The next generation PlayStation console will be able to consume much less energy in standby mode than the PS4. However, the power-saving function appears to be an optional setting, not the default. The news emerges from a blog post titled PlayStation Joins Forces with the United Nations to Combat Climate Change.
Jim Ryan, President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment stated, “I am also very pleased to announce the next generation PlayStation console will include the possibility to suspend gameplay with much lower power consumption than PS4 (which we estimate can be achieved at around 0.5 W). If just one million users enable this feature, it would save equivalent to the average electricity use of 1,000 US homes.”
Both, PlayStation and Xbox consoles have been criticized for their high power consumption while being idle. The 2014 study of the Natural Resources Defense Council showed that PS4 was using up to 8.5 watts in standby. This compares to about 137 watts when playing matches or 89 watts when streaming video, the research found. Sony has enhanced the PS4’s power profile over time. However, lowering standby power to just half a watt would be a substantial improvement that could have a big effect. Especially if the PS5 arrives anywhere near the 100 million PS4’s sold globally to date.