How much does a games console cost to run?
At the current price cap, a games console costs about 10.5p per 2-hour gaming session, or around £27.45 a year with typical use.
Games console
- An hour
- 5.3p
- A day used
- 10.5p
- A week
- 52.6p
- A month
- £2.29
- Energy a year
- 104 kWh
200 W for 2 hours a day, 5 days a week, at 26.32p per kWh.
Excludes the daily standing charge, which you pay whatever you use.
How it compares
Yearly cost with typical use, at your unit rate.
Games console running costs
At 26.32p per kWh, with typical use of 2 hours a day, 5 days a week.
| Period | Energy | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Per 2-hour gaming session | 0.4 kWh | 10.5p |
| Per week | 2 kWh | 52.6p |
| Per month | 8.69 kWh | £2.29 |
| Per year | 104 kWh | £27.45 |
How the cost varies
Smaller consoles at around 50 W to the most powerful consoles at around 220 W, for 2 hours.
| Energy use | Per 2-hour gaming session | Per year (typical use) |
|---|---|---|
| Lower | 2.6p | £6.86 |
| Typical | 10.5p | £27.45 |
| Higher | 11.6p | £30.19 |
Entertainment appliances compared
Yearly cost with typical use, at 26.32p per kWh.
| Appliance | Per hour | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming PC | 9.2p | £72.05 |
| TV (55-inch LED) | 2.6p | £38.43 |
| Games console (this page) | 5.3p | £27.45 |
Ways to spend less
- Turn off "instant on" or rest mode with downloads if you don't need it. It can use several watts all day and night.
- Set the console to switch off after an hour or two of no use.
- Streaming films through the console usually uses more power than a smart TV app or streaming stick, so use those for watching TV.
How we calculate this
We take a typical games console at 200 watts, used 2 hours a day, 5 days a week, and multiply the energy it uses by the Ofgem price cap unit rate of 26.32p per kWh.
One 2-hour gaming session uses about 0.4 kWh. Use the calculator above with your own appliance’s power and how you use it for a closer figure.
Questions people ask
How much does a games console cost to run a year?
With typical use (2 hours a day, 5 days a week), about £27.45 a year at the current price cap, or £2.29 a month.
How much does a console cost to leave on standby?
It depends on the setting. Basic standby is usually under 1 W, which costs pennies a year. Rest or instant-on modes that download updates can use 5 to 15 W around the clock, which adds about £10 to £35 a year.
Does the TV add to the cost?
Yes. Our figure is for the console alone. Add your TV or monitor on top: a 55-inch TV adds about 100 W while it's on.
Does this include the standing charge?
No. The standing charge (54.83p a day under the current cap, about £200.13 a year) is a fixed daily cost for being connected. It does not change with how much you use any appliance.