How Much Electric
Does a PS5 Use?
A PS5 typically draws 180 to 220 watts during gameplay, 70 to 90 watts during media streaming plus around 1.5 to 5 watts in rest mode. At the current 24.7p Ofgem rate, that means roughly 5p per hour of gameplay plus negligible cost the rest of the time.
A PS5 standard or Pro typically uses 0.18 to 0.22 kWh per hour during active gameplay, 0.07 to 0.09 kWh per hour during media streaming plus 1.5 to 5 watts (basically nothing) in rest mode. At the current Q2 2026 Ofgem unit rate of 24.7p per kWh, that means roughly 5p per hour of gameplay or £17 to £25 per year for a typical UK gaming household at 2 hours daily. Rest mode adds a further £2 to £6 per year if the console is left in standby for downloads.
The figures that matter
Active gameplay
PS5 standard plus Pro under load running modern AAA titles.
Streaming
Netflix, YouTube or Disney Plus playback. Roughly half the gaming load.
Rest mode
Standby with downloads enabled. Negligible per hour but cumulative across 24/7 use.
Gameplay cost
Active gameplay at the current Ofgem cap rate of 24.7p per kWh.
Four things to consider
Gameplay is the peak load
Active gaming pulls 200W. Other modes (streaming, rest) draw fractions of this.
Rest mode adds up over time
5W for 24 hours daily across a year is 44 kWh, costing roughly £11.
Pro draws more than standard
PS5 Pro under load typically draws 30 to 50W more than the standard model.
TV adds significant draw
Modern 4K TV adds 80 to 200W on top. Often more than the console itself.
Honest PS5 running cost figures for UK homes
PS5 power draw figures are well documented because Sony plus independent reviewers have measured them extensively. The headline numbers vary by model (standard, Slim, Pro), by game (older titles draw less than current AAA) plus by mode (gameplay versus streaming versus rest).
Real numbers at 24.7p per kWh (Q2 2026 Ofgem cap):
- PS5 standard, active gameplay (200W average), 2 hrs daily: 0.4 kWh per day, 146 kWh per year, roughly £36 per year.
- PS5 Pro, active gameplay (220W average), 2 hrs daily: 0.44 kWh per day, 161 kWh per year, roughly £40 per year.
- Streaming Netflix or Disney Plus (80W average), 1 hr daily: 0.08 kWh per day, 29 kWh per year, roughly £7 per year.
- Rest mode at 5W, 22 hours daily: 0.11 kWh per day, 40 kWh per year, roughly £10 per year.
- Heavy gaming household (4 hrs daily plus rest mode 24/7): 1 kWh per day, 365 kWh per year, roughly £90 per year total.
How rest mode actually behaves. The PS5 rest mode has two states: low-power standby (1.5W typical, no downloads) plus enhanced rest mode (4 to 5W, supports downloads, controller charging plus turning the TV on with the console). Most users leave it in enhanced rest. Across 22 hours daily plus 365 days a year that is roughly 40 kWh, costing £10 at current rates. Not nothing. Not significant compared with active use either.
What pushes PS5 running costs higher:
- Long sessions on graphically demanding games. Cyberpunk 2077, Returnal plus similar titles push the GPU harder than 2D indie games.
- Performance Mode versus Quality Mode. Higher frame rates often pull more power.
- 4K HDR output. Slightly more processing required than 1080p output.
- External SSD storage. Adds 5 to 15W when active.
- Charging multiple controllers via USB. 5 to 10W per controller during charge.
Real number ranges
Annual PS5 running cost (UK 2026)
PS5 power draw through a typical evening
Resume from rest
Console wakes from rest mode. Brief 30 to 60 second boot up. Power climbs from 5W to 100W.
Browsing the dashboard
Dashboard navigation pulls roughly 60 to 80W. Lower than gameplay but higher than rest.
Active gaming
Modern AAA title at 4K HDR pulls 180 to 220W. Sustained for the duration of the session.
Back to rest
Rest mode resumed. Drops to 1.5 to 5W. Console downloads patches plus charges controllers overnight.
Four ways to cut PS5 running costs
Use low-power rest mode
Drop from enhanced rest (5W) to low-power rest (1.5W) when you do not need overnight downloads. Saves 75 percent of standby draw.
Disable USB pass-through charging
Charging controllers in rest mode adds 5 to 10W per controller. Charge during gameplay instead, then switch off.
Switch off at the wall when away
If you are out for more than 24 hours, fully off uses zero. Leave on rest only when you actually need overnight downloads.
Use the auto power-off setting
Set the console to auto-power-down after 1 hour of inactivity. Prevents accidental all-night running at full draw.
Compare the options
PS5 standard or Slim
- •180 to 200W under gameplay load typical.
- •1.5 to 5W rest mode depending on settings.
- •Roughly £36 per year at 2 hours daily gameplay.
- •Lower thermal output. Quieter fan profile under most workloads.
- •Suitable for most UK households. Strong price-performance balance.
PS5 Pro
- •200 to 220W under gameplay load, sometimes higher with enhanced graphics.
- •Same 1.5 to 5W rest mode behaviour.
- •Roughly £40 to £45 per year at the same 2 hours daily.
- •Higher thermal output. Fans audibly busier in graphically demanding scenes.
- •Suits enthusiasts targeting 4K 60+ FPS or ray-tracing-heavy titles.
Games consoles are a smaller bill contributor than most households assume. Our full Appliances hub covers running costs across every major UK household appliance.
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This article is one chapter inside our complete Appliances knowledge base. The hub covers running costs across every major household appliance from kettles to heat pumps.
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Three further entertainment plus computing articles in the same hub group cover related questions. The first is how much electricity does an xbox use for the direct competitor. The second covers how much electric does a pc use for gaming PC comparison. The third is how much electric does a tv use for the screen baseline.