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Turning off the monitor does not turn off the computer. If the computer keeps playing or encoding a YouTube stream, it continues to use electricity; switching off the display can reduce the setup’s draw, but the exact cost depends on the measured watts, hours of operation and your electricity rate.
Use this formula: cost = average watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh. For a 30-day continuous run, use 720 hours. For example, a setup averaging 60 W at $0.20/kWh would use 43.2 kWh and cost $8.64 over 720 hours. That is an arithmetic illustration, not a typical-computer estimate.
What stays on when the monitor is off?
A display and the computer driving it are separate loads. The computer can keep working while the monitor is blanked, in standby or switched off. The computer and any other equipment left running still draw power; a monitor may also draw a small amount in standby, depending on its model and state.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (DOE FEMP) explicitly advises: “If your networked computer(s) must remain on in the evening for file backup or other purposes, turn off the monitor.” DOE FEMP’s computer guidance also recommends enabling power-management features and says doing so can reduce computer energy use by up to 27% annually. That is the agency’s general guidance-page claim, not a prediction for a particular streaming setup.
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There is no universal wattage for an “always-on YouTube stream.” A computer playing a stream, a computer encoding and sending a live stream, and a computer sitting idle are different workloads. The YouTube service does not determine the electricity used by your local equipment.
Calculate the electricity cost for your setup
Use the actual operating hours and electricity rate
- Find the setup’s average power draw in watts while it is in the state you want to price—for example, computer on, monitor off, and stream playing or encoding.
- Multiply average watts by the number of hours. Divide by 1,000 to convert watt-hours to kilowatt-hours (kWh).
- Multiply the kWh by the applicable price per kWh from your electricity bill.
Energy (kWh) = average watts × hours ÷ 1,000.
Cost = energy (kWh) × price per kWh.
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For continuous operation, a 30-day estimate uses 720 hours; a year uses 8,760 hours. For an actual billing period, use its actual hours rather than assuming every month has 30 days. If your tariff changes by time of day, apply the relevant marginal rate for the period being estimated.
Measure the whole setup you want to count
A plug-in electricity usage monitor is one practical way to measure equipment connected to a single outlet, provided the equipment can safely be used through that meter. Measure the configuration that matters: computer alone, or computer plus monitor, speakers or other separately powered equipment. Do not include network equipment unless you want its electricity included in the estimate.
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If the draw fluctuates, measure energy over a representative period and divide by that period to find average power. DOE FEMP’s standby-power measurement guidance discusses measurement procedures, including IEC 62301, and advises measuring fluctuating use over time to estimate the average. If your meter reports kWh directly, multiply its reading for the measured period by your rate.
What published monitor figures can—and cannot—tell you
DOE FEMP’s display comparison reports annual estimates of 29 kWh for a best-available 27-inch 1080p LCD monitor, 52 kWh for an ENERGY STAR certified example and 72 kWh for a less-efficient example. These are product-comparison estimates using the page’s assumptions and market/product data reported through December 2024; they do not establish the standby draw of your monitor or how much it uses when switched off. The same page uses 11¢/kWh, identified as the U.S. federal-facility average electricity price in July 2024—not a universal household rate. See DOE FEMP’s display and monitor guidance.
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DOE FEMP also notes that “Screen savers do not save energy.” A screen saver is not the same as turning off the display, so use the actual display state you plan to leave in place when measuring.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Watching a stream and running a live stream are different loads
If you mean watching YouTube continuously, measure the device that plays the video and any display or speakers included in your estimate. If you mean operating a live encoder, measure the computer while it is encoding and sending the stream. YouTube supports live streaming through methods including webcam and encoder use from a computer, as well as mobile and console pathways; its live-streaming getting-started guidance describes those methods.
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YouTube’s live-streaming tips advise continuously monitoring audio and video quality and stopping the encoder after the stream has stopped on YouTube. Those are operating instructions, not electricity-use estimates. They do not supply a wattage figure for your equipment.
Or let it run in the cloud
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- Nothing has to stay on at home to keep the cloud stream running.
- Uploaded video streams as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot rather than quality-based tiers.
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See StreamNeo for details, or start the free first day.
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