U.S. residential electricity EIA data: July 2026 US average 18.3¢/kWh Updated
Appliances Rates by state Compare Calculators Reports Methodology About

Entertainment · Connecticut

How Much Does It Cost to Run a Gaming PC in Connecticut?

The short answer

In Connecticut, a gaming PC drawing 500W costs about $0.12 per hour — roughly $14.70 a month if it runs 4 hours a day.

The estimate uses Connecticut’s average residential electricity price of 24.2¢/kWh from EIA (July 2026) — 32% above the national average.

Source: U.S. EIA, July 2026 data · Updated

Gaming PC cost by daily use in Connecticut

Cost at 24.2¢/kWh, the Connecticut average (EIA, Jul 2026)
Daily usekWh/monthPer dayPer monthPer year
1 hour/day 15.2 $0.12 $3.67 $44.09
2 hours/day 30.4 $0.24 $7.35 $88.18
4 hours/day 60.8 $0.48 $14.70 $176
8 hours/day 121.7 $0.97 $29.40 $353
12 hours/day 182.5 $1.45 $44.10 $529
24 hours/day 365.0 $2.90 $88.19 $1,058

Connecticut vs other states

At typical use, a gaming PC costs $176 a year in Connecticut — $174 less than in Hawaii and $83.51 more than in Louisiana.

Connecticut has the 11th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC. electricity prices in Connecticut · all states ranked

Electricity price trend in Connecticut

24.2¢/kWh in July 2026 — ▼ −12.5% from a year earlier.

How to lower the cost of running a gaming PC

A gaming PC's power draw depends on the GPU and CPU and on how demanding the game is. A mid-range build typically pulls around 400–500W from the wall during gaming, while high-end systems with top-tier graphics cards can exceed 700–800W. Idle and desktop use is much lower, often 60–120W. The monitor adds another 30–80W.

  • Cap frame rates to your monitor's refresh rate — rendering frames you can't see wastes power.
  • Use your GPU's power-limit or efficiency settings for a large power cut with a small performance loss.
  • Set the PC to sleep after 15–30 minutes of inactivity.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a gaming PC for 24 hours in Connecticut?

Running a 500W gaming PC for 24 hours uses about 12.0 kWh, which costs about $2.90 at Connecticut’s average rate of 24.2¢/kWh.

How many kWh does a gaming PC use per month?

At 4 hours a day, a typical gaming PC uses about 60.8 kWh a month. In Connecticut that costs $14.70.

Is it expensive to run a gaming PC in Connecticut?

Connecticut has the 11th-most-expensive residential electricity of the 50 states and DC at 24.2¢/kWh — pricier than most. Running a gaming PC here costs about $176 a year at typical use, compared with $134 at the national average rate.

What is the electricity rate in Connecticut right now?

The average residential electricity rate in Connecticut was 24.2¢ per kWh in July 2026, according to the latest EIA data — down 12.5% from a year earlier.

Does a gaming PC use more electricity than a console?

Usually yes. A typical gaming PC draws 2–3 times more than a PS5 or Xbox Series X while gaming.

Gaming PC costs in nearby states

Cheapest and priciest states

Comparisons

Sources & method