How Much Electricity Does a Laptop Use?
So how much electricity does a laptop use? A laptop typically draws around 50 watts while in active use, a fraction of what a desktop tower needs, since its battery, lower-power processor, and smaller screen are all built around running efficiently on limited power. Even used several hours a day, it's one of the cheapest devices in the house to run — use the calculator below with your own rate to see the real cost.
Calculate your cost to run a laptop
Enter your rate to see your estimate.
What affects how much electricity a laptop uses
Screen brightness and size are a bigger factor than most people expect, since the display is one of the largest power draws in a laptop. Processor load matters too: browsing or writing documents draws far less than video editing, gaming, or running several demanding applications at once. Whether the laptop is actively being used, sitting idle on battery, or plugged in and charging also changes the draw, and charging an already-full battery uses less power than charging one that's nearly empty.
How to reduce your laptop's electricity use
- Lower screen brightness, since the display is one of the biggest single draws on a laptop
- Enable your operating system's built-in power-saving or battery-saver mode
- Close background applications and browser tabs you're not using
- Let the battery run down periodically instead of leaving it plugged in and topped off at 100% at all times
Typical wattage figure: roughly 50 W while in active use. Source: DOE-developed appliance energy table, reproduced by Virginia Cooperative Extension (Virginia Tech), publication BSE-301. A laptop's built-in battery and lower-power components mean it draws far less than a desktop tower for comparable use. Actual draw varies with screen brightness, processor load, and charging state. We review this figure periodically and update it if the source changes; last checked September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many watts does a laptop use?
A laptop typically draws around 50 watts while in active use, according to a DOE-developed appliance energy table reproduced by Virginia Cooperative Extension. That's well below a desktop computer's roughly 120-watt tower draw, since a laptop's components are built to run efficiently on a battery.
How much does it cost to run a laptop?
A 50-watt laptop run 6 hours a day at the U.S. average rate of about 16.5 cents/kWh costs roughly $0.05 a day, or about $1.49 a month. Use the calculator above with your own laptop's wattage and typical daily use for an exact figure.
Does charging a laptop use a lot of electricity?
No — charging draws a modest amount of power, and once the battery reaches full charge, a laptop plugged in and turned on typically draws close to its normal active-use wattage rather than a separate charging surcharge. The screen and processor, not the charging circuit, account for most of a laptop's electricity use.
How can I reduce how much electricity my laptop uses?
Lower the screen brightness, since the display is one of the biggest single draws, and turn on your operating system's built-in power-saving mode. Closing unused background applications and browser tabs also reduces processor load and the power it takes to run.
This page provides estimates based on typical wattage figures and the numbers you enter. Actual electricity cost depends on your specific laptop model, screen brightness, and how it's being used.