U.S. senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) has attacked the latest Xbox Series X|S update that adds new power-saving settings as climate change politics. He tweeted, “First gas stoves, then your coffee, now they’re gunning for your Xbox,” alongside a link to an article to right-wing site Blaze News. Since then, American conservatives have criticized Microsoft for adding new “carbon aware” energy-saving modes in the name of “woke politics.”
Xbox’s new power-saving mode will reduce your electric bill
Ted Cruz’s tweet follows a narrative by conservatives that tech companies are unnecessarily changing their products and lowering user experiences by introducing initiatives that reduce carbon footprints. A tweet from Young America’s Foundation echoes these sentiments, claiming that “the woke brigade is after video games in the name of climate change.”
While Microsoft is indeed trying to make the Xbox Series consoles more energy-efficient and “carbon aware,” the update with the new Shutdown energy mode will also lower a user’s electric bill. If your Xbox Series X|S has an internet connection, the update will now allow the console to download updates at the most convenient time depending on your local power grid. That means not using energy during peak hours when electricity costs the most in many counties.
The new Shutdown power saving option has already rolled out to all Xbox consoles for Xbox Insiders. Compared to the current Sleep mode, Microsoft says that it will reduce the console’s output from 10-15 watts to only 0.5 watts. In exchange, it will take longer for the console to boot. It’s true that Microsoft plans to make this option the default setting when the update goes live at a later date, but users can easily switch back to the original Sleep setting if they wish.
