There is no reliable universal bill difference between leaving a gaming PC and an office PC streaming to YouTube around the clock. The answer depends on each computer’s average power draw at the wall during the same streaming workload and on your local electricity rate. Measure both machines under matching conditions, then use the calculation below.
How to calculate the monthly electricity cost
For continuous use over a 30-day month:
Monthly cost = average wall watts × 24 × 30 ÷ 1,000 × electricity price per kWh.
The first part of the calculation converts watts running continuously into monthly kilowatt-hours: average wall watts × 24 × 30 ÷ 1,000. Multiply that energy use by the price per kilowatt-hour on your current electricity bill or tariff. Use the rate that applies to the additional consumption; a bill may include fixed charges or different rate bands that do not change in direct proportion to usage.
Worked example—not a typical PC estimate
Microsoft’s 2011 article illustrates the arithmetic using an older test PC that measured 102 W at idle and an example rate of $0.10/kWh. At 102 W for 24 hours a day over 30 days, the result is 73.44 kWh, or $7.34 at that example rate. That is a historical illustration, not a current electricity price or a representative office-PC figure; the PC-only measurement excluded peripherals. Microsoft’s explanation of measuring and calculating PC electricity use gives the context.
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How to compare the two PCs fairly
Use a plug-in electricity usage monitor to measure each computer’s draw at the wall while it is actually sending the intended YouTube stream. A single reading can miss changes in workload, so record an average across a representative period. Keep the measurement scope consistent: if one reading includes a monitor or other peripherals, include the same equipment in the other—or measure the PCs alone.
- Set the same workload. Use the same video, resolution, frame rate, encoder, and stream configuration on both computers. YouTube’s recommended incoming bitrate depends on resolution, frame rate, and codec; bitrate is a stream setting, not a direct measure of the PC’s electricity use. See YouTube’s encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions guidance.
- Measure wall draw. Connect the PC to the meter and measure while the stream is running, not just at idle. Note whether the display and peripherals are included. Microsoft’s article names a P3 International Kill-A-Watt P4400 as its example meter; that mention does not establish its current availability or price.
- Convert each reading to monthly energy. Apply average watts × 24 × 30 ÷ 1,000 to get kWh for a 30-day, always-on month.
- Apply the same local rate. Multiply both kWh figures by your current price per kWh. If your tariff changes by time or usage band, use the marginal rate relevant to the additional consumption, or calculate using the applicable bands.
- Compare like with like. Record the stream settings, meter scope, average watts, monthly kWh, and rate alongside each result so you can see what accounts for any difference.
Why “gaming PC” and “office PC” do not give a bill by themselves
A power supply’s rated capacity and a component’s power rating are not measurements of the whole computer’s wall draw during your stream. The actual result depends on the specific machines and the work they are doing. YouTube explains that an encoder converts video into a digital format for streaming; its published live bitrate guidance specifies recommended incoming rates but does not quantify the encoder PC’s power consumption. YouTube’s guide to creating a live stream with an encoder explains the encoder’s role.
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The available published figures do not provide a current controlled comparison of a modern office PC and gaming PC running the same YouTube stream. A 2016 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory paper modeled a typical gamer at 1,394 kWh per year including a display, based on an average 4.4 hours per day in gaming mode. Its approximate $200 annual cost used typical household electricity prices at the time. The estimate is not for 24/7 streaming or a modern matched office-PC comparison; its assumptions included one display, no peripherals, no overclocking, and power-saver settings. The paper also says it did not include high-performance work computers. Read the LBNL paper, “Taming the Energy Use of Gaming Computers” (2016).
The same paper reported 25% energy savings for a more efficient GPU in its specific Unigine Heaven benchmark test cycle, excluding the display. That result should not be treated as the expected saving from a GPU replacement during a YouTube stream.
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What can lower the cost?
- Reduce measured average draw. Check whether the machine can use a lower-power configuration while encoding reliably, then measure again under the same stream conditions.
- Turn off equipment you do not need. If the monitor is not required during unattended streaming, switch it off and measure the difference separately. Keep PC-only and whole-setup comparisons distinct.
- Use your actual tariff and schedule. Electricity rates vary by region and utility; where rates vary by time, the cost depends on when the stream runs.
- Compare the hardware with the same stream settings. A lower idle reading alone does not prove a machine will use less power while encoding.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep uploaded videos looping on a YouTube channel, StreamNeo is an alternative to running a PC continuously: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It runs in the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home. Every slot streams uploaded video as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot; it can automatically recover if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card, one free day per account. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo is for YouTube streams of uploaded videos, not live camera feeds. Learn more at StreamNeo, or start the free first day.
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