The Tool Desk
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Calculate the electricity cost
For a 30-day month, calculate energy use first, then multiply by the rate you pay per kilowatt-hour (kWh):
Monthly kWh = average wall draw in watts × 720 ÷ 1,000
Monthly electricity cost = monthly kWh × your applicable cost per kWh
#1 Best Overall
- Spacious Design: Measuring 21.1" wide and 14.1" deep, our lap desk comfortably fits most laptops up to 15.6". Extra room for accessories ensures convenience.
- Enhanced Functionality: Packed with handy features, including a 5x9" precision tracking mouse pad and a built-in phone slot for seamless work or video calls. Plus, enjoy ergonomic support with the integrated cushioned wrist rest.
- Cool Comfort: Enjoy a stable surface with our lap desk's dual bolster cushion, designed for comfort and airflow, keeping your lap cool during extended use.
- Durable Surface: Work with confidence on our lap desk's solid surface, featuring a sleek black carbon color, ensuring optimal air circulation to prevent your laptop from overheating.
- On-the-Go Convenience: With an integrated handle and lightweight design (2.8 lbs), our lap desk is portable for travel or moving around the house, offering flexibility in any space.
For a full year of uninterrupted operation, use 8,760 hours instead of 720. Use the marginal rate that applies to additional consumption, including relevant variable charges if you want to estimate the increase on your bill. Electricity tariffs, taxes and time-of-use pricing vary, so published examples are not a quote for your home.
Worked example: a 120 W PC
At an average wall draw of 120 W, continuous operation for 30 days uses about 86 kWh. StreamNeo’s illustrative example puts that at about ₹690 in India at ₹8/kWh, $14 in the US at $0.16/kWh, or €26 in Europe at €0.30/kWh. These are calculations using the stated assumptions, not current household tariff quotes or measurements of your PC. Substitute your own rate. StreamNeo’s cost article also describes a 250 W gaming PC as costing roughly twice as much under the same assumptions; mathematically, 250 W is about 2.08 times 120 W.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
Measure the PC you will actually leave running
- Measure at the wall. Use a plug-in power meter while the computer is doing the intended streaming work. A kWh reading accumulated over a representative period can be used directly, or record average watts and apply the formula.
- Include only equipment that will stay on. Add a monitor, speakers or other peripherals only if they will remain powered and you want their electricity included. A PC-only estimate should not silently include them.
- Use the right electricity rate. Check your bill for the applicable cost per kWh and include variable charges that affect the cost of additional usage.
- Allow for variation. If workload, encoding settings or other activity makes the draw fluctuate, measure over a representative period and report a range rather than presenting one moment’s reading as a fixed monthly result.
The wall measurement matters because a power supply’s rated capacity or a component’s advertised maximum is not the same as the complete computer’s average consumption during your stream.
What this estimate does—and does not—cover
The calculation estimates the electricity portion of running the measured setup for the chosen hours. It does not include hardware wear, internet service, any change in cooling costs or the opportunity cost of keeping the machine in use. If a monitor or other equipment is included in the wall measurement, its consumption is part of the electricity estimate; otherwise it is not.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Rank #3
- Note: Not suitable for MacBooks released after 2023 or devices with a protruding front camera; Not applicable to full-screen or notch-style tempered glass screen protectors; Do not use on the rear camera of the phone.
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PC, encoder or cloud: compare like with like
YouTube supports encoder-based live streaming. An encoder can be streaming software on a computer or standalone hardware, according to YouTube’s encoder setup documentation. That describes available workflows; it does not establish that buying a dedicated encoder would reduce your costs.
To compare a PC with a cloud service, match the same operating period and scope. Compare the PC’s measured electricity cost with the service’s current fee, and account for differences in quality, control, reliability, storage and workflow. A cloud option is not automatically cheaper, and electricity alone does not capture all PC-running costs.
Rank #4
- Anti-Slip Surface - Transform your laptop into a mobile workstation with the AboveTEK portable laptop lap desk. The anti-slip surface provides a strong grip for laptops up to 15.6 inches(Diagonal), while the double rubber strip on the bottom ensures a stable display or typing experience on your lap, couch, or bed.
- Retractable Mouse Pad - Retractable laptop mouse pad extends on both directions for the left/right handed with elevation along the edges for stopping mouse from falling off. The size of laptop tray is 14" X 9.7" and the size of mouse pad is 7.4" X 6.1".
- Effective Heat Shield - The effective heat shield made of sturdy and thick material protects your laptop from overheating. Prioritizes your comfort and safety, an ideal lap pad or board for working anywhere.
- EASY to Carry and Store - With an ergonomic and simplistic design, the lap desk is portable to store in a backpack. Only 15" in size, 2.2 lb of weight and with slim 0.6 inch thickness, it is ready to be easily carried around.
- Widely Applicable - The smooth platform accommodates laptops and tablets up to 15.6 inches(Diagonal), making it a versatile accessory and one of the best gifts for mom, dad, students and professionals. Perfect for use as a laptop bed tray or tablet holder anywhere at home, library, or park.
Or let it run in the cloud
StreamNeo keeps a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos, without a computer or home connection staying on. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, then go live. Its stream uses the video as uploaded, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot; it automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. Start a free day with StreamNeo.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Spacious Design: Measuring 21.1" wide and 12" deep, our lap desk comfortably fits most laptops up to 15.6". Extra room for accessories ensures convenience.
- Enhanced Functionality: Packed with handy features, including a 5x9" precision tracking mouse pad and a built-in phone slot for seamless work or video calls. Plus, enjoy laptop support with the integrated device ledge.
- Cool Comfort: Enjoy a stable surface with our lap desk's dual bolster cushion, designed for comfort and airflow, keeping your lap cool during extended use.
- Durable Surface: Work with confidence on our lap desk's solid surface, featuring a blush pink color, ensuring optimal air circulation to prevent your laptop from overheating.
- On-the-Go Convenience: With an integrated handle and lightweight design (2.14 lbs), our lap desk is portable for travel or moving around the house, offering flexibility in any space.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
