Electronics

Here’s 1 of the trickier charts we have so far – electronics. So much of it depends on the make/model and particular function of the item before we can really figure out how much energy it consumes.

Our first big note about electronics: Most of them still drain a little bit of energy when they are turned off but still plugged in. We call this “phantom” energy usage. To combat this, if you aren’t using your electronics much, don’t just turn them off – unplug them, too.

Streaming our favorite shows and movies is pretty popular, and how much energy it costs depends on 2 main factors:

1. What TV/screen are you using?
2. What device are you streaming with?

Watching all 73 hours of the Marvel Cinematic Universe will cost you only a matter of pennies on a LED Smart TV with streaming services built-in, but will cost you about $1 to watch it on a plasma TV through a gaming console.

Speaking of gaming consoles, here’s our second big note: The energy usage depends on the function. For example, just leaving the menu active on a game console will cost you at least a penny for every 3 hours. Streaming services are about 1.5 to 2¢ for every 3 hours. And playing graphically-complicated games will cost you at least 2¢ for every 3 hours on average.

But all told, electronics are typically not your main consumer of electricity in the house. If you are using plasma or older televisions (basically anything that isn’t LED) then that’s your biggest consumer. An LED television is about 3 times more efficient than plasma. Some desktop computers can slowly drain energy, so keep an eye on them as well.

Amounts are based on averages and estimates, but actual amounts will vary based on make/model, wear/tear, and frequency of use.

*Gaming consoles' wattage varies depending on use - navigation screens (PS4 88W/Xbox One 72W), streaming movies/shows (PS4 89W/Xbox One 74W), and playing graphically-complicated games (PS4 150W/Xbox One 120W).