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How many watts does a laptop use? (50 W)
A laptop uses about 50 W
Typical range 20–100 watts, plus ~1 W on standby.
Typical range 20–100 watts, plus ~1 W on standby.
Running cost calculator
Per hour—
Per day—
Per month—
Per year—
Energy/mo—
A laptop is far more efficient than a desktop, drawing only what its battery charger needs plus a little for the screen.
Laptop power specs
| Typical running power | 50 W |
| Typical range | 20–100 W |
| Standby draw | 1 W |
| Energy use | 0.30 kWh/day · 9.0 kWh/mo |
What affects the wattage
- Model size, age and energy rating.
- Settings and how hard it works (heat, speed, load).
- How many hours a day you run it.
Running cost at $0.17/kWh
| Electricity rate | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.10/kWh | $0.03 | $0.90 | $10.95 |
| $0.15/kWh | $0.05 | $1.35 | $16.43 |
| $0.20/kWh | $0.06 | $1.80 | $21.90 |
| $0.25/kWh | $0.08 | $2.25 | $27.38 |
| $0.30/kWh | $0.09 | $2.70 | $32.85 |
| $0.40/kWh | $0.12 | $3.60 | $43.80 |
See the full breakdown of what it costs to run a laptop, or what size power station runs a laptop.
FAQ
How many watts does a laptop use?
About 20-100 watts while charging and in use; less once the battery is full.
Is a laptop cheaper to run than a desktop?
Much cheaper - laptops are built around battery efficiency.
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