How Much Electricity Does an Xbox Use? (UK Running Cost Guide)

If you’re trying to cut your electricity bill or simply wondering where your energy money goes each month, you might be curious about how much your games console costs to run.

After all, many of us play for hours at a time — especially at weekends — so it’s easy to assume it must be expensive.

The good news?

An Xbox is actually one of the cheaper electrical devices in your home to run.

Even the most powerful models usually cost just a few pence per hour.

Let’s break down exactly how much electricity different Xbox consoles use and what that means for your energy bill.

How Much Does an Xbox Cost to Run?

Using the April the electricity price cap of around 25p per kWh, here’s roughly what each Xbox costs when gaming.

These estimates assume 3 hours of gaming per day, which is fairly typical for many players.

Even the most powerful console — the Xbox Series X — costs around £1 per week if you play for a few hours each day.

Compared with many household appliances, that’s surprisingly cheap.

If you’re wondering how another popular console compares, you can also see 👉 how much it costs to run a PlayStation.

How Much Electricity Does an Xbox Use Per Hour?

Most Xbox consoles use between 70 watts and 180 watts while gaming, depending on the model.

Based on the current UK electricity price cap of around 25p per kWh, that works out at roughly:

• Xbox Series X: about 5p per hour
• Xbox Series S: about 2p per hour
• Xbox One: about 3p per hour
• Xbox One S: about 2p per hour
• Xbox One X: about 4p per hour

Even if you play every day, the running cost stays fairly low.

Xbox Power Consumption (Watts)

Power usage depends on the model and what you’re doing on the console.

Gaming typically uses the most electricity, while streaming or sitting on the menu uses less.

Here are the typical Xbox power consumption levels while gaming.

Overall, Xbox electricity usage is relatively low compared with many kitchen appliances or heating devices around the home.

Standby vs Energy Saver Mode

Your Xbox can also use electricity even when you’re not actively playing.

There are two main power settings.

Sleep / Standby Mode

This keeps the console ready to start instantly.

Power usage: 10–15 watts

Energy Saver Mode

This fully shuts the console down.

Power usage: around 0.5 watts

Over a year, standby mode may cost a few pounds, while Energy Saver mode costs well under £1 annually.

Tips to Reduce Your Xbox Electricity Usage

Your console already uses relatively little power, but there are still a few easy ways to reduce electricity use even further.

Switch to Energy Saver Mode

Energy Saver mode reduces power consumption by up to 90% compared with standby.

To enable it:

Press the Xbox button

Go to Profile & System

Select Settings → General → Power Options

Choose Shut-down (energy saving)

Avoid Using Your Xbox for Streaming

Many people use their console for Netflix, YouTube or Disney+.

However, streaming through a console uses far more electricity than using a built-in TV app.

For example:

• Xbox Series X streaming video: around 50–60 watts
• Smart TV or streaming stick: around 2–5 watts

That means using your TV’s streaming app can use up to ten times less electricity than using the console.

Turn the Console Off When You’re Done

It sounds obvious, but many consoles sit idle on menus for hours.

Turning it off when you finish playing saves a small amount of electricity each day.

Small savings can add up over time.

So, Is an Xbox Expensive to Run?

Not really.

Even if you play every day, your Xbox will likely cost between £20 and £50 per year in electricity depending on the model.

That’s cheaper than many everyday appliances around the home.

A games console might feel like a luxury purchase, but the actual running cost is surprisingly low.

If you’re trying to reduce electricity costs around your home, you may also want to look at these 👉 best energy saving devices that can help lower your energy bill.

Or take a look at how the cost of running an Xbox compares to the running costs of using a PlayStation.

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