There is no reliable one-size-fits-all price: the cost depends on the PC’s average power draw at the wall and your electricity rate. Measure the computer while it is doing the work you plan to leave running, then calculate its energy use and multiply by your applicable price per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
Calculate the monthly electricity cost
Use this formula for an approximate average month:
Monthly energy (kWh) = average wall watts Ă· 1,000 Ă— 24 Ă— 30.4
Monthly energy cost = monthly kWh Ă— your electricity price per kWh
The 30.4-day factor is an average-month estimate. A 30-day month has 720 hours and a 31-day month has 744; for a specific billing period, use its actual number of days instead. The result estimates the added energy charge, not fixed service fees, tariff tiers, or other household use.
#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.
Illustrative U.S. calculations
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports a January 2026 U.S. residential average of 17.45 cents/kWh and a 2025 annual average of 17.30 cents/kWh in its March 2026 Electric Power Monthly table. These are national averages, not a quote for your home; use the applicable rate on your bill.
| Average wall draw | Energy in an average 30.4-day month | Estimated cost at $0.1745/kWh |
|---|---|---|
| 50 W | 36.48 kWh | About $6.37 |
| 100 W | 72.96 kWh | About $12.73 |
| 200 W | 145.92 kWh | About $25.45 |
These are arithmetic examples, not typical-use claims about old gaming PCs. EIA explains that watts measure power at a moment, while watt-hours measure energy over time; one kWh is one kilowatt used for one hour. See the EIA Electric Power Monthly and its guide to measuring electricity.
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 instead of guessing
- Use a plug-in electricity usage monitor or watt meter. Measure at the wall. A CPU or GPU’s reported power is not the same as the total system draw from the outlet.
- Include only equipment that will stay powered. If the monitor will be off, do not include it. If a display, capture device, or other accessory will remain on, measure or account for it separately.
- Measure representative stream operation. Idle draw and maximum component power may not reflect the actual workload. If the load varies, record total kWh over a representative period and calculate average watts: kWh Ă— 1,000 Ă· elapsed hours.
- Apply your local marginal rate. For time-of-use pricing or tiered bills, use the rate or rates that apply to the hours and usage in question.
No particular meter model is established here; the useful feature is measuring the complete system’s energy at the outlet.
What YouTube’s streaming settings do—and do not—tell you
YouTube describes an encoder as software or hardware that converts video into a digital format for streaming. Its guidance lists RTMP/RTMPS and H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 options; recommended bitrate varies with resolution, frame rate, and codec. For example, YouTube recommends 5–14 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps with H.264. Those settings help define the workload, but they do not determine a PC’s wall draw or prove that an unspecified older machine can encode reliably around the clock. YouTube recommends testing with representative audio and motion and checking stream health. It also says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. See YouTube’s encoder settings and live-stream guidance.
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.
- 💻 Why Do You Need a Webcam Cover Slide? — Safeguard your privacy by covering your webcam with our reliable webcam cover when not in use. Don't let anyone secretly watch you. Stay protected!
- ✅ Thin & Stylish — Enhance your laptop's functionality and aesthetics with our 0.027" ultra-thin webcam covers. Seamlessly close your laptop while adding a touch of sophistication.
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- ✅ 365 Days Protection — Our upgraded 3.0 adhesive ensures a strong hold that won't damage your equipment. Experience reliable, long-term privacy protection day in and day out.
Compare like with like before choosing a setup
To compare an old PC with another machine or a hosted option, use measured wall watts under the same workload and the same electricity rate. Also account for whether each setup can deliver the encoding quality you need and how reliably it can keep the stream running. A lower electricity estimate alone does not establish equivalent video quality or continuity.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Or let it run in the cloud
StreamNeo keeps a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos, without a computer, OBS, or home internet connection having to stay on. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops the uploaded video in the cloud; it does not stream from a camera.
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.
- Any quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, with no re-encode or quality tiers.
- Automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream.
- The first day is free with no card required.
One slot includes one always-on stream, 10 GB of storage per slot (pooled across active slots), looping and playlists, automatic recovery, and StreamNeo team support. The same product is included on every plan; only the duration changes. Monthly: $9.99 per month.
See StreamNeo for details, or start the free first day.
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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.
