There is no single cost per hour: it depends on your setup’s average power draw at the wall and your electricity rate. Calculate it as average watts × stream hours ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh. For example, a system averaging 300 W for four hours uses 1.2 kWh; at the 2025 U.S. average residential rate of 17.30 cents/kWh, that illustrative session costs about $0.21. The 300 W is an arithmetic example, not a measured or typical streaming-PC figure.
Calculate your stream’s electricity cost
Use this formula:
Cost = average wall power in watts × stream hours ÷ 1,000 × electricity price per kWh
Dividing watts by 1,000 converts the power figure to kilowatts; multiplying by hours gives kilowatt-hours (kWh). Multiply the kWh by your electricity price to estimate the energy charge.
| Input | What to use |
|---|---|
| Average power | Your setup’s average draw in watts during a representative stream, ideally measured at the wall |
| Duration | The number of hours streamed |
| Electricity rate | Your relevant price per kWh, in the same currency as your bill |
Worked example
A system averaging 300 W over four hours uses 300 × 4 ÷ 1,000 = 1.2 kWh. At 17.30 cents/kWh, the 2025 U.S. average residential electricity price reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the estimate is 1.2 × $0.173 = about $0.21. This is an illustration of the formula, not a measured or representative gaming or streaming PC. Your actual cost may be higher or lower.
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Measure the power you want to include
For a useful estimate, measure average power during a typical stream rather than using a power supply’s rated maximum or the advertised maximum of a component. A plug-in electricity meter is one possible aid; you can also use another suitable measurement method. This is a calculation approach, not a claim that a particular meter has been tested.
- Whole setup: A wall measurement can include the computer and any other devices drawing power through the measured outlet. Be clear about what is connected and included.
- PC only: If you measure only the PC, call the result a PC-only estimate. Displays, capture gear, lighting, audio equipment, and network equipment are excluded unless measured as well or added separately.
- Representative conditions: Record the average over a normal session, with the same game or scene, encoder, resolution, frame rate, and other settings you want to estimate.
OBS requirements vary with encoder, resolution, frame rate, and scene complexity; compatible hardware alone does not guarantee it can stream or record a particular workload. The same stream duration can therefore use different amounts of electricity on different systems.
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Does turning off Replay Buffer or recording lower the bill?
OBS lists Replay Buffer as an optional capture feature alongside its recording controls. Turning it off may change the workload on your particular setup, but the cited OBS guidance provides no universal wattage figure or percentage saving. The same applies to disabling optional recording outputs: it simplifies a comparison, but does not establish a fixed reduction in power.
Hardware encoding shifts encoding work from the CPU to a specialized GPU component. That describes where the work happens; it does not prove that hardware encoding always reduces total system electricity use. Measure both configurations under matched conditions if you want to know the difference for your PC.
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Make a fair comparison
- Measure average wall watts for each setup over comparable sessions.
- Keep stream duration, game or scene workload, resolution, frame rate, codec, and encoder configuration consistent unless one of those is the setting being tested.
- Use the same devices within the measurement boundary and the same electricity rate.
- Do not treat stream bitrate as a direct electricity-consumption figure. YouTube’s bitrate recommendations concern ingestion and video quality.
No controlled benchmark or direct published statistic establishes how much electricity OBS streaming saves when Replay Buffer or recording is disabled. Your own matched measurements are the soundest way to compare.
Use the right electricity price
Your bill is a better input than a national average. Rates vary by location, customer type, tariff, taxes, fixed charges, and time-of-use period. For an individual estimate, use the marginal or effective rate that best reflects the added use, and make that assumption clear.
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For context, the EIA reports 2025 U.S. average prices of 17.30 cents/kWh for residential customers, 13.41 cents/kWh for commercial customers, 8.62 cents/kWh for industrial customers, and 13.63 cents/kWh across all sectors. The all-sector state range was 8.20 cents/kWh in North Dakota to 35.72 cents/kWh in Hawaii; that range covers all utility customer types, not residential rates alone. These figures are U.S. references, not personalized rates.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.OBS and YouTube settings: what they do and do not tell you about cost
OBS recommends using its default options unless you have a reason to change them. YouTube’s live encoder guidance supports RTMP/RTMPS; H.264, H.265/HEVC, or AV1; up to 60 fps; constant bitrate (CBR); and a recommended two-second keyframe interval, with a maximum of four seconds. Its recommended bitrate depends on codec, resolution, and frame rate.
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For example, YouTube’s recommendations include 8 Mbps for H.264 at 720p60 and 17 Mbps for H.264 at 1080p60; the corresponding AV1/H.265 recommendations are 6 Mbps and 12 Mbps. Check YouTube’s table for the exact codec and format you use. These are streaming-quality and ingestion recommendations, not electricity-cost estimates.
YouTube says an encoder converts video to a digital format and enables uses such as sharing gameplay or a screen and connecting external audio or video hardware. YouTube also transcodes live streams into multiple output formats so viewers on different devices and networks can watch. To assess power rather than video delivery, keep the relevant settings constant and measure the computer’s draw.
Estimate your own session or monthly cost
Once you have a representative average, apply it to the hours you actually stream. For a recurring schedule, multiply the session estimate by the number of sessions in the billing period. The result estimates energy charges only; fixed charges and other bill components may not change with streaming use.
- Measure or otherwise establish average watts for the devices you want to count.
- Multiply average watts by the stream hours, then divide by 1,000 to get kWh.
- Multiply kWh by your chosen electricity rate per kWh.
- For a period total, multiply the session result by the number of comparable sessions.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep a pre-recorded YouTube stream running rather than to stream live gameplay from OBS, StreamNeo is a different option: upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Its cloud service loops uploaded videos, so your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. It automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream, supports uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, and offers a first day free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo is for YouTube and uploaded videos, not a live camera feed. See StreamNeo or plans and pricing, then start your free day.
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