Xbox February Update Makes it First “Carbon Aware” Console

The latest Xbox firmware update has introduced a “carbon aware” power management system, making it the first console to implement this feature. By default, every Xbox console now uses the energy-saving option, reducing power consumption when the console is off. However, players can still choose to use the “Instant On” option, which boots the console faster but uses 20 times more energy.

Xbox will now also schedule game, app, and OS updates during times of lower carbon emissions, potentially saving players money and reducing fossil fuel dependency. In addition to the power-saving features, the update also allows players to hide game art on the Home page, use the Google Home app as a remote, and jump back into previous parties more easily.