RigCost / Processors / Core i5-12400F
How much power does a Core i5-12400F use?
The Intel Core i5-12400F has a rated power of 65 W. In a typical game it draws around 46 W, which costs about 1.3p an hour on its own at 26.32p per kWh. A whole gaming PC with this processor and an RTX 4060 costs about 6.6p an hour, or £72 a year at 3 hours a day. Change the settings below to match your PC.
Graphics cards by running cost
Each row is the whole PC's cost with that card, using your processor, monitor, hours and price above. Your card is highlighted.
| Graphics card | Rated power | Per hour | Per year | Prices |
|---|
How we work it out
Games rarely run every part at full power, so we scale each part's rated power by how demanding your games are, then add what the power supply loses as heat.
wall watts = (GPU × load + CPU × load + 50 W) ÷ 0.90 + monitor cost = wall watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh
Load levels
Light: graphics card at 60%, processor at 50%. Typical: 85% and 70%. Maxed out: 100% of both.
The rest of the PC
Motherboard, memory, drives and fans are counted as 50 W. The power supply is assumed 90% efficient, which is typical for an 80 Plus Gold unit.
What we leave out
The standing charge you pay anyway, speakers and other devices, and time the PC sits idle or on the desktop.
Questions
Is this accurate for my PC?
It's a close estimate. Real draw changes with each game, your settings and your exact model. Factory-overclocked cards can draw 10–20% more than the official rating. A plug-in energy monitor gives you the exact figure.
Where does the electricity price come from?
The default is Ofgem's price cap unit rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026: 26.32p per kWh, for a standard variable tariff paid by Direct Debit. VAT on household electricity is 0% from 1 October 2026. Fixed tariffs and Economy 7 rates differ, so enter your own rate from your bill if you know it.
Does a more powerful graphics card always cost more to run?
Usually, yes, while gaming. Capping your frame rate, turning on V-Sync or using upscaling can cut a card's power use a lot, because it no longer has to run flat out.
Does leaving my PC on overnight cost much?
An idle desktop PC typically draws far less than when gaming, but it still adds up over a year. Use sleep mode, and turn off RGB lighting and extra screens when you're not playing.
My card isn't in the list.
Choose "My card isn't listed" at the bottom of the graphics card menu and type its power rating in watts.
Sources
- Ofgem: energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026
- EDF: VAT on electricity cut to 0% from 1 October 2026
- Graphics card and processor power ratings: the manufacturers' published specifications (NVIDIA total graphics power, AMD total board power, rated processor TDP).
Running costs with the Core i5-12400F
Whole PC with an RTX 4060, typical gaming load, 27-inch monitor and 26.32p per kWh. Games rarely push a processor to its full rated power, so typical draw is lower than the rating.
| Playing | Per week | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour a day | £0.46 | £2.00 | £24 |
| 2 hours a day | £0.92 | £4.00 | £48 |
| 3 hours a day | £1.38 | £6.00 | £72 |
| 4 hours a day | £1.84 | £8.00 | £96 |
| 6 hours a day | £2.76 | £12.00 | £144 |