How much does it cost to run a game console?
Short answer: A game console drawing 200 watts costs about $0.04 per hour at the U.S. average residential price of 18.31¢ per kWh. Used 3 hours a day, 30 days a month, that is about $3.30 per month and $39.55 per year. In Louisiana, the cheapest state, the same use costs $2.29 a month; in Hawaii, the most expensive, $8.64.
Game console cost calculator
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Hours per day of play. Add the television separately; it is not included here.
Uses 18.0 kWh per month. The starting price is the U.S. residential average; choose your state or type the price from your own bill.
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| Per year |
A current high-end game console draws around 200 watts during demanding games, far less than a gaming PC. Three hours a day costs a few dollars a month. The setting that matters most is what the console does when you are not playing.
Cost by size and setting
Costs below use the U.S. average price and 3 hours a day, 30 days a month.
| Type | Power | Per hour | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handheld-style console, docked | 15 W | 0.3¢ | $0.25 |
| Current high-end console, streaming video | 60 W | $0.01 | $0.99 |
| Current high-end console, gaming | 200 W | $0.04 | $3.30 |
Playing, streaming and standby
Power varies widely with what the console is doing. A demanding game can pull 200 watts; a menu or a video streaming app, 50 to 70. Smaller handheld-style consoles use 10 to 20 watts even when docked to a television.
Standby is the hidden part. In an energy-saving mode a console uses under a watt. In an "instant-on" or "rest" mode with network features and downloads enabled, it can use 10 watts or more around the clock, which is over 80 kWh a year.
Console or streaming device for video
Watching video through a console uses several times the power of a streaming stick or the television's own apps, which need only a few watts. If the console is mainly used for films and series, a dedicated streaming device pays for itself.
How to lower the cost
- Choose the energy-saving power mode in the console's settings.
- Turn on automatic shut-down after an hour of inactivity.
- Use the television's own apps for streaming.
- Switch off controllers' charging and USB power in standby if you do not need them.
How a game console compares with other appliances
Typical power and use for each appliance, at the U.S. average price of 18.31¢ per kWh. Follow a link for that appliance's own calculator, or compare two side by side.
| Appliance | Power | Typical use | Energy per month | Cost per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game console | 200 W | 3 hours a day, 30 days a month | 18.0 kWh | $3.30 |
| Gaming PC | 400 W | 4 hours a day, 30 days a month | 48.0 kWh | $8.79 |
| TV | 100 W | 5 hours a day, 30 days a month | 15.0 kWh | $2.75 |
| Laptop | 60 W | 6 hours a day, 30 days a month | 10.8 kWh | $1.98 |
| Desktop computer | 150 W | 6 hours a day, 30 days a month | 27.0 kWh | $4.94 |
The math behind the numbers
200 watts ÷ 1,000 = 0.2 kW. 0.2 kW × 3 hours = 0.6 kWh per day. 0.6 kWh × $0.1831 = $0.11 per day. Over 30 days that is 18.0 kWh and $3.30 a month.
Your own figure will differ if your appliance has a different wattage, if you use it more or less, or if your price per kWh is not the national average. Change any of those in the calculator at the top of this page. Our step-by-step guide explains where to find each number.
Cost to run a game console in every state
Based on 200 watts for 3 hours a day, 30 days a month, at each state's average residential electricity price for July 2026.
| State | Price per kWh | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16.40¢ | $0.03 | $2.95 | $35.42 |
| Alaska | 28.83¢ | $0.06 | $5.19 | $62.27 |
| Arizona | 15.38¢ | $0.03 | $2.77 | $33.22 |
| Arkansas | 14.33¢ | $0.03 | $2.58 | $30.95 |
| California | 33.61¢ | $0.07 | $6.05 | $72.60 |
| Colorado | 17.00¢ | $0.03 | $3.06 | $36.72 |
| Connecticut | 24.16¢ | $0.05 | $4.35 | $52.19 |
| Delaware | 18.48¢ | $0.04 | $3.33 | $39.92 |
| District of Columbia | 25.21¢ | $0.05 | $4.54 | $54.45 |
| Florida | 15.03¢ | $0.03 | $2.71 | $32.46 |
| Georgia | 16.27¢ | $0.03 | $2.93 | $35.14 |
| Hawaii | 48.00¢ | $0.10 | $8.64 | $103.68 |
| Idaho | 13.73¢ | $0.03 | $2.47 | $29.66 |
| Illinois | 19.22¢ | $0.04 | $3.46 | $41.52 |
| Indiana | 16.73¢ | $0.03 | $3.01 | $36.14 |
| Iowa | 15.99¢ | $0.03 | $2.88 | $34.54 |
| Kansas | 15.27¢ | $0.03 | $2.75 | $32.98 |
| Kentucky | 13.81¢ | $0.03 | $2.49 | $29.83 |
| Louisiana | 12.72¢ | $0.03 | $2.29 | $27.48 |
| Maine | 32.41¢ | $0.06 | $5.83 | $70.01 |
| Maryland | 21.41¢ | $0.04 | $3.85 | $46.25 |
| Massachusetts | 30.49¢ | $0.06 | $5.49 | $65.86 |
| Michigan | 23.05¢ | $0.05 | $4.15 | $49.79 |
| Minnesota | 17.45¢ | $0.03 | $3.14 | $37.69 |
| Mississippi | 14.54¢ | $0.03 | $2.62 | $31.41 |
| Missouri | 16.09¢ | $0.03 | $2.90 | $34.75 |
| Montana | 14.99¢ | $0.03 | $2.70 | $32.38 |
| Nebraska | 13.78¢ | $0.03 | $2.48 | $29.76 |
| Nevada | 12.77¢ | $0.03 | $2.30 | $27.58 |
| New Hampshire | 26.60¢ | $0.05 | $4.79 | $57.46 |
| New Jersey | 25.19¢ | $0.05 | $4.53 | $54.41 |
| New Mexico | 16.09¢ | $0.03 | $2.90 | $34.75 |
| New York | 29.90¢ | $0.06 | $5.38 | $64.58 |
| North Carolina | 15.16¢ | $0.03 | $2.73 | $32.75 |
| North Dakota | 13.41¢ | $0.03 | $2.41 | $28.97 |
| Ohio | 19.45¢ | $0.04 | $3.50 | $42.01 |
| Oklahoma | 14.35¢ | $0.03 | $2.58 | $31.00 |
| Oregon | 15.97¢ | $0.03 | $2.87 | $34.50 |
| Pennsylvania | 21.72¢ | $0.04 | $3.91 | $46.92 |
| Rhode Island | 28.29¢ | $0.06 | $5.09 | $61.11 |
| South Carolina | 15.47¢ | $0.03 | $2.78 | $33.42 |
| South Dakota | 15.37¢ | $0.03 | $2.77 | $33.20 |
| Tennessee | 13.71¢ | $0.03 | $2.47 | $29.61 |
| Texas | 15.88¢ | $0.03 | $2.86 | $34.30 |
| Utah | 13.12¢ | $0.03 | $2.36 | $28.34 |
| Vermont | 23.75¢ | $0.05 | $4.28 | $51.30 |
| Virginia | 17.55¢ | $0.04 | $3.16 | $37.91 |
| Washington | 14.71¢ | $0.03 | $2.65 | $31.77 |
| West Virginia | 15.78¢ | $0.03 | $2.84 | $34.08 |
| Wisconsin | 19.06¢ | $0.04 | $3.43 | $41.17 |
| Wyoming | 14.36¢ | $0.03 | $2.58 | $31.02 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a game console per hour?
About $0.04 an hour at the U.S. average electricity price while playing a demanding game at 200 watts.
How much electricity does a console use in rest mode?
From under one watt in an energy-saving mode to 10 watts or more with instant-on features enabled. Ten watts around the clock is 87.6 kWh a year.
Does a game console use more electricity than a gaming PC?
Less. A console draws about 200 watts at most; a gaming PC with a high-end graphics card can draw 400 watts or more.
Sources
- ENERGY STAR: Computers
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly (state electricity prices)
- U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Saver: Appliances and Electronics
Electricity prices are the EIA figures for July 2026. Wattages are typical values; check the label on your own appliance.