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There is no single monthly electricity cost for running an always-on YouTube stream on a Dell Wyse thin client: it depends on the exact Wyse model, its average power draw at the wall while streaming, and your electricity rate. Calculate it as average watts × hours × days ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh. For a 30-day month, a continuously used watt costs about $0.1246 at the U.S. 2025 average residential rate of 17.30 cents per kWh. Dell lists 3.3 W as the Wyse 3040’s idle consumption; if that were also its average wall draw during a stream, the illustrative cost would be about $0.41 for 30 days. It is not a streaming measurement, so your actual cost may differ.
Calculate the monthly electricity cost
Use your measured average power draw in watts and the rate you pay per kilowatt-hour (kWh):
Monthly kWh = average watts × hours per day × days ÷ 1,000
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For a 30-day month of uninterrupted operation, the calculation simplifies to average watts × 720 ÷ 1,000 for kWh. Multiply that result by your local per-kWh rate. Use the rate and billing details on your utility bill for the most relevant estimate; a national average is only an illustration.
Illustration using the U.S. 2025 average
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports a 2025 average residential electricity price of 17.30 cents per kWh; its 2025 figures are preliminary. At that rate, each watt used continuously for 30 days costs about $0.1246. For example, 10 W would use 7.2 kWh and cost about $1.25 for the month at that rate. Your actual bill may differ because your electricity price and billing structure may differ.
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What Dell’s published figures do—and do not—tell you
Wyse 3040: an idle figure, not a streaming test
Dell Technologies says the Wyse 3040 “consumes 3.3 Watts in idle state” in its archived reference architecture. If 3.3 W were the device’s actual average wall draw while streaming for 720 hours, it would use 2.376 kWh and cost about $0.41 at the EIA’s 2025 U.S. average rate. That is an arithmetic illustration, not a measured YouTube playback cost: Dell’s figure is for idle operation, and the source does not establish the Wyse 3040’s average draw during a stream.
Wyse 5070: a modeled annual energy figure
Dell’s Wyse 5070 PCF datasheet lists 41.84 kWh yearly TEC. The datasheet figure uses stated assumptions including a two-year product lifetime and EU use location; the year of the datasheet is not stated in the available excerpt. It is a modeled yearly energy-demand figure, not a measurement of a 24/7 YouTube stream or a directly comparable wall-power result for another setup.
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A power adapter rating is not the computer’s consumption
The Dell Wyse 5070 Extended Thin Client User Guide lists a 130 W AC adapter. That is the adapter’s rated capacity, not a measurement that the computer continuously draws 130 W. Do not multiply 130 W by 720 hours to estimate monthly use.
Measure your Wyse setup for a better estimate
Because the published Dell figures do not give a measured average for your particular model and streaming workload, a wall measurement is the most useful input. An optional plug-in electricity monitor or watt meter can measure the complete computer’s draw at the outlet. Follow the meter’s instructions, leave the stream running under representative conditions, and use its average or accumulated energy reading rather than relying on a brief peak.
- Identify the exact Wyse model and configuration; “Dell Wyse” covers multiple devices.
- Measure the average wall draw with the video and streaming setup actually in use.
- Use the electricity rate and billing structure applicable to your home, not an assumed national rate.
- Decide whether your estimate includes a display, speakers, router or other network equipment. These add to total household use if they are part of the setup.
- Keep electricity separate from internet charges and any paid streaming service; they are not included in the power calculation.
For a fair comparison of estimates, use the same model and configuration, streaming workload, wall-measurement method, electricity rate, and included equipment. Dell’s cited figures are not a controlled comparison of Wyse models streaming YouTube.
What it costs to leave YouTube streaming all day
The electricity cost of leaving a YouTube stream running on a Wyse is the cost of the measured setup’s power use—not a fixed charge for YouTube or for the thin client. Once you know the average watts at the wall, multiply by the hours in your billing period, divide by 1,000, and multiply by your per-kWh price. Include other always-on devices only if you want the total cost of the whole streaming setup.
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- (2) USB 2.0 port, (1) USB 2.0 port with Smart Power On, (3) USB 3.2
- (2) DisplayPort 1.4 ports, (1) RJ-45 Ethernet port, (1) universal audio jack
- Keyboard and Mouse NOT included
- ThinOS
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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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