Possibly—but the available comparison only shows that a Raspberry Pi 5 used less power at idle than the tested Intel N100 mini PCs. It does not establish which costs less while encoding and sending a continuous YouTube stream. To compare fairly, measure each complete setup at the wall while it runs the same stream, then apply your electricity tariff. The Pi’s idle advantage is a useful starting point, not a streaming-cost verdict.
What the published power figures tell you—and what they don’t
A 2024 comparison by CNX Software reported 3.0–3.6 W idle for Raspberry Pi 5 and 7.5–10 W typical idle for Intel N100 mini PCs. Those figures favor the Pi at idle, but they are not measurements of either machine encoding and sending a live stream around the clock.
Subtracting the endpoints gives an idle difference of 3.9–7.0 W between the reported ranges. Do not treat that as the difference during streaming: encoding, network activity, storage, cooling, attached devices, and the machines’ configurations can change power draw.
Raspberry Pi Ltd’s hardware documentation lists 800 mA as typical bare-board active current consumption for Raspberry Pi 5, but that is not a wall-power reading for a complete streaming system. The documentation cautions that its approximate measurements do not account for additional USB devices and that consumption can exceed them when multiple devices or a HAT are connected. A Pi build may also need a compatible power supply, storage, case, and cooling, depending on your configuration.
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Why the stream settings matter
Power use depends on the work you ask the computer to do. Resolution, frame rate, codec, bitrate, and whether your workflow encodes video in real time all affect the workload. The same settings must be used on both machines for a useful cost comparison.
YouTube Help’s encoder guidance recommends H.264 bitrates of 10 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps and 17 Mbps for 1080p at 60 fps. These are streaming recommendations, not power measurements or certifications that either computer can handle a particular workload. YouTube advises testing before starting a live stream and monitoring stream health while it runs; it also says to choose a quality that is reliable for your internet connection.
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Calculate your own 24/7 electricity cost
Use the average power measured for the complete system while it is actually streaming—not an idle figure or a component’s current rating.
- Energy in kWh: average watts × operating hours ÷ 1,000.
- Electricity cost: kWh × your all-in electricity price per kWh.
- Annual energy for continuous operation: average watts × 8.76 = kWh per year, based on 24 hours a day for 365 days (8,760 hours).
For example, if a plug-in watt meter showed an average of 20 W for a complete system, the annual energy estimate would be 175.2 kWh (20 × 8.76). Multiply that by your own all-in tariff to estimate your bill. This is an arithmetic example, not a prediction for either computer.
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- Fully assembled for plug-and-play operation
- Includes Raspberry Pi 5 with 8GB RAM
- 256 GB PCIe Pi NVMe SSD (Pre-loaded with Pi 64-Bit OS)
- M.2 HAT+
- CanaKit Turbine Black Case for the Pi 5
Compare complete systems, not just the boards
Purchase cost depends on what is included and what you need to add. CNX Software’s 2024 comparison includes example configuration prices, but those are historical and should not be used as current prices. For a fair buying decision, list the parts required for each system and compare the total alongside measured streaming power.
- Include the computer, power supply, storage, enclosure, and cooling required by the configuration.
- Account for any display, capture hardware, or other peripherals your setup needs.
- Consider whether you need Raspberry Pi GPIO, camera connections, a particular operating system, or software that runs on one platform but not the other.
- Compare the work each system can do beyond this stream. CNX Software’s tested N100 mini PC scored higher than Raspberry Pi 5 in most of the general-purpose benchmark tests it listed; those benchmarks were not streaming tests.
The cited sources do not establish matched 24/7 reliability, encoding performance, or recovery behavior for these systems. Treat sustained temperature, stability, and recovery after a restart or dropped connection as things to check in your own setup—not settled differences between the platforms.
Rank #4
- Includes Raspberry Pi 5 with 2.4Ghz 64-bit quad-core CPU (8GB RAM)
- Includes 128GB Micro SD Card pre-loaded with 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS, USB MicroSD Card Reader
- CanaKit Turbine Black Case for the Raspberry Pi 5
- CanaKit Low Noise Bearing System Fan
- Mega Heat Sink - Black Anodized
How to run a fair power-and-stream test
- Build each complete setup. Use the power supply, storage, enclosure, cooling, and peripherals you would actually run. Connect each system through the same plug-in watt meter if you have one.
- Match the stream. Use the same video, resolution, frame rate, codec, bitrate, YouTube settings, and network connection on both systems. Confirm that the chosen encoder settings produce a healthy stream.
- Let each system reach steady operation. Run the stream long enough for temperatures and power readings to settle, then record average wall watts over a representative period. A momentary reading can miss normal variation.
- Record stream health and interruptions. Note dropped frames, encoder or connection warnings, interruptions, and any recovery needed. A lower electricity reading is not useful if the setup does not reliably deliver the stream you need.
- Calculate energy and cost. Apply the measured average watts to the formulas above, then use the same local all-in tariff for each system. Separately compare the systems’ total purchase costs.
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Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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