Cabinets are a great way to keep your game console hot, which is terrible for it.

One of the reasons often cited for the failure of the original Xbox in Japan is that the console (and its original bulky controller) was too big for many Japanese homes. Now, there was more to it, such as a lack of the genres and franchises Japanese gamers preferred. But this highlights an important point that space matters; some modern consoles could be an awkward fit if you're living in a cramped studio apartment.

Even in the West, gamers often need to optimize the space around their TV to make it livable for everyone in the home. Aside from comfort, you might be worried about style, aiming for a sleek, minimalist look. And while it may seem like a great idea on the surface, you certainly shouldn't jam any of the latest consoles into a cabinet in your entertainment center.

That might seem counterintuitive, since AV gear is often what those cabinets are for. But doing so could hamper your console's performance or shorten its lifespan. That's a potentially expensive mistake with memory prices inflating console costs by hundreds of dollars.

The primary concern here is heat. A modern console like the PlayStation 5 is a far more power-hungry device than your Blu-ray player or cable box. It's rendering real-time 3D graphics and physics, and the hardware necessary to power that consumes a lot of energy. During a game, the standard PS5 can consume up to 220W, a figure roughly matched by the Xbox Series X.

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