Gamers will soon have another way to reduce their electricity bill, as PlayStation 5 is adding a Power Saver feature for games. Over a decade ago, Sony made a commitment to reduce the environmental impact of its various products, including the PlayStation 5. This is a slow process that involves reducing emissions in manufacturing and shipping, paying attention to the sustainability of raw materials used, and considering the impact of production on ecosystems.
One of the results of this effort can be seen in the PS5’s recyclable packaging, with everything from twist ties to manuals receiving an overhaul. When unboxing their new console, many consumers noted the lack of plastic bags, which in the past would have held the console itself, the controller, and even USB cables and pamphlets.
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Sony has just announced that soon the PlayStation 5 will receive a Power Saver option that will be tucked away in the settings menu. This feature, which doesn't yet have a firm launch date, will enable games that support it to scale down performance, thereby reducing the amount of power used by the console. The Power Saver option, combined with the PS5’s reduced power consumption when in rest mode, will be a welcome addition to gamers who are concerned about the environment or their wallet.
PlayStation 5 Is Getting Another Option to Save Power
Even the console’s rest mode has a few different options that let gamers adjust the amount of electricity consumed. They can opt to stay connected to the internet so that console and game updates are downloaded while the player is away, or so that the PS5 can be turned on remotely. They can also leave only the USB ports supplied with power so that the DualSense controller can charge even when the console is not in use. But for many people, even the amount of power saved with the console in rest mode isn’t sufficient, and about half of PlayStation 5 users turn their console off completely when they’re done playing.
In the same blog post, Sony also revealed that a new feature is now available via the latest PS5 system update beta that allows DualSense controllers to be paired with up to four devices at once. This will be an incredible quality-of-life change for gamers who, for example, use their controller both with their console and PC. Previously, many people found it more convenient to just own different controllers for the two use cases, and this update will eliminate that need. The beta is currently limited to PS5 owners in certain countries by invitation only, but the feature will be available to everybody “in the coming months.”
