A Ryzen 5 desktop’s electricity cost for a 24/7 YouTube stream depends on the whole computer’s average power draw at the wall and the rate on your electricity bill. The processor’s TDP alone cannot tell you either figure, so measure the running system and use a simple calculation.
For a 365-day year, multiply average wall watts by 8.76 to get annual kilowatt-hours (kWh). Multiply that energy by your billed price per kWh for an estimate of the variable electricity cost. The example below uses a U.S. 2025 residential average rate as a benchmark, not as your tariff or as a measured Ryzen desktop result.
Why Ryzen 5 TDP does not determine the bill
TDP is a processor specification, not a meter reading for your desktop. AMD lists a 65W default TDP for the Ryzen 5 8605G, for example, but that figure describes the processor under its specified thermal design framework; it does not mean the entire PC draws 65 watts continuously while streaming. That particular CPU is only an example, since “Ryzen 5” covers multiple models and this question does not identify one. See AMD’s Ryzen 5 8605G specifications for the model-specific details.
A desktop includes more than its CPU. The motherboard, memory, storage, graphics hardware, cooling, power supply and connected devices all contribute to what is drawn from the socket. Their contribution varies by build and by what the computer is doing. A machine encoding video locally can have a different load from one playing a file while another device handles the stream, and idle readings do not describe either condition.
The stream settings and encoding path matter to the workload, too. YouTube’s live encoder guidance gives recommended bitrates for combinations of resolution, frame rate and codec; for example, it lists different 1080p30 recommendations for H.264 and AV1/H.265. Those are data-rate recommendations, not power measurements, and they do not tell you what a particular desktop will draw. Check YouTube’s live encoder settings when deciding on stream settings, then measure the actual setup.
There is no defensible universal watts figure for “a Ryzen 5 streaming”. Without a measured wall reading, any cost stated as if it applied to your PC would be guesswork. Use the CPU label to understand one component, not as a substitute for measuring the complete system.
Measure the whole desktop at the wall
Take a reading at the outlet while the desktop is doing the work you expect it to do overnight. A plug-in electricity usage monitor can show watts or accumulated kWh; an appropriate monitor you already own can serve the same purpose. The key is that the reading covers the complete computer, not just a processor estimate. If the display and other equipment will also stay on for the stream, measure them as a separate group or include them deliberately in the reading.
Set the stream up as intended before measuring: use the expected resolution, frame rate, codec, encoding method, video, audio and other software. If you normally keep a browser, control panel or chat open, leave it open for the test. YouTube advises testing a live setup with representative audio and movement and monitoring stream health. For an electricity estimate, that same principle means a quiet desktop idle test is not a good stand-in for a representative stream. See how to check whether dropped frames are network or encoder related if you also need to distinguish stream-health issues while testing.
Observe the meter over enough of a normal operating cycle to avoid relying on a brief spike or lull. A stream may have moments of higher activity and longer periods of steady playback. If the monitor displays an average, use it; otherwise, a longer accumulated energy reading can help you derive an average. For instance, divide the kWh shown by the number of hours observed, then multiply by 1,000 to get average watts. Keep the observation period and configuration noted alongside the result so you can repeat it after a meaningful change.
Record the measurement conditions: which PC, stream settings, whether encoding was local, and which peripherals were included. If you compare two configurations, keep the stream content and settings the same. Otherwise, a change in video complexity or resolution may be mistaken for a hardware difference. This is a practical comparison, not a controlled lab test, and the reading represents only the tested setup.
A short test may not capture variation over a full day, such as scheduled updates or a different playlist. If your monitor can record energy over an extended period, use that feature. If not, test a representative steady state and treat the resulting estimate as an estimate rather than a guaranteed bill amount. A week with unusual activity or devices left on may differ from a typical week.
Convert continuous watts to annual kWh
Electricity bills normally price energy in kilowatt-hours. A watt is a rate of power; kWh is energy accumulated over time. To convert an average wall reading in watts into a 24/7 yearly energy estimate, first convert watts to kilowatts by dividing by 1,000, then multiply by 8,760 hours, the hours in a 365-day year. Combining those steps gives:
Annual kWh = average wall watts × 8.76
The factor 8.76 is arithmetic: 1,000 watts in a kilowatt and 8,760 hours in the assumed year. It is not a claim about a computer’s consumption. Each continuous watt corresponds to 8.76 kWh in that year; a measured reading of 50W, for example, would correspond to 438 kWh if it remained constant throughout all 8,760 hours. That example illustrates the conversion only, not a measured Ryzen result.
For a reading that varies, use an average across a representative interval rather than the highest instantaneous watt figure. Alternatively, if a meter provides kWh accumulated during a known interval, scale that energy to the period you want to estimate. A daily reading multiplied by the number of days in a year is one way to form an annual estimate, though it assumes the measured day is representative.
A 365-day calculation does not account for leap-year hours or for downtime. If the stream is deliberately switched off at some times, use the actual planned run hours instead of 8,760. The general form is average watts ÷ 1,000 × run hours = kWh. That keeps the calculation useful for a channel that runs overnight or on a schedule as well as one intended to stay live continuously.
Apply your electricity rate
Find the price per kWh relevant to your household on the current electricity bill or tariff. Multiply annual kWh by that price to estimate the variable energy charge for the measured computer. If the bill expresses the rate in cents, convert cents to dollars before multiplying. The complete expression is:
Annual variable cost = average wall watts × 8.76 × price per kWh in dollars
To express an average month, divide the annual variable estimate by 12. This is an annual average divided across months; it does not predict that each bill will be identical. Billing periods differ in length, and some tariffs vary by time or season. Where your rate changes with time, a single average rate is only a simplification; use the relevant tariff details or bill method if you need a closer estimate.
A bill may show several charges alongside energy usage. Identify the applicable energy rate rather than dividing the entire bill total by kWh if that total includes fixed charges, taxes or other items that will not all change in proportion to this computer’s consumption. The next section explains why that distinction matters.
Worked 2025 U.S. average-rate scaling example
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports a 2025 annual average residential electricity price of 17.30 cents per kWh, based on preliminary data cited on its electricity-prices page. This is a national benchmark, not a current rate for every household and not a substitute for the rate on your bill. Use the EIA’s explanation of electricity prices to see the published context.
Here is the arithmetic for each continuous 10W of average draw: 10 × 8.76 = 87.6 kWh per year. At $0.173 per kWh, 87.6 × $0.173 is about $15.15 for the year, or about $1.26 per average month after dividing by 12. This is a scaling example, not a test or measured result for a Ryzen 5 desktop. To use it for your own system, replace 10W with your measured average wall watts and replace the rate with the one on your bill.
| Average wall draw | Annual energy at continuous use | Annual variable cost at the 2025 U.S. residential average |
|---|---|---|
| 10W | 87.6 kWh | about $15.15 |
| 50W | 438 kWh | about $75.76 |
| 100W | 876 kWh | about $151.55 |
The rows are calculated by applying the same formula to illustrative wattages. None is a claimed reading for a particular PC. The cost column uses the EIA’s 2025 national residential average of $0.173/kWh; rounding accounts for small differences if you calculate from displayed figures. Your own cost changes with both your measured power and your local rate.
The EIA page also reports a 2025 state range from 8.20 cents per kWh in North Dakota to 35.72 cents in Hawaii across all customer types. Those endpoints are not a residential-only comparison, so do not use them to infer a residential tariff for either state. They illustrate why a national average should not be treated as an individual rate. Your utility bill or tariff is the appropriate input for your own estimate.
Separate variable electricity cost from other bill items
The calculation estimates the part of a bill that varies with energy use, given the rate you apply. It does not allocate your entire household bill to the stream, and it does not tell you how much a new computer adds to fixed monthly costs. A standing connection, customer charge or other fixed item may remain the same whether the desktop is running or not. Taxes and other bill components may follow rules that differ by location and tariff.
For a useful estimate, distinguish the incremental energy charge from the bill’s total. If your energy rate is time-based, the stream’s hours can affect which rate applies; a flat average may conceal that variation. If your provider uses tiers or other adjustments, consult the bill explanation rather than assuming one simple rate covers every kWh. Do not add charges twice if the displayed per-kWh amount already includes them.
This is also why comparing two machines by the total household bill is usually unhelpful. Keep the household’s other usage in mind, and use the wall meter’s kWh reading or the formula to estimate the computer’s own contribution. If your goal is to compare running the same channel on a local PC versus another arrangement, compare only costs you can identify on a consistent basis. For a recorded-video channel that no longer depends on your desktop staying on, how a 24/7 streaming service can run while your PC is off sets out that operational distinction; whether it changes your electricity bill depends on what equipment you still run and the terms you choose.
A 24/7 channel also has operational questions beyond power draw. A desktop left running needs an internet connection, a reliable configuration and a plan for interruptions. If local hardware is the arrangement you have chosen, the measured electricity cost is one line in the decision, not a measure of reliability or total ownership cost. If you are assessing alternatives, budget VPS options for streaming a recorded video to YouTube Live discusses a different operating model; compare its terms and your own requirements rather than assuming it is automatically cheaper.
Keep the estimate useful as your setup changes
Repeat the measurement after a change that could affect the whole system: a different encoding method, graphics card, stream resolution, cooling profile or set of peripherals. You do not need to remeasure for every minor adjustment if the estimate is only for planning, but use a fresh reading when a change plausibly shifts sustained load. Keep the old conditions with the old reading so a later comparison remains meaningful.
For local streaming, YouTube’s stream health and the PC’s power are separate observations. A low-cost reading does not indicate that the broadcast is healthy, and a smooth broadcast does not reveal its energy use. Test both: observe the meter for power and use YouTube’s status guidance for delivery. Avoid reducing quality solely to chase a guessed electricity saving; first establish the actual draw and confirm that any settings change still suits your viewers.
If the aim is specifically to avoid leaving your home computer on, a cloud-based workflow may remove that particular source of household draw. StreamNeo turns an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream that can keep running with your computer switched off, so it addresses the need to keep the desktop powered for continuous playback rather than the cost of any other equipment you choose to leave on. It is YouTube-only, and it does not determine whether a channel’s content or stream settings meet YouTube’s requirements.
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
Can I calculate the cost from a Ryzen 5’s TDP?
No. TDP is a processor specification and does not measure the complete desktop’s power at the wall during your stream. Measure the whole running system, then apply the kWh and rate calculations above.
Is 17.30 cents per kWh the rate I should use?
Only if that is the relevant rate on your bill. It is the EIA’s 2025 U.S. annual average residential price, included as a bounded example, not a tariff for every reader or a current guaranteed price. Use your own bill or tariff for a personal estimate.
What if the stream is not on for all 8,760 hours?
Use the number of hours you actually expect the computer to run instead. Multiply average watts by run hours and divide by 1,000 to get kWh, then multiply by the applicable rate. The 8,760-hour factor assumes uninterrupted use through a 365-day year.
Does the result equal the total amount added to my bill?
It estimates variable energy cost for the measured equipment under the rate used. Fixed charges and other bill items may not rise with this computer’s use, while time-based or tiered tariffs can make a single rate less exact. Check your tariff if you need a bill-level estimate.