Cost to run

How much electricity does a TV cost to run?

Modern LED TVs draw far less than the plasma-era sets they replaced, but screens have grown and viewing hours with them. Size, technology, and brightness settings set the wattage.

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
43-inch bedroom set	3 hours a day at moderate brightness	5.40	$0.58–$1.28	$10.56
65-inch living room	5 hours a day of mixed viewing	16.50	$1.76–$3.92	$32.28
77-inch OLED, heavy use	8 hours a day at high brightness	48.00	$5.11–$11.41	$93.91

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

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ZIP code

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ApplianceHow manyHours used per day (optional)

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

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Screen size and brightness rule the draw

Power rises steeply with diagonal size, and HDR content pushes backlights or OLED pixels toward their peaks. The same model can double its consumption between a dim standard-definition stream and a bright HDR film.

Technology comparisons in one paragraph

At equal size and brightness, efficient LED-LCD panels and QLED variants draw broadly similar power, OLED runs somewhat higher on bright full-screen content, and legacy plasma sets consumed several times more — one reason retiring an old basement TV often saves real money.

Standby, ambient modes, and exclusions

Networked standby with quick-start features can draw several watts around the clock, and always-on ambient art modes turn a television into a permanent low-level load. Game consoles, soundbars, and streaming boxes attached to the TV are modeled on their own pages.

Frequently asked questions

Does leaving the TV on as background cost much?

Hours multiply: background viewing at five extra hours daily roughly doubles the typical scenario above. The per-hour cost is small; habits make it add up.

Do picture settings really change electricity use?

Yes — backlight and brightness are the dominant controls. Eco presets and auto-brightness sensors can trim a meaningful share on LED sets.

How much does standby mode consume?

Modern sets draw under a watt in basic standby, but quick-start and networked features raise it to several watts continuously, which these viewing scenarios exclude.

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