Cost to Run a Gaming Console (current-gen) in Wisconsin
At Wisconsin’s April 2026 average residential rate of 19.21¢/kWh, a typical gaming console costs about $3.16 per month — or $29 per year.
Uses 0.5 kWh/day · 151 kWh/year.
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Formula: cost = watts × duty × hours/day × days/year × rate / 100 / 1000
About this appliance
A current-generation console (PS5/Xbox Series X tier) under typical gameplay load.
This page uses Wisconsin’s residential average electricity price. Wisconsin households pay 2% more than the U.S. average of 18.83¢/kWh, so running the same gaming console in Wisconsin costs about $29/year, compared with the U.S. typical of $28/year.
Gaming Console cost across other states
| State | Rate (¢/kWh) | Yearly cost |
|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | 12.35 | |
| Idaho | 12.70 | |
| Nebraska | 13.28 | |
| Utah | 13.29 | |
| Oklahoma | 13.31 | |
| Iowa | 13.86 | |
| Montana | 13.90 | |
| Missouri | 14.01 | |
| Arkansas | 14.16 | |
| Nevada | 14.29 | |
| Washington | 14.36 | |
| Wisconsin | 19.21 |
How to lower the cost of your gaming console in Wisconsin
- Plug into a smart power strip. Eliminates phantom standby draw, which can be 5–15% of an entertainment center's annual cost.
- Enable sleep / standby on TVs and consoles after 15 minutes of inactivity.
- Reduce screen brightness. A modern OLED at 80% vs 100% brightness saves ~20% on TV power.
Gear that helps
Tools and upgrades that pay back fastest for this appliance category. Affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no cost to you.
- Smart power strip — eliminates phantom standby
- Energy-monitoring smart plug
- Whole-home energy monitor (Sense)
FAQ
How accurate is this estimate?
The calculation is exact for the given inputs. Real-world variation comes from your utility’s actual rate (which varies by plan and time-of-day), your specific appliance’s efficiency, and your usage pattern. Use the customize box above to plug in your own numbers.
Where does the 19.21¢/kWh come from?
It is the Wisconsin residential average from the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (April 2026). See the methodology page.
How can I lower this cost?
Three high-impact moves: (1) shift heavy usage to off-peak hours if your utility offers time-of-use pricing; (2) switch to a more efficient unit (Energy Star); (3) reduce hours of use. For appliances with always-on standby draw, an inexpensive plug-in Kill-A-Watt meter often pays for itself by revealing surprise loads.