Plasma TV, Games Consoles Guzzle Power

By Geoff Duncan June 3, 2008

Australian consumer agency Choice took a look at the amount of power consumed by 16 common electronics devices, including notebook computers, stereo systems, DVD players, televisions and game consoles. And if you think you power bills are too high, you might want to look to your consumer electronics: the agency found that Sony’s PlayStation 3 consumed the most power of the devices tested, followed closely by Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and plasma televisions—even when idle and not in use. And the PS3 consumed 10 times the as much power as the NIntendo Wii.

The agency’s tests found that leaving a PS3 on while not in use over a period of a year would cost about five times more than running a refrigerator for the same period.

Plasma televisions were also revealed to be energy hogs, consuming over four times as much power as a traditional CRT analog television set.

Among computers, the agency found that an Apple iMac—with a build-in LCD display—consumed about two-thirds as much power as a Windows-based PC without any display at all. The study found that the LCD displays in Apple iMacs user less than half the power of their CRT-based predecessors.

The agency recommends consumers turn off devices when not in use, either by putting them into standby mode or—better yet—turning them off at the wall. The agency also recommended upgrading from CRT monitors to LCD displays, recycling old computers, taking advantage of power-saving features in both the Windows and Mac OS operating systems, reusing and recycling ink cartridges, using rechargeable batteries, and reducing print waste by going paperless whenever possible.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Gaming

Legends of Runeterra 2023 road map outlined by Riot Games

Jinx fires her special weapon in Legends of Runeterra key art.

Riot Games has laid out its plans to revitalize its collectible League of Legends card game, Legends of Runeterra, in 2023. The backbone of the road map is a recurring three-month release cycle that rotates through the releases of Expansions, Live Balance Patches, and Variety Sets.
Each quarter of the 2023 road map will feature an Expansion, which Riot Games says will primarily focus on new champions and game mechanics. As such, these will be the biggest updates of the year, with Riot Games teasing that brand-new and returning champions are coming alongside a reworking of PvP. The month after an Expansion drops, players can expect a big Live Balance Patch, which Riot Games describes as "dedicated spaces where we’ll be focused on addressing anything that may have room for improvement."

After releasing an Expansion and making any needed adjustments with the big Live Balance Path, Riot Games will conclude the cycle with the release of a Variety Set, which is the developers say are akin to a "quarterly booster pack or a mini-expansion" that contains new non-Champion cards, as well as even more balance updates. After that, the cycle will start anew, ensuring that Legends of Runeterra will get a notable update every month for the rest of 2023.
On top of that cycle, Riot Games also shared a higher-level road map outlining what players can expect in 2023. The developers are promising that new Legends of Runeterra champions and items, relic balance updates, a competitive PvP revamp, and new play formats are coming very soon. After that, new achievements, ways to get legacy content, and monthly Path of Champions adventures will be part of future updates. Riot Games is also working to add ways to play with international players and support player-hosted tournaments, although those updates are further out.
Regardless, it looks like 2023 is going to be a busy year for Legends of Runeterra, and Riot Games is being pretty clear about how it's rolling everything out. Legends of Runeterra is available for PC, iOS, and Android; Xbox Game Pass subscribers can get some special bonuses by syncing their accounts, too.

Mobile

The best iPad Pro games in 2023: the 26 best ones to play

Put the latest iPad Pro to the test with these great games

Someone holding the 12.9-inch version of the iPad Pro (2022).

It's perhaps too easy to dismiss the iPad Pro as a legitimate gaming tablet. After all, it's hard to believe even a 12.9-inch tablet can hold a candle to something like a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. However, while games certainly play nicer on a bigger screen, the iPad Pro offers internals every bit as powerful as the best video game consoles while giving you the freedom to take your games just about anywhere.

After all, the latest iPad Pro (2022) models pack in Apple's insanely powerful M2 processor — the same chip used in Apple's MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro. It offers more than enough performance for even the most demanding games. Combined with Apple's Metal 3 hardware-accelerated graphics and support for the latest game controllers, it's pretty hard to find a game title that Apple's tablet can't handle — and there's a of games to prove it.

Mobile

The best iPhone games in 2023: 31 games you need to play right now

Playing Asphalt 9: Legends on the iPhone 14 Plus.

When you have the best iPhone, you pretty much have infinite possibilities to keep you busy and entertained, no matter where you are. Sure, the iPhone may not be marketed as a gaming phone specifically, but it's pretty powerful — especially with the A16 Bionic in the latest iPhone 14 Pro.

But when the App Store has over a million apps, how are you supposed to find the best games to play? Don't worry, we're here to help! Since there are a ton of games out there — and not every game is a winner — it's definitely hard to find games that are worth your time and energy. Whether you're looking for a simple match-three, an MMORPG, a dungeon crawler, or even something to just relax with, here are the best iPhone games.