Gaming PC electricity cost UK 2026
How much does a gaming PC cost to run? We cover 5 real GPU builds — from a budget GTX 1660 Super to an RTX 4090 ultra rig — across 10 usage patterns. All costs calculated at the Ofgem cap of 26.11p/kWh (1 July to 30 September 2026). GPU TDP figures are published manufacturer specifications, not estimates.
Budget PC (GTX 1660 Super, 245 W) gaming 2 h/day 5 days/week costs 64.0p/week (≈£2.77/month). Ultra PC (RTX 4090, 675 W) gaming 4 h/day every day costs £4.93/week (≈£21.38/month). At Ofgem cap 26.11p/kWh (1 July to 30 September 2026). Source: Nvidia/AMD published TDP specs + Ofgem (OGL v3.0).
Weekly cost matrix — 5 rigs × 10 scenarios
Click any cell to view the full breakdown + interactive calculator.
| Rig | Casual | Regular | Enthusiast | Daily | Heavy | Weekend marathon | 2 hours gaming + 6 h idle standby | Streamer | School-age | Overnight download + idle (8 h) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget PC (GTX 1660 Super) | 19.2p/wk | 64.0p/wk | 96.0p/wk | £1.79/wk | £2.69/wk | £1.02/wk | £1.27/wk | £1.92/wk | 32.0p/wk | £1.17/wk |
| Mid-range PC (RTX 3070) | 27.4p/wk | 91.4p/wk | £1.37/wk | £2.56/wk | £3.84/wk | £1.46/wk | £1.54/wk | £2.74/wk | 45.7p/wk | £1.17/wk |
| High-end PC (RTX 4070) | 27.8p/wk | 92.7p/wk | £1.39/wk | £2.60/wk | £3.89/wk | £1.48/wk | £1.55/wk | £2.78/wk | 46.3p/wk | £1.17/wk |
| Ultra PC (RTX 4090) | 52.9p/wk | £1.76/wk | £2.64/wk | £4.93/wk | £7.40/wk | £2.82/wk | £2.39/wk | £5.29/wk | 88.1p/wk | £1.17/wk |
| AMD Ultra PC (RX 7900 XTX) | 43.5p/wk | £1.45/wk | £2.17/wk | £4.06/wk | £6.09/wk | £2.32/wk | £2.08/wk | £4.35/wk | 72.5p/wk | £1.17/wk |
Browse by gaming rig
Budget PC (GTX 1660 Super)
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super (125 W TDP)
64.0p/week (2 h/day, 5 days)
Mid-range PC (RTX 3070)
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 (220 W TDP)
91.4p/week (2 h/day, 5 days)
High-end PC (RTX 4070)
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 (200 W TDP)
92.7p/week (2 h/day, 5 days)
Ultra PC (RTX 4090)
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 (450 W TDP)
£1.76/week (2 h/day, 5 days)
AMD Ultra PC (RX 7900 XTX)
GPU: AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX (355 W TDP)
£1.45/week (2 h/day, 5 days)
Common questions
- How much electricity does a gaming PC use per hour?
- Budget rig (GTX 1660 Super): 245 W total = 6.4p/hour. Ultra rig (RTX 4090): 675 W = 17.6p/hour. At Ofgem cap 26.11p/kWh (1 July to 30 September 2026).
- How much does gaming add to my electricity bill each month?
- Budget rig (2 h/session, 5 days/week): approximately £2.77/month. Ultra rig (4 h/day, every day): approximately £21.38/month.
- Does leaving a gaming PC on standby cost much?
- A gaming PC in idle draws around 80 W. At 26.11p/kWh, 8 hours overnight costs 16.7p. The overnight download scenario covers this in detail.
Related energy calculators
Track gaming PC running costs
Updated each time the Ofgem price cap changes.
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GPU TDP figures from Nvidia / AMD / Intel — published TDP specifications for GPU and CPU components. Unit rate 26.11p/kWh from Ofgem — Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (1 July to 30 September 2026), OGL v3.0. Last updated: 2026-06-20.