Cost to run

How much does a laptop cost to charge and run?

Laptops are built to stretch battery life, which makes them the cheapest serious computers to power. Even long daily use costs less than most people guess.

Reviewed 2026-07-15 · methodology appliance-energy-1.0.0 · data vintage 2026-04-ytd

Example costs using the Texas state-average rate

These are generated examples for a consistent location. Enter your own ZIP and usage below for a more relevant state-average estimate.

Scenario	Assumption	kWh/month	Monthly range	Most likely/year
Thin-and-light ultrabook	8 hours of office work a day	4.32	$0.46–$1.03	$8.45
Mainstream 15-inch	8 hours of mixed work and streaming	8.64	$0.92–$2.05	$16.90
Gaming laptop	6 hours daily including demanding games	20.16	$2.15–$4.79	$39.44

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.B. Data vintage 2026-04-ytd. State-average pricing is not your exact utility tariff.

Calculate your own usage

Your inputs

ZIP code

Used to pick your state’s average electricity rate. We don’t need your street address.

ApplianceHow manyHours used per day (optional)

Leave blank to use a typical default for this appliance.

Rated watts (from the appliance label)Duty cycle (0–1; share of time drawing full power)Days per month

Your estimate — a range, confidence level, and the sources behind it — will appear here.

Battery-first engineering keeps draw low

Every component in a laptop is selected to survive on a battery, so idle consumption drops to single-digit watts and typical office work rarely exceeds a few tens. The charger's rating is a ceiling reached mainly while fast-charging under load.

One full charge in perspective

A large laptop battery stores under a tenth of a kilowatt-hour. Even charging from empty every day, the battery itself accounts for pennies a month; sustained plugged-in use is what the scenarios above actually price.

Chargers, docks, and idle vampires

Chargers left plugged in draw fractions of a watt today, but powered docks, external monitors, and USB hubs add real load beyond the laptop modeled here. Gaming laptops at full performance are the exception that approaches desktop territory.

Frequently asked questions

How much does one laptop charge cost?

Well under a cent at typical state rates — battery capacities are small. Continuous plugged-in operation, not charging, drives the monthly figures above.

Should I unplug the charger when not in use?

Modern chargers idle at negligible draw, so it barely matters for cost. Surge protection and heat are better reasons to unplug in storms or tight spaces.

Is working on a laptop cheaper than a desktop?

For the same tasks, usually by a factor of three or more. Over a year of full-time work the difference is visible but still modest in absolute dollars.

Related appliance cost guides

Compare all published appliances · Electricity rates in your state · Read the methodology · Review the data sources