How Much Does It Cost to Run a Games Console (PS5 / Xbox Series X)? (UK 2026)
Based on the active UK Ofgem price cap of 24.5p per kWh (1 January 2026 – 31 March 2026).
A typical 180W games console (ps5 / xbox series x) costs £0.04 per hour of continuous use at current UK electricity rates (24.5p/kWh). For typical daily usage (2.5 hours active gameplay per day (~0.45 kWh/day)), it costs approximately £0.11 per day or £46.84 per year.
Manufacturer specs: Sony PlayStation 5 & Microsoft Xbox Series X measured active power draw during gameplay (160W–200W)
* Includes 3.5W standby consumption outside active hours (£6.71/year).
How to Save Money Running a Games Console (PS5 / Xbox Series X)
- Avoid streaming Netflix or YouTube through your console; consoles draw 50W–70W while streaming, compared to 3W on a Chromecast or smart TV app.
- Enable "Energy Saver" mode rather than "Instant-On / Rest Mode"; this cuts standby power from 12W–15W down to under 0.5W.
- Turn off controller charging via USB when the console is in sleep mode if controllers are already fully charged.
- Set auto-shutoff to 20 minutes of inactivity so the console does not sit in start menus drawing 100W while you are away.
Alternative Appliances Compared
vs. Gaming PC
View running cost →A console draws around 180W, compared to 450W for an equivalent desktop gaming PC playing similar modern titles.
vs. Smart TV (Streaming)
View running cost →Consoles use 60W just to playback media; using the native TV app uses almost zero additional power.
Games Console (PS5 / Xbox Series X) Technical Power Profile
Source data: Sony PlayStation 5 & Microsoft Xbox Series X measured active power draw during gameplay (160W–200W)
Frequently Asked Questions: Games Console (PS5 / Xbox Series X) Electricity Costs
How much does it cost to play a PS5 or Xbox Series X for 2.5 hours in the UK?â–¾
At 180W average gaming draw, 2.5 hours uses 0.45 kWh. At 24.5p/kWh, this costs approx. 11.0p per session, or £3.31 per month (£40.24 per year).
Why should you not use a games console for watching Netflix?â–¾
A console leaves its primary GPU and high-speed memory clocks active during media playback, consuming 60W to 80W. A smart TV app or Apple TV/Roku stick draws only 2W to 4W.
How much does PS5 Rest Mode cost per year?â–¾
In standard Rest Mode with internet connection active for background downloads, a PS5 draws about 3.5W to 5W (£7.50 to £10.70/year in the UK). On Xbox with "Instant-on", it can draw 10W to 13W (£21 to £28/year).
Does playing older PS4 games on PS5 use less electricity?â–¾
Yes. Backward-compatible games run the APU in legacy compatibility clocks, drawing roughly 100W to 120W instead of the full 200W demanded by PS5 native games.
Is Nintendo Switch cheaper to run than a PS5?â–¾
Dramatically cheaper. The Nintendo Switch draws only 10W to 15W while docked and playing games, costing less than 1p for 3 hours of play.