How Many Watts Does a TV Use?

On average, most televisions sold today consume approximately 25-180 watts during use; depending on the television’s screen size, the exact wattage can vary widely. A typical mid-range 55-inch model will consume approximately 100 watts. When powered down via remote control, ENERGY STAR rated televisions will use no more than 1 watt. The above-mentioned figures refer specifically to median on-mode wattage levels for certified televisions, as well as the limits for Energy Star Certification Version 9.1 standby mode (TV Specification).

One thing that is important to know is that each TV has three different Wattage measurements. The worst-case scenario for all TVs will be found on the specifications sheets, and each TV has its own average number from laboratory testing, and finally, the average wattage of your particular size television set under your specific use conditions, including viewing modes and standby features. Therefore, one will see the actual average number first and then the other two ways in which it can be different, well above the tested one.

How Many Watts Does a TV Use?

On average, TVs consume between 60-120 watts (60 to 120 watts). The 43-65″ Certified TV models draw between 61.5-118.8 watts for 50 to 55-inch screen size; you can safely assume it uses approximately 100 watts for a TV of that size, whereas the 65-inch size uses up to 120 watts.

The above average figures are inferred from numerous data points rather than an exact published rule; the average for 55 inches across 31 qualified models is stated as 96.5 watts, therefore it is a slightly generous estimate to suggest approximately 100 watts for a 55-inch model. Additionally, it is important to note that this data represents only those TVs that were chosen based upon their efficiency, given that the energy star database on certified TVs only lists models within the 55-85 inch category. This means that the majority of these models will be premium models like OLED and QLED flagships.

The rest of the market is much broader in distribution (the 55-inch average was cited by a total of 462-model editorial dataset at WattsGuide, of which the 55-inch class averages 102.3 watts), but the range of watts between individual 55-inch units in the dataset is between 50 and 240 watts. Therefore, if someone asks you how many watts a TV uses, tell them there’s a fairly wide range of how many watts a TV draws, and use your TV’s specification sheet or label to advise on the actual range for your television.

Another point worth mentioning: Smart TVs are not a different category of televisions within the context of this question; Smart TVs use the same hardware as the TV itself for processing video from streaming applications, therefore, most of the “cost” associated with using Smart TV technology will appear in the standby wattage (as addressed in the standby section of this article).

How Many Watts Does a TV Use by Screen Size?

The wattage required to power a television increases as the television becomes larger, but each of the sizes of televisions still covers a range of wattages rather than having only one wattage. The following table demonstrates that there are two sets of values stacked vertically to allow easy comparison—one value refers to the average or median wattage for ENERGY STAR certified televisions for the sizes represented by each of the certified models in A1 SolarStore’s compilation, and the other set of values refers to the lowest-to-highest range or spread of wattages for the sizes represented by WattsGuide’s broader dataset.

The certified median wattage levels establish the expected relationship between the different television sizes: as shown by the wattage of an 85″ television (181.1 watts) compared to a 55″ television (96.5 watts), it is reasonable to expect that the 85″ television will consume almost twice as much power as the 55″ television will consume. However, the second column on the right is the most informative warning: in WattGuide’s larger dataset, the most power-hungry televisions at the same size may consume several times as much wattage as the most efficient televisions. This means that purchasing a smaller size television does not guarantee that the television will consume less power than one of the larger, more efficient televisions. There is no median wattage value found for the 40″ television in the certified dataset because only two models were available; therefore, the median value for the 40″ size is not reliable. There are just three models used to calculate the median wattage for the 24″ television size, so it should also be viewed loosely.

How Many Watts Does a TV Use per Hour?

The expression “Watts per Hour” is the combination of two units: Watts for instantaneous power consumption, and Watt-Hours for the total energy consumption of item over time. An example is a 96.5-Watt television operating for 1 hour. That television’s consumption equals 96.5 Watt-Hours (0.0965 kWh), which is what you will be charged for on your electric bill.

The arithmetic has two steps:

• Watt-hours = watts × hours of use. A 100-watt set on for 3 hours uses 300 Wh.
• kWh = watt-hours ÷ 1,000. That 300 Wh is 0.3 kWh.

The price of your energy is calculated by multiplying the kWh value by your electricity rate. The calculations below use a rate of 18.34 cents per kWh for June 2026 (the average residential electric rate in the U.S. for June 2026, based on a preliminary estimate from the EIA released on August 26, 2026). However, this rate does not apply to every utility company; please check your utility bill to determine what rate applies to your account. The EIA table displays that the June 2026 residential electricity rates range from $0.1311 in Nevada to $0.5272 in Hawaii. The examples below are using Certified Medians and Current Standby Caps.

Example 1: 55-Inch Television, Operating 4 Hours a Day. 96.5 Watts x 4 Hours = 386 Watt-Hours/Day or 0.386 kWh/Day. Annual consumption will be: 0.386 kWh x 365 Days = Approximately 140.9 kWh/Year = Approximately $25.84 at $18.34/c.

Example 2: 65-Inch Television, Operating 5 Hours a Day. 118.8 Watts x 5 Hours = 594 Watt-Hours/Day. Approximately 216.8 kWh/Year = Approximately $39.76.

Example 3: Standby for 19 Hours a Day. For ENERGY STAR’s 0.5 Watt/Day Standby Cap, 0.50 Watts x 19 Hours = 9.5 Watt-Hours/Day = Approximately 3.47 kWh/Year = Approximately $0.64. For the 1.0 Watt Standby Cap on a television with an internet connection, it would equal roughly 6.9 kWh/Year or approximately $1.27.

To find out how many amps a television consumes, you need to convert from watts to amps by dividing the wattage figure by the standard US electrical outlet voltage of 120 volts. For example, a television that consumes 96.5 watts would require approximately 0.80 amps to operate. A TV using 118.8 watts would consume about 0.99 amps, and one that consumes 181.1 watts would require roughly 1.51 amps. Due to power factor, however, the actual current that runs through the electrical system will be somewhat greater. One individual reported his measurements of power factor at a value of 0.93 while watching television on AVForums, as recorded by an owner’s measurement on AVForums.

This worksheet serves as a useful resource that was created from the calculations provided for use in completing the worksheets that follow; it should not be considered an official standard.

1. Your TV’s on-mode watts (from a meter, the spec sheet, or the size table): ______ W
2. Hours watched per day: ______ h
3. kWh per day = line 1 × line 2 ÷ 1,000: ______ kWh
4. kWh per year = line 3 × 365: ______ kWh
5. Standby kWh per year = standby watts × (24 − line 2) ÷ 1,000 × 365: ______ kWh
6. Yearly cost = (line 4 + line 5) × your rate in dollars per kWh: $______

Why Your TV’s Label Wattage Is Higher Than What You Measure

In a TV’s specifications, you will see one, two or three different wattage ratings listed on the specification sheet and each rating is a different aspect of how a television functions. The maximum wattage rating listed is the highest wattage the manufacture considers as a maximum for the television or the “worst case” scenario. The typical or certified wattage number is based off the results of laboratory testing and therefore should more accurately represent the average wattage usage by that specific television. The meter that you use to measure your television will also vary based on how you set up your television and what content you have on it (therefore a maximum wattage listed is usually well above average for most viewers).

The wattage specifications for the Samsung 2019 65-inch RU7100 (as a case in point) provide an excellent example of how the information can be presented. The maximum wattage of the television is 170 watts; the typical wattage rating is 122 watts and the standby wattage is only 0.5 watts.

The certified wattage rating for a particular television model is dependent upon the type of test that the rating was produced from. The United States Department of Energy (US DOE) has recently updated its guidelines for the testing of televisions in the “2023” final rule, which became effective on April 14, 2023 and requires testing to be conducted in accordance with that rule starting September 11, 2023. According to the DOE, this updated testing procedure for the television industry produces results that more accurately reflect the average energy use of televisions. The ENERGY STAR specifications v9.1 were developed based upon this updated procedure and ANSI/CTA-2037-D; average wattage for on-mode power is calculated using the performance from three separate standard settings; the manufacturer’s default SDR (standard dynamic range) setting, the brightest SDR setting, and the manufacturer’s default HDR10 setting.

Therefore, the general consumer can infer from the above dates that wattage ratings for televisions manufactured prior to September 11, 2023 should not be directly compared with certified wattage ratings for televisions manufactured after that date because the older tests were based upon older testing guidelines. As the RU7100 was manufactured prior to September 11, 2023, therefore its wattage specifications will be based upon the older test method. As noted earlier, your meter measurements will be different than those obtained in laboratory testing because laboratory testing utilized fixed test videos whereas you are viewing various content types.

TV Power Consumption by Display Type: LED, OLED, QLED and Mini-LED

According to WattsGuide’s data, the average energy consumption for 65″ LED, OLED, and QLED televisions is similar (around 4-5 watts apart) when looking at all brands/models in each category; however, there is a lot of variation between individual television sets, with some 65″ models consuming over 150W more than others within the same category. Essentially, what this shows is that when purchasing a television, the specific TV model is much more important than the panel type.

The data from WattsGuide’s per-class table also shows that there is a broad range of energy consumption for 65″ LEDs (between 67-230W), with much larger gaps in energy consumption being seen with smaller sample sizes, like the 10 OLED televisions included in this data. Because of this, and due to the fact that the data does not separate Mini-LED models into a different class, we do not have comparable data at this time for Mini-LEDs.

Regulators also recognize that panel designs can vary, and thus allow for a distinction in certified power consumption under ENERGY STAR v9.1. For example, ENERGY STAR v9.1 applies a 1.12 adjustment factor to all televisions certified by its certification body as high-contrast-ratio displays. This means that the adjusted power limits for these models is 12% higher than the normal power limits for these models. Therefore, when making comparisons for pricing, you should always compare the certified wattage of the televisions that you are interested in rather than just comparing panel types.

How Much Power Does a TV Use in Standby (and When It’s “Off”)?

Modern CERTIFIED televisions using a remote control must not exceed 1 watt while plugged into the internet and not exceed 0.5 watts while unplugged from the internet. The ENERGY STAR Version 9.1 certification has a maximum of 1.0-watt limit for both connected TVs, with or without smart wake features. If you are searching for a TV that uses smart wake features, you will likely see an increase in watt consumption due to fast wake settings or due to not reading an accurate amount of real watts.

Smart wake is the major contributor to standby consumption; in addition to causing some real energy dollars to be incurred for consumers. In NRDC’s lab testing of 10 TVs, the average standby consumption of those TVs without any smart wake features was 0.6 watts (with the exception of one TV that had a VR type of wake function enabled). The average standby consumption of television models when smart-wake features such as wake-by-voice, wake-on-cast, or remote-phone features are enabled was between 5-20 watts, causing some models to experience up to 5 times the normal standby power consumption. Samsung and LG televisions were able to support smart wake features and had little or no noticeable increase in the amount of power consumed when using those features. The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance found that the televisions they tested had an average standby power consumption increase of 12.5 watts when smart wake features were used. The NRDC models saw the average increase in power use result in an increase from 108 kWh per year to 191 kWh per year due to the standby draw (which is a 76.3% increase). In one example, a Vizio model was found to use 14.4 watts of power with Quick Start enabled while Vizio told NRDC the default Eco Mode would reduce itself to less than 1 watt.

Using a calculation based on the June 2026 average rate of 12.5 watts for 19 hours a day creates an estimated yearly usage of 86.7kWh or approximately $15.90 in electricity. This is less than the $0.64 for the 0.5 W used by a 2018 NRDC study that found many 2018 TVs had standby power requirements above this level, i.e., anywhere from 18.8W to 22.9W, when connected to a Smart Speaker. The reason for this discrepancy is that the older TVs have been attached to Smart Speakers prior to this study and therefore their standby power consumption could exceed those shown for their respective years by a significant degree.

From AVForums users, we see that although inexpensive plug-in meters measure the standby consumption of equipment at much greater levels than what they actually draw in standby mode, examples show multiple users reporting standby usage between 15W to 20W for Samsung televisions using the plug numbers from the AVForums thread. A second example, when measuring the power factor, showed a 40″ Samsung television with an apparent power of 22VA while drawing only 1 watt of real power, with a power factor of 0.06. This example illustrates that although measuring VA may seem high to the user, that potential cost is incurred via the real power consumed by the television during active operation rather than in standby mode. Subsequently, the above figure indicates the importance of using a power meter that can accurately measure both the power factor and energy usage of the device.

Does HDR, Brightness or Picture Mode Change How Many Watts a TV Uses?

Absolutely! Brightness controls how much energy a TV uses; Picture Modes have really become many Brightness settings bunched into one place. Both manufacturers’ energy-saving features reduce power consumption by reducing Brightness, and the federal testing procedure treats both the brightest preset and the HDR preset separately since they differ greatly from the default at the same level of Brightness.

Manufacturer recommendations around Energy Saving settings are consistent. For example, LG states that its Energy Saving feature “Reduces power consumption by lowering the Peak Screen Brightness”. Similarly, Sony has written its energy-saving support article indicating that both Low and High Power Saving settings reduce Brightness and Panel Control. It has also identified the “Standard” Picture Mode as its most energy-efficient Picture Setting and that “Vivid” Picture Modes should not be used for long periods when trying to conserve energy.

HDR has been treated separately in the ENERGY STAR program requirements. ENERGY STAR uses a measurement of Dynamic Luminance (the Average Brightness of the entire screen over time while a Video is in Motion), and establishes a power limit for the default HDR10 Preset (the highest brightness multiplier) on any television. In terms of analysis, this means that ENERGY STAR assumes that when viewing HDR content, the television will use more power than when viewing SDR content at the same brightness level. ENERGY STAR does not state a specific number of watts for the difference between the two types of content on any specific model of TV since content itself affects Dynamic Luminance, and thus power usage; a bright sporting event will use different amounts of power than a dark motion picture.

Do Bigger and Higher-Resolution TVs Always Use More Watts?

Overall, larger televisions will typically consume a greater volume of electricity; this is not always true, however, and NRDC has provided the following explanation regarding a general increase in energy consumption with increasing screen sizes in most cases. The Federal Trade Commission provides range listings for all televisions sold in the U.S. that provide accurate estimates of how much it costs to operate televisions by their energy efficiency (based on screen brightness) to help consumers make informed purchasing decisions. From these data points, it becomes clear that energy cost trends do exist between the different size ranges.

In order to show the wide variance in annual energy costs associated with the various television size ranges, below is a summary of the annual costs included in the FTC’s EnergyGuide label for each of the respective size bands. The table illustrates that virtually all manufacturers’ EnergyGuide labels have identical estimated annual costs based on the FTC’s EnergyGuide compliance with the 16-cent per kilowatt-hour electricity rate established in 16 CFR § 305.25.

Since the range of manufactured sizes overlap considerably, we may find that the least expensive 65 to 69-inch television manufactured has a lower average energy cost than the least expensive 60 to 64-inch television manufactured, which in turn does not exceed half the average energy cost of the most expensive 55 to 59-inch televisions manufactured. Additionally, with respect to the WattsGuide Reference Sample Data, both size exceptions exist without establishing trends. Its 42-inch LED sets average 96.5 watts.

With regard to resolution, is a 4K television going to consume more electricity than a 1080P television? The ENERGY STAR Limit for an ENERGY STAR Qualifying Product is established primarily by measuring total screen square inches, total screen brightness, and a resolution adjustment factor which takes into account the total number of pixels on the television screen. Therefore, the ENERGY STAR Program accounts for resolution in addition to area and brightness, and none of the sources above stated that resolution alone would control the Wattage of any given television.

How to Measure Your TV’s Real Wattage at Home

To get the actual power draw from your TV, plug a power meter between it and the wall. This method will only work correctly if you allow enough time for the power measurement to settle (3 minutes) and if you average your measurement periodically since it’s constantly changing. The method outlined here uses both of these precautions found in lab methods for determining a TV’s actual power consumption.

1. Get a meter that shows real watts (W) and power factor. As the AVForums readings show, a meter that reports only volt-amps or amps can show 22 VA for a set that’s really drawing 1 watt.
2. Plug in the TV by itself. Accessories on the same plug get added to the reading. Measure them separately or together on purpose (see the accessories section).
3. Play what you normally watch, in your usual picture mode. The reading changes with brightness and content, so a test pattern or the store-demo mode won’t match your evenings.
4. Average a reading that won’t hold still. The IEC 62301 summary on energy.gov treats power as stable when it stays within 5% of its average over 5 minutes. If it keeps moving, use the meter’s kWh counter over a set period and divide by the hours.
5. For standby, turn the set off and wait before reading. NRDC waited 20 minutes before measuring standby, because TVs may not fully power down for several minutes. ENERGY STAR also lets a set stay in a higher-power mode for up to 15 minutes after a firmware update.
6. Treat readings under 1 watt with caution. Lab-grade instruments resolve 0.01 watts or less below 10 watts. A consumer meter may round, or show 0 where a lab would record a fraction of a watt.

If your on-mode power measurement falls far below what it states on your specifications sheet, you shouldn’t be too surprised. In addition, if you find your standby reading is similar to that of a small incandescent lamp, be sure to check the power factor rating first and then see if your TV has a Quick Start or “smart wake-up” feature enabled.

How to Read the EnergyGuide Label and ENERGY STAR Data for a TV’s Watts

The yellow EnergyGuide label found on televisions summarizes two aspects of estimated yearly costs associated with running the television (annual energy cost) and how many kilowatt hours will be used by that television each year (annual energy use). While it does not provide the watts directly, the kilowatt-hour number can be used to calculate an approximate watt rating for the ‘on’ mode.

Under the regulations set forth in 16 CFR § 305.25, all televisions must include additional information: 1) the manufacturer; 2) the model number; 3) the estimated annual energy cost; 4) the estimated annual kWh; and 5) where the estimated annual cost falls within a range of annual costs for televisions of similar screen sizes/technology types. Other companies with certified ENERGY STAR televisions may put the ENERGY STAR logo on them. Manufacturers are required to display a copy of each EnergyGuide label for their products on public websites, which provides added guidance when purchasing products through online retailers. The FTC’s consumer guidance states that the estimated annual energy cost is “only an estimate.” If the EnergyGuide label is not present, the FTC recommends checking the manufacturer or retailer website for the required information.

Two conversions make the label more useful, and both are calculations:

• Approximate on-mode watts = annual kWh ÷ 365 ÷ 5 × 1,000. A label showing 200 kWh works out to about 110 watts. This slightly overstates on-mode draw because standby is folded in.
• Cost at today’s average rate = label cost × 1.146, since 18.34 cents ÷ 16 cents ≈ 1.146. A $35 label estimate becomes about $40 at the June 2026 U.S. average.

For those shopping for an ENERGY STAR certified television, the ENERGY STAR certified televisions dataset provides comprehensive information about every certified model’s on-mode power, annual energy use, and standby power usage. Think of it as a means to compare specific model numbers when making a purchasing decision.

How to Lower Your TV’s Wattage (Settings That Actually Move the Meter)

If you regularly use television features, you will be able to save the most energy while watching by dimming the brightness levels on your television. By turning off Fast-Wake features, you will be able to save more energy when using your television in Standby Mode. The settings provided by the manufacturers, in association with NRDC’s testing, are available on the support pages for both Sony and LG. The Menu Settings may differ depending on the specific model and year.

• Use Standard instead of Vivid. Sony names Standard its most energy-conscious mode and advises against Vivid for long periods if you want to save energy.
• Turn on power saving. On recent Sony sets it’s under Settings, then System, then Power and energy, set to Low or High. On LG webOS it’s under Settings, then All Settings, then General, then Energy Saving.
• Enable the ambient light sensor. Sony says it keeps the screen from getting brighter than the room needs. ENERGY STAR describes automatic brightness control as “possibly reducing power consumption.”
• Lower brightness or backlight manually if your set has no power-saving option. Sony suggests this as the fallback.
• Recheck after changing modes or inputs. NRDC found that on some models, energy-saving features get disabled when you pick another picture setting. LG notes that picture settings can differ for each input.
• Turn the screen off for music. Sony’s Picture Off keeps the sound playing with the panel dark.
• Set a sleep timer or auto turn-off if you tend to fall asleep with the TV on. Sony’s options run from 15 minutes up to 24 hours.
• Turn off Quick Start and smart wake features you don’t use. In NRDC’s test, one Vizio drew 14.4 watts in standby with Quick Start on, versus under 1 watt in its default Eco Mode.
• Unplug the TV, or use a switched power strip, before a long trip. Sony recommends this, especially when other devices are connected.

If changing these settings causes your picture to appear too dark, please see LG’s website for steps to undo the Energy Saving Steps and reset your picture. Each step has been documented with a Meter Reading before and after each setting change, allowing you to see how much power you saved with each setting change.

How Many Watts Do a TV and Its Accessories Use Together?

A gaming console and a streaming stick when playing games on a 65 inch TV typically draw about 200 to 280 watts. In this case, the game console is the most significant factor. However, if you are sizing your backup battery or calculating the total power requirements for all of your devices, you need to account for each device that will run at the same time, not just your television.

As a way of calculating this, we’ve created the following table: The combined power consumption of a 65 inch television and an Xbox Series X playing games at the same time is approximately 276 watts, while using an Xbox Series S to play games would result in a total of approximately 196 watts. The averages published by Microsoft were determined by measuring the power used by over 200 games at the wall until March 2023, from October 2023, so there will be variance with individual games based on their performance.

Because there were no verified power figures available for soundbars and PlayStation 5 systems, they were not included in this table. You will need to find the specifications on the model of soundbar you are using, or the specifications from its spec sheet. Soundbars that are ENERGY STAR certified use approximately 70% less energy than standard models, according to the ENERGY STAR program. [many certified models] are “up to 70% more energy efficient than conventional models.” To calculate the actual power draw of your entire setup, plug the power strip you are using into your watt meter, then turn on all your devices, and let it run during your testing period.

How Much Does a TV Cost to Run?

Based on the average U.S. rates of electricity in June 2026 of 18.34 cents/kWh, operating a traditional sized (55 inch) television for four hours a day costs approximately $25.84/year. Operating a larger (65 inch) television for five hours each day costs approximately $39.76/year. The additional costs of having the television in standby mode during normal operation have a relatively low incremental cost (about $0.64 to $1.27) to your monthly bill. If your television appears to have a high kilowatt/hour consumption while it’s turned off, check that it is not programmed to go into “smart wake” mode, which can add upwards of $16 to your annual bill. You can determine your TV’s power usage by measuring its wattage reading and entering the corresponding amount of time you watch TV along with the rate that appears on your electric bill into the worksheet above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a cable box or DVR add much to a TV’s power use?

Research conducted by NRDC states that a standard unit of old technology (DVR) uses roughly 10 times more energy than a modern unit of streaming technology, which uses: 11–25 kWh each year. If you return a box that you no longer use, this is a significant savings on your electricity bill.

Can a firmware update change how much power my TV uses?

It can. ENERGY STAR Version 9.1 will allow certified televisions to inform users of the potential for future software/firmware updates to affect energy consumption, and it allows a device to stay in High Power Mode for up to 15 minutes after an update. Check again after large software updates.

Does Filmmaker Mode use less power?

This has yet to be determined. The Environmental Protection Agency lists Filmmaker Mode as an open issue in ENERGY STAR Version 9.1. The EPA seeks data on the impact of the Filmmaker Mode on energy use efficiency. Check your own wattage against Standard with your own meter for exact measures.

How long can a portable power station run a TV?

To determine the runtime of your television on a station, divide the watt-hours available (after conversion losses) by the wattage of your television. Assuming there is about 85% efficiency claimed by A1 SolarStore, a 500 watt-hour station will run a 96.5 watt television for approximately 4.4 hours, which is an estimate; therefore the actual runtime will vary with each application.