) | Zen 2 – 8x Cores clocked at 3.8GHz (3.6GHz in SMT) | Zen 2 – 8x Cores clocked at 3.6 GHz (3.4 in SMT) | NVIDIA Custom Tegra processor |
| GPU | 10.28 Tflops, 36 CUs clocked at 2.23GHz (variable frequency) | 12 Tflops, 52 CU clocked at 1.825GHz | 4 Tflops, 20 CUs clocked at 1.56 GHz | 393 Gflops NVIDIA Custom processor |
| RAM | 16GB GDDR6/256-bit | 16GB GDDR6 | 10 GB GDDR6 | 4 GB LPDDR4 |
| Internal storage | 1TB(Slim)/825GB SSD(PS5 and digital PS5) | 1TB SSD | 512GB SSD | 32-64 GB + Micro SD |
| Controller included | DualSense | Xbox Series Controller | Xbox Series Controller | JoyCon x 2 |
| Public price | €449.99 €549.99 | €499.99 | €299.99 | €199.99 €269.99 €349.99 |
It is important to consider these aspects when choosing a console, especially in the context of the energy crisis and rising electricity prices. Adjusting your habits, such as turning off the console completely rather than leaving it on standby, can also help reduce overall energy consumption.
Purchase guide
Console comparison: PS5, PS5 Slim, Nintendo Switch, Switch OLED, Xbox Series, which console to buy in 2024?
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