entertainment · 130W typical
Running a oled tv (55-inch) costs about $2.57/month.
That's the typical oled tv (55-inch) at 130W, run 4 hours a day at the US-average rate of 16.5¢/kWh. Change any of those and the number moves — use the calculator below to see yours.
Estimated cost
Full-power draw for 4 hours at 16.5¢/kWh.
How you use it
Cost shifts with how long it's on.
The same oled tv (55-inch) can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.
nightly movies
$2.57
per month
evening watching
gaming
$3.86
per month
HDR gaming drives higher watts
Where you live
$4.66 spread between the cheapest and priciest states.
Same appliance, same hours of use, different zip code — the monthly cost varies this much.
| State | Rate | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 41.2¢ | $6.43 | $78.20 |
| California | 31.4¢ | $4.90 | $59.60 |
| Massachusetts | 30.8¢ | $4.80 | $58.46 |
| Connecticut | 28.7¢ | $4.48 | $54.47 |
| Rhode Island | 27.9¢ | $4.35 | $52.95 |
| New Hampshire | 24.6¢ | $3.84 | $46.69 |
| Alaska | 24.3¢ | $3.79 | $46.12 |
| New York | 22.3¢ | $3.48 | $42.33 |
| Maine | 22.1¢ | $3.45 | $41.95 |
| Vermont | 21.5¢ | $3.35 | $40.81 |
| Michigan | 19.3¢ | $3.01 | $36.63 |
| New Jersey | 19.1¢ | $2.98 | $36.25 |
| Maryland | 18.4¢ | $2.87 | $34.92 |
| Pennsylvania | 18.1¢ | $2.82 | $34.35 |
| District of Columbia | 17.8¢ | $2.78 | $33.78 |
| Wisconsin | 17.4¢ | $2.71 | $33.03 |
| Delaware | 17.2¢ | $2.68 | $32.65 |
| Illinois | 16.9¢ | $2.64 | $32.08 |
| Ohio | 16.6¢ | $2.59 | $31.51 |
| Nevada | 16.3¢ | $2.54 | $30.94 |
| Indiana | 15.8¢ | $2.46 | $29.99 |
| Virginia | 15.7¢ | $2.45 | $29.80 |
| Minnesota | 15.6¢ | $2.43 | $29.61 |
| Colorado | 15.4¢ | $2.40 | $29.23 |
| Alabama | 15.2¢ | $2.37 | $28.85 |
| West Virginia | 15.2¢ | $2.37 | $28.85 |
| Florida | 15.1¢ | $2.36 | $28.66 |
| New Mexico | 14.8¢ | $2.31 | $28.09 |
| Texas | 14.8¢ | $2.31 | $28.09 |
| Arizona | 14.7¢ | $2.29 | $27.90 |
| South Carolina | 14.7¢ | $2.29 | $27.90 |
| Kansas | 14.6¢ | $2.28 | $27.71 |
| Georgia | 14.2¢ | $2.22 | $26.95 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $2.20 | $26.76 |
| North Carolina | 13.9¢ | $2.17 | $26.38 |
| Missouri | 13.6¢ | $2.12 | $25.81 |
| Oregon | 13.4¢ | $2.09 | $25.43 |
| Tennessee | 13.3¢ | $2.07 | $25.24 |
| Kentucky | 13.2¢ | $2.06 | $25.05 |
| Mississippi | 13.1¢ | $2.04 | $24.86 |
| Oklahoma | 13.1¢ | $2.04 | $24.86 |
| South Dakota | 12.7¢ | $1.98 | $24.10 |
| Montana | 12.4¢ | $1.93 | $23.54 |
| Nebraska | 12.2¢ | $1.90 | $23.16 |
| Arkansas | 12.1¢ | $1.89 | $22.97 |
| Washington | 12.1¢ | $1.89 | $22.97 |
| Louisiana | 11.9¢ | $1.86 | $22.59 |
| Wyoming | 11.6¢ | $1.81 | $22.02 |
| North Dakota | 11.5¢ | $1.79 | $21.83 |
| Utah | 11.4¢ | $1.78 | $21.64 |
| Idaho | 11.3¢ | $1.76 | $21.45 |
Efficient vs. inefficient
A $48.18/year difference across the wattage range.
Swapping a high-draw model for an efficient one pays for itself. Here's what that looks like annually at typical usage.
Most efficient
80W
$1.58 per month
$19.27 per year
Typical
130W
$2.57 per month
$31.32 per year
High draw
280W
$5.54 per month
$67.45 per year
When it hits hardest
winter peak
Heavier winter use.
Ways to cut the cost
- 1
OLEDs draw less on dark scenes — HDR movies average lower than ads
Watch dark/cinematic content vs bright sports
- 2
Use eco mode or calibrated night mode
Saves 30-40% of average watts
- 3
Disable 'peak brightness' outside HDR — unnecessary in normal SDR
Cuts 10-15%
Real-world wattages
Pulled from actual spec sheets.
| Brand | Model | Watts |
|---|---|---|
| LG | OLED55C3PUA | 135W |
| Sony | XR55A80L | 155W |
| Samsung | QN55S90C QD-OLED | 140W |
Picks that actually move the needle
Three products worth comparing if you're thinking about upgrading or supplementing what you have.
Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy, we may earn a small commission — it never changes the price you pay, and we only recommend picks we would stand behind.
See also
Related appliances
Sources: www.energystar.gov · www.energy.gov
Last updated: 2026-04-13