The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Turning off the monitor does not turn off the computer running a YouTube stream. To find the electricity cost, measure the average power draw of the equipment you want to count, multiply by the hours it runs, divide by 1,000 to get kilowatt-hours (kWh), then multiply by your electricity rate. The monitor-off saving depends on the monitor and its standby state; the computer and any other powered equipment still use electricity.
Calculate the cost of leaving a YouTube stream running
Use this formula:
Cost = average watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh
For example, a setup averaging 60 watts for 720 hours uses 43.2 kWh. At an assumed rate of $0.20 per kWh, that would cost $8.64. This is an arithmetic illustration, not a typical-computer estimate or a prediction of your bill.
- For a 30-day month, use 720 hours; for a full year, use 8,760 hours.
- Use the applicable rate from your own electricity bill. If your plan has time-of-use rates, use the rate for the hours the equipment is running.
- If your meter measures kWh directly, multiply its reading for the period by your applicable rate.
What stays on when the monitor is off?
A computer can keep playing a stream or running a live encoder while its display is off. DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) puts it plainly: “If your networked computer(s) must remain on in the evening for file backup or other purposes, turn off the monitor.” DOE FEMP’s computer guidance recommends using that approach when the computer needs to remain on.
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Turning off or blanking the display can reduce its energy use, but it does not stop the computer, router, separately powered speakers, or other equipment from drawing power. A monitor can also use a small amount in standby, depending on its model and state. DOE notes that some equipment uses electricity even when it appears to be off; see DOE FEMP’s standby-power measurement guidance.
There is no universal wattage for “a YouTube stream.” The draw depends on the device, what it is doing, its settings, and whether it is playing a stream or encoding one. YouTube itself does not determine the electricity used by your local equipment.
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Measure the setup in the state you actually use
- Decide what you want to include. For example, measure only the computer, or the computer plus its display, speakers, and other separately powered equipment. Include network equipment only if you want to count it.
- Measure while the setup is running as usual. A plug-in electricity usage monitor can measure equipment connected through a single outlet, provided the equipment can safely be used with that meter.
- Measure over a representative period. If the reading fluctuates, use energy measured over time and divide by the measurement period to estimate average power. DOE describes this approach in its standby-power guidance.
- Apply the formula. If you have average watts, multiply by the hours and divide by 1,000 to find kWh. Multiply that energy figure by the applicable price per kWh. If the meter reports kWh, use its reading for the period instead.
Separate watching a stream from operating one
Watching YouTube continuously and operating a live encoder are different workloads, so measure the one you mean. YouTube lists computer-based webcam and encoder options, along with mobile and console pathways, in its live-streaming getting-started guide. Its live-streaming tips advise creators to monitor audio and video quality and to stop the encoder after the stream has stopped on YouTube. Those operating instructions do not provide an electricity estimate; your equipment’s measured draw is still needed.
How to interpret published electricity figures
DOE FEMP’s display comparison reports annual estimates of 29 kWh for a best-available 27-inch 1080p LCD monitor, 52 kWh for an ENERGY STAR-certified example, and 72 kWh for a less-efficient example. These are product-comparison estimates under the page’s assumptions, using market and product data reported through December 2024—not readings for an arbitrary monitor in its off or standby state. The page uses 11¢/kWh, the average electricity price at U.S. federal facilities in July 2024; that dated federal-facility assumption is not a universal household rate. See DOE FEMP’s display and monitor comparison.
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DOE also says enabling computer power-management features can reduce computer energy use by up to 27% annually. That is DOE guidance, not a prediction for a particular always-on streaming computer: the benefit depends on how the machine is used and configured. A machine that must keep processing or transmitting a stream may not enter low-power states while doing so.
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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Quick Recap
Best Value
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