How much does it cost to run a gaming PC?
A gaming PC drawing 350 watts, used 3 hours a day, uses about 1.05 kWh per day and costs about $0.20 per day, $6.20 per month, and $74.39 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
A gaming PC's draw swings enormously with workload: idling at the desktop might be 60-100 watts, while a demanding game with a high-end GPU can exceed 600. The power supply's rating is a ceiling, not a consumption figure — a 1,000 W PSU doesn't draw 1,000 W. Add a monitor on top of these numbers.
Cost at different daily usage
Same gaming PC at 350 watts, run for different amounts of time, at 19.4¢/kWh.
| Usage | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 h/day | 0.53 kWh | $0.10 | $3.10 | $37.19 |
| 3 h/day | 1.05 kWh | $0.20 | $6.20 | $74.39 |
| 4.5 h/day | 1.57 kWh | $0.31 | $9.31 | $111.58 |
| 6 h/day | 2.10 kWh | $0.41 | $12.41 | $148.78 |
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 | 200 W | 0.60 kWh | $0.12 | $3.55 |
| Typical | 350 W | 1.05 kWh | $0.20 | $6.20 |
| High-draw model | 800 W | 2.40 kWh | $0.47 | $14.18 |
Cost by state
A gaming PC at 350 W for 3 h/day, priced at each state's average residential rate.
| State | Rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.8¢ | $0.18 | $5.36 | $64.27 |
| Alaska | 28.2¢ | $0.30 | $9.02 | $108.19 |
| Arizona | 15.2¢ | $0.16 | $4.87 | $58.37 |
| Arkansas | 14.4¢ | $0.15 | $4.59 | $55.03 |
| California | 33.2¢ | $0.35 | $10.63 | $127.43 |
| Colorado | 16.2¢ | $0.17 | $5.17 | $61.93 |
| Connecticut | 27.4¢ | $0.29 | $8.75 | $104.90 |
| Delaware | 19.4¢ | $0.20 | $6.19 | $74.27 |
| District of Columbia | 25.4¢ | $0.27 | $8.12 | $97.35 |
| Florida | 15.2¢ | $0.16 | $4.85 | $58.14 |
| Georgia | 15.8¢ | $0.17 | $5.06 | $60.71 |
| Hawaii | 52.0¢ | $0.55 | $16.62 | $199.29 |
| Idaho | 12.3¢ | $0.13 | $3.95 | $47.33 |
| Illinois | 23.9¢ | $0.25 | $7.62 | $91.41 |
| Indiana | 18.1¢ | $0.19 | $5.80 | $69.56 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $0.15 | $4.52 | $54.19 |
| Kansas | 15.1¢ | $0.16 | $4.84 | $57.99 |
| Kentucky | 15.0¢ | $0.16 | $4.79 | $57.41 |
| Louisiana | 14.2¢ | $0.15 | $4.52 | $54.23 |
| Maine | 28.6¢ | $0.30 | $9.15 | $109.72 |
| Maryland | 21.8¢ | $0.23 | $6.96 | $83.43 |
| Massachusetts | 28.8¢ | $0.30 | $9.21 | $110.45 |
| Michigan | 22.0¢ | $0.23 | $7.03 | $84.35 |
| Minnesota | 16.9¢ | $0.18 | $5.42 | $64.96 |
| Mississippi | 16.2¢ | $0.17 | $5.17 | $61.93 |
| Missouri | 13.7¢ | $0.14 | $4.37 | $52.43 |
| Montana | 14.7¢ | $0.15 | $4.69 | $56.22 |
| Nebraska | 13.6¢ | $0.14 | $4.34 | $52.08 |
| Nevada | 13.6¢ | $0.14 | $4.35 | $52.12 |
| New Hampshire | 27.3¢ | $0.29 | $8.74 | $104.74 |
| New Jersey | 23.3¢ | $0.24 | $7.44 | $89.18 |
| New Mexico | 14.1¢ | $0.15 | $4.51 | $54.11 |
| New York | 29.9¢ | $0.31 | $9.57 | $114.71 |
| North Carolina | 15.1¢ | $0.16 | $4.82 | $57.83 |
| North Dakota | 13.6¢ | $0.14 | $4.35 | $52.16 |
| Ohio | 19.5¢ | $0.20 | $6.24 | $74.81 |
| Oklahoma | 13.4¢ | $0.14 | $4.28 | $51.28 |
| Oregon | 16.3¢ | $0.17 | $5.20 | $62.35 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.6¢ | $0.23 | $6.89 | $82.59 |
| Rhode Island | 29.5¢ | $0.31 | $9.42 | $112.91 |
| South Carolina | 16.2¢ | $0.17 | $5.17 | $62.01 |
| South Dakota | 15.7¢ | $0.17 | $5.03 | $60.29 |
| Tennessee | 14.5¢ | $0.15 | $4.62 | $55.46 |
| Texas | 16.4¢ | $0.17 | $5.25 | $63.01 |
| Utah | 13.0¢ | $0.14 | $4.14 | $49.67 |
| Vermont | 24.9¢ | $0.26 | $7.96 | $95.39 |
| Virginia | 17.6¢ | $0.18 | $5.63 | $67.49 |
| Washington | 14.9¢ | $0.16 | $4.78 | $57.30 |
| West Virginia | 16.8¢ | $0.18 | $5.37 | $64.39 |
| Wisconsin | 19.7¢ | $0.21 | $6.31 | $75.65 |
| Wyoming | 14.8¢ | $0.16 | $4.73 | $56.72 |
How to cut the cost
- Cap the frame rate or enable V-Sync — rendering hundreds of unnecessary frames burns real power.
- Enable sleep on idle rather than leaving the machine at the desktop overnight.
- Undervolt the GPU if you're comfortable doing so; it often keeps performance while cutting draw noticeably.
- Measure with a plug-in meter if you want a real number — estimates for gaming PCs are unusually unreliable.
Compare with related appliances
Monthly cost at typical usage and 19.4¢/kWh.
Questions
How much does it cost to run a gaming PC?
It depends heavily on the hardware and what you're running. Use the calculator with your own measured wattage for an accurate figure; the 350 W default reflects a mid-range system under load.
Does a bigger power supply use more electricity?
No. A PSU supplies only what the components draw. A higher-rated unit simply has more headroom.
How do you calculate what a gaming PC 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 gaming PC: 350 W × 3 h ÷ 1,000 = 1.05 kWh per day, which at 19.4¢/kWh is $0.20 per day.
How many watts does a gaming PC use?
Typically 350 watts, with most models falling between 200 and 800 watts. The label on the appliance or its power supply gives the figure for your specific unit.