How much does it cost to run a game console?
A game console drawing 120 watts, used 3 hours a day, uses about 0.36 kWh per day and costs about $0.07 per day, $2.13 per month, and $25.50 per year at the US average residential rate of 19.4¢/kWh. Enter your own wattage, hours, and state below for an exact figure.
Estimates only — based on typical wattages and average state rates, not your actual bill.
What drives the cost
Current-generation consoles draw roughly 120-200 watts while gaming and far less for streaming video. The bigger cost is often standby: rest or instant-on modes keep the system partly powered so it can update and resume quickly, and that draw accumulates across all the hours you're not playing.
Cost at different daily usage
Same game console at 120 watts, run for different amounts of time, at 19.4¢/kWh.
| Usage | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 h/day | 0.18 kWh | $0.03 | $1.06 | $12.75 |
| 3 h/day | 0.36 kWh | $0.07 | $2.13 | $25.50 |
| 4.5 h/day | 0.54 kWh | $0.10 | $3.19 | $38.26 |
| 6 h/day | 0.72 kWh | $0.14 | $4.25 | $51.01 |
Cost by model power draw
Not all models are equal. At 3 h/day, here is what the range costs.
| Model | Power | kWh/day | Per day | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-draw model | 50 W | 0.15 kWh | $0.03 | $0.89 |
| Typical | 120 W | 0.36 kWh | $0.07 | $2.13 |
| High-draw model | 200 W | 0.60 kWh | $0.12 | $3.55 |
Cost by state
A game console at 120 W for 3 h/day, priced at each state's average residential rate.
| State | Rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.8¢ | $0.06 | $1.84 | $22.04 |
| Alaska | 28.2¢ | $0.10 | $3.09 | $37.09 |
| Arizona | 15.2¢ | $0.05 | $1.67 | $20.01 |
| Arkansas | 14.4¢ | $0.05 | $1.57 | $18.87 |
| California | 33.2¢ | $0.12 | $3.64 | $43.69 |
| Colorado | 16.2¢ | $0.06 | $1.77 | $21.23 |
| Connecticut | 27.4¢ | $0.10 | $3.00 | $35.96 |
| Delaware | 19.4¢ | $0.07 | $2.12 | $25.47 |
| District of Columbia | 25.4¢ | $0.09 | $2.78 | $33.38 |
| Florida | 15.2¢ | $0.05 | $1.66 | $19.93 |
| Georgia | 15.8¢ | $0.06 | $1.74 | $20.81 |
| Hawaii | 52.0¢ | $0.19 | $5.70 | $68.33 |
| Idaho | 12.3¢ | $0.04 | $1.35 | $16.23 |
| Illinois | 23.9¢ | $0.09 | $2.61 | $31.34 |
| Indiana | 18.1¢ | $0.07 | $1.99 | $23.85 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $0.05 | $1.55 | $18.58 |
| Kansas | 15.1¢ | $0.05 | $1.66 | $19.88 |
| Kentucky | 15.0¢ | $0.05 | $1.64 | $19.68 |
| Louisiana | 14.2¢ | $0.05 | $1.55 | $18.59 |
| Maine | 28.6¢ | $0.10 | $3.14 | $37.62 |
| Maryland | 21.8¢ | $0.08 | $2.39 | $28.61 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8¢ | $0.10 | $3.16 | $37.87 |
| Michigan | 22.0¢ | $0.08 | $2.41 | $28.92 |
| Minnesota | 16.9¢ | $0.06 | $1.86 | $22.27 |
| Mississippi | 16.2¢ | $0.06 | $1.77 | $21.23 |
| Missouri | 13.7¢ | $0.05 | $1.50 | $17.98 |
| Montana | 14.7¢ | $0.05 | $1.61 | $19.28 |
| Nebraska | 13.6¢ | $0.05 | $1.49 | $17.86 |
| Nevada | 13.6¢ | $0.05 | $1.49 | $17.87 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3¢ | $0.10 | $2.99 | $35.91 |
| New Jersey | 23.3¢ | $0.08 | $2.55 | $30.58 |
| New Mexico | 14.1¢ | $0.05 | $1.55 | $18.55 |
| New York | 29.9¢ | $0.11 | $3.28 | $39.33 |
| North Carolina | 15.1¢ | $0.05 | $1.65 | $19.83 |
| North Dakota | 13.6¢ | $0.05 | $1.49 | $17.88 |
| Ohio | 19.5¢ | $0.07 | $2.14 | $25.65 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4¢ | $0.05 | $1.47 | $17.58 |
| Oregon | 16.3¢ | $0.06 | $1.78 | $21.38 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6¢ | $0.08 | $2.36 | $28.32 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5¢ | $0.11 | $3.23 | $38.71 |
| South Carolina | 16.2¢ | $0.06 | $1.77 | $21.26 |
| South Dakota | 15.7¢ | $0.06 | $1.72 | $20.67 |
| Tennessee | 14.5¢ | $0.05 | $1.59 | $19.01 |
| Texas | 16.4¢ | $0.06 | $1.80 | $21.60 |
| Utah | 13.0¢ | $0.05 | $1.42 | $17.03 |
| Vermont | 24.9¢ | $0.09 | $2.73 | $32.71 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | $0.06 | $1.93 | $23.14 |
| Washington | 14.9¢ | $0.05 | $1.64 | $19.64 |
| West Virginia | 16.8¢ | $0.06 | $1.84 | $22.08 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7¢ | $0.07 | $2.16 | $25.94 |
| Wyoming | 14.8¢ | $0.05 | $1.62 | $19.45 |
How to cut the cost
- Switch from instant-on/rest mode to full shutdown if you don't need instant resume.
- Use a dedicated streaming stick for video instead of the console — it draws a fraction as much.
- Disable automatic background updates if standby draw matters to you.
- Remember the TV is usually drawing as much or more than the console itself.
Compare with related appliances
Monthly cost at typical usage and 19.4¢/kWh.
Questions
Does leaving a console in rest mode cost much?
It's small per hour but continuous. Over a month, standby can rival the energy used during actual play for light gamers.
How do you calculate what a game console costs to run?
Multiply its wattage by the hours it runs per day, divide by 1,000 to get kilowatt-hours, then multiply by your electricity rate. For a game console: 120 W × 3 h ÷ 1,000 = 0.36 kWh per day, which at 19.4¢/kWh is $0.07 per day.
How many watts does a game console use?
Typically 120 watts, with most models falling between 50 and 200 watts. The label on the appliance or its power supply gives the figure for your specific unit.