TonyMonzon.com is powered by readers. When you purchase items from links on our website, we may earn a commission. Learn more

|

How much Electricity does a Gaming PC use?

ByTony Monzon
A computer board with wires.

If you’re like most people, you probably wonder “How Much Electricity Does A Gaming PC Use?” Well, Gaming PCs use a lot of electricity.

Well, you would be right! A gaming PC can use a lot of power, especially if it’s overclocked or has high-end graphics cards and processors.

In this blog post, we will take a look at how much electricity a gaming PC uses and give some tips on how to reduce the amount of power it consumes.

How Much Electricity Does A Gaming PC Use?

A lot of people are interested in how much electricity gaming PCs use.

Gaming PCs can vary greatly in terms of their power needs, depending on the types of games they are being used to play and the settings that are being used.

For example, a high-end gaming PC that is being used to play the latest AAA games at max settings is going to need more power than a basic gaming PC that is only being used for casual gaming.

The type of graphics card that is being used also has a big impact on power needs.

A high-end graphics card like the RTX 2080Ti requires around 250 watts of power, while a mid-range card like the GTX 1060 only requires around 120 watts.

So, if you’re wondering how much electricity your gaming PC is using, it really depends on a variety of factors.

However, as a general rule of thumb, you can expect a gaming PC to use about 200 watts of power when playing demanding games at high settings.

Consumption Of Electricity Based On Gaming PC Type

High-End PC

The high-end gaming PC market is defined by two main characteristics: the need for extreme performance, and the willingness to pay a significant premium for it.

In terms of raw power, these PCs are in a class of their own, and they come with a price tag to match. But what about the cost of running them?

Given the extensive hardware used in these rigs, it’s not surprising that they consume a lot of electricity.

In fact, according to one estimate, the average high-end gaming PC uses approximately 500 watts of power.

That figure can vary depending on the specific components used, but it’s still quite high.

To put that in perspective, 500 watts is equivalent to approximately 2.3 kilowatt-hours (kWh).

Assuming an average electricity price of $0.12 per kWh, that means running a high-end gaming PC will cost you about $0.28 per hour. That might not sound like much, but it can add up over time.

If you’re someone who plays a lot of games, or if you use your PC for other power-hungry tasks like video editing, then your electricity bill could see a noticeable increase.

MidRange PC

The power consumption of a mid-range PC while gaming can be anywhere from 300W to 500W.

This number will obviously increase or decrease depending on the specific graphics card, processor, and other components that are being used.

Overall, a mid-range system will use about 40-60% more power than a standard desktop that is not being used for gaming.

It is important to keep in mind that these numbers are also affected by things like screen resolution and frame rate. A system that is running at 4K resolution will obviously use more power than one that is running at 1080p.

The same is true for systems that are aiming for high frame rates vs. those that are okay with lower frame rates. In general, the higher the settings, the higher the power consumption will be.

Budget PC

Active gamers require higher-than-average amounts of electricity to power their gaming PCs. The more powerful the gaming PC, the more electricity it will consume.

Many gamers consider the cost of their electricity bill when choosing a gaming PC.

A low-budget gaming PC may not have the same performance as a high-end gaming PC, but it will cost less to operate.

These desktop PCs usually feature the most basic components with stock cooling and a 350 to the 550-watt power supply.

They may also save money by avoiding the newest generation of hardware. The Intel Core i3 12100F is one of the most cost-effective CPUs, but you can also choose between the AMD Ryzen 3 5300 and 6400.

The AMD Ryzen CPU 3900X requires 65 watts to operate under full load, as opposed to the Intel Core i9-9900K’s 55 watts.

For the GPU, you have a few options. You can go with the Radeon RX 5500 XT or GeForce GTX 1650, both of which use between 100 and 125 watts under normal usage.

A budget gaming PC’s motherboard, storage, and cooling won’t use more than 100 watts. Budget monitors consume less than 25 watts, and you may even locate models that require as little as 16 watts.

With the same usage assumptions, here’s how much a low-end gaming PC will cost you.

How To Measure The Consumption?

A PC technician measuring computer electricity.

With the rise in popularity of gaming PCs, it’s important to know how to measure the consumption of electricity for your own rig. The first step is to find out the wattage of your power supply.

This information should be available on the manufacturer’s website or label. Once you have this number, you’ll need to calculate the ampere (A) rating of your power supply.

This can be done by dividing the wattage by the voltage of your electrical outlet. For example, if your power supply is rated for 500 watts and you’re using a 120-volt outlet, your amperage would be 4.17 A.

Next, you’ll need to determine how many watts your PC consumes while gaming. This number will vary depending on the components in your rig and how intensively you’re using them.

A good way to get an estimate is to use a power consumption calculator, which can be found online. Simply enter in the make and model of your components and select ‘gaming’ as the usage type.

Once you have this information, you can multiply it by the number of hours you plan on gaming each day to estimate your daily energy consumption.

Finally, you’ll need to figure out how much this will cost you each month. To do this, simply multiply your daily energy consumption by the cost of electricity in your area.

This will give you a good idea of how much it will cost to keep your gaming PC running.

Now that you know how to measure the power consumption of a gaming PC, you can make sure that your rig is as efficient as possible.

By making a few simple changes, you can save money on your electricity bill and keep your gaming PC running smoothly.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a gaming PC can use a lot of electricity. It is important to consider the cost of running your PC when choosing components and settings.

A budget gaming PC can still offer great performance while saving you money on your electricity bill.

By making a few simple changes, you can make sure that your gaming PC is as efficient as possible. Thanks for reading! We hope this article was helpful.

Posts like Gaming PC Electricity:

Gaming Gifts

People also Like:

Was it Helpful?