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Awareness of personal energy consumption is growing in many areas - gaming is no exception. This development is understandable given rising energy prices and environmental concerns.
Therefore, this guide gives you a rough sense of the energy consumption of different classes of gaming PCs. Then, we turn to particularly energy-intensive components and provide some tips specifically for these parts to help you save some electricity after your next computer purchase. This might also slightly reduce your CO2 emissions - which, in gaming, are not insignificant.
How much electricity does a gaming PC consume?
The general formula for calculating a computer's power consumption can look like this:
kWh per year = (Power in watts × hours of use per day × 365) / 1000
With this formula in mind, we can look at the average power consumption of various components in a gaming PC. The wattages in the table refer not to a time period but to the basic power consumption at the moment of use. Within an hour, idle phases and load phases for individual components can alternate.
| Component | Consumption in Idle (W) | Consumption under Load (W) | Explanation / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | 10 – 40 W | 65 – 160 W | Modern CPUs (Ryzen, Intel Core); TDP and boost load vary greatly |
| GPU | 10 – 30 W | 75 – 450 W | Wide range: from office GPU to RTX 4090 / RTX 5090 |
| Mainboard | 15 – 30 W | 20 – 50 W | Incl. chipset, voltage converters, controllers |
| RAM (DDR4/5) | 2 – 5 W | 5 – 15 W | Per system, depending on voltage and number of modules |
| SSD (NVMe/SATA) | 1 – 2 W | 2 – 5 W | NVMe slightly higher, but only relevant during I/O load |
| HDD (3.5") | 3 – 5 W | 6 – 10 W | Mechanically rotating, significantly higher during access |
| Fan (System) | 1 – 5 W | 3 – 10 W | Per fan approx. 0.5 – 3 W depending on size and RPM |
| AIO/Water cooling | 2 – 7 W | 5 – 15 W | Pump + 1–3 fans |
| Power supply loss | +8 – 20 % | +8 – 20 % | Depending on efficiency class (80+ Bronze vs. Platinum) |
| Monitor (24–32") | 15 – 30 W | 30 – 70 W | LCD, LED, HDR, brightness – significant influence |
| Peripherals (Mouse, Keyboard, Audio) | 2 – 5 W | 3 – 10 W | Hardly measurable, but slightly higher with RGB peripherals |
Note: The power supply loss is given in percent (%) because it is relative to the actual power consumed by the PC. It represents the portion of energy not converted into usable electrical power for the components but lost as heat – thus, it is a measure of the power supply's efficiency.
How much electricity does a budget gaming PC consume per year?
In our first example, we look at a budget PC costing under €1,000. We assume 4 hours of daily use, with 3 hours under load and 1 hour in idle mode. Idle phases account for breaks that should be planned during gaming. Peripherals are not considered in this calculation. Monitor consumption can be calculated separately.
| Component | Idle (W) | Load (W) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU (i5-12400F) | 10–15 W | 65–90 W | Efficient, no integrated GPU active |
| GPU (RTX 3050) | 10–15 W | 120–135 W | Light mid-range model |
| Mainboard + RAM | 15–25 W | 20–30 W | Incl. chipset, DDR5, controllers |
| SSD (WD SN300) | 2 W | 4–5 W | NVMe with moderate power consumption |
| Fans + RGB (incl. Sharkoon) | 4 W | 8–10 W | 2–3 case fans + RGB |
| Power supply loss | +10–15 % | +10–15 % | With 80+ Bronze/Gold |
| Total system (without loss) | ~45 W | ~270 W | Average values |
With this setup, we arrive at a daily consumption of roughly 0.96 kWh/day. This results in an annual consumption of 349 kWh/year. Multiplying this by an average electricity price of 30 euro cents per kWh, the computer usage costs about €105 per year in terms of electricity consumption.
A Ryzen 5 5600X as a comparable model would be slightly cheaper in terms of power consumption, but only by about €5 per year.
How much does an average gaming PC consume per year?
In our second example, we look at an average PC costing between €1,500 and €2,000. We assume 4 hours of daily use, with 3 hours under load and 1 hour in idle mode. Idle phases account for breaks that should be planned during gaming. Peripherals are not considered in this calculation. Monitor consumption can be calculated separately.
| Component | Idle (Watt) | Load (Watt) | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU (Ryzen 7 9700X) | 12 – 18 W | 90 – 115 W | Zen 5 very efficient, boost up to 5.5 GHz |
| GPU (RTX 5070) | 20 – 30 W | 220 – 250 W | Estimated similar to RTX 4070 Ti |
| Mainboard B650-E | 15 – 25 W | 20 – 30 W | High-end B650 with voltage converters, USB, WiFi |
| RAM DDR5-5600 (32 GB) | 5 – 8 W | 8 – 12 W | High clock rates, 1.35 V, dual-rank |
| SSD SN3000 M.2 | 1 – 3 W | 3 – 6 W | PCIe 4.0 NVMe, active access |
| AIO 360 mm + RGB Fans | 5 – 8 W | 10 – 18 W | Pump + 3–6 fans with RGB |
| Power supply loss | +8–10 % | +8–10 % | 80+ Gold efficiency (90–92 %) |
With this setup, we arrive at a daily consumption of roughly 1.422 kWh/day. This results in an annual consumption of 519 kWh/year. Multiplying this by an average electricity price of 30 euro cents per kWh, the computer usage costs about €156 per year in terms of electricity consumption.
How much does a deluxe gaming PC consume per year?
In our final example, we look at a PC costing €4,000 or more. We assume 4 hours of daily use, with 3 hours under load and 1 hour in idle mode. Idle phases account for breaks that should be planned during gaming. Peripherals are not considered in this calculation. Monitor consumption can be calculated separately.
Note: Here you can find an article on games with a sustainable learning effect, if you're interested.
| Component | Idle (Watt) | Load (Watt) | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU (Ultra 7 265KF) | 15–25 W | 125–160 W | Based on Arrow Lake (10C+6eC) with iGPU disabled |
| GPU (RTX 5080) | 25–35 W | 320–350 W | AD103 successor, estimated based on 4080 Super + headroom |
| Mainboard Z890 | 20–30 W | 25–40 W | Many PCIe lanes, high-end PCH |
| RAM DDR5-6000 | 5–8 W | 10–12 W | High-clocked, typical voltage: 1.35 V |
| SSD Lexar NQ790 | 2–3 W | 4–6 W | PCIe 4.0 NVMe, high throughput |
| AIO + RGB Fans | 6–10 W | 12–20 W | Pump + 3–6 fans (PWM & RGB) |
| Power supply loss | +8–10 % | +8–10 % | 80+ Gold: ~90 % efficiency |
With this setup, we arrive at a daily consumption of roughly 1.95 kWh/day. This results in an annual consumption of 711 kWh/year. Multiplying this by an average electricity price of 30 euro cents per kWh, the computer usage costs about €213 per year in terms of electricity consumption.
How can you save energy and thus electricity costs when buying a gaming PC?
Now that we have a rough sense of the consumption of different computers and components, let’s go over some energy-saving tips from our in-house experts. The tips focus on CPUs and GPUs, as these two components consume the most energy.
Which processors are the top performers in energy efficiency in 2025?
In terms of average power consumption in “all” games, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D processor and the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K clearly lead in efficiency. Our technicians recommend the Ryzen 7 for a high-quality PC build and the Intel Ultra 5 (or alternatively the AMD Ryzen 5 processor) for a more affordable QHD variant.
Power consumption in all games (CPU only) - Average
When looking at the frames per watt offered, it starts to become relatively energy-efficient from the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D onward. It should be noted that in this comparison, high-performance processors score particularly well because they generally support more FPS, so a ratio-based evaluation clearly favors high performers.
Power consumption/FPS rating
Unit: Frames per second (FPS) / Watt (W)
Which graphics cards are the top performers in energy efficiency in 2025?
In terms of graphics card performance per watt, a value well above 100% indicates particular efficiency. In the more affordable QHD range, the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti and the Radeon RX 9070 lead in efficiency.
Performance per Watt, WQHD
Maximum FPS (Rasterizer Games)
In the high-performance sector, the Radeon RX 9070 and the GeForce RTX 5080 clearly stand out.
Performance per Watt at Maximum FPS
(3840x2160)
Why should the energy consumption of gaming components be considered?
We made the calculations above based on 4 hours of daily use. If we’re honest, we often spend more time per day at our gaming PC. As a result, electricity costs for the computer alone can quickly amount to several hundred euros per year. This makes gaming more expensive than our mobile phone contract, and we pay close attention to every euro there, comparing tariffs. So, choosing energy-efficient components for your next computer purchase can quickly recoup much of the initial cost.
Note: This study shows that gamers, in general, are already quite environmentally conscious or sustainably oriented.
In addition, we want to emphasize the aspect of Green Gaming. Especially with AI hardware, the energy demands of computer systems are skyrocketing. Gamers are, of course, just a drop in the bucket compared to large data centers – some of which are already powered by their own nuclear power plants. Nevertheless, we can contribute with energy-efficient components without sacrificing performance. The recommended components above, such as the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU or the GeForce RTX 5080 graphics card, are not weak compromises. Yet, they contribute to an energy-efficient computer. It’s no surprise, then, that 38% of all gamers actually consider power consumption before purchasing a new device.
If you have further questions about energy consumption and gaming PCs or laptops, feel free to contact our support.