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Does Gaming on TV Use More Electricity Than Watching TV? (Cost Breakdown)

Yes, gaming uses more electricity than passive TV viewing, but the cost difference is small for typical sessions.

Why Gaming Draws More Power

Component	Watching TV	Gaming
Console/PC	Off / Standby (0.5–2 W)	Active: 50–200 W (PS5/XSX), 150–450 W (Gaming PC)
TV	50–150 W (55" LED/OLED)	Same TV power, but often higher brightness/HDR → +10–30 W
Audio	TV speakers (5–10 W)	Headset (negligible) or soundbar (20–50 W)
Total (Typical)	~60–160 W	~150–400 W

Cost Example (US Avg $0.16/kWh)

3 hrs TV: 0.15 kWh × $0.16 = $0.024
3 hrs Gaming (PS5 + TV): 0.5 kWh × $0.16 = $0.08
Monthly (3 hrs/day): TV ~$0.72 vs Gaming ~$2.40

Reduce Gaming Energy Use

Enable Power Saving: PS5 “Low Power Mode” / Xbox “Shutdown (energy saving)” / PC Windows Power Plan.
Lower Brightness / Disable HDR for non-HDR games.
Use Monitor Instead of TV: 27" gaming monitor ~30–50 W vs 55" TV ~100 W.
Limit Frame Rate: Cap at 60 FPS (vs 120) → GPU draws less.
Turn Off Completely: Unplug / smart plug when not in use (standby adds up).

Verdict: Noticeable but not budget-breaking. A gaming session costs ~5–8¢/hr. Focus on total household usage (HVAC, water heater, fridge) for real savings.

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