Everything You Need to Know About Your Gaming PC Electric Bill

laptops power saving options

When we all binge-watch our favorite YouTubers’ gaming setup, they talk about the costs of the devices but fail to mention their gaming PC electric bill. It is important to know how much you will be paying for your gaming pc electric bill especially when inflation is at an all-time high.

But there is no need to worry as this article will break down everything that you need to know about a gaming PCS electric bill. Let’s start with the basics and then dove deeper.

How much electricity does a gaming PC use per hour?

A gaming PC uses around 500 watts of power per hour. It does not sound a lot when we compare it to the power used by an average PC or laptop, gaming pcs electric bill or usage –  gaming pc uses six times more power.

How much does it cost to run a gaming PC 24/7?

People use their PCs for an average of 5 hours each day and when they are done with the work, they shut it down. However, some people do not shut the PC down for several reasons. While it may be convenient, your gaming PC electric will make a dent in your wallet.

In case you are wondering whether you can afford to run your gaming pc 24/7, here are some stats. If your gaming PC uses around 500 watts of power in an hour, it will cost you $47.74 monthly and $527.88 annually.

In case your gaming Pc uses more watts, here is a table to know how much it will cost to run your pc 24/7.

Watts Monthly Cost Annual Cost
600W $57.28 $687.36
700W $66.83 $795.36
800W $76.38 $916.56
900W $85.92 $1031.04
1,000W $95.47 $1145.64

How can I save electricity on my gaming PC?

Yes, we know most of you are worried about paying your Gaming PC electric bill. While you cannot call quits on the whole bill, here are some ways you can save up on your gaming PC electric bill.

Upgrade to more energy-efficient components

In case you didn’t know, you can use different components in your gaming to save some money on the gaming pc electric bill. Gaming pc manufacturers upgrade the line of their components and the new products are usually more energy-efficient.

So, once in a while – changing one or two components will help you save money. It may not put a major difference in your monthly expenses but you will notice the difference at the end of the year.

Upgrade from HDD to SSD storage

When it comes to being energy efficient, SDD takes the crown. You can reduce your gaming pc electric bill by just replacing your HDD storage with SSD storage. In context, an HDD storage can drive up to 10 watts of power while storing data and for that same task, an SSD will use 5 watts of power. And in the end, it will make a huge difference in your bill.

Use a different monitor

Just how your Nokia 300 lasts longer than your iPhone because of the difference in their display, a gaming PC electric bill can be reduced, just by using a different type of monitor. You can replace your CRT monitor with an LCD monitor.

Because of their design, LCD monitors consume far less power than CRT. And another pro is that you will save A LOT of space on your desk and that LCD setup will look sleek.

Unplug external devices

The power consumption of the PC itself is one thing and all the devices consuming electricity are one thing. When you are not using your computer, you can unplug all the external devices such as speakers so that there is no extra power being sucked by the devices.

It will make some difference and reduce your gaming pc electric bill.

Maximize the use of Sleep

If you find it inconvenient to shut down your PC every time it is idle. Try to put it in sleep mode instead. Although the computer will use some power to keep the computer running in comparison – sleep mode will help save power.

Exit programs that are just running in the background

We all know people who have 100 tabs running in the background while they are doing something else on their computer. All this can end up in an inflated electric bill for your gaming PC.

To counter this, just turn off the extra programs if you are not using them actively. It will also help boost the efficiency of your computer as the programs will not lag.

How Do You Know Your Own PC’s Energy Consumption?

If you are curious to find out about how much energy your PC is consuming while you do different tasks, you can connect it with a wattmeter and find out the exact reading. All you need is a power watt meter and a wall socket. Instead of plugging your pc directly into the wall, you will have to connect it via a wattmeter.

If you don’t want to use a wattmeter, here are some other ways to get the job done.

Use a software

There are multiple software like local cooling, that can estimate the average power consumption by your PC. just the software from the internet (since it’s free) and let it run. It will provide you with the energy consumption of your PC. you can find out the separate values for No each component. When you use a watt meter, you cannot find out these individual readings.

Do gaming computers use more electricity?

Yes, gaming computers use if we compare them to an average computer. On the other hand, a laptop or a tablet will consume far less energy when compared to a normal desktop setup.

Why does gaming PCs use more power?

The main reason why gaming PCs use more power is that they use more energy to run high-processing games. And they also have a powerful GPU which requires more energy for a smooth run.

Which PC parts use the most power?

gpu

Most people would assume that it is the monitor that uses the most power in a PC setup, but it is not true. The most power is sucked by the graphic cards and the GPU of your gaming computer. So you should always look out for components with better efficiency to save up on the gaming PC electric bill.

Which PC parts use the least power?

which pc parts use the least power

PC parts like the keyboard and mouse will use the least amount of power compared to all other parts. It is because they also use mechanical power to perform the task. However, if you use a digital keyboard then it will utilize more power as most of the work will be handled by the software and not the hardware.

Why does your PC consume more power than expected?

just as we discussed, using an LCD can help you save on your electricity bill. Similarly, there are some reasons why your PC might be using more power than required.

Old Tech

Gaming gear manufacturers come up with new components that are more energy efficient. So, if your PC is using more power than expected then you might want to look up updated components that will be better with power consumption and performance.

High-End Games

high end games

Playing games in 4K is an amazing experience, everything seems real and more fun. However, these games increase the energy consumption of your computer to keep up with the processing power required.

Dust on the Fan

fan

When you do not clean your pc, the dust can interrupt the ventilation process. To make sure that this is not the case with your pc, you should clean your pc one every two months. You can use a can of compressed air and a microfiber cloth to get the job done neatly.

And, do not forget to unplug your PC from the wall socket before cleaning.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much power does my PC use?

However, the consumption somehow depends on the type of GPU your gaming PC has. That’s why it can take up to 250 to 550 watts of electricity that varies on your GPU system. Some GPUs can even pull 800W while running them. 

Does a gaming PC use a lot of energy?

Yes, the high-end gaming system requires a sufficient amount of energy. Thereby experts say that an average gaming PC consumes up to 300 to 250 to 500 watts of energy. When it comes to PCs with high-end GPUs the number will hoist up to 800watts or even above. 

How do I calculate the amount a gaming PC will add to my electricity bill?

Although the calculation is pretty simple! Find out how much watt your PC is consuming in one hour, divide the amount by 1000, and multiple results with kilowatt-hour. 

Can a gaming PC raise your electricity bill?

High watt consumption turns into heavy electric bills! If your gaming PC consumes 300 to 500 watts in an hour then it will produce up to 1400 kWh in a year. However, the consumption of PC gaming is 6 times higher than laptops and simple desktops.

Takeaway

A gaming PC consumes more power and therefore you can expect a spike in your gaming PC electric bill when you move from a normal pc/laptop. However, there are ways to save up money on the bill – you can try using more energy-efficient components or be mindful of the number of apps that you are using simultaneously.

However, shutting down your pc or putting it in sleep mode will be a better idea to have money on your electric bill.

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