How much does it cost to run a game console?
We've pre-filled a typical game console below. Set your electricity rate and adjust the hours to match how you use yours — the cost updates instantly.
This is the cost of the electricity to run a console, not the price of buying one — a current console retails around $300–$500.
A current console pulls ~90–220W while playing — and a few watts in 'rest'/standby mode.
Running a game console at 150W for 3 h a day costs about
Independent suggestion — we don't sell your information or send anything anywhere.
How much a game console costs to run depends almost entirely on which one you own. A Nintendo Switch sips only about 10–18W; an Xbox Series S sits near 50–60W; a PS5 or Xbox Series X pulls 150–200W in a demanding title. This page starts from the big-console figure, so if you're on a Switch, drag the wattage right down — your real cost is a fraction of a PS5's.
By itself an evening of play is modest, but there's a sting people miss: rest/instant-on standby can quietly pull 10–15W every hour of every day, all year — so on the bigger consoles the round-the-clock idling often costs as much as the gaming does.
What drives the cost of running a game console
- Which console you own — a PS5 or Xbox Series X draws roughly 10× a Nintendo Switch for the same hour of play.
- Hours of active play, and whether you're running graphics-heavy titles that push the hardware.
- Rest/instant-on mode keeps it sipping power 24/7 for fast resume — cheap per hour, but it never stops.
How to cut it
- Switch off instant-on/rest mode if you don't need quick resume — it runs all day otherwise.
- Fully power down after a session rather than leaving it idling on a menu.
- Use a cheap streaming stick for video instead of firing up the whole console.
Common questions
How much does it cost to run a game console per month?
At a typical 150W and about 3 hours a day, a game console costs roughly $2.29 a month at $0.17/kWh. Set your own rate and hours above for an exact figure.
How can I cut the cost of running a game console?
Switch off instant-on/rest mode if you don't need quick resume — it runs all day otherwise.
Does a PS5 or Xbox Series X cost more to run than a Nintendo Switch?
Yes, and it's not close. A PS5 or Xbox Series X pulls roughly 150–200W in a demanding game, while a Nintendo Switch draws about 10–18W — so the same hour of play can cost close to ten times as much on the bigger consoles. Set the wattage to match your own console for a real figure.
Compare other appliances
Put an honest running-cost calculator in front of ready-to-buy shoppers
WattDollar reaches people at the exact moment they're deciding whether an appliance, heat pump or EV charger is worth it — and what a more efficient model would save. A warm, high-intent audience, with no lead form in the way.
- Embeddable & co-brandable — drop the calculator on your product or store page so shoppers see real running costs without leaving.
- Warm, high-intent traffic — visitors arrive already shopping by appliance type; the results screen is the natural place to recommend an efficient model.
- Affiliate & revenue-share friendly — one editable config points the "shop a more efficient model" link at your store, Amazon tag or charger lineup.