What a TV draws
A current 55-inch LED TV draws 50–80 W in its standard picture mode, according to the EU energy labels of today’s models; a 65-inch OLED about 100 W. HDR, high brightness and “vivid” modes can double that: the label of a 65-inch OLED gives 234 W for HDR.
Size matters less than you might think, and settings matter more: an energy-saving picture mode and automatic brightness make a real difference.
Standby: small for the TV, big for what sits next to it
EU rules allow a new TV at most 0.5 W in standby, and 2 W in networked standby (when it listens for your phone or a voice assistant). That is a few kWh a year, less than the price of a coffee.
The set-top box, the games console and the soundbar are another story. A recorder box can draw over 20 W around the clock, and a console in sleep mode 10–15 W. Switch to the standby audit above and add them: that is where a smart plug that cuts the whole TV corner at night pays back.
What a TV costs a year, by type
| Type | On | Standby | A year* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55-inch LED (standard mode) | 65 W | 0.5 W | €34 |
| 55-inch LED, networked standby on | 65 W | 2 W | €37 |
| 65-inch OLED (standard mode) | 102 W | 0.5 W | €53 |
| 65-inch OLED in HDR | 234 W | 0.5 W | €121 |
* 5 hours a day, at €0.28 per kWh. Power from EU energy labels (EPREL).
Questions
How many watts does a TV use?
A 55-inch LED TV draws about 50–80 W in standard mode and a 65-inch OLED about 100 W, by their EU energy labels. Bright HDR content can more than double it. In standby a new TV may draw at most 0.5 W, or 2 W with networked standby on.
Should I unplug my TV at night?
For the TV alone it saves little: 0.5 W in standby is about 4 kWh a year. For the TV corner as a whole it is worth it: a set-top box or a console in sleep mode often draws 10–20 W while nobody watches. One smart plug or switched strip cuts them all at once.
Does an OLED TV use more electricity than an LED TV?
It depends on what you watch. OLED pixels draw power only when lit, so dark scenes cost less and bright, white ones more. For the 65-inch OLED in our table: 102 W in standard mode and 234 W in HDR.
Other devices
Sources: Eurostat: EU average household electricity price, first half of 2026 · EU energy label of a current 55-inch LED TV (EPREL) · Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory: standby power · ENERGY STAR product specifications · US Department of Energy: estimating appliance energy use · EU product database for energy labels (EPREL) · EU Regulation 2023/826: standby and off-mode power · Our World in Data / Ember: carbon intensity of electricity, 2025 · Updated 2026-11