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A Raspberry Pi 5 is likely to use less electricity at idle than a typical Intel N100 mini PC, but the available figures do not show which costs less while actually encoding and sending a 24/7 YouTube stream. To compare running costs fairly, measure each complete setup with the same stream running, then apply your local electricity tariff. The stream settings, attached devices and total purchase cost can all change the result.
What the published power figures show—and what they don’t
CNX Software’s 2024 comparison reports idle power of 3.0–3.6 W for a Raspberry Pi 5 and typical idle power of 7.5–10 W for Intel N100 mini PCs. Subtracting the endpoints gives an idle-power difference of 3.9–7.0 W in that comparison. These are idle figures, not measurements of either device continuously encoding a YouTube stream; they cannot establish the streaming winner or a guaranteed electricity saving.
Raspberry Pi Ltd’s hardware documentation lists 800 mA as typical active current consumption for a bare Raspberry Pi 5. That current figure is not a wall-power measurement: converting it to a precise electricity cost would require the relevant voltage and measurement conditions. Raspberry Pi also cautions that its approximate power figures do not include extra USB devices or HATs, which can increase consumption.
Why your actual stream can change the answer
A live stream adds work that idle comparisons do not capture. The load depends in part on resolution, frame rate, codec and bitrate, along with the specific software and hardware configuration. YouTube Help’s current H.264 guidance recommends 10 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps and 17 Mbps for 1080p at 60 fps. Those are bitrate recommendations, not power measurements or guarantees that either computer will handle a particular stream reliably.
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YouTube advises choosing a quality that will provide a reliable stream over your internet connection. Its guidance also recommends testing before going live and monitoring stream health. Treat the requested stream as part of the comparison: a machine that uses less power but cannot sustain your chosen settings or maintain a reliable broadcast may not suit your purpose.
Compare the complete setups, not just the boards
Measure the power drawn at the wall by each working setup. A Pi build may need a compatible power supply, storage, case and active cooling, depending on its configuration. An N100 mini PC also needs to be evaluated as the actual system you would buy and use, including any peripherals required for streaming. Include any display or capture hardware in both setups if it will be part of normal operation.
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- Stream workload: Use the same resolution, frame rate, codec and bitrate on both systems.
- Peripherals: Keep network equipment, storage, displays and other connected devices consistent, or record differences that cannot be avoided.
- Stability: Note sustained thermal behavior, stream-health warnings, interruptions and any restarts or recovery needed during the test.
- Capability: Consider operating-system, GPIO, camera and software requirements if your project depends on them.
- Purchase cost: Compare the price of each complete usable setup, rather than comparing a bare board with a fully configured computer.
CNX Software’s 2024 comparison reports stronger general-purpose benchmark performance for its tested N100 mini PC than for the Pi 5 in most of the listed tests. That is not a continuous-streaming benchmark. Its example configuration prices are historical, so use current prices for the specific hardware you are considering rather than treating those examples as today’s costs.
Calculate annual electricity use and cost
For a continuous 24/7 schedule, a year contains 8,760 operating hours. Once you have a measured average wall draw in watts, estimate energy and cost as follows:
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- Annual energy: average watts Ă— 8.76 = kWh per year.
- Annual electricity cost: annual kWh Ă— your all-in electricity price per kWh.
Use the tariff that applies to you, including relevant per-kWh charges. For example, if your measured average were 20 W, the estimate would be 175.2 kWh per year (20 × 8.76). Multiply that result by your own all-in rate. This is an illustration of the calculation, not a measured result for either computer or a forecast of any reader’s bill.
You can also estimate the cost of a shorter measurement period by multiplying average watts by operating hours and dividing by 1,000 to get kWh, then multiplying by your tariff. Use average power over the period, not a single momentary reading.
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A repeatable test for your own channel
- Prepare both systems: Assemble each as you would actually run it, with the necessary storage, cooling, power supply and peripherals. Use the same network path where practical.
- Match the stream: Configure the same resolution, frame rate, codec and bitrate. Use the stream you intend to broadcast, not idle mode, as the comparison workload.
- Check the broadcast: Test before starting and monitor YouTube’s stream health while each system runs. Record interruptions, warnings, thermal behavior and any recovery or restart required.
- Measure at the wall: Use a plug-in watt meter if you want to compare complete system draw. Let each setup reach steady operation, then record average watts over a representative period. A single reading may miss variation in workload.
- Calculate on the same basis: Convert each average to annual kWh with the same 8.76 multiplier, then use the same local tariff. Compare the complete systems’ purchase costs separately.
The cited sources do not provide a matched, long-duration test of Pi 5 and N100 systems encoding the same YouTube stream, nor do they establish comparative 24/7 reliability. Your measured result answers the electricity question for your hardware, stream settings and conditions; your stream-health observations help determine whether the lower-energy setup is practically suitable.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Or let it run in the cloud
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