Save Money: Learn How Much Electricity Your Laptop Uses in 24 Hours
Published: 13 Jul 2025
Have you ever wondered how much electricity does a laptop use in a full day or even just an hour? If you’re someone who works long hours, binge-watches Netflix, or plays games on your laptop, your device might be quietly adding to your electricity bill. On average, a laptop uses around 30 to 50 watts per hour, depending on what you’re doing. High-performance tasks like gaming or video editing can push this number even higher.
In this article, we’ll break down the actual laptop power consumption per day, hour, and month. You’ll also find energy-saving tips and learn how usage habits, settings, and even the type of laptop affect your electricity use
How Much Electricity Does a Laptop Use Per Hour?
Wondering how much electricity your laptop uses in just one hour? On average, a standard laptop uses 30 to 50 watts per hour when plugged in and running basic tasks like browsing, writing, or watching videos. This is equal to 0.03 to 0.05 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per hour—a small amount, but it adds up over time.
However, the exact power consumption of a laptop depends on how you use it:
Light Use (browsing, streaming, office work): ~40 watts
Heavy Use (gaming, video editing): Up to 200 watts, especially on gaming laptops
That means if you’re gaming for 3 hours a day, your laptop electricity consumption can be as high as 600 watt-hours daily, or 0.6 kWh.
What Affects Laptop Power Use?
The amount of electricity your laptop uses isn’t fixed. It changes based on the model, your usage style, and how well the device is optimized. Let’s break it down:
1. Laptop Type Matters
Not all laptops are built the same. Here’s how design and hardware affect power consumption of laptops:
Basic Laptops and Ultrabooks (like Chromebooks): Use lower-watt components and are optimized for longer battery life. These usually consume less than 40 watts.
Gaming and Workstation Laptops: Built for performance, they come with power-hungry CPUs and GPUs, often using up to 200 watts when under heavy load.
2. What You’re Doing Changes Everything
The more demanding your task, the more electricity your laptop will draw:
Simple tasks (like checking email or writing documents): Use less energy — often under 50 watts.
Heavy tasks (like 3D rendering or playing games): Can double or triple your laptop’s watt usage, quickly increasing electricity usage laptop-wide.
3. Charging Habits
Think charging doesn’t matter? Think again.
Leaving your laptop plugged in 24/7 can slightly raise your daily power consumption.
Smart charging—unplugging when full—not only saves power but also helps preserve battery health.
Even though charging alone doesn’t use much power, bad habits add up over time.
4. Display & Settings
Laptop display settings directly impact energy use. Here’s how:
High screen brightness or ultra HD displays consume more power.
Background apps, auto-sync tools, and wireless features like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth drain energy in the background.
Enabling battery saver modes or lowering brightness can reduce laptop electricity consumption significantly.
Laptop vs. Desktop: Which Uses More Energy?
If you’re trying to save on your electricity bill, choosing the right device matters. When comparing laptop vs. desktop power consumption, laptops are clearly more energy-efficient. Here’s why:
1. Power Consumption – Laptops Use Less
Laptops are built for mobility and energy efficiency. They’re designed to run on battery power, so manufacturers use low-watt components that reduce overall power draw.
Laptop Power Use:
Average usage: 30 to 50 watts per hour
High-performance laptops (gaming or editing): Up to 200 watts
In contrast, desktops are built for performance. They include separate monitors, bigger processors, and power-hungry graphics cards.
Desktop Power Use:
Regular use: 200 to 500 watts per hour
Gaming desktops: Can exceed 500 watts, especially with multiple monitors and high-end GPUs
So, when it comes to power consumption of a desktop computer per hour, it’s often 4 to 10 times higher than that of a standard laptop.
2. Components and Their Energy Use
Laptops and desktops are built differently, and this affects how much energy they use:
Processor (CPU):
Laptops have energy-saving processors (like Intel U-series or AMD Ryzen Mobile) that use less power.
Desktops use more powerful processors (like Intel i7/i9 or AMD Ryzen 7/9) that consume more energy.
Graphics (GPU):
Most laptops have basic graphics built into the processor, which uses less power unless it’s a gaming laptop.
Desktops often have powerful graphics cards that can use 150-300 watts by themselves.
Display:
Laptops have small built-in screens that use less power.
Desktops need separate monitors, which can use 20-60 watts depending on their size and type.
3. Impact on Electricity Bills
Let’s calculate the energy costs for each device:
Laptop Example:
- Power: 50 watts.
- Usage: 5 hours daily.
- Electricity Rate: $0.12 per kWh.
Cost = (50×5)/1000×0.12=$0.03 per day, or about $0.90 per month.
Desktop Example:
- Power: 300 watts.
- Usage: 5 hours daily.
- Electricity Rate: $0.12 per kWh.
Cost = (300×5)/1000×0.12=$0.18 per day, or about $5.40 per.
Even with equal use, desktops cost more to run than laptops.
How to Reduce Your Laptop’s Electricity Consumption
Want to cut down on your electricity bill without sacrificing performance? Good news—there are plenty of easy ways to lower the power consumption by your laptop. Here’s how you can make your laptop more energy-efficient every day:
1. Adjust your settings:
Your screen and system settings have a direct impact on laptop electricity consumption.
Shorten screen timeout—set your laptop to sleep quickly when not in use.
Lower the screen brightness—bright displays use more power.
Turn on battery saver or power-saving mode—these settings help manage CPU and background activity.
2. Follow Smart Charging Habits:
Unplug the charger after the battery is full.
Don’t leave your laptop plugged in overnight.
3. Turn off unused features:
Background features may seem harmless, but they quietly increase power consumption by laptop.
Pause software updates or downloads when working on battery.
Disable Wi-Fi or Bluetooth when you’re not using them.
Close unnecessary apps and browser tabs running in the background.
4. Invest in accessories:
When working outside, use a laptop hood or a glare-reducing screen.
Myths about laptop power consumption include
Myth 1: “Laptops don’t use electricity in sleep mode.”
Fact: Sleep mode consumes 1-2 watts, which is low but not zero.
Myth 2: “Charging a laptop enhances electricity bills.”
Fact: Charging takes up only a minor part of overall usage.
Conclusion
To sum it up, understanding how much electricity does a laptop use can help you make smarter choices—both for your wallet and the planet. Compared to desktops, laptops are naturally built for low power consumption, making them ideal for daily use. But even then, your habits matter. Simple changes like lowering brightness, unplugging when charged, or turning off unused features can cut down on laptop electricity consumption.
Want to save even more? Stick around for our easy power-saving tips and see how small changes can lead to big savings—without slowing you down.
When in sleep mode, a laptop typically uses 1 to 2 watts per hour. This is much lower than when it’s active, but it’s not zero. Over 24 hours, that adds up to about 24–48 watt-hours, or 0.024–0.048 kWh.
If a laptop uses an average of 50 watts and runs 24/7, that’s 1.2 kWh per day. At $0.12 per kWh (typical U.S. rate), the daily cost is about $0.14, or around $4.20 per month.
A standard desktop PC uses 200–500 watts per hour. That means it costs around $0.024 to $0.06 per hour at $0.12 per kWh. High-end gaming PCs may cost even more per hour.
The electricity usage of a computer varies by model. Basic desktops use around 200 watts/hour, while gaming PCs can use 500 watts or more. Laptops, by comparison, usually use just 30–50 watts/hour.
No, laptops are energy-efficient. Most use very little electricity—typically between 30 to 50 watts during regular use. Compared to desktops, laptop electricity consumption is much lower.
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- Be Respectful
- Stay Relevant
- Stay Positive
- True Feedback
- Encourage Discussion
- Avoid Spamming
- No Fake News
- Don't Copy-Paste
- No Personal Attacks
