A reviewed AMD Ryzen 5 5600U mini PC used about 16–22 W at the wall during ordinary use, including YouTube video playback, according to Techtest. If that draw continued around the clock for a year, it would use about 140–193 kWh; your bill depends on your measured system draw and electricity rate.
At an illustrative rate of $0.15 per kWh, that works out to roughly $21–$29 a year, or $1.75–$2.41 a month. This is arithmetic based on one reviewed configuration, not a promise about every 5600U machine or a measurement of a live-stream broadcast workload.
What the reviewed 5600U measurements cover
The useful starting point is a review of the ACEMAGICIAN AMR5, a particular mini PC built around the Ryzen 5 5600U. Techtest reports approximately 16–22 W at the wall during ordinary use that includes YouTube videos, and around 10–11 W while idle. It also reports about 48 W at full load. Those are results from the review's configuration and tests, not a specification for every computer with the same processor.
The distinction between playback and broadcasting matters. Playing a YouTube video on a mini PC is not the same workload as encoding and sending an always-on live feed from that PC to YouTube. The cited 16–22 W range is for ordinary use including video playback; it does not establish what a broadcast, software encoder, scene composition, or other continuous workload would consume. If by “stream” you mean a live broadcast, treat the playback figure only as a reference point and measure the actual broadcast setup.
The reported figure is wall-side power: it describes the complete tested computer as measured at the electrical supply, rather than just the processor. That makes it more useful for estimating electricity use than a processor power rating or a CPU-package reading. It still does not necessarily include a separate monitor, speakers, router, or other equipment unless those were part of the measured arrangement.
Techtest's AMR5 review is the source for the range used in the main calculation. Notebookcheck's AMR5 review and VideoCardz's review report other measurements and modes for the same model. The results differ, which is a reason to keep the claim narrow rather than blend reviews into a supposed average for all 5600U systems.
The reported wall-power range
For the example below, use the Techtest ordinary-use and YouTube range: 16 W at the low end and 22 W at the high end. That range gives a transparent calculation without pretending the computer draws exactly one fixed number at every moment. A video may start a little work, pause, change quality, or be played under different system settings; the daily average is what matters for an annual energy estimate.
A wall meter can show a changing instantaneous watt value. If the meter can record energy over time, its kWh total is usually more useful than a quick glance at watts. If you only have an average-watt reading, take it while the computer is doing the intended task rather than using its idle reading as a substitute for playback.
Reviews of the AMR5 illustrate why operating mode and method should stay visible. Notebookcheck gives idle readings of 8.4, 8.7 and 9.3 W and load readings of 46.4 and 52 W, using a Metrahit Energy meter for wall-side measurement. VideoCardz reports device-idle results of 10.9, 11.6 and 11.7 W in Silent, Auto and Performance modes, and device-load results of 23.6, 28.8 and 37 W across those modes. These are review-specific results, not a controlled comparison of continuous YouTube playback across every mode.
Notebookcheck also says its AMR5 played a 4K YouTube test video without problems, with the integrated graphics at about 20% load during playback. That supports a narrow statement about playback capability in that test. It does not supply a universal wall-power figure for 4K video, nor does it say every browser, display arrangement, or video will use the same electricity.
Keep the central question simple: what average power does your own complete setup draw while doing the job you intend to leave running? The review range is useful for an initial estimate, but it cannot settle the answer for a different AMR5, another manufacturer's 5600U PC, or a live encoding task.
Convert watts to annual kWh
Electricity bills are commonly calculated from energy in kilowatt-hours. To translate a steady average watt reading into an annual estimate for a 24/7 setup, use:
annual kWh = average watts × 8,760 ÷ 1,000
There are 8,760 hours in a 365-day year. Dividing watt-hours by 1,000 converts them to kilowatt-hours. For a shorter operating schedule, replace 8,760 with the number of hours the computer actually runs; for a computer that runs only part of each day, that will reduce the result.
Using 16 W as the lower illustrative reading gives 16 × 8,760 ÷ 1,000 = 140.16 kWh a year. Using 22 W gives 22 × 8,760 ÷ 1,000 = 192.72 kWh a year. Rounded for practical use, that is about 140–193 kWh annually, assuming the average remains within that range continuously.
A quick shortcut is to multiply average watts by 8.76 to estimate annual kWh, because 8,760 hours divided by 1,000 is 8.76. Thus 16 W × 8.76 is 140.16 kWh, while 22 W × 8.76 is 192.72 kWh. The shortcut is only as good as the average-watt input and the assumption of a full year of operation.
For comparison, Techtest's reported 10–11 W idle range would equate to 87.6–96.36 kWh over a year if the PC really stayed idle throughout. That is not the right substitute for continuous playback unless you measured the intended playback and found it to be the same. A small-looking difference in watts accumulates over many hours, so measure the activity you plan to run rather than selecting the lowest number in a review.
An illustrative annual and monthly cost
To convert energy into money, multiply annual kWh by the all-in price you pay per kWh:
annual electricity cost = annual kWh × electricity price per kWh
The following table uses $0.15 per kWh as an explicitly illustrative input. It is not a published tariff or an estimate for your location. Your bill's applicable rate may be different, and its structure may include fixed charges or other components that do not change directly with another kWh of use.
| Average wall draw | Annual energy at 24/7 | Annual cost at illustrative $0.15/kWh | Monthly equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 W | 140.16 kWh | $21.02 | $1.75 |
| 22 W | 192.72 kWh | $28.91 | $2.41 |
The monthly equivalent is the annual figure divided by twelve, rounded to cents. It is a way to compare the energy portion of the example, not a guarantee of a monthly bill. If the machine is switched off some days, draws more during a particular workload, or has additional equipment powered alongside it, actual consumption will differ.
You can replace the assumed rate directly. For example, if your applicable electricity price is expressed in your local currency per kWh, use that number in the formula with the measured annual kWh. There is no need to convert currencies unless you specifically want a cross-country comparison; the useful figure for budgeting is the rate on your own bill.
The estimate covers only what was included in the watt reading. Add a screen, external speakers, or another device only if it will also run continuously and is included in a separate measurement or in the total measured at the wall. A monitor switched off overnight should not be counted as though it ran all year; equally, a continuously powered display should not disappear from the calculation simply because the mini PC itself is low-power.
Why other 5600U systems may differ
The Ryzen 5 5600U identifies a processor, not a single finished mini PC configuration. Manufacturers can pair it with different memory, storage, cooling, firmware settings and power modes. The power adapter and efficiency under a particular load also affect the amount drawn from the wall. A figure from one AMR5 review should not be treated as the behaviour of another manufacturer's 5600U computer.
The activity changes the result as well. A machine showing a static image, playing a compressed video, decoding a higher-resolution stream, or encoding and uploading a live output is doing different work. Browser choice, video quality, connected displays, background updates, and peripherals may matter. The cited reviews do not provide a common, controlled test of every one of these circumstances, so there is no evidence here for a single “YouTube wattage” applicable to all systems.
Measurement boundaries are another source of apparent disagreement. CPU package power excludes much of the computer and is not interchangeable with wall power. A wall meter includes the system's draw at the socket, including the adapter's conversion losses, but only for the devices plugged through that meter. Comparisons are most meaningful when both systems are tested at the wall under the same video, resolution, browser, mode and connected equipment.
If your broader question is whether a local computer or a hosted approach is more economical, include the costs and responsibilities beyond energy. The comparison of an old office PC and a cloud service for YouTube streaming in India is relevant to that wider decision, but this article's calculation remains focused on the electricity used by a measured PC. A lower electricity estimate alone does not tell you which operating arrangement suits your channel.
Measure your own full setup
Use a plug-in electricity monitor that reports watts or accumulated kWh, and put it between the mains socket and the mini PC's power adapter. Run the computer with the video or workload, power mode, browser, resolution and display arrangement you expect to use overnight. Allow the system to settle after startup, then record average power over a representative period rather than relying on a brief peak or an idle reading.
If you are testing a live broadcast, measure the actual encoding and upload workflow. Do not assume that the playback test in a review represents a software encoder producing a continuous output. Keep the video, encoder settings, peripherals and power mode consistent when comparing two candidate machines. For a viewing-only use case, reproduce the viewing arrangement instead.
Measure additional devices separately if practical, or plug the complete group through a monitor rated for the combined load. Include only gear that will genuinely stay on continuously. A display used for setup and then switched off is different from a display left powered all day; a router may already be part of the household's normal consumption rather than an incremental channel cost, so decide what question you want the measurement to answer.
A meter's accumulated kWh reading over a representative period can be scaled to a year if the usage pattern is consistent. If it reports average watts, use the annual conversion above. For intermittent operation, include the off-hours rather than multiplying an active-use figure by every hour of the year. Keep a note of the conditions alongside the number so a later change in video quality or system mode does not make the old estimate look more certain than it is.
For a channel using pre-recorded material, your encoder-settings guide for a 24/7 pre-recorded video channel can help define the settings to reproduce during a test. The settings are relevant because workload affects measured power; the energy calculation itself does not determine what settings YouTube will accept or what is suitable for your content.
Apply your electricity tariff
Find the rate relevant to the extra consumption on your current bill. Depending on your tariff, the displayed price may vary by time, usage band or other terms. Use the rate that corresponds to the hours when the computer runs, or a suitably weighted average if your meter and bill show different rates across the day. Check the bill or ask your supplier if it is unclear which figure applies.
Then multiply the measured annual kWh by that rate. If your wall meter reports 18 W average during the intended workload, for example, the annual energy estimate is 18 × 8.76 = 157.68 kWh. Multiply 157.68 by your own price per kWh to get the estimated energy charge. This 18 W is only an example input for demonstrating the calculation, not a new review result or a claim about the 5600U.
If your monitor measures, say, a shorter interval in kWh, scale the observed energy only when that interval reflects the normal schedule. A week with the display off and playback running continuously is not a complete measurement of a setup that normally leaves the display on. Conversely, multiplying a full-day measurement by 365 is inappropriate if the system is scheduled to run only during selected hours.
For India-based readers, use the tariff and billing units shown by your own electricity provider rather than importing the illustrative dollar rate. The relevant unit for the formula is the price per kWh, commonly presented as a charge per unit, but your bill may include separate fixed or other charges. This calculation estimates the energy-related part attributable to the measured equipment; it does not attempt to recreate the full bill.
If you want a more detailed walkthrough of turning a PC's draw into an electricity estimate, see how to estimate the electricity cost of a 24/7 YouTube stream on a PC in India. It is useful context for applying a local rate, while the meter remains the key input for a specific machine. For someone deciding how to keep a prepared video running when the home PC is not suitable, scheduling pre-recorded videos for a 24/7 YouTube stream from India covers the channel workflow rather than asserting that playback and broadcasting consume the same power.
When the practical concern is keeping a channel running without leaving a home computer on, StreamNeo removes that specific need: you upload a video and provide the YouTube stream key, and the broadcast can continue with your computer switched off. It is a YouTube-only way to run an uploaded video as a live stream, not a measurement of the electricity used by your own mini PC.
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
Is 16–22 W a typical draw for every Ryzen 5 5600U mini PC?
No. It is Techtest's reported ordinary-use and YouTube-video range for one reviewed AMR5 configuration. Other reviews, modes and test conditions report different results, so measure the complete system you intend to use.
Does the estimate cover broadcasting a live stream?
No. The cited range concerns ordinary use that includes YouTube video playback. A continuous broadcast and encoding workflow may impose a different workload, and the cited measurement does not establish its power draw.
What does 24/7 use cost at $0.15 per kWh?
At the reviewed 16–22 W range held continuously for a 365-day year, the arithmetic gives about $21.02–$28.91 annually, or about $1.75–$2.41 per month. The $0.15 rate is illustrative; replace it with your applicable bill rate and your measured average draw.
Should I use idle watts to estimate playback cost?
Not unless you have measured the computer during playback and found that idle and playback consumption are effectively the same for your setup. Techtest's idle result is lower than its ordinary-use range, which is why an idle reading can understate the energy used during the task you plan to leave running.