Console power usage comparison

[MonkeyWrench]

Spotted this earlier, thought it was quite interesting:

http://news.vgchartz.com/news.php?id=2018

Can't believe the 40gb PS3 in standby uses almost double the power of the Wii running a game.

MS have done well to almost halve their power comsumption in the newer models.

[MattyD]

I've seen similar comparisons before but the comparisons between the old and new hardware was very interesting. I'm even tempted to pick up a newer model 360 after seeing that. Mine was made just before they started making the HDMI models so I'm assuming it's not a Falcon.

[saif]

If you read the comments, you will see that methodology may be quite inappropriate The 360 and the PS3. The PS3 uses a lot of power but I hugely doubt it uses 35W in standby as that is easily enough for it to actually do something. The only explanation would be if it was remote playing. What makes me doubt this a lot is that Sony, as a group, make a lot of portable devices and their power tech is actually very good across their whole range on standby - they used to have a <1W policy. The 360 numbers seem right (again standby seems odd) from my feelings. It is a shame the PS3 is so power hungry (as is the 360 comparatively to other gens) - at least they cut down heating costs in the winter.....

[JP]

Lol fair play as the reults will be in that order but there are so many mistakes in what he's saying in the article.

I don't think anybody will really be surprised that the Wii did so well (Nice one Nintendo) but what sort of figures were other consoles with technology of that age (Cube & PS2) using? Probably not that different.

It's nice to see that he's charging something on the 360 vis USB and charging 4 things on the PS3 while measuring the wattage.

[Brad]

That's all completely wrong.
PS3 uses less power in standby (less than 2 watts) than a 360 and only marginally more than a wii (with wii connect off - turn wii connect 24 on and it uses nearly 10 watts!).

That guy's detector was broken or his methods were, one of the two... maybe both lol.

[fallenangle]

What is that article trying to say;? Is he suggesting there's some sort of deception going on because consoles, like every piece of electrical equipment, are usually clearly marked with specification details including power consumption? I think it is actually a legal requirement. Those details are usually included in the manuals too although, strangely, stand-by power consumption isn't provided anywhere that I can see.

Figures from my old manuals.

PAL DC = approx 27W max.

PAL PS (late original model 9000 series) = 10W max.

PAL PSOne = 9W max.

PAL Gamecube = 39W max (no specs quoted in manual).

PAL PS2 (original model) = 50W max.

PAL XBox = 100W max.


I'd be surprised if the stand-by power consumption was more than 3W for any of those consoles including the XBox, the one most likely to be left on stand-by. Personally I've never left a console on stand-by, it goes off at the mains after every session which is what I suspect most people do and perhaps why stand-by figures aren't thought necessary.


Just been looking and found what seems a more thorough set of comparison tests:-

http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-356-1.htm

[Brad]

My PS3 is on standby, in case I want to remote play with my psp. Anyway, you're right. 360, wii and ps3 all use < 3 watts in standby.

[MonkeyWrench]

Yeah this other article states that too:

http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-356-4.htm