Does A TV Use More Electricity Than A Monitor? (Explained)


Does A TV Use More Electricity Than A Monitor

These days, you don’t have to replace an old TV with a new one. You can buy a high-end monitor. But which device uses more electricity, the TV or the monitor?

 WattageCost Per HourCost Per 24 HoursCost Per Month
TV170W$0.0170$0.4080$12.41
MONITOR84W$0.0084$0.2016$6.13

The National Environment Agency (Singapore Government) has listed the steps for calculating the cost of an appliance’s energy consumption:

  • Get the wattage.
  • Turn the watts into kW.
  • Multiply the kW by the number of hours the device is in use to get the kWh.
  • If you want to know the cost of running the device per month, multiply the kWh by 30 days and the unit cost.

You need to learn the formula above because the answers you get will change depending on the variables you enter. The figures in the table above change if you apply the formula to your situation. The figures make three vital assumptions:

  • The table assumes that your TV uses 170W while the monitor consumes 84W. If your TV and monitor have different watt ratings, the cost will also change.
  • The table assumes that your service provider charges $0.10 per unit. But your utility company’s fees might be higher or lower than $0.10.
  • The table assumes that your TV and monitor remain in use for 24 hours nonstop. This affects the cost per month. But if you only use your devices for two or three hours per day, the cost you calculate will be much lower.

Simply put, don’t take the information above at face value. At the very least, don’t apply the figures in the table directly to your situation. Perform your own calculations. You can also add the relevant variables (watt rating, unit cost, hours of usage) to an online energy calculator.

As far as comparing a monitor’s energy consumption to a conventional TV, keep the following in mind:

1). Wattage

In most cases, TVs have a higher watt rating than monitors. A modern TV’s rating usually exceeds 100 watts. On the other hand, ITpedia Information Technology (Sofrax Holding BV.) expects monitors to use an average of 15 to 30 watts.

Sustainability Victoria has also noticed that a monitor uses roughly 25 percent of the power a computer consumes. Therefore, monitors tend to come out on top in these debates.

2). Screen Size

The screen size is one of the most significant considerations. The larger the screen size, the higher the energy consumption. Consider this table on the energy-use-calculator platform, which shows a TV’s energy consumption increasing with the screen size.

For instance, a 15-inch LED screen uses 15 watts, while its 50-inch counterpart consumes 100 watts. Naturally, you can find larger monitors and smaller TVs. However, on the whole, TVs are larger than monitors.

Consumers don’t buy 72-inch monitors. You see those sizes in TVs. As such, experts associate TVs with higher energy consumption.

3). Refresh Rate

If TVs are larger than monitors, why do people buy monitors? According to WePC, monitors have a higher refresh rate that delivers smoother, brighter images with richer colors. If you play video games, a monitor’s refresh rate is more important to you than a TV’s impressive screen size.

4). Accessories

It is common practice to pair monitors with other accessories, particularly desktops. Therefore, calculating a monitor’s energy consumption means accounting for the power the GPU, CPU, and other hardware components use.

But TVs are no different. Consumers use them in conjunction with consoles, DVD players, and the like.

It is worth noting that consumers don’t consider power consumption when choosing between monitors and TVs. These devices don’t use enough electricity to affect your monthly bill dramatically.

Tech-savvy consumers prioritize screen size, refresh rate, and overall image quality. They won’t reject a monitor or TV simply because it uses too much power.

Energy Saving Features And Technologies in TVs and Monitors

Modern devices have an energy rating label. According to Energy Rating, these labels first appeared on Australian appliances back in the 80s. They include a star rating. The more stars you see on the packaging, the more efficient the device is.

Some organizations will include the energy consumption in kilowatt-hours, which they calculate after taking the following into account:

  • Screen type – Most monitors and TVs are LCD, LED, and OLED. If you have a plasma screen, you should replace it with one of these three. All three technologies are more efficient than the plasma and ancient CRT devices. While many experts will compel you to buy OLEDs and LEDs, your selection will depend on the features each model offers. For instance, testbook has noticed that LCD’s high peak intensity delivers brighter images than LED.
  • Screen size – A bigger screen uses more power, regardless of whether the device is a monitor or TV set. It takes more power to fill a large screen.
  • Resolution – A higher resolution is more appealing because it produces a sharper image. Unfortunately, it takes more power to generate that sharp image.
  • Brightness – This goes without saying. The brighter the screen, the more electricity it will use. An organization may take the default brightness into account while determining the TV or monitor’s efficiency.
  • HDR – A screen with HDR support uses twice as much power as a screen without HDR support.

You should prioritize TVs and monitors with an energy-efficient rating. This score tells you that a trusted firm tested the device to determine its efficiency. For instance, you may have seen the Energy Star label on appliances in your local store.

Look for monitors and TVs with the highest energy efficiency rating. Those ratings will look at a screen’s overall energy consumption as well as the energy-saving mechanism it offers. For instance, Cool Blue has noticed that many screens use sensors to adjust the brightness in response to the ambient light.

This keeps you from using the highest brightness even when you don’t need it. Additionally, a paper from the Energy Analysis Department (Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California) has observed that modern manufacturers are making screens that use power in standby mode well below the Energy Star criteria.

Therefore, modern monitors and TVs are less likely to raise your monthly utility bill through vampire energy. The amount of power they use during standby/sleep mode is too low to matter.

Tips For Reducing Energy Usage And Saving Money On Electricity Bill While Using TV And Monitor

1). Eric Potkin, a Havard Law School energy manager, suggests reducing the monitor’s brightness to 70 percent. You will get energy savings as high as 20 percent.

2). Get a screen with a high energy efficiency rating. Look for products rated by trusted organizations. Consult the organizations in question to determine what their star ratings mean.

3). Buy the smallest screen you are willing to tolerate. The biggest screens use the most energy. But you don’t have to settle for the tiniest screens. Find a balance.

4). Don’t prioritize a particular technology. You can find decent LED, LCD, and OLED screens with low energy consumption. Don’t assume that one technology is more efficient than the others. Base your selection on each model’s attributes and star rating.

5). Use the power-saving mode on your screen. It will adjust the functions automatically to lower the screen’s energy consumption.

6). Switch off the TV or monitor when it isn’t in use. Don’t leave the screen in standby mode.

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