Estimate the electricity cost of keeping a PC running for YouTube 24/7 by multiplying its average power draw in watts by its operating hours, dividing by 1,000 to get kilowatt-hours (kWh), then multiplying by your electricity rate. At a constant 100 W, for example, a year of continuous operation uses 876 kWh; at an assumed rate of $0.15/kWh, that is $131.40. The rate is an illustration, not a universal tariff.
Calculate 24/7 electricity use and cost
For a steady average load, use:
kWh = watts × hours ÷ 1,000
Then estimate the energy charge with kWh × your price per kWh. The U.S. Department of Energy explains the conversion from watt-hours to kilowatt-hours in its energy calculation guidance.
A 365-day year contains 8,760 hours. A 730-hour month is a convenient approximation, not the length of every billing period; use actual hours for a more precise estimate.
Example annual costs at an assumed $0.15/kWh
These are arithmetic scenarios, not measurements of particular computers. The assumed rate is not a national average or a live tariff.
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| Average draw | Energy in 365 days | Example energy cost |
|---|---|---|
| 30 W | 262.8 kWh | $39.42 |
| 50 W | 438 kWh | $65.70 |
| 100 W | 876 kWh | $131.40 |
| 200 W | 1,752 kWh | $262.80 |
| 500 W | 4,380 kWh | $657.00 |
What a 100 W PC costs in an approximate month
At 100 W for 730 hours, consumption is 73 kWh. At the same illustrative $0.15/kWh rate, the energy charge is $10.95. Each $0.01/kWh change in rate shifts the annual cost of this 100 W example by $8.76.
Use the PC’s actual average draw, not its power-supply rating
The wattage to use is the computer’s average draw from the wall while it is doing the job. Include a monitor, speakers, or other equipment only if you want the estimate to cover those devices too. A power supply’s rated capacity is not the computer’s continuous consumption: Department of Energy guidance says nameplate ratings are generally maximum design limits and can be two to four times actual consumption. Measure the equipment where possible, as described in its device-consumption guidance.
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There is no established universal wattage for a PC streaming YouTube 24/7. A gaming computer at idle, a small office PC playing a video, and a laptop can draw very different amounts. Resolution, hardware video decoding, browser, display brightness, and background tasks can also change the reading.
Measure a representative period
- Connect a compatible plug-in electricity usage monitor between the wall outlet and the equipment you want to count.
- Run the computer and any included peripherals in the actual playback setup, with the intended YouTube resolution and normal background tasks.
- Record energy use over several hours or days rather than relying on a momentary watt reading. If the monitor reports kWh, divide that reading by elapsed hours and multiply by 1,000 to estimate average watts.
- Use that average wattage in the annual or monthly formula. Measure the complete setup if your estimate is meant to include its display and other devices.
Computer consumption fluctuates; Department of Energy standby-measurement guidance recommends measuring variable use over time and dividing by the measurement period to get an average (measurement guidance).
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Use the electricity rate on your bill
Replace the illustrative rate with the applicable energy price on your own bill. Electricity prices may vary by time of use or season, and a bill can also include fixed and demand charges. The simple calculation estimates added energy charges; it does not allocate fixed fees or fully model demand-based tariffs. The Department of Energy discusses these differences in its utility-rate guidance.
For context, the Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program used 11¢/kWh for federal-facility examples in July 2024. That is a federal-facility assumption, not a general household rate (computer purchasing guidance).
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Consider a lower-energy playback device
If the goal is simply to play a documentary or other video, compare the PC with the device that would otherwise do the job. ENERGY STAR recommends a tablet for small-screen streaming and identifies a smart TV as an efficient big-screen option. Its page also says a computer uses 11 times the energy of a digital media player in its comparison. Treat that as ENERGY STAR’s comparative figure, not a guarantee for every model or a direct test of a PC-plus-monitor setup (ENERGY STAR digital media player guidance).
ENERGY STAR computer criteria cover Off, Sleep, and Idle modes and include power-management requirements; the page lists a specification effective date of October 2025 (ENERGY STAR computer criteria). Sleep settings can reduce consumption when a computer is idle, but continuous playback may keep it from sleeping, so do not count sleep-mode savings during an active stream.
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Keep a YouTube channel live without leaving a PC on
If your goal is a 24/7 YouTube channel that plays uploaded videos, StreamNeo is a cloud-based alternative to leaving a home computer running. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live; the service loops the video from the cloud, so your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. It is YouTube-only and plays uploaded videos rather than broadcasting a camera. Details are at StreamNeo.
Each slot includes one always-on stream, 10 GB of storage per slot pooled across active slots, 24/7 looping and playlists, automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream, and team support. Uploaded video streams as made, up to 4K 60fps, with no re-encode or quality tiers. The same product is on every plan; only the billing length changes. The first day is free with no card, once per account.
| Billing length | Price |
|---|---|
| Daily | $0.99 per day |
| Weekly | $2.99 per week |
| Monthly | $9.99 per month |
| 6 months | $49.99 for 6 months |
| Yearly | $89.99 a year |
Plans can be cancelled any time. UPI and cards are available in India; card checkout is available worldwide. Contact support about five or more slots.
For a comparison of a home setup’s running cost with a cloud option, use the cloud vs PC cost calculator. To try StreamNeo, start the free first day.
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