Laptop vs desktop computer: which costs less to run?
$37 a year less with laptop
- Laptop, a month
- $2.23
- Desktop computer, a month
- $5.36
- Difference, a month
- $3.12
Both run 8 hours a day. At the US average of 18.3¢ per kWh (EIA, June 2026). How we calculate this
Side by side
| Laptop | Desktop computer | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 50 W | 120 W |
| An hour | $0.01 | $0.02 |
| A day | $0.07 | $0.18 |
| A month | $2.23 | $5.36 |
| A year | $26.78 | $64.26 |
| Energy a year | 146 kWh | 350 kWh |
In the 10 largest states
Questions
Is it cheaper to run a laptop or a desktop computer?
Laptop costs $37.49 less a year ($3.12 a month) at the US average rate. Both run 8 hours a day.
How much more does desktop computer cost to run?
About 2.4 times as much: $64.26 a year versus $26.78.
How much does a laptop cost per hour?
$0.01 an hour, against $0.02 an hour for a desktop computer, at 18.3¢ per kWh.
Does the answer change by state?
The ratio between the two stays the same everywhere because both use the same electricity; the dollar gap grows where rates are higher. See the table of the 10 most populous states above.
Sources
- Virginia Cooperative Extension: Estimating appliance and home electronic energy use (reproduces U.S. Department of Energy sample wattages)
- Penn State EGEE 102: Typical range of power consumption (wattage)
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: average price of electricity to ultimate customers, residential, June 2026 Figures transcribed from republications of this table on September 26, 2026; pending direct verification from the EIA API.
Usage assumptions (hours a day, season) are ours and listed on the methodology page. Found an error? Tell us.