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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Gaming Console (PS5, Xbox) in the UK? (2026)
Current generation consoles such as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X draw around 180 to 220 watts while gaming, closer to 70 watts while streaming video, and just a watt or two in rest mode with instant on disabled.
A typical gaming console (ps5, xbox) (180 W) costs £0.047 per hour, or about £4.21 per month at 3 hours a day in United Kingdom. Average running cost
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (70 W) | £0.018 | £0.055 | £1.64 | £19.93 |
| Typical (180 W) | £0.047 | £0.14 | £4.21 | £51.25 |
| High (220 W) | £0.057 | £0.17 | £5.15 | £62.63 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 3 h/day ≈ 197 kWh per year.
In the UK, with electricity at £0.26 per kWh (source: Ofgem price cap 1 Jul–30 Sep 2026, 2026-07), a typical gaming console (ps5, xbox) costs £0.047 per hour and about £51.25 per year at 3 hours a day. Each £1.00 of electricity buys roughly 21.4 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a gaming console (ps5, xbox)
- Turn off the console rather than leaving it in rest mode with instant on enabled.
- Streaming video on a console uses more power than a dedicated streaming stick.
- Cap the frame rate in games that allow it. Lower GPU load means lower draw.
- Disable the feature that keeps the console powered for controller charging.
In standby it draws about 1.5 W, which adds roughly 13 kWh (£3.42) per year if it is never unplugged.
Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does a PS5 use?
About 200 watts in demanding games, 70 watts for media, and under 2 watts in rest mode.
Is it expensive to leave a console on overnight?
If it sits on the home screen, it draws about 50 watts, so 8 hours costs the same as 2 hours of gaming.
Does the Xbox Series S use less power?
Yes, around 80 watts during games, less than half the Series X.
Compare with
Cost by region
- United States (average)
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Florida
- Canada (average)
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
- Australia
- India