How Much Electricity Does a Computer Use?
Laptops use 30-70 watts, desktops use 100-300 watts for typical use, and gaming PCs use 300-500+ watts under load. A desktop used 8 hours daily costs $4-12 monthly; a laptop costs $1-3 monthly. Calculate your exact cost with the Power Cost Calculator.
Key Takeaways
- Laptops are designed for battery efficiency and use 30-70W during typical work.
- Gaming PCs with high-end graphics cards can exceed 500-700W during intense gaming.
- Cryptocurrency mining can push systems to maximum power draw for extended periods.
Explanation
Laptops are designed for battery efficiency and use 30-70W during typical work. Desktops have no battery constraint and use more power. Gaming laptops bridge the gap at 100-200W under load.
Desktop power varies dramatically by task. A desktop might idle at 50-100W, use 150-200W during office work, and spike to 300-500W+ during gaming or video rendering. Monitor adds another 20-60W.
Putting computers to sleep when not in use saves significant power. Sleep mode uses 1-5W vs 50-100W idle. A computer left on 24/7 costs 2-3x more than one used only 8 hours daily.
Things to Know
- Gaming PCs with high-end graphics cards can exceed 500-700W during intense gaming.
- Cryptocurrency mining can push systems to maximum power draw for extended periods.
- All-in-one computers typically use 50-100W, between laptops and desktops.