If you’re like me you still spend time working on a desktop. Compared to a laptop, you can get more performance for your money. This is handy if you need to do multiple tasks at once or even want to do a little video editing without breaking the bank. Of course, these PCs need to be plugged in for a constant electricity supply. So what is the power consumption like?
Below we will discuss and test computer wattage, explain how to work it out for yourself, and calculate the total electricity required.
How Many Watts is a Computer?
The average computer uses between 50 and 200 watts.
The exact number depends on the size, model, and function of your computer. For example, when performing simple tasks like notepad or browsing a single webpage power consumption can be 50W. While more intensive tasks like photo editing or gaming use 200W or more!
Adding to this, the internal components and speed of your PC will affect the number. If you have a basic system with low end CPU and GPU then power consumption is lower than a high-spec fast system.
The power and function of your computer go together, as users needing to perform intensive tasks like 4K video editing will require a higher end PC, than simple word processing and web browsing.
How to Find Out Your Computer Wattage
There’s 2 ways you can work out the wattage of a computer.
- Check Product Specification
The quickest way is to look at the computer’s specification. The watts (W) is usually written on a sticker on the base of the appliance. This shows the maximum power supply, rather than the running wattage so is not an accurate representation of electricity usage.
- Use a Wattmeter
A wattmeter is brilliant for getting a live wattage reading and tracking total energy usage of any appliance. You can simply plug it into your PC to get instant information.
I used one to test my desktop computer which gave a live reading of 74.3W while word processing.
Desktop Computer Wattage Test
How Much Electricity Does a Computer Use?
You can use computer wattage to work out how much electricity it uses. Plus this can be useful in understanding how much it costs to run your computer.
A watt (W) is a measurement of power at a single point in time. A watt-hour is the total amount of electricity used in an hour. For example, a computer drawing 150W would use 150Wh when running for an hour.
Happily, electricity bills are recorded in kilowatt-hours (kWh). A kilowatt is simply 1000 watts. So a 150W computer running for 1 hour uses 0.15kWh.
If you work on your computer for 6 hours each working day, it might use about 900Wh or 0.9kWh electricity a day. That’s 19.8kWh a month and 237.6kWh a year.
That’s an electricity cost of $0.13 a day or $35 a year to work on your desktop computer for 6 hours each working day.
Using a Computer Off-Grid
If you’re planning to use your computer in an off-grid situation like a power outage, RV, van, or boat, the information above is important. You can install the correct electrical equipment and work out how long you can run.
You can either use a power inverter, portable power station, or generator to produce AC electricity.
To make sure everything runs smoothly you should check two things on this equipment – wattage capacity and total energy capacity.
Your power source, like an inverter, should have a wattage capacity of at least 20% more than your computer. This ensures it will be able to deliver enough power as they are never 100% efficient. To run your desktop, you will need at least 300W of power capacity. This is enough to run a standard PC with a monitor. Although, you will need more like 750W for high-end/gaming computers.
Secondly, you need to ensure your energy source, like a battery, has enough energy to run the computer for the required amount of time. As we already know, it will actively use about 150Wh electricity per hour. This is the equivalent to 12.5Ah on a 12V battery.
How Many Watts Does a Computer Use Summary
I hope you now have a better understanding of how many watts a computer uses.
What we have discovered is that a normal desktop PC delivers a nice balance of power and performance for the money. While they do consume more than a battery powered laptop, you will usually get a higher level of performance for your money. If you work a lot of hours, then you will notice it in your overall electricity usage and costs. While it is possible to run these machines off-grid in an RV or van, you might be better off with a laptop to make your life easier.
