A modern LED television uses between 30 and 100 watts of electricity per hour, depending on its screen size and display technology. Assuming an average of five hours of daily viewing at a rate of 15 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), a typical TV costs between $8 and $27 per year to run. Many buyers overestimate how much power a flat screen requires during a movie, while completely ignoring the hidden energy drain of smart features running in the background.
Quick answer
An average 55-inch LED TV draws 60 to 80 watts of power per hour. Running it costs roughly $1.50 to $2.00 per month on a standard US electricity plan. You can lower this cost by turning off ‘quick start’ settings and reducing the screen’s backlight.
- Best for low power bills: Standard LED screens under 55 inches
- Best for instant viewing: Leaving Quick Start enabled (draws 10-20W continuously)
- A 55-inch LED TV consumes about 60 to 80 watts per hour of active use.
- Standard standby mode draws 0.5 to 3 watts, but ‘Quick Start’ modes push this to 10 to 20 watts.
- Older plasma TVs can consume 300 to 500 watts per hour, far more than modern sets.
- Maximum backlight settings and HDR content can increase power consumption by 20% to 50%.
- A typical 10W LED light bulb uses about one-sixth the electricity of a 55-inch LED TV.
- How much electricity does tv use per hour?
- Does screen technology change power usage?
- How much electricity does tv use on standby?
- How much does it cost to run a TV per month?
- How much electricity does a tv use vs a light bulb?
- How can I reduce my TV’s electricity usage?
- What do owners say?
- Frequently Asked Questions
How much electricity does tv use per hour?
A typical modern 55-inch LED TV consumes about 60 to 80 watts per hour of active use. The exact number depends heavily on the size of the screen and how bright you set the display. Larger screens require more LED lights behind the panel, which directly increases the wattage.
To put this in perspective, here is a breakdown of estimated hourly wattage and annual costs based on standard screen sizes. These estimates assume five hours of daily viewing at an electricity rate of $0.15 per kWh.
| Screen Size | Average LED Wattage | Average OLED Wattage | Estimated Annual Cost (LED) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43-inch | 40W – 50W | 50W – 65W | $11.00 – $13.70 |
| 55-inch | 60W – 80W | 80W – 105W | $16.40 – $21.90 |
| 65-inch | 80W – 100W | 100W – 130W | $21.90 – $27.40 |
| 75-inch | 110W – 130W | 130W – 160W | $30.10 – $35.60 |
Does screen technology (LED, OLED, QLED) change power usage?
Yes. The type of panel inside your television dictates how it generates light and how much power it pulls from the wall. Standard LED and QLED displays use a unified backlight system. They are generally the most energy-efficient options on the market.
OLED TVs often consume slightly more power than standard LED TVs. Because an OLED panel lacks a universal backlight, every single pixel generates its own light. When an OLED displays a very bright, mostly white scene, it draws maximum power. During dark, cinematic scenes, power drops significantly. On average, an OLED pulls about 15% to 20% more electricity than an equivalent LED over a year of mixed viewing.
From the Shop
When measuring household energy drains, we frequently find older Plasma televisions hiding in basements and guest rooms. A plasma TV from 2012 can easily consume between 300 and 500 watts per hour. That is significantly more than modern flat screens. Replacing an old daily-driver plasma with a basic LED screen often pays for itself in electricity savings within a few years.
How much electricity does tv use on standby?
In standard standby mode, a television draws roughly 0.5 to 3 watts. However, ‘quick start’ or ‘always-listening’ smart features can push this to 10 to 20 watts of constant draw. This is known as phantom load.
Many guides fail to mention that network standby modes are enabled by default on new smart TVs. These sets stay constantly connected to your Wi-Fi, downloading updates and listening for voice commands or casting signals from your phone.
- If you want the TV to turn on instantly and accept casting from your phone: Leave Quick Start enabled. Expect it to use about 15W continuously, adding roughly $20 to your annual electric bill.
- If you want to minimize your power bill: Disable network standby and Quick Start in the settings menu. The TV will take a few extra seconds to boot up, but standby draw drops below 1W.
How much does it cost to run a TV per month?
Running an average 55-inch LED TV costs about $1.53 per month. You can calculate your exact cost using your television’s wattage and your local electricity rate.
Here is the step-by-step formula. We will use a 70W television watched for 5 hours a day, alongside the US national average electricity price near 17 cents per kWh ($0.17):
- Step 1: Find Daily Watt-hours. Multiply wattage by hours used (70W × 5 hours = 350 watt-hours).
- Step 2: Convert to Kilowatt-hours (kWh). Divide by 1,000 (350 ÷ 1000 = 0.35 kWh per day).
- Step 3: Find Monthly kWh. Multiply by 30 days (0.35 kWh × 30 = 10.5 kWh per month).
- Step 4: Calculate Cost. Multiply the monthly kWh by your electricity rate (10.5 kWh × $0.17 = $1.78 per month).
How much electricity does a tv use vs a light bulb?
A standard 10W LED light bulb uses about one-sixth to one-eighth the electricity of a modern 55-inch LED TV. A television is a low-draw appliance compared to anything that creates heat, but it uses noticeably more power than room lighting.
Comparisons to light bulbs often confuse buyers because they reference old 60W incandescent bulbs. An old 60W incandescent bulb uses roughly the same amount of power as a new 55-inch LED TV. However, homes rarely use those older bulbs today. Compared to a 1,500W space heater, a TV is highly efficient. You could run twenty 55-inch LED TVs for the same power cost as a single electric space heater.
How can I reduce my TV’s electricity usage?
You can cut your television’s power consumption drastically by changing just a few factory settings. Most units ship in a high-brightness mode designed to look good under bright store lights.
- Turn down the backlight: Lowering the backlight from 100% to 50% often cuts active power draw in half without ruining picture quality in a dark room.
- Use ambient light sensors: If your TV has a light sensor, turn it on. It automatically dims the screen at night.
- Disable Quick Start: Dive into the system settings and disable ‘Instant On’, ‘Network Standby’, or ‘Quick Start’ to kill phantom power drains.
- Use a smart plug: For entertainment centers with soundbars and gaming consoles, plug everything into a single smart strip. Schedule it to turn off completely at night.
What do owners say?
Owners like
- Smart plugs are an easy fix to completely kill standby power drain.
- Ambient light sensors automatically dimming the screen saves power without needing manual adjustment.
Common complaints
- Factory default ‘Eco-modes’ make the screen too dim to watch comfortably in a bright room.
- Quick-start and network standby modes being enabled by default causing unexpected phantom power drain.
- Lack of clear ‘active wattage’ information on the box when buying a new TV.
Summarised from owner reviews and long-term user reports; individual experiences vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much electricity does tv use?
A modern television uses between 30 and 130 watts per hour, depending on screen size and brightness. Averaged over a year, a typical 55-inch model costs roughly $15 to $25 in electricity.
How much electricity does tv use per hour?
An average 55-inch LED TV draws 60 to 80 watts of power per hour of active viewing. Larger 75-inch models draw up to 130 watts per hour, while small 43-inch screens draw around 40 watts.
How much electricity does tv use on standby?
On standard standby, a television uses 0.5 to 3 watts. However, if ‘Quick Start’ or network standby features are turned on, the television will draw 10 to 20 watts continuously while turned off.
How much electricity does a tv use vs a light bulb?
A 55-inch LED TV uses about 60 to 80 watts per hour, which is roughly six to eight times more electricity than a standard 10-watt LED light bulb.
Do tv use much electricity?
Compared to heavy appliances like air conditioners, space heaters, or refrigerators, a TV does not use much electricity. It accounts for a very small percentage of a typical monthly home energy bill.
