How much does it cost to run a gaming PC?
A gaming PC costs about 5.8¢ per hour, 18¢ a day, $5.60 a month and $67 a year at typical use (3 hours a day) and the U.S. average rate of 17.99¢/kWh. Watts are total wall draw of the whole tower while gaming (GPU plus CPU, board, fans and power-supply loss); the monitor is separate. Idle desktop use draws 60-120 W.
Calculate your cost
Add as many devices as you like to compare them side by side. Search again to add another, or use Duplicate to compare two settings.
Cost by setting
| Setting | Watts | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry GPU (RTX 4060 / 5060) | 280 | 4.0¢ | 13¢ | $4.02 | $48 |
| Mid-range GPU (RTX 4070 / 5070) | 400 | 5.8¢ | 18¢ | $5.60 | $67 |
| High-end GPU (RTX 4080 / 5080) | 550 | 7.9¢ | 25¢ | $7.57 | $91 |
| Flagship GPU (RTX 4090 / 5090) | 750 | 11¢ | 34¢ | $10.20 | $122 |
At 3 hours a day and 17.99¢/kWh.
Cost by hours of use
| Hours per day | kWh/day | Per day | Per month | Per year (all year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour | 0.39 | 7.0¢ | $2.13 | $26 |
| 2 hours | 0.71 | 13¢ | $3.87 | $46 |
| 4 hours | 1.34 | 24¢ | $7.34 | $88 |
| 8 hours | 2.61 | 47¢ | $14.28 | $171 |
| 12 hours | 3.88 | 70¢ | $21.22 | $255 |
| 24 hours | 7.68 | $1.38 | $42.05 | $505 |
Cost to run a gaming PC in every state
The same gaming PC costs $46 a year in North Dakota and $163 in Hawaii, at each state's average residential rate (12 months ending July 2026).
| State | Rate | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 12.32¢ | 3.9¢ | $3.84 | $46 |
| Idaho | 12.65¢ | 4.0¢ | $3.94 | $47 |
| Nebraska | 12.86¢ | 4.1¢ | $4.00 | $48 |
| Louisiana | 12.99¢ | 4.2¢ | $4.04 | $49 |
| Utah | 13.32¢ | 4.3¢ | $4.15 | $50 |
| Nevada | 13.36¢ | 4.3¢ | $4.16 | $50 |
| Arkansas | 13.43¢ | 4.3¢ | $4.18 | $50 |
| Tennessee | 13.56¢ | 4.3¢ | $4.22 | $51 |
| Oklahoma | 13.70¢ | 4.4¢ | $4.27 | $51 |
| Montana | 13.84¢ | 4.4¢ | $4.31 | $52 |
| Kentucky | 13.92¢ | 4.5¢ | $4.33 | $52 |
| Missouri | 13.95¢ | 4.5¢ | $4.34 | $52 |
| Wyoming | 14.01¢ | 4.5¢ | $4.36 | $52 |
| Washington | 14.12¢ | 4.5¢ | $4.40 | $53 |
| Iowa | 14.13¢ | 4.5¢ | $4.40 | $53 |
| South Dakota | 14.20¢ | 4.5¢ | $4.42 | $53 |
| Mississippi | 14.77¢ | 4.7¢ | $4.60 | $55 |
| North Carolina | 14.77¢ | 4.7¢ | $4.60 | $55 |
| Kansas | 15.09¢ | 4.8¢ | $4.70 | $56 |
| Georgia | 15.12¢ | 4.8¢ | $4.71 | $56 |
| New Mexico | 15.32¢ | 4.9¢ | $4.77 | $57 |
| Florida | 15.39¢ | 4.9¢ | $4.79 | $58 |
| Arizona | 15.40¢ | 4.9¢ | $4.80 | $58 |
| West Virginia | 15.48¢ | 5.0¢ | $4.82 | $58 |
| Oregon | 15.50¢ | 5.0¢ | $4.83 | $58 |
| South Carolina | 15.64¢ | 5.0¢ | $4.87 | $58 |
| Texas | 15.96¢ | 5.1¢ | $4.97 | $60 |
| Minnesota | 16.22¢ | 5.2¢ | $5.05 | $61 |
| Alabama | 16.44¢ | 5.3¢ | $5.12 | $61 |
| Virginia | 16.48¢ | 5.3¢ | $5.13 | $62 |
| Colorado | 16.58¢ | 5.3¢ | $5.16 | $62 |
| Indiana | 16.94¢ | 5.4¢ | $5.27 | $63 |
| Delaware | 17.79¢ | 5.7¢ | $5.54 | $66 |
| Ohio | 18.25¢ | 5.8¢ | $5.68 | $68 |
| Wisconsin | 18.74¢ | 6.0¢ | $5.84 | $70 |
| Illinois | 18.79¢ | 6.0¢ | $5.85 | $70 |
| Pennsylvania | 20.70¢ | 6.6¢ | $6.45 | $77 |
| Maryland | 21.03¢ | 6.7¢ | $6.55 | $79 |
| Michigan | 21.05¢ | 6.7¢ | $6.55 | $79 |
| New Jersey | 23.78¢ | 7.6¢ | $7.40 | $89 |
| Vermont | 23.80¢ | 7.6¢ | $7.41 | $89 |
| District of Columbia | 24.20¢ | 7.7¢ | $7.54 | $90 |
| New Hampshire | 26.67¢ | 8.5¢ | $8.30 | $100 |
| Alaska | 26.85¢ | 8.6¢ | $8.36 | $100 |
| Connecticut | 27.99¢ | 9.0¢ | $8.72 | $105 |
| New York | 28.39¢ | 9.1¢ | $8.84 | $106 |
| Rhode Island | 29.27¢ | 9.4¢ | $9.11 | $109 |
| Maine | 29.31¢ | 9.4¢ | $9.13 | $110 |
| Massachusetts | 30.43¢ | 9.7¢ | $9.48 | $114 |
| California | 32.99¢ | 11¢ | $10.27 | $123 |
| Hawaii | 43.51¢ | 14¢ | $13.55 | $163 |
How to cut the cost
- Cap frame rate at your monitor's refresh rate (or 3-5 fps below) in the driver; it can cut GPU draw 20-40%.
- Undervolt the GPU with MSI Afterburner; 10-20% less power for the same performance is common.
- Set Windows sleep to 15-30 minutes so the PC doesn't idle at 80-120 W overnight.
- Turn off RGB lighting and use the Balanced power plan.
- Use an 80 PLUS Gold or better power supply sized near 50-60% of peak load.
Cheaper ways to get the job done
Wastes about 5-8% less as heat than bronze or unrated supplies.
See options on AmazonShows real kWh per gaming session.
See options on AmazonWe may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. It never changes the numbers we show. Disclosure.
Compare with similar appliances
| Appliance | Watts | Typical use | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaming PC | 400 | 3 hours a day | $5.60 | $67 |
| Desktop computer | 90 | 6 hours a day | $3.15 | $38 |
| Computer monitor | 25 | 6 hours a day | $0.85 | $10 |
| PS5 | 200 | 2 hours a day | $2.37 | $28 |
| Laptop | 40 | 6 hours a day | $1.36 | $16 |
| Home server | 80 | 24 hours a day | $10.51 | $126 |
| iMac / all-in-one computer | 60 | 6 hours a day | $2.07 | $25 |
Head-to-head comparisons
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a gaming PC per hour?
A gaming PC drawing 400 watts uses 0.32 kWh per hour while running (80% duty cycle). At the U.S. average of 17.99¢/kWh that's 5.8¢ per hour. In North Dakota (12.32¢) it's 3.9¢. In Hawaii (43.51¢) it's 14¢.
How much does it cost to run a gaming PC per month?
At typical use (3 hours a day), a gaming PC costs about $5.60 a month and $67 a year, at the U.S. average rate. Enter your ZIP in the calculator above for your utility's rate.
How many watts does a gaming PC use?
Most gaming PCs use 150 to 900 watts, depending on the setting (entry gpu (rtx 4060 / 5060) 280 W, mid-range gpu (rtx 4070 / 5070) 400 W, high-end gpu (rtx 4080 / 5080) 550 W, flagship gpu (rtx 4090 / 5090) 750 W). Plugged in but off, it still draws about 3 W of standby power. Check the label on the back or bottom for your model's exact rating.
How many kWh does a gaming PC use?
About 1.02 kWh a day and 374 kWh a year at typical use (3 hours a day).
Does a gaming PC use a lot of electricity?
It's a moderate load: 374 kWh a year is about 4% of the average U.S. home's yearly use.
Is it cheaper to run a gaming PC or a desktop computer?
At typical use, a gaming PC costs about $67 a year versus $38 for a desktop computer. So the desktop computer is cheaper by about $29 a year. Use the comparison table above to compare them at your own settings.
How can I lower the cost of running a gaming PC?
- Cap frame rate at your monitor's refresh rate (or 3-5 fps below) in the driver; it can cut GPU draw 20-40%.
- Undervolt the GPU with MSI Afterburner; 10-20% less power for the same performance is common.
- Set Windows sleep to 15-30 minutes so the PC doesn't idle at 80-120 W overnight.
Rates updated 2026-10-21: EIA data through July 2026. Typical wattage and usage reviewed against DOE, ENERGY STAR and manufacturer specs. Methodology.