RigCost / Consoles / Nintendo Switch 2
How much does a Nintendo Switch 2 cost to run?
The Nintendo Switch 2 (docked) uses about 20 W while gaming. At the UK price cap of 26.32p per kWh, that is about 0.5p an hour, or around £6 a year if you play 3 hours a day. These figures are for the console only; your TV adds to it.
- Per hour
- 0.5p
- 3 hours a day, per month
- £0.48
- 3 hours a day, per year
- £6
Nintendo Switch 2 running costs by hours played
Console only, while gaming, at 26.32p per kWh.
| Playing | Per week | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour a day | £0.04 | £0.16 | £2 |
| 2 hours a day | £0.07 | £0.32 | £4 |
| 3 hours a day | £0.11 | £0.48 | £6 |
| 4 hours a day | £0.15 | £0.64 | £8 |
| 6 hours a day | £0.22 | £0.96 | £12 |
Where the figure comes from
GamePro measured about 20 W docked in Cyberpunk 2077, and up to about 25 W while also charging the Joy-Cons. Handheld play uses roughly 10 W. Real use changes with each game, and menus, streaming apps and downloads use less.
What about the TV?
A TV adds its own power use on top, which varies a lot with size and type. Check the energy label on your TV for its on-mode power in watts and add it to the console's figure.
Compared with a gaming PC
A mid-range gaming PC with an RTX 4070 and a 27-inch monitor uses about 330 W while gaming, about 8.7p an hour. See every console next to a gaming PC or work out your own PC's cost.