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At the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s 2025 average residential electricity price of 17.30¢ per kWh, running a PC continuously for a year at a constant 20, 40, or 80 watts would use about 175, 350, or 701 kWh and cost about $30, $61, or $121 in energy. Those figures are estimates, not a prediction of your bill: your electricity rate and the PC’s actual wall draw may differ.
Estimated energy use and cost
The calculation assumes the stated wattage is the PC’s constant draw at the wall, running 24 hours a day for 365 days. Monthly figures use an average month of one-twelfth of a year. Costs use the 2025 U.S. average residential price of 17.30¢ per kWh reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA); its 2025 price data were preliminary when published. EIA: Prices and factors affecting prices.
| Assumed draw | Energy per day | Energy per average month | Energy per year | Cost per day | Cost per average month | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 W | 0.48 kWh | 14.6 kWh | 175.2 kWh | about $0.08 | $2.53 | $30.31 |
| 40 W | 0.96 kWh | 29.2 kWh | 350.4 kWh | about $0.17 | $5.05 | $60.62 |
| 80 W | 1.92 kWh | 58.4 kWh | 700.8 kWh | about $0.33 | $10.10 | $121.24 |
These are energy-only estimates. They exclude fixed charges and do not account for time-of-use pricing, taxes, or other billing rules that may affect a real bill.
How to calculate the cost at your electricity rate
Watts measure power at a point in time; kilowatt-hours measure energy accumulated over time. The EIA explains: “One kWh is one kilowatt generated for one hour.” EIA: Measuring electricity.
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- Convert watts to kilowatts: divide the draw by 1,000. For example, 40 W is 0.04 kW.
- Calculate energy: multiply kilowatts by operating hours. For continuous yearly use, multiply by 8,760 hours: 0.04 × 8,760 = 350.4 kWh.
- Apply your rate: multiply the kWh by the applicable price in dollars per kWh. At 25¢/kWh, the annual energy-only costs for 20, 40, and 80 W would be $43.80, $87.60, and $175.20, respectively.
Use the per-kWh rate applicable to your bill, rather than assuming the national average is your personal tariff. The EIA’s average retail price is a weighted revenue-to-sales measure and need not match an individual utility’s rate; the underlying revenue can include more than a simple energy charge. EIA: Electric Power Annual with final 2024 data.
What the 20 W, 40 W, and 80 W assumptions tell you
These are scenarios specified for comparison, not measured or verified draws for a particular YouTube-loop setup. Actual consumption can vary with the PC, display arrangement, browser settings, playback quality, and operating conditions. The available figures do not establish a typical wattage for a YouTube-loop PC.
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Measure your own setup
If you need a personal estimate, measure the complete setup at the outlet while it plays under representative conditions. A plug-in electricity usage monitor can provide an outlet-level reading. The EIA notes that utility meters measure electricity consumption and that some advanced smart meters can track individual-device use. EIA: Measuring electricity.
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