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There is no reliable one-size-fits-all monthly price for running a prerecorded YouTube loop on AWS EC2 versus a spare PC. EC2 cost depends on the instance, Region, operating system, runtime, storage, and networking; a PC’s electricity cost depends on its measured power draw, operating hours, and your electricity tariff. Use the formulas below with your own inputs, then compare costs on the same monthly basis.
What the comparison includes
This is a comparison of monthly operating costs, not a full cost-of-ownership study. If you already own the PC, its purchase price may be a sunk cost; count the incremental electricity it uses for the loop. For EC2, include compute time and any applicable storage, network, IP, or other configured charges. Neither option has a defensible exact total until its configuration and usage are specified.
A prerecorded YouTube loop also needs a way to send video to YouTube continuously. This cost model does not assume a particular playback or delivery architecture, and the available figures do not establish the network traffic for a specific loop.
Calculate monthly EC2 cost
For an On-Demand EC2 instance, AWS bills instance time while it is running, from launch until it is stopped or terminated. AWS bills several listed operating systems, including Linux, per second with a 60-second minimum; pricing varies by instance and operating system. See Amazon EC2 On-Demand Pricing.
#1 Best Overall
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Use this framework:
Monthly EC2 cost = (runtime hours × current hourly instance rate) + storage and other configured charges + applicable network charges
For a stopped instance, running-instance time does not accrue, but associated resources may still incur charges. Check the exact configuration and current prices rather than treating compute as the entire bill.
Inputs to include in an estimate
- Region, instance type, and operating system: select the actual configuration you intend to run.
- Runtime and utilization: estimate the hours the instance will be running in the month.
- Storage: include the configured EBS volume and any other storage charges that apply.
- Networking and IP settings: estimate transfer and IP-related charges for the architecture you choose.
AWS’s calculator exposes these and other estimate settings, including Region, OS, instance, utilization, storage, transfer, and IP. Start with Generating Amazon EC2 estimates – AWS Pricing Calculator, then verify the result against current AWS pricing.
Rank #2
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Do not assume all stream traffic is free
AWS states that 100 GB of internet data transfer out per month is free in aggregate across AWS services and Regions, except China and GovCloud; additional applicable transfer may be charged by volume and tier. This is an account-level allowance, not a guarantee that a particular loop’s traffic will cost nothing. Check total account usage and the terms that apply to your setup on the AWS pricing page.
Calculate the spare PC’s electricity cost
Measure the computer’s average wall power during the actual playback workload if possible. Do not substitute the power supply’s rated capacity for measured consumption. Then use:
Monthly kWh = average wall watts ÷ 1,000 × monthly runtime hours
Rank #3
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Monthly electricity cost = monthly kWh × your electricity price per kWh
For example, if a meter gives you average watts W, the PC runs H hours, and your tariff is R per kWh, the electricity estimate is (W ÷ 1,000) × H × R. These are calculation formulas, not a measured result for any particular computer.
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Your utility bill or current local tariff is the best input for your personal estimate. As a U.S. context value, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reports a 2025 average residential electricity price of 17.30¢/kWh, based on preliminary February 2026 Electric Power Monthly data. Its reported 2025 average across all customer types ranged from 8.20¢/kWh in North Dakota to 35.72¢/kWh in Hawaii; that is not a residential-only state range. These are national and state benchmarks, not your household rate. See the EIA’s Prices and factors affecting prices.
Rank #4
- Office Gaming Mini PC - UPGRADED GMKtec Nucbox M5 Ultra Series is equipped with the powerful AMD Ryzen 7 7730U processor, 8 Cores/16 Threads, Base 2.00GHz (Power Saving Quiet Mode) with Turbo Boost up to 4.50GHz (Performance Mode) in BIOS settings, Based on the ZEN 3+ architecture, this small but powerful mini pc delivers satisfying results in productivity, office work, and gaming. 35% Performance increase over AMD Ryzen 5 7430U/ Ryzen 7 5700U, 5600U, 5560U, 5500U.
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- Mini Desktop Computer with 4K Triple Screen Display - Nucbox M5 Ultra integrates AMD Radeon Graphics 8 Cores 2000 MHz GPU to deliver powerful graphics processing power to easily handle the demands of complex design software, 4K@60Hz UHD video editing, and playback. It can connect to 3 display screens simultaneously.
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Compare the two monthly totals fairly
Use the same monthly runtime for both options and keep the accounting boundary consistent. Do not compare EC2’s full configured bill with only part of the PC’s incremental cost, or treat an already-owned PC as if its purchase cost recurs every month.
| Cost component | AWS EC2 | Spare PC |
|---|---|---|
| Compute or energy | Runtime hours × the current hourly rate for the selected Region, OS, and instance | Measured average wall watts ÷ 1,000 × runtime hours × local price per kWh |
| Other monthly charges | Add applicable storage, transfer, IP, and other configured AWS charges | Count the incremental electricity for the PC; include other costs only if you choose the same broader accounting boundary |
| What must be measured or specified | Region, instance, OS, runtime, storage, IP, and network use | Average wall watts during playback, runtime, and electricity tariff |
| Universal monthly total | Not established; configuration and current rates are required | Not established; machine power draw and local tariff are required |
There is no supported universal break-even point. Once you have both estimates, EC2 is cheaper only if its compute and applicable configured charges total less than the PC’s measured incremental electricity expense under your chosen accounting boundary.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A cloud option built for prerecorded YouTube loops
If your goal is to keep a prerecorded YouTube channel live without leaving a computer running at home, StreamNeo is a purpose-built alternative to configuring EC2 or maintaining a spare PC. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live; StreamNeo loops the uploaded video from the cloud. It is for prerecorded video on YouTube, not camera streaming.
Best Value
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- 16GB RAM MEMORY & 512GB STORAGE - GMKtec Nucbox G3 Ultra mini computer is prebuilt with 16GB LPDDR4 RAM at 3200 MT/s, you will enjoy a speedier experience with Built-in 512GB M.2 SATA Hard Drive. Our mini desktop pc boots up in seconds, work on multiple browser tabs, software applications and quickly transfers files. There is a primary slot and secondary expansion storage. Primary slot is M.2 2280 PCIE and secondary slot is M.2 2280 SATA.
- RICH INTERFACE - Nucbox pentium mini computer is equipped with 3* USB 3.2 Gen2 ports, up to 10Gbps/S, 1*USB 2.0, HDMI(4K@60Hz)*2, 3.5mm Audio Jack. Supports WiFi 6, and Gigabit Ethernet RJ45 2.5GbE network connectivity, Bluetooth 5.2. This Mini PC supports multiple device connection and can be used with servers, monitoring equipment, office equipment, displays, projectors, televisions, etc.
- 4K DUAL SCREEN DISPLAY - Mini desktop computer is equipped with upgraded Intel Graphics(max 1000MHz), supports 4K video playback and AV1 decoding, connect the pc with a projector as a home theatre, enjoy a variety of entertainments. Two HDMI 2.0 ports allows you to multi-task efficiently on two 4K@60Hz displays.
- UPGRADED COOLING FAN - The G3 Ultra has upgraded the cooling fan to reduce fan noise and thermals. We are using an upgraded thermal paste as well to help reduce heat on the CPU.
StreamNeo offers one flat price per slot for any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps, without re-encoding or quality tiers. Each slot includes one always-on stream, 10 GB of storage pooled across active slots, looping and playlists, automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream, and StreamNeo team support. The same product is included on every plan; only the billing length changes. The first day is free with no card, one free day per account. Plans can be paid for a day, a week, a month, 6 months, or a year, with cancellation at any time. UPI and cards are available in India; card checkout is available worldwide. For 5 or more slots, contact support.
Pricing: Daily $0.99 per day · Weekly $2.99 per week · Monthly $9.99 per month · 6 months $49.99 for 6 months · Yearly $89.99 a year.
See StreamNeo for details. For a cloud service with its own plan price, compare the plan directly with your calculated EC2 or electricity cost rather than treating it as an AWS or PC estimate.
Or let it run in the cloud
- Upload a recording or build a playlist.
- Add your YouTube stream key.
- Go live; StreamNeo loops the uploaded video from the cloud.
Nothing has to stay on at home. The uploaded quality streams as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot; StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card, and the Monthly price is $9.99 per month. Start a StreamNeo trial.
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.
