Not necessarily. FFmpeg may use less electricity than OBS in a particular setup, but the program name alone cannot predict whole-computer power use. The result depends on the work each app performs, the chosen encoder and settings, and the computer. There is no direct matched test establishing that FFmpeg uses less than OBS for the same YouTube loop. To find out for your setup, compare whole-system power at the wall while both produce the same stream.
Why the app name does not settle the power question
FFmpeg reads media, processes or filters it when configured to do so, and writes an output. OBS can encode video too, but it also renders and composites scenes. A simple OBS scene playing one loop is a different workload from a scene with multiple sources, filters, and scaling. A comparison is meaningful only when both apps perform equivalent work and deliver equivalent streams.
CPU usage is useful context, but it is not an electricity measurement. A lower CPU percentage does not prove the computer draws less power: GPU activity, other components, and the system’s baseline consumption also matter. Measure at the wall to compare the electricity used by the complete computer.
What published measurements can—and cannot—tell you
A paper titled “Towards Bridging Online Game Playing and Live Streaming” measured wall power during a graphics-benchmark gaming workload streamed with OBS. The authors used an AC-line splitter and a meter with stated precision of ±2.5%, sampling every 500 ms. The test captured a 1920×1080 benchmark and streamed at 3,500 kb/s with a two-second keyframe interval. The paper’s year was not verified in its opened metadata; the experiment is older and its conditions do not represent a modern computer playing a looped file to YouTube.
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
| Condition in that test | Reported wall power |
|---|---|
| Game-only baseline | 157 W |
| OBS x264 software encoding at 30 fps | 250 W |
| OBS x264 software encoding at 60 fps | 244 W |
| OBS NVENC hardware encoding at 30 fps | 158 W |
| OBS NVENC hardware encoding at 60 fps | 183 W |
These are watts from one particular system and workload, not a daily energy estimate and not a comparison of FFmpeg with OBS. They illustrate that encoder choice can matter on a specific system; they do not establish which app will use less power for your loop.
OBS Project guidance says hardware encoders generally move video encoding from the CPU to a specialized GPU component and are recommended for performance. That describes encoder architecture and performance, not a guarantee that total computer power will fall. A 2024 survey of video-streaming energy likewise treats encoding alongside storage, retrieval, decoding, and display, and notes gaps in comprehensive open measurements across devices and coding parameters. Broad power claims need clearly matched conditions.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Make a fair FFmpeg-versus-OBS comparison
Compare equivalent output, not default settings. Use the same computer, loop file, operating-system power mode, network connection, stream duration, audio configuration, and output settings in both apps. Keep the display and unrelated workloads consistent.
- Choose one target stream configuration. Set the same resolution, frame rate, codec, bitrate, and keyframe interval in both apps. Use settings supported by both configurations.
- Make the loop equivalent. Confirm that each app plays the same source repeatedly, with the same audio behavior, and does not add different scaling, filters, or scene processing unless that work is part of the comparison you want to make.
- Measure baseline and streaming power. Record the computer’s wall power at idle or background use, then record whole-system wall power during each stream. A plug-in electricity usage monitor or wall power meter can be used if available; a suitable meter is not a requirement if you already have another reliable way to measure wall power.
- Alternate and repeat runs. Run the apps in alternating order and repeat the measurements so that order or a changing background workload is less likely to determine the result. Keep the duration and measurement conditions consistent.
- Check that the stream actually works. Record dropped frames and stream health, and confirm that the loop continues playing as intended. A low-power result is not useful if that configuration fails to deliver the stream.
Compare the measured whole-system power above baseline, while keeping the baseline and streaming measurements in watts clearly distinguished. CPU and GPU activity can help explain a result, but they do not replace the wall-power reading.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Keep YouTube settings fixed
YouTube’s live encoder guidance lists H.264, H.265, and AV1 for documented RTMP/RTMPS live input settings, supports rates up to 60 fps, recommends constant bitrate (CBR), and recommends a two-second keyframe interval. Its bitrate guidance varies by codec and resolution, so choose the appropriate documented range for your intended output rather than treating one bitrate as universal.
- Use the same supported codec and resolution in each app.
- Match frame rate, bitrate, CBR behavior, and two-second keyframe interval.
- Keep audio settings and the source workload consistent.
- Test with representative movement and audio, then monitor stream health.
If the two apps cannot produce the same codec or settings on your hardware, the result is a comparison of two different streaming configurations—not a clean test of which application uses less electricity.
Rank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
What to expect from each approach
FFmpeg
FFmpeg is configurable: its input, processing, filtering, encoding, and output depend on the command and build. A command that simply passes through compatible media is not doing the same work as one that resizes, filters, or transcodes it. See the FFmpeg documentation for its input, processing, and output model. There is no supported universal power figure for an FFmpeg loop in this comparison.
OBS
OBS’s work can include scene rendering and compositing as well as encoding. Resolution, frame rate, source complexity, and filters affect processing demands; see OBS Project’s encoding performance troubleshooting guidance. A simple static loop scene avoids some scene complexity, but it does not establish that OBS will use more or less electricity than a particular FFmpeg configuration.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsBest Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
OBS supports software encoding and hardware encoders. Its hardware encoding guidance explains the performance rationale for moving encoding to specialized hardware. Whether that changes total wall power favorably depends on the system and workload.
For a stream that must stay live, account for the computer too
The app is only one part of the decision if you intend to run a YouTube loop around the clock. The computer must remain on, and the stream also depends on its power use, network connection, and ability to recover from interruptions. Measure the actual wall power of your chosen setup rather than estimating from CPU usage alone.
Or let it run in the cloud
With StreamNeo, upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. The cloud service loops uploaded videos, so your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. Every slot streams the uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, with automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card; the monthly option is $9.99 per month. Start your free day with StreamNeo.
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.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →
