Cost per hour of gaming at 26.32p per kWh (UK average), the live standard variable rate since 1 October 2026. Cost per hour at different power levels.
What you need
A plug-in energy monitor (sometimes called a power meter or watt meter) goes between the wall socket and your device's plug. It shows how many watts are being drawn right now, and many also add up the total kWh over time. Basic ones cost around £10 to £20 in the UK.
A smart plug with energy monitoring does the same job and shows the figures in a phone app, including history over days and weeks.
How to measure your console or PC
- Plug the monitor into the wall, then plug your console, PC or extension lead into the monitor.
- Measure everything you game with. To include your TV, monitor and speakers, plug them all into one extension lead and plug that into the energy monitor. Don't exceed the monitor's rated load, usually 13 amps (about 3,000 watts).
- Play a demanding game for 10 to 15 minutes and note the watts. Readings jump around, so take the typical figure, not the highest.
- Check the menus and standby too. Leave the console on the home screen, then in rest mode or sleep, and note those figures.
Turning watts into a cost
Divide the watts by 1,000 to get kilowatts, then multiply by your price per kWh. At today's UK rate of 26.32p:
- 100 watts costs 2.6p an hour
- 300 watts costs 7.9p an hour
- 500 watts costs 13p an hour
Or pick your device in the calculator and type your measured figure into the watts box. It will use the live rate for your region and give you monthly and yearly costs.
Better: measure a whole week
If your monitor counts kWh, reset it and leave it in place for a week of normal gaming. Multiply the kWh by your unit rate and you've got your real weekly cost, including menus, downloads and standby. Multiply by 52 for the year.
Tips for accurate readings
- Cheap monitors can be a few watts out at very low loads, so standby readings under 1 watt are only rough.
- PCs vary a lot from game to game. Test the games you actually play.
- Your unit rate is on your energy bill or in your supplier's app.
Sources: Octopus Energy tariff data.