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A 24/7 YouTube stream on a home PC costs the PC’s average wall power draw × 720 hours per 30-day month × your household’s applicable marginal electricity rate. There is no single Canadian price: your province, utility, rate plan, time of use and household consumption all matter. For example, a continuous 100-watt load uses 72 kWh in 30 days; multiply that by your own rate to estimate its energy cost.
Calculate the monthly electricity cost
Use the PC’s average power draw measured at the wall, rather than the rating printed on its power supply. A 24/7 stream runs for about 720 hours in a 30-day month.
- Measure the average wall draw. A plug-in electricity usage monitor can measure the PC and any equipment connected through it. Measure under the workload you intend to use; no PC model or wattage is established as typical here.
- Convert watts to monthly kilowatt-hours. Divide average watts by 1,000, then multiply by 720 hours: monthly kWh = average watts ÷ 1,000 × 720.
- Apply your marginal electricity price. Multiply monthly kWh by the relevant price per kWh on your plan. If your plan has time-of-use periods or consumption tiers, calculate each period or tier separately.
Include a display, capture hardware or audio equipment only if it will stay powered for the stream and you want its electricity included. Do not count a router as an added stream cost if it would be on anyway. A power supply’s maximum rating is not the PC’s measured draw.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Illustrative monthly energy costs
These are arithmetic examples, not measurements of a PC or claims about typical Canadian electricity rates. They show the energy-only result for a continuous load over 720 hours:
#1 Best Overall
- 【AMD Ryzen 4300U True 4-Core CPU: Outperforms N95 & i3-10110U】KAMRUI P2 Mini PC is equipped with true 4-core AMD Ryzen 4300U processor built on advanced 7nm Zen2 architecture，This means you get consistent, unthrottled performance for hours on end, whether you’re running multiple browser tabs, streaming 4K content, or managing virtual machines. Compare that to Intel N95 (4 efficiency cores that throttle under load) or Intel i3-10110U (only 2 cores total), and the difference is night and day: The KAMRUI P2 AMD Ryzen 4300U (28W) is 40% faster than the Intel i3-10110U and 25% faster than the Intel N95 in multi-core tasks, ensuring smooth, lag-free performance even during heavy workloads.
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| Assumed average draw | Energy in 30 days | At $0.10/kWh | At $0.20/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 W | 36 kWh | $3.60 | $7.20 |
| 100 W | 72 kWh | $7.20 | $14.40 |
| 200 W | 144 kWh | $14.40 | $28.80 |
| 300 W | 216 kWh | $21.60 | $43.20 |
The $0.10 and $0.20 rates are illustrative inputs only. Replace them with the marginal price that applies to your home, rather than treating either as a Canadian benchmark.
Why the rate depends on where and how you are billed
Canadian residential electricity bills differ by jurisdiction and utility, including in rate structures, system design, subsidies, delivery charges and policy. The Canadian Energy Regulator’s 2026 comparison uses jurisdiction-specific effective dates, so it is a comparative reference—not a substitute for the rate currently applicable to your account. Canadian Energy Regulator: electricity prices across Canada.
Rank #2
- 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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- DUAL NIC LAN 2.5G RJ45 - Fast Network Speeds: Enjoy up to 2500Mbps data transmission speed without worrying about lagging. Ideal for working, gaming, and surfing the internet. Great for Untangle, Pfsense or as a server office PC.
- 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.
- Fast Internet WiFi 6E + BT5.2 Connection - GMKtec Mini PC with WiFi-6E Wireless, have 2.5G/5G/6G triple band, more faster and lower latency. Bluetooth 5.2 allowing you more quickly to connect other wireless devices (headset, mouse, keyboard, etc.) Interface features 2*USB3.2 ports, 2*USB2.0 ports, 1*HDMI 2.0 port(4K@60Hz), 1*USB-C port(PD/DP/DATA), 1*DP Port, 1*Audio 3.5mm (HP&MIC), 1*DC Power Port.
Time-of-use and tiered plans
For Ontario, the Ontario Energy Board lists regulated TOU prices set November 1, 2025 of 9.8¢/kWh off-peak, 15.7¢/kWh mid-peak and 20.3¢/kWh on-peak. Its ULO plan lists four periods at 3.9¢, 9.8¢, 15.7¢ and 39.1¢/kWh; its tiered plan lists 12.0¢/kWh and 14.2¢/kWh, with thresholds that change seasonally. These are Ontario electricity-line prices, not all-in rates for Canada. Check the OEB’s current page and your own plan before using a price in a calculation. Ontario Energy Board: electricity rates.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →A stream runs across all hours, so for a time-of-use plan you need the hours it spends in each pricing period. For a tiered plan, the stream’s added consumption may fall partly or wholly into a higher tier depending on the rest of the household’s usage and the applicable threshold.
Rank #3
- 【AMD Ryzen 3 5300U CPU: Outperforms N150 & 3500U】 BOSGAME E5 mini PC is powered by the TSMC 7nm FinFET architecture AMD Ryzen 3 5300U processor (4 Cores, 8 Threads, up to 3.8GHz boost, 6MB total cache). Compared to low-end Intel N150 or 3500U chips which only have 4 single threads and throttle under load, the 5300U delivers over 30% faster multi-core speed. Run 30+ browser tabs, large Excel sheets, and Zoom meetings simultaneously without system lag.
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- 【High-Capacity Dual M.2 SSD Storage Expansion】 Never worry about running out of space for your business files. In addition to the pre-installed 256GB system drive, the motherboard houses an extra empty internal M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 3.0 slot. This allows you to easily add a second solid-state drive for up to an additional 2TB of storage capacity (upgrades not included) without needing to remove or reinstall the original operating system.
- 【Radeon 6-Core Graphics & Triple 4K Displays】 Integrated with official AMD Radeon Graphics (6 Graphics Cores, 1500 MHz frequency) for casual gaming, photo editing, and crisp 4K media decoding. Featuring 1x HDMI 2.0 port, 1x DisplayPort, and 1x Full-Function Type-C port, the E5 outputs true 4K@60Hz resolution to three monitors at once. This multi-screen setup eliminates constant window-switching for traders, programmers, and office workers.
- 【Dual 2.5GbE LAN Ports for Advanced Networking】 Experience fast wired network transmission speeds up to 2500Mbps without lagging or buffering. The integration of dual 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports (powered by Realtek RTL8125 controller) makes this compact computer an exceptional hardware choice for tech enthusiasts. Easily configure it into software routers, hardware firewalls (pfSense, OpnSense), home NAS servers, or local homelabs.
Energy cost is not always the full bill change
The multiplication estimates the energy component. Delivery, regulatory charges, adjustments, rebates and taxes can affect the actual bill change, and fixed customer charges may not rise in proportion to one added load. The Ontario Energy Board explains delivery rates and Global Adjustment treatment. Toronto Hydro’s local residential page describes charges and rebates for its own customer context; its figures should not be generalized to all Canadians. Toronto Hydro: residential electricity rates.
For one dated local example, Toronto Hydro lists summer tier energy prices of 12.0¢/kWh for the first 600 kWh and 14.2¢/kWh above that threshold from May 1 through October 31, 2026. It also describes a 23.5% Ontario Electricity Rebate effective November 1, 2025 for most eligible consumers. These are Toronto-specific details, not a national benchmark; consult your own bill and utility for your actual charges.
Rank #4
- 12th Intel Alder Lake N95 Processor – The GMKtec G3 S Mini PC is powered by the 12th Gen Intel N95 processor with 4 cores, 4 threads, 6MB cache and a burst frequency up to 3.4GHz. Compared with N100/N5105/N5100/N5095, the N95 delivers up to 36% overall performance improvement. Perfect for routine tasks, office work, and home entertainment, this compact mini desktop is more convenient than traditional bulky PCs.
- 8GB RAM & 256GB SSD Storage – Pre-installed with 8GB DDR4 memory and a fast 256GB M.2 2242 SSD, the G3 S mini desktop offers quicker startup, smoother multitasking, and faster file transfers. Enjoy seamless performance whether you’re working on multiple applications, browsing, or streaming content.
- Rich Interfaces & Connectivity – The G3 S mini computer comes equipped with USB 3.2 (up to 10Gbps), dual HDMI 2.0 (4K@60Hz), and a 3.5mm audio jack. With support for WiFi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, and Gigabit Ethernet (RJ45 1000MbE), it connects easily with monitors, projectors, printers, office equipment, and other peripherals, making it versatile for both home and business use.
- Dual 4K Display Support – Featuring upgraded Intel UHD Graphics (up to 1000MHz), the G3 S supports 4K video playback and AV1 decoding for a smooth viewing experience. With dual HDMI outputs, you can connect two 4K@60Hz displays simultaneously, enabling efficient multitasking for work and entertainment.
- GMKTEC WARRANTY - GMKtec offers a 3-year limited warranty (1 year replacement + 2 years parts replacement) for each mini PC, starting from the date of the purchase effective on all sales starting Oct. 2026. All defects due to design and workmanship are covered. With a professional after sales team always ready to attend to your needs, you can simply relax and enjoy your mini PC
Configure the stream without confusing bitrate with power use
YouTube’s encoder recommendations help you choose a stream quality that your connection can sustain, but they do not tell you how many watts your PC will draw. Do not convert bitrate directly into electricity use: the PC’s components and workload determine wall draw.
- For H.264, YouTube recommends 5 Mbps at 1080p/30 fps and 6 Mbps at 1080p/60 fps; its recommended settings increase at higher resolutions and frame rates.
- YouTube lists RTMP/RTMPS ingest and H.264, H.265 and AV1 encoding, up to 60 fps. It recommends a two-second keyframe frequency, not exceeding four seconds.
- Choose a quality your internet connection can sustain, test before going live, and monitor stream health. YouTube Help’s instruction is: “Make sure to test before you start the live stream.” YouTube Help: encoder settings, bitrates and resolutions.
Keep a YouTube stream running without leaving a PC on
If you want to keep a pre-recorded stream live around the clock but do not want a home computer running, StreamNeo is a cloud option for YouTube: upload a recording or create a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, then go live. It loops uploaded video from the cloud; it does not stream from a camera. See StreamNeo.
Or let it run in the cloud
StreamNeo keeps the stream running without a computer or home internet connection staying on. Every slot streams uploaded video as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot with no re-encoding or quality tiers; it also automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card, one free day per account. A monthly slot is $9.99 per month.
Quick Recap
- Upload a recording or build a playlist.
- Add your YouTube stream key.
- Go live from the cloud.
Start your free StreamNeo day.
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.
