With the cost of living crisis the way it is, and the global warming crisis perpetually on the horizon, energy efficiency in gaming is as big a deal as ever. Now, thanks to a report from consumer awareness group Uswitch, we know that the Nintendo Switch’s energy efficiency is leaps and bounds beyond its competitors, with plenty of money to be saved opting for the handheld over a PlayStation or Xbox.
Thanks to some intelligent design, the Nintendo Switch only has an average monthly use of 1.52kWh, costing less than a dollar at $0.62, while the OLED model uses just a little more energy at an average monthly use of 2.20kWh, or in financial terms, $0.91 every four weeks. Compared to the PS4 and Xbox Series S, each of which wracks up a bill of $6.25 a month with an average energy consumption of 15.12kWh, Nintendo’s numbers are even more impressive.
These numbers are so important as the same Uswitch survey finds that over 50% of gamers are changing their playtime to save on energy bills, with Nintendo Switch users those who least have to curve their gaming habits. It should also help to keep sales up for the console as the recession looms, with one-in-five concentrating on energy efficiency over design or backwards compatibility when looking for a new console.
The final tidbit worth noting from the Uswitch survey is that the Switch is also the second-best value-for-money console on the market, closely behind the now ageing Xbox One S. With a console value score of 6.71 across factors like console and monthly service costs, as well as the quality of game libraries and average playtime, Nintendo’s primo console easily beats out the Xbox Series S’ score of 5.71 and the PS5’s shocking 3.25.
There you have it, all you need to know about the Nintendo Switch’s energy efficiency rating. If you’re looking to boost your own energy, take to the streets and pick up some freebies with our Pokémon Go promo codes.