Xbox One: The difference between on, off, and standby

When the Xbox One launches later this month, it'll come with three power options: on, off, and standby. It is the third option that is causing some confusion among gamers.

Over on Reddit, Microsoft's Director of Product Planning, Albert Penello, sought to clarify the three modes, explaining: "On is On. Off is Off." — just as you'd expect from an electronics device and surely what many are used to with the Xbox 360.

Of course, being the next-gen, the Xbox One has this third option: Standby.

"Standby allows "Xbox One," quick resume, checking for updates, etc." Penello explained. "This is the mode we'd like to see people in, obviously so you get back to gaming or watching TV really quick."

It's believed that the Xbox One will consume a minimal amount of power when in Standby mode and will result in very little wait time when attempting to boot up a game or app. According to Penello, "It's likely the Xbox will be on before the TV is completely powered up."

In all honesty, it sounds similar to that of a regular PC's standby mode. And if you remain connected to the internet (which is now an option rather than a requirement), all of your games/apps should automatically update and be ready to go when you return.