The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →A used Lenovo Tiny PC can cost only a few dollars a month in electricity to stay on, but the actual amount depends on its average power draw while streaming and your local electricity rate. As an illustration—not a guaranteed bill—a 15-watt continuous load uses 10.8 kWh in a 30-day month. At the U.S. Department of Energy’s illustrative $0.11/kWh rate, that works out to $1.19 for the month. Your own machine’s streaming draw and tariff may differ.
Estimate the electricity cost
Use the PC’s average power draw measured at the wall, not the power adapter’s rated capacity or a brief peak. The calculation is:
- Energy (kWh) = average watts ÷ 1,000 × operating hours
- Electricity cost = energy (kWh) × your electricity price per kWh
For continuous operation, a 30-day month is 720 hours and a 365-day year is 8,760 hours.
Illustrative 15-watt scenario
A 15 W load running continuously uses 0.015 kW × 720 hours = 10.8 kWh per 30-day month, or 0.015 kW × 8,760 hours = 131.4 kWh per year. Using the U.S. Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program’s illustrative $0.11/kWh rate, the arithmetic is $1.19 per 30-day month and $14.45 per year. FEMP identifies that rate as an average at federal facilities as of July 2024; it is not a residential tariff. Substitute your own rate to estimate your bill.
#1 Best Overall
- Spacious Design: Measuring 21.1" wide and 14.1" deep, our lap desk comfortably fits most laptops up to 15.6". Extra room for accessories ensures convenience.
- Enhanced Functionality: Packed with handy features, including a 5x9" precision tracking mouse pad and a built-in phone slot for seamless work or video calls. Plus, enjoy ergonomic support with the integrated cushioned wrist rest.
- Cool Comfort: Enjoy a stable surface with our lap desk's dual bolster cushion, designed for comfort and airflow, keeping your lap cool during extended use.
- Durable Surface: Work with confidence on our lap desk's solid surface, featuring a sleek black carbon color, ensuring optimal air circulation to prevent your laptop from overheating.
- On-the-Go Convenience: With an integrated handle and lightweight design (2.8 lbs), our lap desk is portable for travel or moving around the house, offering flexibility in any space.
How much power might a Lenovo Tiny use?
ServeTheHome measured 12–15 W at idle for its tested quad-core Lenovo ThinkCentre M920 Tiny at 120 V in a 2020 review. That is a useful reference point for one tested unit, not a Lenovo specification or a measurement of a PC encoding a continuous YouTube stream.
The exact Tiny model, processor, configuration, workload, and connected equipment all matter. The available figures do not establish the streaming power draw of your used PC, or whether it can encode your chosen stream continuously. A display left on adds another load; measure it separately and add it to the PC’s consumption if you want to include it.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
Measure your own setup
- Connect the PC to a plug-in wall power meter, following the meter’s instructions.
- Run the intended streaming setup—including the encoder, resolution, frame rate, and any peripherals—for representative operation.
- Use the meter’s average or accumulated energy reading over a meaningful period. A short peak reading may not represent continuous use.
- Apply the formulas above to the measured average watts and your local per-kWh price.
Check that the PC and connection can sustain the stream
A low electricity estimate does not show that a particular Tiny PC can encode reliably or that the internet connection can keep a live stream online. YouTube’s official encoder guidance lists RTMP/RTMPS ingestion, H.264, H.265/HEVC, and AV1 options, and constant bitrate encoding. For H.264, YouTube recommends 5 Mbps for 1080p30 and 8 Mbps for 1080p60; it supports frame rates up to 60 fps. These are YouTube ingestion recommendations, not proof that an unspecified PC can handle the encoding workload. YouTube advises testing the stream and monitoring stream health. See YouTube’s live encoder settings.
YouTube recommends upload capacity with 20% headroom over the total stream bitrate. For example, a 5 Mbps stream calls for at least 6 Mbps of sustained upload capacity under that recommendation. Other simultaneous uploads can use that capacity, and a network disruption can break a live stream. YouTube recommends testing upload bitrate and notes that connectivity disruptions may mean a broken stream; see its encoder settings and streaming tips.
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- Note: Not suitable for MacBooks released after 2023 or devices with a protruding front camera; Not applicable to full-screen or notch-style tempered glass screen protectors; Do not use on the rear camera of the phone.
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Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is an always-on YouTube stream rather than keeping a PC running at home, StreamNeo is a cloud option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops uploaded videos; it does not stream from a camera. Nothing has to stay on at home, it handles any quality up to 4K 60fps as uploaded at one flat price per slot, and it automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. Start your free day with StreamNeo.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Spacious Design: Measuring 21.1" wide and 12" deep, our lap desk comfortably fits most laptops up to 15.6". Extra room for accessories ensures convenience.
- Enhanced Functionality: Packed with handy features, including a 5x9" precision tracking mouse pad and a built-in phone slot for seamless work or video calls. Plus, enjoy laptop support with the integrated device ledge.
- Cool Comfort: Enjoy a stable surface with our lap desk's dual bolster cushion, designed for comfort and airflow, keeping your lap cool during extended use.
- Durable Surface: Work with confidence on our lap desk's solid surface, featuring a blush pink color, ensuring optimal air circulation to prevent your laptop from overheating.
- On-the-Go Convenience: With an integrated handle and lightweight design (2.14 lbs), our lap desk is portable for travel or moving around the house, offering flexibility in any space.
Rank #4
- Anti-Slip Surface - Transform your laptop into a mobile workstation with the AboveTEK portable laptop lap desk. The anti-slip surface provides a strong grip for laptops up to 15.6 inches(Diagonal), while the double rubber strip on the bottom ensures a stable display or typing experience on your lap, couch, or bed.
- Retractable Mouse Pad - Retractable laptop mouse pad extends on both directions for the left/right handed with elevation along the edges for stopping mouse from falling off. The size of laptop tray is 14" X 9.7" and the size of mouse pad is 7.4" X 6.1".
- Effective Heat Shield - The effective heat shield made of sturdy and thick material protects your laptop from overheating. Prioritizes your comfort and safety, an ideal lap pad or board for working anywhere.
- EASY to Carry and Store - With an ergonomic and simplistic design, the lap desk is portable to store in a backpack. Only 15" in size, 2.2 lb of weight and with slim 0.6 inch thickness, it is ready to be easily carried around.
- Widely Applicable - The smooth platform accommodates laptops and tablets up to 15.6 inches(Diagonal), making it a versatile accessory and one of the best gifts for mom, dad, students and professionals. Perfect for use as a laptop bed tray or tablet holder anywhere at home, library, or park.
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