There is no verified universal wattage for a Mac mini playing YouTube continuously. Apple’s published figures provide useful context—not a YouTube-streaming measurement: the listed 2024 M4 Mac mini is rated at 4 W idle and 65 W maximum, while the listed M4 Pro is 5 W idle and 140 W maximum. For your actual 24/7 setup, measure at the wall while it is playing.
What Apple’s power figures do—and do not—tell you
Apple’s power table reports specific configurations and test conditions. Its idle result means Finder is open under default power-management settings; its CPU maximum comes from a compute-intensive application that maximizes processor use. Neither condition is browser-based YouTube playback, and a maximum figure should not be treated as the computer’s expected continuous draw. Apple’s Mac mini power-consumption table says its watt measurements are taken at the wall and include power-supply and system losses.
| Mac mini configuration listed by Apple | Idle | Maximum or CPU maximum | What the figures represent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 M4, 16 GB memory, 256 GB SSD | 4 W | 65 W maximum | Idle and maximum conditions in Apple’s table |
| 2024 M4 Pro, 64 GB memory, 8 TB SSD | 5 W | 140 W maximum | Idle and maximum conditions in Apple’s table |
| 2023 M2, 24 GB memory, 2 TB SSD | 7 W | 50 W CPU maximum | Idle and CPU maximum conditions in Apple’s table |
| 2023 M2 Pro, 32 GB memory, 8 TB SSD | 7 W | 100 W CPU maximum | Idle and CPU maximum conditions in Apple’s table |
| M1 (2020), 16 GB memory, 2 TB SSD | 6.8 W | 39 W CPU maximum | Idle and CPU maximum conditions in Apple’s table |
These are not controlled 24/7 YouTube tests. The available sources do not give a directly comparable streaming average for a specified Mac mini, browser, video resolution, display state, peripherals and measurement period. Use the figures as model-specific reference points, not as a prediction of your own streaming draw.
Other published numbers have different test boundaries
Apple’s October 2024 M4 Mac mini Product Environmental Report lists idle-display-on measurements of 3.92 W at 100 V, 3.96 W at 115 V and 4.01 W at 230 V. Those figures align with the rounded 4 W idle figure, but they describe a defined idle state, not YouTube playback. The report also lists sleep and off measurements, which likewise are not active streaming.
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ENERGY STAR’s certification record for the listed 16 GB M4 configuration gives 2.8 W short idle, 2.4 W long idle, 0.6 W sleep and 0.1 W off. It is a certification record for that configuration and those categories, not another measurement of video playback. Apple’s technical specifications also list 155 W maximum continuous power; that is a product specification, not typical draw or a YouTube result. See Apple’s Mac mini technical specifications.
How many kWh could it use in a day or month?
Convert a representative average draw to energy with this formula:
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Watts × hours ÷ 1,000 = kilowatt-hours (kWh)
For example, 4 W × 24 hours ÷ 1,000 = 0.096 kWh per day. That arithmetic uses Apple’s 4 W idle figure as an input; it does not mean a Mac mini playing YouTube draws 4 W. The same distinction applies to the other scenarios below.
| Assumed average draw | Energy per 24 hours | Energy per 30 days |
|---|---|---|
| 4 W | 0.096 kWh | 2.88 kWh |
| 5 W | 0.120 kWh | 3.60 kWh |
| 10 W | 0.240 kWh | 7.20 kWh |
| 15 W | 0.360 kWh | 10.80 kWh |
The 4 W and 5 W rows are calculations using Apple’s published idle figures, not streaming measurements. The 10 W and 15 W rows are illustrative assumptions, not sourced Mac mini consumption results. To estimate your electricity cost, multiply the measured or assumed kWh by your own electricity price per kWh.
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How to measure your actual 24/7 setup
- Measure at the wall. Use a plug-in electricity meter between the Mac mini’s power supply and the outlet. Apple’s published watt figures are also wall measurements and already include power-supply and system losses, so do not add a separate efficiency adjustment to those figures.
- Recreate the workload. Run the same browser, YouTube playback, resolution and display state you intend to use. Let playback settle before recording; a brief reading may not represent a continuous session.
- Choose what the meter includes. Decide whether you are measuring only the Mac mini or the whole streaming setup. Record whether the display, external drives, speakers or other devices are on the same meter, and keep that boundary consistent.
- Record an average over a representative period. Note the elapsed time and average watts, or record accumulated kWh directly if the meter provides it. A longer observation that reflects your normal use is more useful than a momentary reading.
- Calculate the monthly energy and cost. If you measured average watts, multiply by 720 hours for a 30-day month and divide by 1,000. Multiply the resulting kWh by your local price per kWh.
For a meaningful comparison between Mac mini generations or configurations, match the workload and power state, measurement boundary, display and peripheral setup, and averaging period. Apple’s published idle and maximum figures are not directly comparable with a wall-meter result from YouTube playback.
What can change the reading?
Your measurement applies to the setup you tested. Record video resolution, browser, display state, connected equipment and network activity so you can reproduce or compare it. The published figures above do not quantify how much any one of those details changes a Mac mini’s draw during YouTube playback.
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