Estimate the electricity cost with annual cost = (average wall draw in watts ÷ 1,000) × 8,760 × your electricity price per kWh. At the U.S. residential average of 18.56¢/kWh reported for March 2026, a machine drawing a constant 10 W would use about 87.6 kWh and cost about $16.25 a year, or $1.35 a month. That is an arithmetic example—not a measured bill for a mini PC streaming YouTube. Your actual cost depends on the setup’s average wall draw and your local tariff.
How to calculate the electricity cost
Use the mini PC’s average power draw at the wall, not its processor’s advertised thermal design power (TDP). If a display or other peripherals will stay powered, include them in the measurement too.
Annual cost = (watts ÷ 1,000) × 8,760 hours × electricity price per kWh
Divide the annual estimate by 12 for a monthly average. The 8,760 hours assume uninterrupted operation for a full 365-day year. For a useful estimate, measure the complete streaming setup under its intended workload with a plug-in power meter, then multiply by the rate on your electricity bill.
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Example costs at a dated U.S. electricity rate
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a residential average of 18.56 cents/kWh for March 2026. The EIA table marks 2025 and 2026 estimates as preliminary; this national figure is a reference, not your utility’s rate. The following costs are calculations at that rate, not predictions of a particular stream’s power use.
| Constant average draw | Approx. energy per year | Approx. cost per year | Approx. cost per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.2 W | 54.3 kWh | $10.08 | $0.84 |
| 10 W | 87.6 kWh | $16.25 | $1.35 |
| 22 W | 192.7 kWh | $35.68 | $2.97 |
For your location, substitute your own per-kWh charge. Electricity bills may include other charges, so this calculation isolates the energy component rather than estimating the entire bill.
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Why published mini PC wattage figures vary
There is no universal “24/7 YouTube stream” wattage for a mini PC. No independent controlled test of that exact workload is established here, and idle or full-CPU-load figures are not substitutes for measuring your own encoder, operating system, settings, and connected equipment.
Beelink EQ14 readings under different conditions
MiniPCLab reports wall-socket readings of 6.2 W at idle, 8–10 W under light load, and 18–22 W under full CPU load for a Beelink EQ14. Its test describes a stable idle after 10 minutes on Proxmox VE 8.x with no virtual machines running, along with specified load conditions; it is not a YouTube-streaming benchmark. MiniPCLab’s test and cost guide provides the configuration details.
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A separate Starry Hope guide gives about 12 W idle and 26 W under load for an EQ14, with load figures traced to other published reviews. The differing results underscore that configuration and measurement method matter. Treat them as examples, not competing guarantees for your workload. Starry Hope’s 2026 guide describes its figures and references.
A small-computer comparison is not a stream test
Apple reports 4 W idle and 65 W maximum for the 2024 M4 Mac mini. Apple defines idle as power with only Finder open under default power management, and says its watt measurements are taken at the wall, including system and power-supply losses. Those conditions do not establish how much the computer would draw while running a YouTube playlist stream. See Apple’s Mac mini power-consumption information.
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Measure the setup you will actually run
- Connect the mini PC and any peripherals that will remain on to a plug-in power meter.
- Run the intended playlist and encoder configuration, including your usual resolution and bitrate, long enough for power use to settle.
- Read the average wall draw in watts from the meter. If it varies, use an average over a representative period rather than a brief peak or idle reading.
- Enter that wattage and your utility’s per-kWh rate in the formula above. Recalculate if you change the machine, encoder settings, peripherals, or tariff.
Include stream reliability and YouTube limits in the decision
The electricity estimate is only one part of the cost of keeping a channel live. A local mini PC also relies on its own power, network connection, and streaming software continuing to work; outages or crashes can interrupt the stream. When comparing a local setup with a hosted service, weigh measured local watts and your tariff against service fees, recovery after interruptions, supported quality and bitrate, and stream-duration constraints. Vendor service details are claims from the provider, not independent test results.
YouTube’s encoder instructions say to connect using the YouTube stream URL and stream key: choose YouTube in an encoder that supports it, or enter the URL and key in the encoder’s stream settings. YouTube also states, “All streams under 12 hours will be automatically archived.” Its help page does not promise automatic archiving for streams lasting 12 hours or more, so archiving and uninterrupted multi-day operation are separate planning questions. See YouTube Help’s encoder setup instructions.
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Before running a playlist, make sure you have the rights to stream its content and that the channel follows YouTube’s applicable rules. A continuous stream also needs a plan for what happens if the computer, encoder, power, or internet connection fails.
Or let it run in the cloud
StreamNeo is a hosted option for keeping a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. Its service runs in the cloud, so nothing has to stay on at home; it says it streams uploaded video as made, up to 4K 60fps, for one price per slot, and automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. These are provider-described features and terms, not independently verified test results. Learn more at StreamNeo, or start the free first day.
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