Turning off the monitor can reduce the electricity used by the display, but it does not turn off the desktop that is encoding and sending your YouTube stream. Whether the setup is cheaper depends on the measured power of the equipment you leave running and the electricity rate that applies to you.
There is no reliable universal monthly bill for an unspecified second-hand small form factor (SFF) PC and streaming workload. Measure the complete setup at the wall while it is doing the intended work, then use the average watts and your own tariff to calculate its energy cost.
The bill depends on your PC and electricity tariff
A 24/7 broadcast is an ongoing load, so a small difference in average power continues to accumulate over many hours. But “small SFF desktop” does not identify a particular power draw. Processor, graphics hardware, encoder settings, video content, attached equipment and the computer’s condition can all affect what a meter reads. A manufacturer’s component rating or another person’s result cannot stand in for your machine under your workload.
The tariff matters just as much when converting energy into money. Electricity prices and bill structures vary by location and supplier. Your bill may use time-of-use rates, tiers, taxes or fixed charges, so a single rate multiplied by energy estimates only the energy-price component when that rate is appropriate. Use the marginal per-kWh price that best represents the extra consumption, and check your current bill or supplier information rather than assuming a general rate.
The key comparison is not simply “monitor on” against “monitor off” as a whole-system question. The desktop remains on to keep the encoder and connection operating; switching off the display changes only the display’s contribution, unless other equipment is also switched off. If the stream is not stable or the computer sleeps, the lower bill is not a useful outcome. For practical checks on stream health, see the guide to preventing OBS from stopping a 24/7 stream.
Measure the intended setup at the wall
Start with the second-hand SFF PC you actually plan to use. Connect the equipment that will remain on during the broadcast and let the stream run with representative content and settings. Measure at the wall after the setup has settled into its ordinary operating pattern. A short reading during boot, a software preview or an idle desktop does not answer what continuous streaming costs.
Write down exactly what the measurement includes. For example, you might measure the PC alone, then repeat with the display, speakers and any other devices that are intended to stay powered. If a router or network device is included in the measured group, keep it included in every comparison. If it is powered elsewhere and you do not intend to include its consumption, say so. This boundary makes the result understandable and prevents a comparison from quietly counting different equipment in each case.
Use representative stream content. A static image, a moving ambient loop and a camera feed may exercise the encoder differently. YouTube’s live encoder guidance discusses stream settings such as resolution, frame rate and codec, and recommends testing with representative content and monitoring stream health. Those are useful streaming instructions, not a power estimate: YouTube does not specify how many watts your desktop will draw from them.
If the stream runs continuously, a stable average over a useful observation period is more informative than a momentary reading. A meter that displays changing watts can help you notice variation; record a representative average or several readings over the period you choose. Do not describe that observation as a guaranteed yearly result. Content, software updates, encoding behaviour, hardware ageing and ambient conditions can change the load later.
Turn average watts into annual energy
Let P be the average wall power in watts for the equipment boundary you have chosen. Let H be the number of operating hours. The energy calculation is:
Energy in kWh = P × H ÷ 1,000
For continuous operation across a 365-day year, the hours are 8,760. Therefore, the annual energy estimate is P × 8.76 kWh. This is an arithmetic conversion, not a claim about the draw of any particular SFF PC. Put your own measured average watts in place of P.
For a monthly estimate, decide what “month” means in your comparison. A simple average month across a 365-day year is annual kWh divided by 12. Alternatively, use the actual number of hours in the billing period if you want to align the estimate with a particular bill. Dividing by 12 is convenient for budgeting but does not mean every calendar month has the same number of days.
If operation is not continuous, use the hours you expect the setup to run rather than 8,760. The formula works for a schedule with daily shutdowns, but the measured average should represent the operating state you are costing. If startup or shutdown periods add appreciable energy, include those in a suitable measurement rather than treating every hour as identical.
This annualisation is useful for comparing choices only when the measurement and assumptions match. If you compare two PCs, run the same content, stream settings, attached gear and measurement method on each. If the workload changes, measure again. A calculation can make assumptions visible; it cannot repair a comparison built from different workloads.
Convert the energy estimate into cost
Let R be your applicable electricity price in currency per kWh. Multiply the calculated energy by that price:
Estimated energy charge = (P × H ÷ 1,000) × R
For continuous operation over a 365-day year, this can also be written as P × 8.76 × R for the annual energy charge. For an average month, divide that annual result by 12. These expressions deliberately leave P and R as values for you to measure and obtain; they are not quoted rates or a tested PC result.
For a transparent calculation, note three things beside the result: the measured average watts, the equipment included and the rate used. For example, your record might say “PC and network equipment included; display excluded; measured during the intended stream; supplier’s applicable energy rate.” That is more useful than a bare monthly cost because you can update it when the tariff changes or when you alter the equipment.
The simple multiplication estimates the energy-price component, not necessarily the full change in your bill. Fixed charges may not change with usage, while time-of-use pricing or tiered rates may mean different hours cost different amounts. Taxes and other charges may also apply. Check the current official tariff or bill for how your supplier calculates the next unit of consumption.
Nor does an energy comparison alone establish which operating option is cheaper overall. A computer you already own has no new purchase cost for this calculation, but replacement, repair, additional hardware or a recurring service fee can matter to a longer-term decision. Keep energy cost separate from those costs, then compare them over the period that matters to you.
Decide what to count when the monitor is off
The cleanest way to isolate the display’s effect is to measure the same running stream in two states: first with the monitor on as you normally use it, then with it switched off or in its actual standby state. Keep the desktop and other equipment unchanged. The difference between the average wall readings estimates the effect of changing the monitor state in that setup.
If you want to estimate the cost of that difference, apply the same energy formula to the difference in watts. Multiply the watt difference by the hours and divide by 1,000 to find the kWh difference, then multiply by your applicable rate. The answer concerns only the energy difference attributable to the measured change in setup. It does not mean the whole desktop becomes more efficient, and it is not necessarily the same as the monitor’s product-label figure.
A display can have separate On, Sleep and Off states. ENERGY STAR’s monitor criteria distinguish operating modes; where a certified display offers an Off Mode, the listed criterion is under 0.5 W in that mode. That is a certification threshold, not a guarantee that every monitor’s switch-off or standby behaviour has the same draw. Measure the state you will actually use.
Count peripherals only if they remain powered in the real arrangement you are comparing. If you switch off speakers, lights or an external drive along with the screen, the measured difference includes those devices too. That may be a valid practical comparison, but describe it as the difference between the two complete setups, not as the monitor’s individual saving.
Keep the internet connection in view. A live encoder needs to send the stream, and the router or other network equipment may need to stay on even with the display dark. If you include its consumption, measure it consistently; if not, the result is a PC-and-display estimate rather than the whole household equipment load. For prerecorded radio loops, the separate question of keeping the broadcast active without your own computer is covered in how to keep a YouTube radio stream running when your computer is off.
Why idle power and component ratings mislead
Idle is not the same job as encoding and uploading a live stream. A desktop sitting at its desktop screen may use less or more power than it does under your chosen encoder settings and content. A component’s rated power describes a component or design limit in a defined context, not the average wall draw of your complete PC during a particular stream.
Likewise, a display’s advertised or certified mode does not settle what the complete setup consumes. The power at the wall includes the computer, power conversion losses and anything else connected downstream of the meter. A monitor’s On-to-Off difference is only one part of the total. The only dependable local answer comes from measuring the arrangement you will operate.
Do not use a screen saver as a substitute for switching off the monitor. ENERGY STAR states, “A screen saver does not save energy,” and notes that some screen savers can keep the CPU from sleeping. More importantly here, the stream is active work: putting the computer itself to sleep would interrupt the encoder rather than preserve a 24/7 feed. The display can be off while the host stays awake, but the two states should not be confused.
YouTube’s encoder settings affect the stream’s output and workload, but there is no universal watts-per-resolution conversion. If you make a change to resolution, frame rate or encoding configuration, confirm that stream quality and health remain acceptable, then remeasure. The bitrate troubleshooting guide can help with a stream problem, but bitrate advice should not be mistaken for an electricity-cost table.
Use a plug-in meter as a practical option
A plug-in power meter is one practical way to take a wall measurement for equipment that connects through a suitable mains plug. Connect the meter according to its instructions, then connect the equipment you want to include. Check that its rating and socket arrangement are appropriate for the devices and local electrical supply. If you are uncertain about the wiring or safe use, ask a qualified person rather than improvising an arrangement.
Some meters show instantaneous watts; some also record energy over time. Follow the meter’s own guidance for interpreting the display and resetting an energy counter. A reading taken immediately after starting a stream may reflect a brief transition rather than ordinary operation. Allow the actual stream to run, observe how the reading behaves, and take notes that identify the time window and content. There is no need to claim precision beyond what the instrument supports.
The research literature includes wall-power measurement of video playback using a Kill-a-Watt meter, but playback tests do not measure your livestreaming PC. Treat that as evidence that a plug-in meter can be used to measure a device at the wall, not as a benchmark to borrow. Your measured workload remains the relevant one.
If a plug-in meter is unavailable, a compatible whole-circuit or smart-meter view may provide a broader reading, but it can be difficult to separate the PC from other household loads. In that case, take readings under otherwise similar conditions, with the stream off and on, and recognise that unrelated changes add uncertainty. A dedicated meter is often easier to interpret when the goal is a specific equipment boundary.
Compare alternatives on the same basis
A desktop is not the only way to send prerecorded material to YouTube, but another device is not automatically cheaper. YouTube documents encoder options, including standalone hardware, and its encoder information can help you understand the broad categories. The vendor’s own documentation should be checked for the exact device’s capabilities and current terms. A feature intended for scheduled prerecorded media is not necessarily suitable for a live camera feed.
For a fair comparison, measure each option while sending the same content and quality target, and count the same associated equipment. Then compare energy at your tariff alongside purchase price, expected replacement, any recurring fee, setup effort and the control you need. A cloud-based approach may remove the need to leave a home PC running, but its energy use is not the only cost and no like-for-like ranking follows without actual figures.
StreamNeo is relevant when the specific problem is needing your own computer to stay on for a prerecorded file: you upload the video and provide the YouTube stream key, and the stream continues without that computer being powered on, with monitoring and automatic restart if it drops. It is YouTube-only, so it is not a substitute for every live production workflow, and you should compare total costs and requirements rather than assume it is cheaper.
If the channel uses scheduled live sessions rather than one continuous loop, planning them may change how many hours the desktop runs; the YouTube scheduling guide is a useful place to check the platform-side limits. The energy arithmetic stays the same: use the operating hours and measured watts for the schedule you actually choose.
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 turning off the monitor stop the stream?
No. The monitor is separate from the desktop, so the computer can continue encoding and sending the broadcast while the display is off. Do not put the computer itself to sleep if the encoder must keep the stream running.
How can I estimate the monthly electricity cost?
Measure average wall watts for the equipment you intend to leave running, multiply by the operating hours and divide by 1,000 to get kWh. Multiply that energy by the applicable price per kWh from your current bill or tariff, and account separately for fixed charges or time-based pricing.
Should I include my router and speakers?
Include equipment that remains powered if you want a whole-setup estimate, and include the same equipment in every comparison. If you only measure the PC, label the result as a PC-only estimate rather than the cost of the complete broadcast arrangement.
Is a small second-hand PC always cheaper than a cloud or hardware option?
There is no universal answer without matching the workload and counting energy, purchase or replacement costs, and any recurring charges. Measure the options under comparable conditions and check current supplier or vendor terms before deciding.