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There is no single electricity cost for running a Mac mini 24/7 while a YouTube loop is playing: it depends on the setup’s average power draw at the wall and your electricity rate. Apple’s published idle and maximum figures are useful reference points, but neither measures YouTube playback. At a hypothetical $0.15 per kWh, Apple’s 4 W idle reference works out to about $5.26 per year; the 70 W maximum reference works out to about $91.98 per year. For a realistic estimate of your own stream, measure the running setup and use your local marginal electricity price.
Estimate the electricity cost
Use the average power draw of the complete setup you want to cost. If the display, USB devices, or network equipment are part of that setup, include them in the measurement; otherwise, leave them out. Then apply the same electricity rate to the energy used.
- Daily energy: average watts × 24 ÷ 1,000 = kWh per day.
- Annual energy: average watts × 8,760 ÷ 1,000 = kWh per year, assuming 365 days of continuous operation.
- Energy charge: kWh × your marginal electricity price per kWh.
- Average monthly charge: annual energy charge ÷ 12.
For example, at an assumed rate of $0.15/kWh, 4 W running continuously uses 0.096 kWh per day, or 35.04 kWh per year. That is approximately $0.44 per month and $5.26 per year. At 70 W, the same calculation gives 1.68 kWh per day, 613.2 kWh per year, approximately $7.67 per month, and $91.98 per year. The $0.15 rate is an arithmetic example, not a claim about the average rate in any country or region.
These are estimates of the energy charge, not a prediction of your total bill. Fixed charges, taxes, tiered pricing, and time-of-use rates can affect what you pay. Use the marginal rate that best reflects the extra electricity consumed during the hours you run the loop.
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What Apple’s Mac mini power figures tell you—and what they do not
Apple Support’s power table, published September 22, 2026, lists the following selected configurations. Apple says its wattage data is measured at the wall and includes power-supply and system losses.
| Mac mini configuration | Published idle | Published maximum | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|---|
| M6, 16 GB unified memory / 256 GB SSD | 4 W | 70 W | Current reference values; neither is a YouTube playback measurement. |
| M5 Pro, 64 GB unified memory / 8 TB SSD | 6 W | 145 W | Higher-end configuration; maximum is not a stream estimate. |
| 2024 M4, 16 GB unified memory / 256 GB SSD | 4 W | 65 W | Apple-listed reference values for this configuration. |
| 2024 M4 Pro, 64 GB unified memory / 8 TB SSD | 5 W | 140 W | Apple-listed reference values for this configuration. |
| 2023 M2, 24 GB unified memory / 2 TB SSD | 7 W | 50 W CPU maximum | Apple labels the maximum specifically as CPU maximum. |
| M1 (2020), 16 GB unified memory / 2 TB SSD | 6.8 W | 39 W CPU maximum | Apple labels the maximum specifically as CPU maximum. |
Idle is not a YouTube loop
Apple defines idle as the power used with only Finder open under default power-management settings. A Mac playing a video and maintaining a live stream is doing different work. The idle number can serve as a reference, but it should not be presented as the Mac’s measured draw during playback.
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Maximum is not a playback prediction
Apple describes CPU Max as a compute-intensive test that maximizes processor use and power consumption. It is not a YouTube streaming test. Likewise, Apple’s specifications list a 155 W maximum continuous power figure for the Mac mini line, but that figure does not establish that a YouTube loop draws 155 W. Supported video formats do not reveal the actual power draw of a particular browser, playback codec, resolution, or display arrangement.
ENERGY STAR figures are standardized states, not active playback
ENERGY STAR’s 2025 certification records for M4 models list standardized power states. The A3238 M4 16 GB record lists 2.4 W long idle, 2.8 W short idle, 0.6 W sleep, and 0.1 W off. The A3238 M4 32 GB record lists 2.9 W long idle, 3.3 W short idle, 0.8 W sleep, and 0.1 W off. The A3239 M4 Pro 64 GB record lists 3.7 W long idle, 4.3 W short idle, 0.8 W sleep, and 0.1 W off. These certification states are not measurements of an active loop and should not be substituted for one.
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Measure your actual setup at the wall
The most useful estimate comes from a plug-in electricity usage monitor measuring the intended setup while the YouTube loop runs. Apple’s published measurements are also taken at the wall, so there is no need to add an arbitrary correction for power-supply efficiency.
- Connect the Mac mini and whichever peripherals you want included in the estimate to the meter. Decide consistently whether the display, USB devices, and network equipment are part of the setup being costed.
- Run the actual loop and streaming configuration for a representative period. A measurement taken while Finder is idle, or while the Mac is running a CPU stress test, does not represent that workload.
- Read the average watts or accumulated energy shown by the meter. If it reports kWh over a known interval, divide the kWh by the number of hours and multiply by 1,000 to get average watts.
- Use the formulas above and the marginal rate on your electricity tariff. If your rate changes by time or usage tier, calculate using the rate that applies to the stream’s consumption period.
When comparing two Mac minis or playback setups, keep the workload comparable: use the same loop, resolution, browser or player, display status, and attached equipment. Compare average wall watts and annualize over the same number of operating hours. Apple’s published idle and maximum figures can orient a comparison, but they cannot replace matching workload measurements.
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Or let it run in the cloud
If you want the YouTube loop to continue without keeping a Mac mini and home setup running, StreamNeo is a cloud service for keeping a YouTube channel live from uploaded videos. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live; StreamNeo loops the video in the cloud. It does not go live from a camera or stream to other platforms. Your computer and home connection do not have to stay on, so this avoids the need to run the Mac mini for the stream; it is not a claim about your total household savings or a quantified electricity saving.
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