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A gaming PC’s electricity bill surprises a lot of builders — not because one gaming session costs much, but because hundreds of hours a year add up. Enter your parts, daily hours and electricity price to see estimated draw while gaming and idle, plus monthly and yearly cost.
How we calculate
Energy (kWh) = power (W) × hours ÷ 1000. Cost = kWh × your electricity price. We estimate gaming draw from your CPU and GPU tier plus a fixed allowance for the rest of the system, and idle draw from a low baseline. Yearly cost assumes your daily gaming and idle hours repeated across 365 days.
Reference power draw by build tier
| Build tier | Gaming draw (approx.) | Idle / light use (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Entry 1080p (65 W CPU + 130–180 W GPU) | 220–300 W | 50–70 W |
| Mid-range 1440p (105–125 W CPU + 200–300 W GPU) | 350–480 W | 60–80 W |
| High-end 4K (125–200 W CPU + 350–575 W GPU) | 550–850 W | 70–100 W |
Ranges cover typical stock configurations at the wall excluding the monitor. Factory-overclocked cards, overclocked CPUs and multi-monitor setups draw more.
FAQ
How do I find my electricity price?
Check your power bill for the all-in price per kWh including delivery charges, not just the generation rate. US residential prices vary widely by state and time of use.
Does a bigger PSU use more electricity?
No — the PC draws what its parts need; the PSU only converts it. A larger quality unit at typical gaming load is often slightly more efficient, not more wasteful.
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