Wii: The Green Machine
So most people have always known that the Nintendo Wii is the most user friendly of the next generation consoles, but did you know that it’s also the most environmentally friendly as well? According to this great Power Consumption Guide by Carl Nelson over at hardcoreware.net, the Nintendo Wii uses about one tenth of the energy than that of an average gaming computer, a PS3 and an XBOX 360.
While the PS3 often peaked at 199.7 watts, the Wii only peaked at only using 18.4 watts during game play. During idle the Wii uses considerably less energy unless Wii Connect 24 is on. When it is on, the Wii uses more energy than both the PS3 and XBOX 360, but still overall is not that bad.
Another thing that I have noticed personally in comparison with my Wii and PS3 is that I have to charge my PS3’s controllers more often than I have to charge my Wii batteries. One of the things I attribute this to is that the PS3 does not have a timed auto shut off for its controllers that will turn them off if they haven’t been used in a while. Thus when I come back to my PS3 after work or school I will often find the controller dead because it was on the whole time.
So what does all of this mean for the Nintendo gamer? Well not only are they saving money on their electrical bill, but they are also helping reduce CO2 emissions that is produced for the electricity we use at home. Will playing your Wii over your PS3 or XBOX 360 help prevent global warming? No, but at least you can feel a little better about it if you are concerned for the environment.
Uncategorized | 
meeker | May 23, 2008
