How much does a TV cost to run?
A TV drawing 100W costs about 2.6p an hour at the Ofgem cap rate of 26.32p/kWh. Five hours a day is about £3.95 a month, or £48.03 a year. A smaller 32-inch set at around 40W costs well under half that. A large bright screen showing HDR can draw far more than the figure on its label.
Prices last checked: 26 September 2026 · Source: Ofgem energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 · Great Britain average, standard variable tariff, paid by Direct Debit
TV running cost by power draw
The wattages are examples across the range for current LED and OLED TVs in normal picture mode. The energy label lists the power in SDR mode. HDR content and "vivid" picture modes use more.
| TV (example draw) | Energy per hour | Cost per hour | Per day (5 h) | Per 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32-inch LED, 40W | 0.04 kWh | 1.1p | 5.3p | £1.58 |
| 43-inch LED, 60W | 0.06 kWh | 1.6p | 7.9p | £2.37 |
| 55-inch LED, 100W | 0.1 kWh | 2.6p | 13p | £3.95 |
| 65-inch OLED, 150W | 0.15 kWh | 3.9p | 20p | £5.92 |
| 75-inch+, bright HDR, 250W | 0.25 kWh | 6.6p | 33p | £9.87 |
What makes a TV use more power
- Screen size. Bigger panels need more backlight or more pixels lit.
- Brightness and picture mode. "Vivid" or "dynamic" modes push the backlight hard. "Standard" or "eco" modes and automatic brightness sensors use less.
- HDR. High dynamic range content drives bright highlights, which raises power use.
- Content on OLED sets. OLED power varies with the picture itself: bright scenes use more than dark ones.
Standby: smaller than people think, but not zero
Modern TVs are designed to use very little in standby, typically under a watt. Even at 1W left on standby all day for a year, that's 8.76 kWh, about £2.31. Features like "quick start", voice assistants and network standby can raise it. It's in the settings and the manual. Switching off at the wall saves this, but the bigger savings are in viewing habits and picture settings.
Set-top boxes, older games consoles in "instant-on" mode and soundbars can use more in standby than the TV. Check them too.
Cutting the cost
- Use the standard or eco picture mode rather than vivid.
- Turn on the ambient light sensor so the screen dims in a dark room.
- Use the sleep timer if you fall asleep in front of the TV.
- Don't leave it on as background noise when a radio or speaker would do. A small speaker uses a fraction of the power.
Common mistakes
- Using the power supply rating on the back. That's a maximum, not typical use.
- Forgetting everything else plugged in: the soundbar, box and console.
Limits of this estimate
TV power changes with the picture. Example wattages are not measurements of specific models. Costs use the Ofgem cap average unit rate for Great Britain, Direct Debit, standard variable tariff.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to leave a TV on all day?
A 100W TV on for 16 hours uses 1.6 kWh, about 42p a day.
Do bigger TVs cost more to run?
Generally yes, though a new large TV can use less than an old smaller one. Compare the label figures.
Is it worth switching the TV off at the wall?
It saves a small amount, typically a few pounds a year at most for the TV itself. Adding the set-top box and soundbar to the same switched socket can save more.