The GPU is the engine
A high-end graphics card alone can draw 300–575 W under load. The rest of the system adds 100–200 W. Frame rate caps and resolution settings directly throttle the biggest component's appetite.
Gaming PC Cost per Hour
Updated July 2026 rate dataLiving & Major LoadsSourced from U.S. EIA — Electricity use in homes (end-use shares)
The graphics card is the engine, and uncapped frame rates burn watts to render frames your display may never show, so frame caps are the cheapest saving available. Set your rig's draw and gaming hours below.
Quick pick
EIA residential average, July 2026. Your utility's exact rate is on your bill.
400 W
100 W900 W
3 h
0.5 h16 h
Common setups
Live cost meter · running at your current settings
$0.00000
since you opened this page · 0:00 elapsed
0.40 kW · 0.0000 kWh burned
burn rate
$0.073/hr
24/7 ≈ $53/mo
Real-time math: 400 W × your state's rate, accumulating live.
Per hour
$0.073
Per day
$0.22
1.2 kWh
Per month
$6.68
37 kWh
Per year
$80
438 kWh
Run like this for a year and it adds about $80 to your electricity bill.
Draw estimates reflect whole-system wall power (CPU + GPU + fans) under gaming load. Cap frame rates and your real figure drops toward the lower presets.
Energy: 1.2 kWh per day · 438 kWh per year, at 18.31¢/kWh (U.S. average).
How many watts does a gaming PC use, and what does it cost to run?
Wattage is the number that decides everything else. The table below runs the actual figures through this page's calculator at the U.S. average rate of 18.31¢ /kWh, so you can see the running cost jump as the load climbs. Change any value above and the whole page recalculates.
| Watts | Power draw | Per hour | Per month (3 h/day) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 W | 100 W draws 0.10 kW | $0.018 | $1.67 |
| 365 W | 365 W draws 0.36 kW | $0.067 | $6.10 |
| 635 W | 635 W draws 0.64 kW | $0.12 | $10.61 |
| 900 W | 900 W draws 0.90 kW | $0.16 | $15.04 |
Basis: July 2026 U.S. average residential rate of 18.31¢ /kWh (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A). Your state's rate is applied as soon as you pick it above.
What changes the number
Frame caps and VRR
Uncapped 200+ fps burns watts to render frames you may not even see on a 60 Hz display. A frame cap at your monitor's refresh rate typically cuts GPU draw 20–40% with zero visual cost.
PSU rating ≠ draw
An 850 W power supply doesn't pull 850 W — it only delivers what the parts ask. Measure real draw with a smart plug meter if you want the exact number; estimates here are wall-draw figures.
Cut the cost
Biggest savings first.
- Cap frames at your monitor's refresh rate — biggest single free saving.
- Enable game-specific efficiency modes (modern GPUs have them) in the driver panel.
- Turn the PC off or let it sleep instead of idling overnight; idle still draws 50–100 W.
- A power meter (~$25) gives you your exact wall draw — enter it above for precise costs.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a gaming PC for 1 hour?
About 5–14¢ per hour at the U.S. average rate (18.31¢/kWh) depending on the rig, with most mid-tier systems near 7¢.
How much does a gaming PC cost per month?
At 3 h/day, roughly $6–14/month at the U.S. average rate. Enthusiast rigs (750 W-class GPU systems, 5 h/day) reach $20+/month.
Does a gaming PC use more electricity than a console?
Typically yes — a PS5 draws ~200 W under load vs. 400+ W for a mid gaming PC. Consoles also cap frame rates by design, which is a big part of why they're efficient for the performance delivered.
Sources
- U.S. EIA — Electricity use in homes (end-use shares)
- U.S. EIA, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A — Average Price of Electricity by State
Rate basis: EIA residential average, July 2026 (retrieved from Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A). Estimates are for planning, not billing.
