Many folks will be getting an Xbox One or a PlayStation 4 console for Christmas this week (a few people might be getting one of each product). However, a recent report claims that both consoles will use up to three times more energy than the older Xbox 360 and PS3, even though Microsoft and Sony have put in features that are designed to make the Xbox One and PS4 more efficient.

The non-profit Natural Resources Defense Council claims to have "completed rigorous measurements of the power use" of both consoles. On the plus side, the group praises Microsoft and Sony for putting in features such as charging accessories while the consoles are in a lower powered "sleep mode" and reducing power when left on for 10 minutes.

However, the same report claims that because the Xbox One and PS4 use more power overall to play games and watch movies, the energy efficiencies that the companies have put into the console are overridden. It states, "For example, the Xbox One uses approximately 40 percent more power to play a game than the Xbox 360, and the PS4 consumes almost twice as much as the PS3."

In a head-to-head study, the PS4 uses a lot more power than the Xbox One when playing games, streaming movies like Netflix and navigating through its interface. By the same token, the Xbox One uses more power when it is in Connected Standby mode than the PS4, as well as when both consoles are turned "off" but still connected to a power socket.

Because the Xbox One uses more power in Connected Standby mode, where it is waiting for its owner to say "Xbox One" via its Kinect sensor, this report claims that it will consume more electricity annually than the PS4. It estimates that Microsoft's console will use 253 kilowatt hours per year, which will cost about $150 for five years in energy bills. The PS4 is estimated to use 184 kilowatt hours per year.

The NRDC claims that both companies can make efforts to improve the energy efficiency for their new consoles via software updates, such as reducing the amount of power needed to stream video. The report also says Microsoft should try to cut down the Connected Standby power mode on the Xbox One.

Source: Natural Resources Defense Council

http://www.neowin.net/news/report-xbox-one-and-ps4-use-up-to-three-times-more-power-than-xbox-360-and-ps3

Can a Moderator move this thread to Gaming Discussion.

Are they comparing the new consoles with the latest batch of last gen consoles? Because last Gen's launch consoles consumed much more than PS4 or X1. So yeah, pretty unfair comparison. But who would've known that more rendering power would need more... power.

And yet they're both cooled a damn sight better than a PS3 phat. I'd be interested to see what they're comparing this to, if it's a PS3 SuperSlim and an X360E then it isn't really fair, the launch models would be a far more valid comparison as I expect both PS4 and X1 to improve in this area as the gen goes on

                It makes perfect sense to me.

Doesn't matter about their power, they are not true game consoles.   Sony and Microsoft are gonna kill consoles, with their lazy engineering.  All they have done with this generation is taken PC parts and made their own version of a Mac Mini.

The hardware for consoles used to be designed and optimized for gaming.  They could do wonders with 4 MB of Ram, and slow CPU and GPU speeds.  That is because of quality engineering.

Now, it is just another arms race, and a free pass for developers to be lazy about optimization.  

Actual results from that link

The PS3 went down from 209 watts while playing a game to 70 watts during the last gen
Xbox 360 went down from 198 watts to 80 watts while playing

So PS4 and XBox One have a good start, apart from the standby consumption

Is the " Natural Resources Defense Council" just a fake org or did they just not bother to do any actual power consumption research?

I have a HUGE carbon footprint, 73 3D HDTV main, 50 HDTV for computer or satellite while gaming, 9.1 surround theater system, ps3, ps2, ps1, Wii, nes, 2.8ghz quad core PC, satellite box. often most of these are on at once with the exception being the consoles... hell they can keep me warm in winter!

I'm using my tablet for this and my cell is on too... I'm a bad bad man