How Much Does It Cost to Run a Game Console?

Sony's own measurements put the PlayStation 5 at about 200–220 W while playing PS5 games, across the original, Slim and Pro models. We use 200 W as a typical figure for a current home console.

At 200 W, 3 hours of play a day uses 0.6 kWh: about $0.11 a day in the US, £0.16 in the UK and €0.22 in Germany, or about $3.31, £4.80 and €6.60 a month.

The European Commission estimates that consoles are actively used about 2.8 hours a day on average, so 3 hours is a fair planning figure. These figures cover the console only; add your TV or monitor separately.

Xbox Series X: Microsoft's lab tests average about 154 W in active gameplay, and its data from consoles in homes averages about 122 W while gaming. Xbox Series S: about 74 W in the lab and 61 W in homes.

Nintendo Switch 2: Nintendo lists 19 W in TV mode while playing Mario Kart World, and 8 W on the HOME Menu. The original Switch uses about 6–7 W in TV mode and about 4 W in handheld mode.

So an hour on a Switch 2 costs about a tenth of an hour on a PS5, and a Series S about a third.

What you play matters. In Sony's tests, PS4 games played on a PS5 used about 90–115 W, roughly half as much as PS5 games. Menus and video use far less: about 45 W on the PS5 home screen and about 55 W streaming video, while Microsoft puts app use on the Series X at about 51 W.

PlayStation 5: about 0.3 W in rest mode with its low-power setting, and about 3–5 W if you keep the USB ports powered for charging and the internet connection on. By default, a PS5 goes into rest mode after 20 minutes without input in games and menus, and after 4 hours of video.

Xbox Series X|S: Shutdown (energy saving) uses about 0.5 W. Sleep, which allows instant start and remote wake, uses about 10–15 W, according to Microsoft.

Nintendo Switch 2: 0.5 W in sleep mode, or 5 W if you keep a wired internet connection on.

Standby adds up. An Xbox asleep at 15 W for 21 hours a day uses about 0.32 kWh, half as much as a 3-hour PS5 gaming day, and up to about 115 kWh a year.

Figures are the manufacturers' own measurements at the wall and vary with the game. TV or monitor not included. A plug-in power meter shows your own console's draw; use that number in the calculator.

• Use rest mode or shutdown instead of leaving the console on the home screen.
• On an Xbox, choose Shutdown (energy saving) unless you need instant start or remote wake; Microsoft says it uses up to 20 times less power than Sleep.
• On a PS5, turn off USB power in rest mode once your controllers are charged, or limit it to a few hours.
• Keep the automatic rest and sleep timers on, or shorten them.
• Turn off the TV too, and use its energy-saving picture mode.

• Gaming PC
• Home UPS or inverter
• TV
• Hair dryer
• Bill analyzer