If you've got a gaming console plugged into the wall — or three — you might be wondering how much it's quietly adding to your electricity bill. It's a fair question: modern consoles are powerful machines, and power-hungry hardware doesn't come free. The good news is that a few easy setting tweaks can cut your annual gaming electricity cost by 30–60%, without giving up a single hour of playtime.
In this post, we pull together the best available wattage data for all the major current-generation and last-generation consoles, calculate real annual costs using the U.S. average electricity rate, and show you exactly which habits are draining your wallet while your controller sits idle on the couch.
The Wattage Basics: What Your Console Actually Draws
Electricity use is measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). To calculate a device's annual cost, you need three numbers: its wattage (W), how many hours per day it runs, and your local electricity rate (cents per kWh). The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) put the national average residential rate at approximately $0.163 per kWh in 2025, a figure we'll use throughout this article.
The formula is simple:
Annual kWh = Watts ÷ 1,000 × Hours/Day × 365
Annual cost = Annual kWh × $0.163
Consoles don't draw a single flat wattage, though. They pull different amounts of power depending on whether they're actively gaming, streaming video, sitting in a menu, or in standby/rest mode. All four states matter for your bill.
"Video game consoles in the United States consume approximately 34 billion kWh of electricity per year — more than the entire state of Maryland uses. Roughly 40% of that energy is consumed when consoles are idle or in standby mode."
Console-by-Console Power Use Data
The table below summarizes measured wattage across key usage modes. Gaming wattage figures are drawn from hardware review lab measurements and manufacturer specifications. We use a baseline of 2 hours of active gaming per day and 22 hours in standby or rest mode to model annual costs — a realistic pattern for a household with one regular gamer.
| Console | Gaming (W) | Streaming (W) | Standby/Rest (W) | Est. Annual kWh | Est. Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PlayStation 5 | 100–203 W | ~70 W | 0.5–13 W | ~110–135 kWh | ~$18–$22 |
| Xbox Series X | 100–200 W | ~65 W | 0.5–15 W | ~115–145 kWh | ~$19–$24 |
| Xbox Series S | 55–75 W | ~35 W | 0.5–11 W | ~60–85 kWh | ~$10–$14 |
| Nintendo Switch (Docked) | 10–18 W | ~10 W | ~2.5 W | ~25–35 kWh | ~$4–$6 |
| Nintendo Switch (Handheld) | 7–13 W | ~7 W | ~1.5 W | ~18–25 kWh | ~$3–$4 |
| PlayStation 4 Pro | ~155 W | ~80 W | ~8.5 W | ~155–180 kWh | ~$25–$30 |
| Xbox One X | ~112–170 W | ~72 W | ~12 W | ~165–200 kWh | ~$27–$33 |
| PlayStation 4 (Original) | ~137 W | ~70 W | ~8 W | ~140–160 kWh | ~$23–$26 |
Note: Annual cost estimates assume 2 hours/day active gaming, 1 hour/day streaming, and 21 hours/day in standby at the U.S. average rate of $0.163/kWh. Higher standby wattage figures reflect "Connected Standby" or "Quick Resume" modes with network activity enabled.
The Standby Problem Is Real
Look at those standby wattage figures again. An Xbox Series X left in its default "Instant-On" mode draws up to 15 watts around the clock — even when no one is playing. At 22 hours of standby per day, that single setting costs you about $21 per year all by itself, for the privilege of booting up a few seconds faster.
The PS5's rest mode with USB charging enabled and network features active can pull up to 13 watts in standby. Disable USB charging and background network features, and you can drop that to under 2 watts. That's a meaningful difference over 8,000+ standby hours per year.
If you have two consoles in the house — say, a PS5 and a Switch — and both are set to high-power standby modes, you could easily be spending $25–$35 per year just on standby electricity.
Does Using Your Console to Stream Video Cost Extra?
Yes, but less than you might think — and streaming on a console is still far less efficient than using a dedicated streaming stick. A PS5 streaming Netflix draws around 70 watts. A Roku Streaming Stick or Amazon Fire TV Stick draws 2–4 watts. For a household that streams 3 hours a night, that difference works out to roughly $15–$20 per year in extra electricity just from using the console as the streaming device.
If you already own a streaming stick, defaulting to it for non-gaming video content is one of the easiest, lowest-effort energy wins available to you.
5 Easy Ways to Cut Your Console's Power Bill
1. Enable Auto-Power-Down (The Biggest Single Win)
Every major console lets you set an auto-shutdown timer — typically 1, 2, or 3 hours of inactivity. If you fall asleep mid-session or walk away, the console keeps drawing full or near-full power. Setting a 1-hour auto-off timer can eliminate dozens of wasted hours per year. On a PS5 or Xbox Series X, find this under Settings → Power Saving → Set Time Until PS5 Turns Off (or equivalent on Xbox).
2. Switch to the Lowest-Power Rest/Sleep Mode
On PS5: Go to Settings → System → Power Saving → Features Available in Rest Mode and disable "Stay Connected to the Internet" and "Enable Turning On PS5 from Network." Your standby draw will fall from up to 13 W to roughly 0.5 W — nearly zero. You'll still be able to manually start downloads from the PlayStation app.
On Xbox Series X/S: Switch from "Instant-On" to "Energy Saving" mode under Settings → General → Power Options. Microsoft estimates this saves about 20x the standby electricity of Instant-On.
3. Use a Smart Power Strip for Your Entertainment Center
A smart power strip can automatically cut power to your TV, console, and other entertainment devices when the main device (usually the TV) turns off. This eliminates residual vampire draw from every device in the chain — not just the console. Combined with an auto-shutdown setting on your console, this is a genuine set-it-and-forget-it solution.
🥇 Kasa Smart Power Strip (EP40)
A 4-outlet smart power strip with individual outlet control via app, scheduling, and energy monitoring. Set it to cut all entertainment center power on a schedule or when your TV turns off — ideal for eliminating console standby drain passively.
Check Price on Amazon4. Use a Streaming Stick for Non-Gaming Video
If your console doubles as your main streaming device, swapping that habit for a dedicated streaming stick for TV shows and movies is one of the most cost-effective changes you can make. At roughly $30–$50 for a good stick, the payback period is under two years for most households — and the stick will keep saving money every year after that.
🥇 Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max
A top-rated 4K streaming stick that draws just 4–5 watts — roughly 15–20x less than using a PS5 or Xbox to stream the same content. Supports all major streaming apps with smooth 4K HDR playback.
Check Price on Amazon5. Monitor Your Actual Usage with a Plug-In Watt Meter
If you want to know exactly what your specific console costs — accounting for your play habits, your TV's draw, your controller charging, and everything else plugged into your entertainment center — a plug-in energy monitor is the most honest tool you can buy. Plug it between the wall and your power strip for a week and you'll have real numbers, not estimates.
🥇 Kill A Watt P4400 Electricity Monitor
The most widely recommended plug-in electricity monitor among energy researchers. Displays real-time watts, cumulative kWh, estimated cost, and more. No subscription, no app required. A one-time $25 purchase that pays for itself fast.
Check Price on AmazonHow Multiple Consoles Stack Up
Many households have more than one console — a main system for big gaming sessions plus a Switch for handheld or family play, for instance. Here's how the costs combine under our standard assumptions:
- PS5 + Nintendo Switch: ~$22–$28/year combined
- Xbox Series X + PS5: ~$37–$46/year combined (before any power-saving changes)
- PS4 Pro + Switch (older household): ~$29–$36/year combined
- Xbox Series X + Xbox Series S + Switch (multi-gamer family): ~$33–$44/year combined
Apply the standby fixes and auto-shutdown settings to every console in the house and you can realistically bring a multi-console household's bill down by $20–$30 per year without changing how anyone plays.
What About the TV?
One factor often missing from console energy discussions: the television. A 65-inch 4K OLED TV draws roughly 120–200 watts while gaming. That can actually exceed your console's power draw. Pairing your console energy audit with a look at your TV's energy settings — reducing backlight intensity, enabling auto-brightness, and using the TV's own auto-off — can double the savings you get from tuning the console alone. We cover that in depth in our display and lighting efficiency guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much electricity does a PS5 use per year?
At around 120 watts average during active gaming for 2 hours a day, a PS5 uses roughly 88–135 kWh per year depending on standby settings. That works out to approximately $14–$22 per year at the U.S. average rate. Enabling the lowest-power rest mode can push you toward the lower end of that range.
Does leaving a gaming console on standby waste electricity?
Absolutely. In default "connected" standby modes, a PS5 or Xbox Series X draws 10–15 watts for as many as 22 hours a day. That alone can account for $15–$21 per year — nearly half the console's total annual electricity cost for a typical user. Switching to the lowest-power sleep setting is the single highest-impact change you can make.
Which gaming console uses the least electricity?
The Nintendo Switch in handheld mode is the most energy-efficient major console, drawing just 7–13 watts during gameplay and costing roughly $3–$4 per year to run. Even docked, it uses far less than any home console, making it an excellent choice for energy-conscious households that want gaming flexibility.
How can I reduce my gaming console's electricity use?
The four most effective steps are: (1) enable the lowest-power sleep/rest mode, (2) set an auto-shutdown timer for inactivity, (3) use a dedicated streaming stick instead of the console for video, and (4) plug your entertainment center into a smart power strip on a schedule. Together, these can cut your console's annual electricity cost by 40–60%.
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