How many watts does a TV use?
On-mode power of every ENERGY STAR certified TV that came out in 2025 or 2026, measured with the US Department of Energy test. Bigger screens draw more, and the panel type and model matter as much as size.
| Size | LCD and mini-LED | OLED | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32" | 27–35 W5 models | — | 30.3 W |
| 40" | 46.6 W1 model | — | 46.6 W |
| 42" | — | 57–78 W5 models | 67.7 W |
| 43" | 45–63 W4 models | — | 57.2 W |
| 48" | — | 67–95 W8 models | 80 W |
| 50" | 61–76 W7 models | — | 65.4 W |
| 55" | 70–102 W4 models | 64–124 W13 models | 102 W |
| 65" | 92–126 W5 models | 85–149 W14 models | 119 W |
| 75" | 96–144 W4 models | — | 108 W |
| 77" | — | 135–189 W11 models | 158 W |
| 83" | — | 165–215 W9 models | 201 W |
| 85" | 186 W1 model | — | 186 W |
| 86" | 128–144 W3 models | — | 143 W |
| 98" | 193 W1 model | — | 193 W |
ENERGY STAR lists 99 such models, almost all from LG and Samsung. TCL, Hisense, Sony, Vizio and Roku have none certified, so their TVs are covered model by model below instead.
How much electricity does a TV use?
Watts measure power at a given moment; your bill counts kilowatt-hours (kWh), which is watts times hours divided by 1,000. A 100-watt TV on for 5 hours uses 0.5 kWh. Yearly use for a typical TV of each size, watched 5 hours a day, the assumption on the yellow EnergyGuide label:
| Size | Typical power | Per day | Per year | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32" | 30.3 W | 0.17 kWh | 60.9 kWh | $10.96 |
| 43" | 57.2 W | 0.29 kWh | 105 kWh | $18.80 |
| 50" | 65.4 W | 0.33 kWh | 119 kWh | $21.41 |
| 55" | 102 W | 0.52 kWh | 188 kWh | $33.82 |
| 65" | 119 W | 0.61 kWh | 221 kWh | $39.81 |
| 75" | 108 W | 0.54 kWh | 199 kWh | $35.71 |
| 77" | 158 W | 0.80 kWh | 293 kWh | $52.71 |
| 83" | 201 W | 1.01 kWh | 370 kWh | $66.56 |
Medians of the ENERGY STAR certified models above; a size with only LCDs certified, such as 75 inches, can come out below a smaller size with many OLEDs. Yearly kWh is ENERGY STAR's own figure, which includes 19 hours a day in standby. Cost at the US average residential price of 17.99¢ per kWh for the 12 months ending July 2026 (EIA).
So a typical 55-inch TV uses about 188 kWh and a 65-inch about 221 kWh a year, roughly $33.82 and $39.81. Watch twice as long and the cost nearly doubles; on a bright model, in HDR or with the picture set to vivid, it can be higher still.
How much does it cost to run a TV?
Multiply the kWh by your price per kWh. The US residential average was 17.99¢ for the 12 months ending July 2026, up from 17.3¢ in 2025, and 18.31¢ in July 2026 alone. Prices vary several-fold by state, from 12.36¢ in North Dakota to 46.28¢ in Hawaii on average for January to July 2026, so the same 65-inch TV costs about $27.35 a year in North Dakota and $102.42 in Hawaii. Your bill shows your own rate; choose your state in the calculator or type it in.
The EnergyGuide label on a TV in a US store uses a fixed 16¢ per kWh (older labels used 12¢), so its dollar figure is for comparing models, not a forecast of your bill.
How many watts does a 50-inch TV use?
The 7 ENERGY STAR certified 50-inch TVs from 2025 and 2026 measure 61 to 76 watts, with a median of 65.4 W. The models on our 50-inch TV page, by each available measurement:
| Model | US test | Manufacturer | EU label (SDR / HDR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung QN90FQN50QN90FAFXZA (Mini-LED LCD) | 75.8 WENERGY STAR, 144 kWh/yr | 85 W typical145 W max | 60 W / 124 WEU model QE50QN90FAT |
| Sony BRAVIA 3K-50S30 (LED LCD) | — | — | 60 W / 80 W |
| TCL Q6550Q651G (LED LCD) | about 144 WEnergyGuide, 262 kWh/yr | — | — |
| LG QNED82A50QNED82AUA (LED LCD) | 65.4 WENERGY STAR, 119 kWh/yr | 92 W171 kWh/yr | 64.8 W / 99 WEU model 50QNED82A6B |
How many watts does a 55-inch TV use?
The 17 ENERGY STAR certified 55-inch TVs from 2025 and 2026 measure 64 to 124 watts, with a median of 102 W. The models on our 55-inch TV page, by each available measurement:
| Model | US test | Manufacturer | EU label (SDR / HDR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| LG C5 OLEDOLED55C5PUA (OLED) | 124 WENERGY STAR, 228 kWh/yr | 133.1 W246 kWh/yr | 77.4 W / 191 WEU model OLED55C54LA |
| Hisense U8N55U8N (Mini-LED LCD) | about 178 WEnergyGuide, 325 kWh/yr | — | — |
| Samsung QN90FQN55QN90FAFXZA (Mini-LED LCD) | 102 WENERGY STAR, 193 kWh/yr | 116 W typical215 W max | 76 W / 209 WEU model QE55QN90FAT |
| Sony BRAVIA 7K-55XR70 (Mini-LED LCD) | — | — | 64 W / 97 W |
How many watts does a 65-inch TV use?
The 19 ENERGY STAR certified 65-inch TVs from 2025 and 2026 measure 85 to 149 watts, with a median of 119 W. The models on our 65-inch TV page, by each available measurement:
| Model | US test | Manufacturer | EU label (SDR / HDR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| LG C5 OLEDOLED65C5PUA (OLED) | 149 WENERGY STAR, 275 kWh/yr | 163.9 W302 kWh/yr | 95.4 W / 234 WEU model OLED65C54LA |
| Hisense U8N65U8N (Mini-LED LCD) | about 219 WEnergyGuide, 399 kWh/yr | — | — |
| TCL QM6K65QM6K (Mini-LED LCD) | about 151 WEnergyGuide, 275 kWh/yr | — | — |
| Samsung QN90FQN65QN90FAFXZA (Mini-LED LCD) | 126 WENERGY STAR, 235 kWh/yr | 140 W typical250 W max | 89 W / 231 WEU model QE65QN90FAT |
| Sony BRAVIA 7K-65XR70 (Mini-LED LCD) | — | — | 67 W / 109 W |
How many watts does a 75-inch TV use?
The 4 ENERGY STAR certified 75-inch TVs from 2025 and 2026 measure 96 to 144 watts, with a median of 108 W. The models on our 75-inch TV page, by each available measurement:
| Model | US test | Manufacturer | EU label (SDR / HDR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hisense U8N75U8N (Mini-LED LCD) | about 227 WEnergyGuide, 414 kWh/yr | — | — |
| TCL QM6K75QM6K (Mini-LED LCD) | about 171 WEnergyGuide, 312 kWh/yr | — | — |
| Samsung QN90FQN75QN90FAFXZA (Mini-LED LCD) | 144 WENERGY STAR, 268 kWh/yr | 163 W typical295 W max | 101 W / 253 WEU model QE75QN90FAT |
| LG QNED85A75QNED85AUA (Mini-LED LCD) | 114 WENERGY STAR, 210 kWh/yr | 143 W264 kWh/yr | 82.8 W / 182 WEU model 75QNED85A6C |
| LG C5 OLED (77-inch)OLED77C5PUA (OLED) | 187 WENERGY STAR, 344 kWh/yr | 204 W375 kWh/yr | 125 W / 326 WEU model OLED77C54LA |
How many watts does an 85-inch TV use?
The models on our 85-inch TV page, by each available measurement:
| Model | US test | Manufacturer | EU label (SDR / HDR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung QN90FQN85QN90FAFXZA (Mini-LED LCD) | 186 WENERGY STAR, 345 kWh/yr | 207 W typical385 W max | 122 W / 326 WEU model QE85QN90FAT |
| Sony BRAVIA 7K-85XR70 (Mini-LED LCD) | — | — | 83 W / 135 W |
| LG C5 OLED (83-inch)OLED83C5PUA (OLED) | 207 WENERGY STAR, 377 kWh/yr | 223 W410 kWh/yr | 144 W / 385 WEU model OLED83C54LA |
US test: on-mode watts reported to ENERGY STAR, or, where a model is not certified, the average implied by its EnergyGuide label's yearly kWh at 5 hours a day. Manufacturer: as printed on the US spec page. EU label: the European version of the model, which can differ in settings and firmware. A dash means the figure is not published.
OLED vs LED TV power consumption
In the US test, OLED TVs usually draw more than LCD (LED, QLED and mini-LED) TVs of the same size. Among the certified 65-inch models, LCDs measure 92–126 W (median 96.4 W) and OLEDs 85–149 W (median 126 W); at 55 inches, 70–102 W against 64–124 W. The gap depends on the brand:
| 65-inch, US test | OLED | LCD |
|---|---|---|
| LG | 149 WC5 OLED | 92.8 WQNED85A |
| Samsung | 132 WS90F OLED | 126 WQN90F mini-LED |
The EU label measures both a standard (SDR) and an HDR test video, and the order can flip:
| 65-inch, EU label | OLED (SDR / HDR) | LCD (SDR / HDR) |
|---|---|---|
| LG | 95.4 W / 234 WC5 OLED, OLED65C54LA | 84.6 W / 144 WQNED85A, 65QNED85A6C |
| Samsung | 89 W / 204 WS90F OLED, QE65S90FAT | 89 W / 231 WQN90F mini-LED, QE65QN90FAT |
| Sony | 83 W / 110 WBRAVIA 8 OLED, K-65XR80 | 67 W / 109 WBRAVIA 7 mini-LED, K-65XR70 |
An OLED pixel makes its own light, so its power rises and falls with how bright the picture is: dark scenes cost little, bright full-screen images cost a lot. An LCD is lit by a backlight, so its power depends mostly on the backlight level. Either way, the difference between two TVs of the same type is often bigger than the OLED vs LCD gap, so compare the exact models.
Why TV wattage numbers differ
The same TV can be listed at very different wattages depending on who measured it and how. The 65-inch LG C5, for example:
- US federal test (ENERGY STAR): 149 W. Measured with the Department of Energy procedure (ANSI/CTA-2037-D), which plays a standard test video. The EnergyGuide label's yearly kWh comes from the same test.
- LG's US spec page: 163.9 W and 302 kWh a year, without saying how it was measured.
- EU energy label: 95.4 W SDR, 234 W HDR. The EU test plays standardized broadcast-style video in the out-of-box setting, once in SDR and once in HDR, and prints the result as kWh per 1,000 hours, which equals the average watts.
Samsung prints a typical and a maximum figure instead: the 65-inch QN90F is 140 W typical and 250 W maximum, against 126 W in the US test and 89 W / 231 W on the EU label. Use the US test or typical figure for running costs, and the maximum when sizing a battery, inverter or power station, so it won't cut out on a bright HDR scene.
How much power does a TV use when turned off?
A TV switched off with the remote stays in standby, listening for the power button. Every manufacturer spec page we checked lists standby at 0.5 W or less, and all the EU labels here declare 0.5 W. Left in standby around the clock, 0.5 W comes to 4.38 kWh a year, about 79¢ at the US average price.
Features that keep the TV ready to wake over the network, such as quick start, casting or voice assistants, use networked standby. The EU labels declare 2 W for this on every model here, which would be 17.5 kWh or $3.15 a year if it stayed in that mode all the time. Turning off quick start in the TV's settings avoids it.
How to reduce a TV's power use
- Use an energy-saving or standard picture mode. Bright modes cost more. On the EU labels above, the HDR test draws two to three times the SDR figure on many models: 234 W against 95.4 W on the 65-inch LG C5.
- Turn on automatic brightness (often called eco sensor or ambient light detection), which dims the screen in a dark room.
- Turn off quick start if you don't need the TV to wake instantly.
- Use the sleep timer or auto power off, so the TV doesn't run all night.
- Check the yellow EnergyGuide label when buying. Even among certified 65-inch TVs, the US test ranges from 85 to 149 W.
How this calculator works
- Electricity per day = watts × hours on ÷ 1,000, plus standby watts × the remaining hours ÷ 1,000. A month is 365 ÷ 12 days.
- Cost = kWh × your price per kWh. The default is the EIA's US average residential price for the 12 months ending July 2026; the state options are EIA averages for January to July 2026, the latest by-state figures.
- Model wattage uses the US federal test where the model is ENERGY STAR certified, then the EnergyGuide label (its yearly kWh divided by 5 hours × 365 days), then the manufacturer's typical figure, then the EU label's SDR figure for models with no US number.
- Typical by size is the median of the ENERGY STAR certified models of that size from 2025 and 2026.
Choosing a size first? The TV size calculator works it out from your seating distance. For our recommendations, see the best TVs.
Sources
All figures checked October 7, 2026. Per-model pages are listed after the references.
- US Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.3: average residential price, the 12 months ending July 2026 (17.99¢/kWh). www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_03
- EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B: average residential price by state, January to July 2026. www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_b
- ENERGY STAR Certified Televisions dataset (US EPA), downloaded October 7, 2026. data.energystar.gov/Active-Specifications/ENERGY-STAR-Certified-Televisions/pd96-rr3d
- FTC EnergyGuide rule for televisions, 16 CFR 305.25 (5 hours on, 19 hours standby, 16¢/kWh). www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/part-305/section-305.25
- DOE test procedure for televisions, 10 CFR 430 subpart B, appendix H (ANSI/CTA-2037-D). www.ecfr.gov/current/title-10/part-430/appendix-Appendix%20H%20to%20Subpart%20B%20of%20Part%20430
- EU energy labelling regulation for electronic displays, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2013. eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2019/2013/oj
- EU product database (EPREL), electronic displays. eprel.ec.europa.eu/screen/product/electronicdisplays
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