How much does it cost to run a games console (Xbox Series X-class)? (2026 price cap)
At the GB-average Ofgem price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026, a games console (Xbox Series X-class) rated at 180W costs 4.7p an hour to run and around £34.58 a year assuming 2 hours of active play a day.
Per hour
4.7p
Per typical use
9.5p
Per day
9.5p
Per week
67p
Per year
£34.58
Typical rating and how we worked this out
This page uses a typical rating of 180W for a games console (Xbox Series X-class); published figures for this appliance range from 70W to 180W. A modern console draws far more power actively rendering a game than sitting on its home menu or in a low-power sleep state — most of the daily running cost comes from active play, not idle time. The running cost follows the same formula used across this site: watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × unit rate. Typical use is modelled as 2 hours of active play a day, which is how the per-day, per-week and per-year figures above were calculated — see the cost-to-run calculator to change the wattage, hours or region yourself.
Rate used: Ofgem price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026, GB average electricity — 26.32p/kWh (excl. VAT, removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027).
Cost by region
Same appliance, same use — ranked most to least expensive by region under the price cap:
| Region | Elec p/kWh | Cost per hour | Typical annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merseyside and Northern Wales | 27.86 | 5.0p | £36.61 |
| South Eastern England | 26.88 | 4.8p | £35.32 |
| Eastern England | 26.61 | 4.8p | £34.97 |
| London | 26.60 | 4.8p | £34.95 |
| South Western England | 26.58 | 4.8p | £34.93 |
| Southern Wales | 26.55 | 4.8p | £34.89 |
| North Western England | 26.49 | 4.8p | £34.81 |
| Southern England | 26.47 | 4.8p | £34.78 |
| Northern Scotland | 26.35 | 4.7p | £34.62 |
| Southern Scotland | 26.11 | 4.7p | £34.31 |
| West Midlands | 25.60 | 4.6p | £33.64 |
| Yorkshire | 25.60 | 4.6p | £33.64 |
| North Eastern England | 25.46 | 4.6p | £33.45 |
| East Midlands | 25.36 | 4.6p | £33.32 |
| Great Britain average | 26.32 | 4.7p | £34.58 |
East Midlands is cheapest at £33.32 a year; Merseyside and Northern Wales is most expensive at £36.61 a year — a gap of £3.29 for identical use.
How a games console (Xbox Series X-class) compares with similar appliances
Ranked by typical annual cost in entertainment & office, GB average:
- games console (Xbox Series X-class) — £34.58 a year (this page)
- 55-inch LED TV — £36.03 a year
- games console (PlayStation 5-class) — £38.43 a year
- 43-inch LED TV — £28.82 a year
- laptop — £19.21 a year
- broadband router — £18.45 a year
Three practical ways to cut the cost
- Use the energy-saving/sleep mode rather than the "instant-on" always-powered state if you don't need instant resume
- Turn the console off rather than leaving it paused for long periods
- Schedule large downloads for while you are actively using the console rather than an always-on standby mode
FAQs
- How much does it cost to run a games console (Xbox Series X-class) for an hour?
- 4.7p at the GB-average rate (26.32p/kWh, 180W). One typical use — 2 hours of active play a day — costs closer to 9.5p.
- How much does a games console (Xbox Series X-class) cost to run per year?
- Around £34.58 a year at the GB-average rate, assuming 2 hours of active play a day — about 67p a week.
- Which UK region is cheapest to run a games console (Xbox Series X-class) in?
- East Midlands, at £33.32 a year, against £36.61 in Merseyside and Northern Wales — £3.29 apart for identical use, purely from the regional rate.
- Does the exact wattage of my games console (Xbox Series X-class) change the cost much?
- Yes — ratings range 70W–180W, so the top of that range costs about 2.6x the bottom. This page uses 180W; check your own rating plate.
- Does the October 2026 price cap affect this figure?
- Yes — figures use the Ofgem cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Electricity excludes VAT (removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027); gas includes 5%. See the price cap page for the full breakdown.
Sources
- Heatable — how much energy do household appliances use — wattage and usage figures for this appliance.
- Ofgem — Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (regional tables, read 12 September 2026).
Related
- Cost-to-run calculator and full A–Z — check any appliance or enter a custom wattage.
- Energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 — every region, every payment method.
- Back-billing calculator — if a bill for this or any appliance looks like it covers too many months.
- Free bill audit — if your overall energy costs look high regardless of any one appliance.
Send us one bill. We'll send back every overcharge — and the cheapest legitimate replacement.
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