Cost per hour of gaming at 26.32p per kWh (UK average), the live standard variable rate since 1 October 2026.
Yearly cost by console and PC
These figures use today's UK rate of 26.32p per kWh and don't include your TV or monitor. A TV adds about £28.82 a year at 3 hours a day.
| Device | Watts | 1 hr/day | 3 hrs/day | 5 hrs/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switch OLED | 6 W | 58p | £1.73 | £2.88 |
| Switch 2 | 18 W | £1.73 | £5.19 | £8.65 |
| Steam Deck OLED | 24 W | £2.31 | £6.92 | £11.53 |
| Xbox Series S | 74 W | £7.11 | £21.33 | £35.55 |
| Xbox Series X | 154 W | £14.79 | £44.38 | £73.97 |
| PS5 | 210 W | £20.17 | £60.52 | £100.87 |
| PS5 Pro | 230 W | £22.10 | £66.29 | £110.48 |
| Gaming laptop | 220 W | £21.13 | £63.40 | £105.67 |
| Mid-range gaming PC | 330 W | £31.70 | £95.11 | £158.51 |
| High-end gaming PC | 650 W | £62.44 | £187.33 | £312.22 |
What's a normal amount of gaming?
Most people game less than they think on weekdays and more at weekends. Averaging 3 hours a day across the week is a fair guess for a keen gamer. On a PS5 with a TV that's about £89.34 a year, or about £7.45 a month.
Don't forget standby
A console left in rest mode or sleep all day, every day, adds to the bill even when nobody is playing. An Xbox in Sleep mode at about 12 watts costs around £27.67 a year just waiting. Read does rest mode cost money? to see how to cut it.
How to make your yearly bill smaller
- Turn the TV or monitor brightness down and use eco picture modes.
- Cap frame rates on PC so your graphics card isn't working flat out.
- Switch consoles to energy-saving mode instead of rest mode or sleep.
- If you're on an Economy 7 or time-of-use tariff, game during the cheap hours. See gaming at night.
Use the calculator to get a figure for your exact setup and region.
Sources: Digital Foundry via Notebookcheck, Microsoft lab platform baselines, Nintendo figures via Pplware, ChargerLab, Notebookcheck, Evetech, Octopus Energy tariff data.