Cost per hour of gaming at 26.32p per kWh (UK average), the live standard variable rate since 1 October 2026.
1. Don't leave games running on pause
A console on a menu or paused game uses nearly as much as playing. Microsoft measures an Xbox Series X at about 123 watts on the home screen, against 154 watts in a game. Set your console to go into rest mode after a short time: on PS5, Settings → System → Power Saving → Set Time Until PS5 Enters Rest Mode.
2. Turn off Xbox Sleep mode
Sleep mode uses about 10 to 15 watts around the clock. Switching to Shutdown (energy saving) in Settings → General → Power options brings that down to about 0.5 watts. More on standby.
3. Cap your frame rate on PC
If your graphics card is producing more frames than your monitor can show, it's wasting power. Capping frames just below your refresh rate, for example 141 FPS on a 144 Hz screen, in the game or in the NVIDIA App, cuts power use and heat. Acer recommends exactly this to reduce laptop overheating.
4. Use your TV's energy-saving picture mode
Your TV can use half as much power as your console. Lowering brightness or using an eco picture mode makes a real difference, especially on large screens.
5. Watch films on the TV's own apps
A PS5 uses roughly 70 watts while streaming video, according to the NRDC. A TV's built-in Netflix or iPlayer app uses far less, because the console can stay off.
6. Know where your money actually goes
Put your setup into the calculator to see which part costs the most. For most console players, it's hours played and the TV. For PC players, it's the graphics card.
Sources: Microsoft lab platform baselines, Tom's Guide, PlayStation power-saving guide, Acer, NRDC, Octopus Energy tariff data.