For a 24/7 YouTube stream, the mini PC’s annual electricity cost is its average wall power in watts × 8.76 × your electricity price per kWh. The result depends on the whole computer under your actual FFmpeg workload, your tariff and how many hours it runs; a processor’s advertised TDP cannot give you the bill.
There is no universal annual figure for an Intel mini PC. Measure its wall draw while it is doing the intended stream, then use the calculation below; the example wattages in this article are scenarios, not measurements of a particular model.
What counts as the cost of running FFmpeg?
FFmpeg is the software doing the media work, but your meter records the power used by the complete computer and its connected components. The total varies with the mini PC, input, stream settings, encoder path and workload. FFmpeg can read live inputs, filter or transcode media, and write an output; a simple loop and a demanding transcode need not draw the same power. See the FFmpeg documentation for the range of work it can perform.
For an annual electricity estimate, the important value is average power at the wall while the stream is running. That is different from CPU package power, which refers to one part of the system, and from TDP, which Intel defines as a thermal design target rather than a measurement of whole-system consumption. Intel notes that power can be lower at lighter loads, and can exceed TDP temporarily in some conditions. Its TDP explanation is useful context, but neither TDP nor a processor specification replaces a meter reading.
The estimate here covers electricity for the mini PC only. It does not include the purchase price, internet service, a display left on, a separate router, a UPS, or room cooling. If you want to compare the broader economics of a continuous stream, the discussion of 4K 24/7 streaming costs addresses the separate bandwidth and operating questions; keep those costs distinct from this electricity calculation.
Measure the mini PC’s average wall power
A plug-in electricity usage monitor is the most direct way to replace a guess with a reading. Connect the complete mini PC setup you intend to leave on through the monitor, then run the same FFmpeg job, resolution, frame rate, codec and hardware-acceleration choices you plan to use for the channel. Let the stream settle into representative operation and observe the average watts over a meaningful stretch, rather than noting a brief peak or an idle reading.
Write down what the test includes. If the monitor is between the socket and the mini PC power supply, it measures the computer and anything powered from that supply, but not necessarily a separate screen or network equipment. If you intend to count those items, measure them separately or use a monitor arrangement that includes them. For a channel that runs day and night, check more than one part of a normal operating period if the workload changes, such as during a playlist transition or a scheduled live segment.
A practical measurement record can be simple:
| Record | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Average wall watts | This is the value used in the annual energy formula. |
| FFmpeg job and stream settings | Different encode paths and workloads can change draw. |
| What was plugged into the monitor | Defines which equipment the reading covers. |
| Measurement period and operating state | Helps distinguish representative running power from idle or a short peak. |
Do not treat a single instant on a display as a stable average. If the monitor reports energy over time, note the duration and the accumulated kWh as well; those can help reveal whether the observed load is fluctuating. Repeat the measurement after changing the stream configuration, particularly if you move from software encoding to hardware acceleration, or alter resolution, frame rate or codec.
Intel’s graphics media stack can support hardware-accelerated video processing in FFmpeg through paths such as VAAPI and Intel media SDK/VPL. That does not establish what a particular mini PC will draw: supported codecs and the working path depend on its Intel graphics, driver, FFmpeg build and selected encoder. Intel’s graphics media overview and oneVPL with FFmpeg notes describe the acceleration options. Test the actual configuration you will broadcast with, rather than assuming that acceleration always means a particular power saving.
For practical troubleshooting around a test that stops unexpectedly, keep the measurement and stream logs together; the guide to finding why an FFmpeg stream stops overnight can help investigate interruptions. A short test still cannot prove how the machine will behave every night, but it provides a better input to the cost estimate than a spec-sheet wattage.
Calculate annual energy use
For continuous operation all year, one watt running for 8,760 hours consumes 8.76 kilowatt-hours. There are 8,760 hours in a 365-day year, and converting watts to kilowatts means dividing by 1,000. So the annual energy calculation is:
average wall watts ÷ 1,000 × 8,760 = annual kWh
Equivalently, multiply the average watts by 8.76 to get annual kWh. A reading of 20 average watts, for instance, gives 175.2 kWh over continuous operation: 20 ÷ 1,000 × 8,760. This is an arithmetic illustration, not a measurement of an Intel mini PC.
If the stream does not run continuously, use the hours you expect to operate instead of 8,760: average wall watts ÷ 1,000 × annual operating hours. A channel on for 12 hours each day should use its actual annual schedule in that formula, allowing for planned downtime or seasonal operation. This makes the estimate reflect your own channel rather than silently assuming it runs every hour of the year.
Keep the average wattage and hours consistent. If your measurement includes only the mini PC, use it for the computer-only estimate. If it includes other equipment, label the result as a combined estimate. The formula describes energy use; the tariff calculation comes next.
Apply your electricity rate
Multiply annual kWh by the applicable price per kWh on your electricity bill. The full expression for a continuous year is average wall watts × 8.76 × price per kWh. Use the rate as dollars per kWh if you want a dollar result; for a bill quoted in another currency, use the corresponding local rate and retain that currency in the answer.
Use the rate relevant to the additional electricity your setup consumes. A bill may show different charges or tariff periods, and some households have time-of-use pricing. Your all-in marginal rate may therefore differ from a headline average or from dividing the bill total by total household usage. If you cannot identify the relevant rate, use the best current figure shown by your provider and treat the result as an estimate, not a guaranteed bill amount.
For a reference point, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a 2025 U.S. residential average of 17.30 cents per kWh in its 2026 publication of preliminary annual data. It also explains that prices vary by locality; the EIA electricity prices explainer is not a substitute for your own tariff. The U.S. figure below is for comparison only, not a suitable rate to apply to an Indian household or another location without checking its bill.
If your price changes by time of day or season, you can make a more tailored estimate by splitting expected operation into the relevant periods. Calculate kWh for each period from its hours and representative wall watts, apply the corresponding price, then add the costs. Do not add the household’s fixed charges unless you are deliberately estimating a full bill rather than the incremental electricity attributable to the stream.
Illustrative annual cost scenarios
The table uses the EIA 2025 U.S. residential average, or $0.173 per kWh, and assumes continuous operation throughout a 365-day year. The wattage values are illustrative points selected to show how the arithmetic changes; they are not measured results for a named Intel mini PC, nor evidence that any particular FFmpeg job draws those amounts.
| Assumed average wall power | Annual energy at 24/7 | Approximate electricity cost at $0.173/kWh |
|---|---|---|
| 10 W | 87.6 kWh | $15.15/year |
| 20 W | 175.2 kWh | $30.31/year |
| 35 W | 306.6 kWh | $53.04/year |
The useful comparison is not that one row must describe your machine. It is that doubling average watts doubles annual energy when hours and tariff stay the same. Changing the electricity rate has the same proportional effect on cost, while running fewer hours reduces the annual total in line with the hours used. Replace both the example rate and the scenario wattage with your bill and meter reading to estimate your own case.
If you want to compare two mini PCs or configurations, measure both under the same representative workload and count the same items at the wall. Keep resolution, frame rate, codec, input, stream duration and acceleration method consistent. Otherwise a difference in watts may reflect different work, not a more efficient machine. There is no verified controlled measurement here for a specific model and identified stream, so an exact annual bill cannot be inferred from these scenarios.
Account for the rest of the setup
A mini PC is only one part of a 24/7 channel. A separate router or modem uses power too, and a UPS has conversion losses while supplying equipment. A screen left on for monitoring can add its own load. Decide which of these items are genuinely running because of the channel, measure separately where useful, and show them as separate lines in your estimate rather than folding them into an unlabelled computer figure.
The computer’s purchase price is a different kind of cost. To compare that with electricity over a chosen period, state the purchase amount, how long you expect to use it, and the operating hours assumed. Avoid describing the electricity total as the full cost of ownership unless you have included the other costs you mean to count. Likewise, internet access and data-plan charges are not electricity charges, even if the stream makes them necessary.
Reliability has a practical cost as well: if the computer is unattended, a home power cut, network interruption or software failure can interrupt the broadcast. A plug meter tells you about power use; it does not monitor or restore a stream. If maintaining an unattended stream is the particular burden, StreamNeo removes the need to leave your own computer running for the broadcast by running an uploaded video as a YouTube live stream, with monitoring and automatic restart if it drops.
For a local setup, include any chosen backup equipment in the power measurement if it will remain connected. For a cloud-hosted approach, electricity at home is not the only comparison to make: consider the provider’s current fee, stream limits and what happens when a broadcast needs attention. The guide to setting up a 24/7 YouTube stream on an AWS virtual machine explores a different operating approach; it does not replace comparing the terms and costs of the specific service you would use.
Turn the estimate into a decision
Once you have a measured average and a tariff, the arithmetic is straightforward. Keep a note of the measurement date, setup and stream settings alongside the annual estimate. If you later change the encode path or add an always-on device, you can update the relevant measured input instead of starting from an assumed generic number.
A useful decision sequence is to first check whether the mini PC can run the intended stream reliably, then measure its wall power under that job, and finally compare the annual electricity estimate with the other operating costs. A low electricity figure does not establish that a setup will be reliable, while a higher figure does not automatically make it unsuitable. The right trade-off depends on the channel’s workload, your local tariff and how much maintenance you are prepared to do.
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 running 24/7?
There is no single figure for every mini PC or FFmpeg stream. Measure average wall power during the intended job, then multiply watts by 8.76 to estimate annual kWh for a full year of continuous operation.
How do I calculate the yearly power cost of a streaming PC?
Multiply average wall watts by 8.76 and then by your electricity price per kWh. For part-year or part-day use, use the actual annual operating hours in place of 8,760 hours; the result remains an estimate based on the rate and measurement you supplied.
Can I use the Intel processor’s TDP as the wattage?
No. TDP is a thermal design figure, not a measurement of the entire computer at the wall, and actual power changes with workload and system configuration. A plug-in electricity usage monitor reading during your real stream is a more appropriate input.
Does hardware acceleration guarantee a lower electricity bill?
No. Intel graphics hardware and a compatible FFmpeg build can provide accelerated video paths, but the usable codec and encoder depend on the GPU, driver and configuration. Measure the intended accelerated and non-accelerated jobs under comparable settings if you want to compare their power use.