Playstation 3 ‘uses five times more energy than a fridge’

Sony PS3 could cost almost five times more to power than a fridge

By Gary Fennelly

Games consoles, such as the X-box and Sony's Playstation 3, can use up to five times more energy than a medium-sized refrigerator, according to an Australian study.

The consumer group Choice found that a Sony PS3, switched on but not in use, could cost almost $250 a year in electricity bills. A fridge would cost less than $50 a year.

"Our tests found that leaving a Playstation 3 on while not in use would cost almost... five times more than it would take to run a refrigerator for the same yearly period," said the study by consumer advice group Choice.

"The plasma TV set was also a power hungry device, consuming over four times more power than a traditional analogue set. The average desktop computer was third on the list."

The Playstation 3 was found to consume over ten times as much power as the Nintendo Wii. The Apple iMac used just two-thirds of the energy consumed by a PC.

Choice spokesman Christopher Zinn said he hoped the results of the study would be eye-opening for the public.

"While we hope no one actually leaves their games console on for a whole year 24/7, the figures are indicative of just how much electricity these small devices can chew their way through," Mr Zinn said.