At a constant 15 watts, a fanless Intel N100 box running a YouTube stream all day uses 0.36 kWh per day, or 131.4 kWh over a 365-day year. Its annual electricity cost is 131.4 multiplied by your all-in electricity rate per kWh; at an illustrative $0.20/kWh, that works out to $26.28.
That is a calculation from an assumed, steady 15 W draw, not a prediction for every N100 mini PC or a universal annual bill. Your actual total depends on the machine’s measured wall power, the tariff on your bill, and whether the computer and other equipment really run continuously.
What a 15 W assumption means
Watts describe the rate at which a device uses power at a moment; kilowatt-hours describe energy accumulated over time. For this estimate, 15 W is the assumed draw of the complete setup at the wall while it is streaming, rather than a guaranteed specification for the processor alone.
Intel lists the N100 processor at 6 W TDP on its N100 specifications page. TDP is a processor-level specification. It does not say that a complete mini PC draws 6 W from the wall, and it should not be substituted for a wall-meter reading when estimating electricity use. A finished computer also includes memory, storage, power conversion and other components, and the workload affects what the system draws.
There is a useful real-world reference for one fanless model. CNX Software reported wall-meter readings of 14.7–17.9 W during YouTube playback on a MINIX Z100-0dB. Its Windows 11 review used Chrome for 8K60 playback, with Wi-Fi 6, a wireless keyboard-and-mouse dongle and a VGA screen connected through an HDMI-to-VGA adapter. Its Ubuntu 22.04 review reported that same range while playing YouTube 8Kp60 in Firefox.
Those readings make 15 W plausible for a particular tested system and workload. They do not establish the draw of every N100 box, browser, video, display or set of peripherals. If your measured power differs from 15 W, replace the assumed figure in the calculation below rather than treating the example as a target.
Calculate daily energy use
For a device drawing a steady amount of power, multiply watts by hours of operation to get watt-hours. Divide the result by 1,000 to convert watt-hours to kilowatt-hours, the unit commonly used for electricity billing.
15 W × 24 hours = 360 Wh per day
360 Wh ÷ 1,000 = 0.36 kWh per day
This is energy for the N100 box at the assumed draw. It does not automatically include a monitor, router, external drive, audio equipment or any other device needed to keep the channel on air. If one of those is also powered continuously, measure it or estimate it separately and add its kWh to the total. Do not add a display’s full rating just because it is plugged in: a rating is not necessarily the device’s real operating draw.
The 24-hour assumption matters too. A box that streams through the night but is switched off during part of the day uses less than this 24/7 estimate. Conversely, if the system is on all day for channel preparation, updates or other work, the streaming-only calculation may understate its actual energy use. A wall meter over a representative period can account for the combined pattern without needing to guess how much time each task takes.
Calculate annual energy use
To extend the daily estimate across a 365-day year, multiply by 365:
0.36 kWh per day × 365 = 131.4 kWh per year
The same result can be calculated directly from the assumed power: 15 W × 24 hours × 365 ÷ 1,000 = 131.4 kWh. This arithmetic assumes the box uses 15 W continuously for every hour of the year. A leap year has an extra day, and a real device may draw more or less as playback, temperatures, connected equipment and time in use vary. The figure is therefore a baseline for comparing estimates, not a reading of your future meter.
You can scale the result if your measured draw is not 15 W. For example, take the measured watts, multiply by your planned hours per day and number of days, then divide by 1,000. Keeping those three inputs visible makes the estimate easy to update if you change the box, reduce hours or add equipment.
For a rough operating comparison, it is also useful to calculate energy at more than one measured draw. The table below uses the same 24-hour daily schedule and 365-day year throughout. Its 10 W and 20 W rows are arithmetic scenarios, not claims about typical N100 systems.
| Assumed continuous wall draw | Daily energy | Energy over 365 days |
|---|---|---|
| 10 W | 0.24 kWh | 87.6 kWh |
| 15 W | 0.36 kWh | 131.4 kWh |
| 20 W | 0.48 kWh | 175.2 kWh |
This comparison isolates the effect of power draw: at the same operating hours, energy changes in direct proportion to watts. It says nothing by itself about whether one model will deliver a more reliable stream or whether two machines can handle the same video workload. Those questions require a like-for-like test of each system under the stream you intend to run.
Apply your electricity price
The cost formula is straightforward:
Annual energy use in kWh × your all-in price per kWh = estimated annual electricity cost
For the 15 W, all-year example, that is 131.4 × your price per kWh. Use the rate that best reflects what an extra unit of electricity costs you, including relevant charges where they apply. Bills can combine energy charges, adjustments, taxes or slabs, so a headline tariff may not be the all-in figure you actually pay. If your bill shows different rates by time or consumption band, a single average is only an estimate.
Keep the currency attached to the rate. If your bill’s rate is in rupees per kWh, the answer will be in rupees; if it is in dollars per kWh, the answer will be in dollars. There is no one correct currency amount for the title because no location or tariff is specified. In India, a household’s bill may vary by state, provider, category and consumption, so use your own current bill rather than treating a foreign price example as a local estimate.
To include additional always-on devices, first work out their energy separately and add the kWh before applying the rate. For example, if a display runs only during setup and is off while the channel is unattended, it should not be counted as if it ran for all 8,760 hours. If a router is required all day, its energy belongs in a household-level estimate, though it may not be an incremental cost of the channel if it would be on anyway.
The result remains an electricity estimate, not the full cost of operating a live channel. It excludes the purchase price of the mini PC, replacement parts, internet service, and any costs associated with the content or channel. Keeping electricity separate makes it easier to compare the cost of keeping an existing machine on with the cost of changing how the stream is run.
Work through the $0.20/kWh example
At the illustrative rate of $0.20 per kWh, multiply the annual energy figure by the example rate:
131.4 kWh × $0.20/kWh = $26.28 per year
The units cancel to leave dollars, and the result follows only from the two assumptions: 15 W continuously and electricity priced at $0.20/kWh. The $0.20 figure is illustrative, not a tariff prediction or a claim about what a reader pays. Do not use $26.28 as a universal annual cost for an N100 box. At another rate, the answer changes; at another measured draw or operating schedule, the energy figure changes as well.
The same method works with any rate. If your all-in rate is expressed as R per kWh, the 15 W scenario costs 131.4 × R over 365 days. To calculate a daily cost instead, multiply 0.36 × R. Keeping the daily and annual versions side by side can help when a bill gives a monthly total: the daily estimate is easy to compare with a short meter test, while the annual figure is useful for budgeting.
A practical note for India: enter the rate and currency shown on your own bill, and check whether it is marginal or an average across your usage. A bill’s fixed charges may not rise just because one more device is connected, while a slab-based energy rate can make the effective price depend on total household consumption. If you are unsure which rate applies, calculate a range using the plausible rates on the bill rather than presenting one number as exact.
Check actual power and stream conditions
The best way to make this estimate useful is to measure the whole setup as it will actually run. A plug-in energy meter can report watts or accumulated kWh at the outlet; where local electrical standards require a qualified person for measurement, use one. Let the stream play with the intended browser, resolution, network connection and peripherals attached, and observe it long enough to include normal fluctuations rather than relying on a brief startup reading.
Record what was connected and what was playing. The CNX Software MINIX readings are useful partly because the reviews describe the conditions: operating system, browser, playback resolution and accessories. Their tests do not provide a controlled comparison across multiple N100 models, so the measured range should remain a reference point for that specific reviewed system, not a promise for a machine on your desk.
Compare machines only under a similar workload. A low-resolution devotional loop and an 8K playback test are not the same job; browsers and codecs can also change how decoding is handled. Intel’s N-series media presentation describes media capabilities including 10-bit HEVC and VP9 encode/decode and AV1 decode, but those capabilities are not a measurement of electricity use or a guarantee about every browser’s playback behaviour. Intel also lists UHD Graphics, 24 execution units and Quick Sync Video on its N100 page; hardware feature lists do not replace testing your stream.
Idle readings are not a substitute for playback readings. CNX Software reported 7.5–7.6 W at idle for its tested MINIX Z100-0dB under Ubuntu 22.04. That is lower than its reported playback range, illustrating why a 24/7 streaming estimate should reflect playback rather than assume an idle system. The difference for your own box may be different, and the cited review does not establish a universal gap.
For a longer comparison, use the same electricity tariff, hours, video and attached equipment for each option. If you are deciding whether to run locally or move the workload elsewhere, compare the whole operating arrangement, not just the electricity draw of the mini PC. A hosted approach can remove the need to leave a home computer running, while introducing its own service cost and dependence on an internet connection; the trade-offs are outlined in how to use a hosted video streaming service instead of a 24/7 streaming PC.
If you prefer a local setup, separate the power estimate from the reliability plan. A computer can use modest electricity and still stop streaming after a software or network problem. The practical checks in how to fix a YouTube 24/7 stream that stops after a few hours help you think about recovery rather than assuming a low-power box will run unattended without attention. For software choices and the workload involved, see OBS vs FFmpeg for a 24/7 YouTube radio station; if the files themselves are part of the challenge, choosing a video format for looping 4K 60fps videos in OBS covers a related preparation decision.
When the electricity calculation is only one part of the decision, a hosted stream can remove the specific chore of leaving your own computer switched on: StreamNeo takes an uploaded video and runs it as a YouTube live stream, so you do not have to keep the N100 box at home broadcasting. It is YouTube-only, so it is not the fit if you need to send the same channel to other platforms.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
Does every fanless Intel N100 box use 15 W while streaming?
No. Fifteen watts is the assumption used for this calculation, and one review reported 14.7–17.9 W during YouTube playback on a particular MINIX Z100-0dB configuration. Different models, browsers, video settings and connected equipment can produce different wall-power readings, so measure your own setup if the cost needs to be precise.
Is Intel’s 6 W TDP the electricity draw of the mini PC?
No. Intel’s 6 W TDP is a processor-level specification, not a measurement of the complete computer at the wall. For an electricity estimate, use the mini PC’s wall draw during the workload you expect to run.
How do I estimate the cost if my rate is in rupees?
Use the same formula and enter the all-in rate from your bill in rupees per kWh: 131.4 × your rate for the 15 W, 365-day scenario. The result is in rupees, but it remains an estimate if your bill uses changing slabs or includes charges that do not vary with energy use.
Does the $26.28 figure include the monitor or internet connection?
No. It covers only the assumed 15 W load for 24 hours a day across 365 days, priced at the illustrative $0.20/kWh. Add other devices’ energy separately if you want a broader equipment estimate; internet charges and hardware purchase costs are outside the electricity calculation.