If by an always-on YouTube stream you mean watching YouTube continuously on a Beelink mini PC, a published test of one EQi13 Pro measured 32–34.3 watts during 8K/60 playback. That would use roughly 280–300 kWh over a year; multiply the annual kWh by the price per kWh on your bill to estimate the electricity cost.
That result is specific to the tested model and setup. It is not a universal Beelink figure and it does not measure a PC broadcasting a live stream to YouTube. If you mean live broadcasting rather than playback, the workload and measurement need to be defined separately.
What the Beelink test measured
CNX Software reports wall-meter readings for a Beelink EQi13 Pro during YouTube 8K/60 playback in Firefox. The observed range was 32–34.3 W. The review also measured the same machine at 10.9–12.3 W while idle, but idle and active playback are different operating states. The playback figure is the relevant starting point for estimating the electricity used while continuously watching video under those test conditions.
A wall-meter reading is useful because it records power drawn at the plug for the tested setup, rather than relying on a component specification or the maximum rating printed on a power adapter. It is still only a snapshot of the circumstances tested. Video resolution, browser, peripherals, display and machine configuration can all differ in your room, so the reading should be treated as evidence for this one test, not as a figure to apply automatically to every Beelink mini PC.
The annual total later in this article is arithmetic based on the reported playback watts and continuous operation. It is not a separate year-long measurement by CNX Software. Use it as a transparent estimate that you can recalculate, and measure your own equipment if you need a closer figure.
The source review is available from CNX Software’s EQi13 Pro test. Its idle result is useful context, but substituting it for the playback result would understate the tested workload. The reported Germany example for idle operation is approximately 100 kWh/year and approximately €40/year at €0.40/kWh, as reported by CNX Software in 2025. That example describes idle consumption and a particular German rate; it is not an estimate for continuous YouTube playback or a tariff to apply elsewhere.
Playback is not live broadcasting
The phrase “YouTube stream” can mean two different things. A viewer may leave YouTube playing on a screen all day, or a channel owner may send a live video broadcast from a computer to YouTube. The 32–34.3 W reading covers the first case: local playback of YouTube video in Firefox on the EQi13 Pro. It says nothing about the power required to encode and transmit a live programme.
A live broadcast can involve a different combination of work: opening video files, composing scenes, encoding video and audio, and sending the result over an internet connection. Power depends on the chosen software, output settings, source material and whether encoding uses the processor or another component. The research notes do not provide a live-encoder measurement for this Beelink, and it would be misleading to use the playback number as one.
If you want a local computer to broadcast continuously, look for a measurement made while it is actually running your intended encoder and stream settings. Keep the resolution, frame rate, software, scene composition and connected equipment consistent with the planned use. For workflow rather than power guidance, the guide to using a mini PC for a 24/7 Hindu devotional YouTube stream covers the practical role a mini PC can play in a continuous channel. It does not turn this playback test into a broadcast benchmark.
You may also choose to avoid leaving your own computer on for a broadcast. StreamNeo can remove that specific need to keep a home PC running by taking an uploaded video and running it as a YouTube live stream while your computer is off. It is YouTube-only, and it does not change the electricity estimate for watching YouTube on the EQi13 Pro.
Convert watts to annual kWh
To estimate the energy used by a device running continuously, convert watts to kilowatts and multiply by the hours in a year. For a full year of uninterrupted operation, the calculation can be written compactly as:
Annual kWh = average watts × 8.76
The factor 8.76 combines the conversion from watts to kilowatts with the hours in a 365-day year. Applying it to the playback range gives:
| Playback draw | Calculation | Approximate annual use |
|---|---|---|
| 32 W | 32 × 8.76 | 280 kWh |
| 34.3 W | 34.3 × 8.76 | 300 kWh |
These are rounded results, hence “approximately”. The range reflects the low and high readings in the cited playback test; it is not a promise that your unit will draw within that range. If your computer is switched off for part of the year, or playback is interrupted, reduce the operating hours rather than treating it as a full 24/7 year.
For a more tailored estimate, use the average watts you actually measure over a representative period. If your meter gives a stable reading while the machine plays the content and uses the display and peripherals you intend to keep connected, put that wattage into the same formula. If the result is, for example, 40 W, then 40 × 8.76 gives the approximate kWh for a full year at that average draw. That example is just a calculation, not a claim about any Beelink model.
Do not use the adapter’s rated maximum as if the computer were drawing it constantly. A maximum rating describes what the power supply can provide under suitable conditions, not the measured consumption of the whole setup during a particular workload. For the estimate, a measured average at the wall is more relevant.
Apply your electricity rate
Once you have annual kWh, multiply by your local price per kWh:
Annual electricity cost = annual kWh × price per kWh
The relevant price is the unit rate shown on your electricity bill or tariff information. If your bill has different rates at different times, estimate from the rates and hours that match your usage, or use the method your supplier provides for working out an average. Do not assume a rate from another country or a rate quoted in an example applies to your home.
The following examples use the rounded 280–300 kWh annual range from the EQi13 Pro playback test. The rates are illustrative only and are included to show the multiplication; they are not statements about current tariffs.
| Illustrative electricity rate | At 280 kWh/year | At 300 kWh/year |
|---|---|---|
| $0.15/kWh | $42/year | $45/year |
| $0.30/kWh | $84/year | $90/year |
To reuse the table with your own rate, replace the rate in the calculation. If your bill lists a rate in rupees per kWh, multiply the annual kWh by that rupee figure to obtain an approximate annual amount in rupees. The arithmetic does not require a currency conversion; it requires the unit price and energy use to use matching units.
For instance, if the rate on your bill were R per kWh, the low-end estimate would be 280 × R and the high-end estimate 300 × R. This gives you a range rather than a falsely precise bill prediction. The result still covers only the measured PC setup described by the source, not every cost associated with keeping a viewing or broadcasting arrangement in use.
What the test setup included
The figures are not for an isolated mini PC tested with nothing attached. The reported configuration included Wi-Fi 6, a USB RF keyboard and mouse dongle, and a GAOMON PD2200 pen display connected by HDMI. A connected display was present during the measurements, so describe the numbers as the reviewer’s tested setup rather than a bare-computer laboratory result.
That distinction matters when you compare the result with your own home. If your display is different, your network connection is wired, or you have additional peripherals, the total wall draw can change. The available research does not isolate how much each attached item contributed, so there is no defensible adjustment to subtract for the display or add for a different peripheral. Measure the full arrangement you intend to run if the total matters to your budget.
The energy estimate also excludes things that were not represented by the PC’s measured electricity figure. It does not include a separate display’s consumption as a separately calculated item, internet service, the purchase price of the PC, cooling, or other household costs. The display’s presence in the test setup does not mean the source has supplied a separate display-only figure that can be cleanly removed from the wall reading.
The test is also bounded by its named device, browser and playback workload: one EQi13 Pro, Firefox, and YouTube 8K/60 playback. It is not evidence for a different Beelink model, a lower video resolution, another browser, a different operating system, or an encoded live broadcast. Beelink’s official site lists its product range, but the source research does not establish that a current product has the same power draw as this tested unit. Compare model-specific measurements where available rather than transferring a result from one machine to another.
Measure your own mini PC
A plug-in electricity usage monitor can provide a reader-specific wall-power measurement for the complete setup. Put the mini PC and the equipment you want included on the measured side, then observe power while the machine is doing the intended work. For playback, let the video run in the browser and at the resolution you normally use. For broadcasting, run the actual broadcast software and settings; playback alone is not a substitute.
A single instant reading may fluctuate as a device works. Where the monitor offers accumulated energy over time, use that feature over a representative period rather than extrapolating from a moment when the processor happens to be quiet or busy. If it only displays watts, note readings across normal operation and use a reasonable average. The aim is not laboratory precision but a better match to your own workload than a number from another configuration.
Keep the measurement boundaries clear. If you are estimating the cost of the whole desk, include the monitor and anything else you want counted. If you are estimating only the mini PC, measure it separately if your setup permits and record what remained connected. Include the router only if you are trying to estimate the additional electricity caused by this activity and can distinguish its usual baseline use; otherwise you may count household equipment that would be on regardless.
For a continuous playback estimate from measured average watts, apply the same annual formula, then multiply by your own rate. For operation that is not continuous, use the actual expected hours: watts × hours ÷ 1,000 gives kWh for that period. Keep assumptions alongside the result, such as resolution, browser and connected display, so that a later comparison remains meaningful.
If the question is instead how to keep a local live channel running, a power measurement is only one part of the decision. You may also need to plan for file transitions, encoding settings and recovery after a dropped connection. These guides to looping pre-recorded videos with FFmpeg and choosing a cloud service for a 24/7 YouTube playlist stream address different parts of that decision. A cloud-based broadcast changes where the work runs, but it does not make this Beelink playback result applicable to live encoding.
Compare like with like before buying
If you are comparing mini PCs for all-day playback, ask for wall-power measurements taken under comparable conditions. The video resolution and frame rate, browser, operating system, display, network connection and attached peripherals should be as close as practical. A comparison between one machine playing low-resolution video without a screen and another playing 8K video with a display does not tell you which is more efficient for the same job.
For a useful buying comparison, record the purchase cost separately from the operating estimate. Apply the same local electricity rate to each machine’s measured average watts, and calculate the annual energy cost using the number of hours you actually expect it to run. This avoids the common mistake of comparing one vendor’s adapter rating with another device’s measured wall draw. It also keeps an illustrative electricity example from being mistaken for a tariff forecast.
There is no supported conclusion here that the tested EQi13 Pro is the most economical choice or that every Beelink model will behave similarly. The review offers a data point for a named device and setup. If a retailer or manufacturer provides a maximum power rating, that can help with power-supply compatibility, but it is not the same as a measured average for YouTube playback or a live broadcast.
For a live channel, compare the complete operating options as well as the device price: keeping a local machine on, arranging a separate cloud broadcast, or using another workflow you already trust. They differ in control, setup, dependency on your home connection and ongoing costs. Use a workload-specific power measurement for a local PC and current vendor information for any paid service; do not infer one option’s full cost from the playback table above.
Choose the calculation that matches your use
If you are watching YouTube all day on an EQi13 Pro in a setup close to the review, the published playback reading gives a reasonable starting range of about 280–300 kWh per year under continuous operation. Your estimated cost is that range multiplied by your own electricity rate. If your model or setup differs, take a wall measurement and substitute your measured average watts instead.
If you are operating a live broadcast, begin with the broadcast workload rather than this playback result. Run the encoder, files, scenes and settings you intend to keep online and measure the wall draw of that arrangement. Multiply its average watts by operating hours and divide by 1,000 to get kWh, then apply your tariff. That process is slower than borrowing a number from a review, but it answers the question you actually have.
If the file and channel are ready and you are weighing an off-computer broadcast workflow, make that decision separately from the cost of watching YouTube on a 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
How much electricity does a mini PC use playing YouTube all day?
The cited CNX Software test measured 32–34.3 W for one Beelink EQi13 Pro during YouTube 8K/60 playback in Firefox. Running that measured setup continuously would work out to approximately 280–300 kWh per year, but the result is not a typical-use claim for all Beelink mini PCs.
How do I calculate the cost of running a mini PC 24/7?
Multiply the average wall draw in watts by 8.76 to estimate annual kWh for a full year of continuous operation. Multiply that kWh result by the price per kWh on your electricity bill; use your own measured average if your device or workload differs.
Does the Beelink playback test show the cost of broadcasting a live stream?
No. It measured YouTube playback, not live encoding and transmission to YouTube. Measure the computer while it runs the broadcast software and settings you plan to use before estimating a live-streaming electricity cost.
Does the estimate include my monitor and internet connection?
The cited reading came from a setup with a connected GAOMON PD2200 pen display, along with Wi-Fi 6 and a USB keyboard-and-mouse dongle. The estimate is for that tested arrangement as reported; it does not separately calculate the display, internet service, equipment purchase or other household costs.