Share on ChatGPT
Share on Grok
Electricity rates keep creeping up, and the average American now watches close to 3.7 hours of TV a day — enough for that "harmless" appliance to show up on your bill. In this guide, we'll break down how many watts different TV types and sizes actually draw, how to calculate your own running cost using a few real-world viewing scenarios, how that cost shifts by state, what standby power quietly adds even with the screen off, and what it takes to run a TV off-grid — on a boat, in an RV, or from a portable power station.
Quick answer: most TVs use between 100 and 200 watts, depending on screen size and display technology — a typical 100-watt TV costs about $2 a month to run, roughly $25 a year, at average U.S. electricity rates.
Key takeaways
- Most TVs use between 100 and 200 watts, depending on screen size, display technology (LED, OLED, QLED, plasma), and picture settings.
- At the national average electricity rate of 18.56¢/kWh and 3.7 hours of daily viewing, a typical 100W TV costs about 7 cents a day, roughly $2 a month, and about $25 a year to run.
- A plugged-in TV still draws power in standby mode — ENERGY STAR caps certified sets at 0.5W (passive) to 1.0W (networked/active), though real-world draw on older or non-certified sets can run higher.
TV Power Consumption Depends on Size and Type
Screen size and display technology are the two biggest factors in how many watts your TV pulls. Here's what actual ENERGY STAR–certified TVs currently on the market draw, pulled directly from the ENERGY STAR Certified Televisions database — measured on-mode power (watts) for each screen size, with the running cost calculated:
ENERGY STAR only lists certified models, which are already selected for efficiency, and the 55"–85" range in the database currently leans heavily toward premium OLED and QLED flagships.
*The 40" figure is based on only 2 certified models currently in the database — manufacturers mostly skip straight from ~39" to 42–43" today, so treat this row as a rough estimate rather than a solid median.
LED
Organic Light Emitting Diodes
LED/LCD TVs
The most common type on the market. Small to medium LED/LCD TVs (around 32 inches) generally use 30–55 watts, while larger models (50 inches and up) can range from 100–300 watts or more. These TVs work by sandwiching liquid crystals between two polarizing filters, with an LED backlight illuminating the crystals as they twist to control how much light passes through. Smaller models are efficient; larger ones draw noticeably more power.
LCD
Liquid Crystal Display
QLED TVs
QLED sets use the same LED-backlit architecture as standard LED/LCD TVs, with an added quantum dot filter layer for wider color performance. Because the underlying backlight technology is similar, QLED power consumption is usually comparable to LED/LCD models of the same size — though QLED sets are often run at higher brightness to showcase HDR content, which can push actual usage toward the higher end of the range.
Mini-LED TVs
Mini-LED backlighting uses thousands of smaller LEDs for more precise local dimming and higher peak brightness. That extra brightness capability tends to mean somewhat higher power draw than a standard LED/LCD set of the same size, especially in HDR or high-brightness modes.
OLED
Organic Light Emitting Diodes
OLED TVs
Known for top-tier picture quality, OLED TVs generally use 100–200 watts for small to medium screens, more for larger models. Each pixel emits its own light and switches off completely for true black, which is part of why OLED is usually considered the most energy-efficient premium display technology — turning off unused pixels cuts power draw in dark scenes specifically.
Plasma TVs
Now largely phased out, small plasma TVs used around 100–150 watts, with larger models reaching 500 watts or more. Their gas-cell design produced vibrant colors and deep blacks, but the high energy draw is a major reason plasma disappeared from the market.
CRT
Cathode Ray Tube
CRT TVs
Mostly of historical interest today. These older sets could draw up to 120 watts, and their bulky size makes them impractical for modern homes, though a few enthusiasts and retro gamers still keep them running.
How to make home energy efficient, save money and help the planetYes. Settings that boost peak brightness — HDR, "vivid" picture modes, and high-refresh-rate (120Hz+) gaming modes — all increase power draw at a given screen size, since the backlight (or, on OLED, the pixels themselves) has to work harder. Standard or eco picture modes with brightness turned down are the most effective way to cut consumption without buying a new TV.
Volts, Amps, Watts — What's the Difference?
A few terms are worth untangling before we get to costs:
Volts are like water pressure in a pipe — they show how strongly electricity is pushed through your home's wiring.
Amps measure how much electricity is actually flowing, similar to the volume of water moving through a pipe per second.
Watts combine volts and amps to tell you how much power something uses right now. A 60-watt bulb needs 60 watts to run.
A kilowatt-hour measures total electricity used over time — run a 1,000-watt (1 kilowatt) appliance for one hour, and that's one kilowatt-hour. This is the unit your electric bill is based on.
Setting an Example
Here's the math, using a 100W TV run for the average 3.7 hours of daily viewing:
$25/year
— at the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.56¢/kWh, that works out to roughly 7 cents a day and $2 a month.
- Daily use: 100 W × 3.7 h = 370 Wh (0.37 kWh) per day
- Monthly use: 0.37 kWh × 30 days ≈ 11.1 kWh per month
- Annual use: 0.37 kWh × 365 days ≈ 135 kWh per year
At the current U.S. average residential rate of 18.56¢/kWh, that works out to roughly 7 cents a day, $2 a month, and $25 a year.
Not everyone watches the average amount, though — here's how the cost shifts for a 100W TV at different daily viewing habits:
For a larger, higher-wattage TV, scale these numbers up proportionally — a 200W TV, for example, costs roughly double at any given viewing habit.
To bring your own number down, look for an Energy Star–certified model, use built-in eco or power-saving modes, and dial back brightness and contrast from the factory "vivid" defaults.
Monthly and Yearly Costs to Run a TV by State
Electricity rates vary widely by state, which changes your real-world cost even with the same TV. Here's what a 100-watt TV run for 4 hours a day costs across five states, using current EIA residential rates:
Figures based on EIA's most recent residential rate data; a 100W TV run 4 hours/day, 30-day month, 365-day year.
How Does a TV Compare to Other Appliances?
A TV is actually one of the lighter loads in most homes. For context, at typical wattages:
A TV left on all evening still uses far less electricity than a single hour of AC, oven, or dryer use — worth keeping in mind if you're deciding where to focus your energy-saving effort first.
How many watts do electric cooktop and oven use? Hot topicPlugged-In TV Still Uses Energy in Standby Mode
Appliances left on standby — TVs, laptops in sleep mode, game consoles, coffee machines — draw a small, constant trickle of power even when "off." For TVs, ENERGY STAR certification caps standby draw at 0.5W in passive standby and 1.0W in active/networked standby; real-world draw can run somewhat higher, especially on older or non-certified sets:
A single device isn't much, but the combined effect across a household is often cited by utilities and energy retailers as adding somewhere in the range of $100–$200 to an annual electricity bill — though the real number depends heavily on how many devices you own and how often they're actually unplugged.
How many watts does a computer use? It does compute!To cut this cost, unplug devices you're not using, or use a power strip or smart outlet to kill power to several devices at once.
Saving Money on Your TV
- Choose an energy-efficient model Look for Energy Star certification and compare energy-consumption ratings before you buy.
- Use eco mode and dial back brightness Most modern TVs have a built-in eco setting that trims brightness, contrast, and backlight automatically — often with little visible impact on picture quality.
- Turn it off, not just to standby Standby draw is small but real; unplugging or switching off at the outlet eliminates it entirely.
- Unplug connected devices Game consoles, Blu-ray players, and soundbars can keep drawing "phantom load" even when your TV is off — a power strip with a physical switch makes this easy to manage.
How much electricity does a dryer use? Something to think aboutIf your utility offers time-of-use pricing, it's also worth avoiding peak-rate hours for heavy viewing when you can.
TV Can Be Powered with Solar Generator
A small TV can be a nice companion on a trailer or boat trip. Pairing a portable solar setup with your equipment lets you keep it charged wherever you go — flexible panels can be adhered to an RV or boat, while foldable panels with kickstands work well for campsites. Most travelers have modest power needs, so a couple of small-output panels are often enough.
For this kind of setup, pair your panels with a portable power station — a combination of an inverter, a charge controller, and battery storage that keeps your devices running even when the sun isn't out. Together, solar panels and a power station form a complete PV generator.
As a rough guide, here's how long a power station of a given capacity could run a TV on its own, assuming roughly 85% conversion efficiency and no other devices drawing power at the same time:
SolarEdge String Inverter 6kW SE6000H-US000BEU4
- Size6 kW
- TypeString
- ConnectionGrid Tie
- PhasesSingle-Phase
Delivery on Sep 15–18
A soundbar, streaming device, or router running alongside the TV will shorten these runtimes, so size your setup for the whole entertainment system rather than the screen alone.
If you're thinking bigger — powering a home TV setup from a rooftop solar system — keep in mind that the 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) can no longer be claimed for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, per the IRS's current Form 5695 instructions. Leasing or power-purchase agreements, along with select state and utility incentives, may still apply depending on where you live. It's worth checking current terms with a local installer before assuming a discount applies.
FAQ
Andrei has been a news editor and freelance writer for a number of medias before joining the A1 SolarStore. Climate change and its impact on people's lives have always been among his interests and it partially explains his degree in Philosophy and Ethics.
More articles from this author
