RigCost / Consoles / Xbox Series S
How much does an Xbox Series S cost to run?
The Xbox Series S uses about 74 W while gaming. At the UK price cap of 26.32p per kWh, that is about 1.9p an hour, or around £21 a year if you play 3 hours a day. These figures are for the console only; your TV adds to it.
- Per hour
- 1.9p
- 3 hours a day, per month
- £1.78
- 3 hours a day, per year
- £21
Xbox Series S 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 | £0.14 | £0.59 | £7 |
| 2 hours a day | £0.27 | £1.19 | £14 |
| 3 hours a day | £0.41 | £1.78 | £21 |
| 4 hours a day | £0.55 | £2.37 | £28 |
| 6 hours a day | £0.82 | £3.56 | £43 |
Where the figure comes from
Microsoft's own lab measured an average of about 74 W during gameplay across more than 200 games. 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.