How Many Watts Does a Laptop Use? Laptop, Computer, and Router Watts

A laptop can use no more than its charger supplies, which is 40 to 140 watts for current MacBooks and 60 to 100 watts for the Dell and HP models we checked, and only about 4 to 5 watts when idle. The charger sets the ceiling: Apple ships MacBook Airs with a 40 watt adapter (60 W max) and MacBook Pros with 70 to 140 watt adapters, while Dell and HP business laptops come with 60 to 100 watt adapters. Over a year, ENERGY STAR certified laptops use a median of just 13.3 kWh. A desktop with a monitor uses more, and a Wi-Fi router adds about 4 to 22 watts.

Laptop power adapter ratings

Sources: Apple tech specs; Dell XPS 14 9440 owner's manual; HP QuickSpecs. The adapter rating is the most the laptop can pull. Typical use is lower.

How much power does a laptop use idle?

Apple's environmental reports measure a 13 inch MacBook Air (M5) at 3.69 W and a 14 inch MacBook Pro (M6) at 3.94 W when idle with the display on, at 115V. Across 1,167 ENERGY STAR certified notebooks, the median short-idle draw is 4.9 W and the median adapter is 65 W.

How many watts does a desktop computer use?

• ENERGY STAR desktops: median yearly use of 41.7 kWh across 307 certified models, with a median short-idle draw of 10.5 W. All-in-one desktops: 54.15 kWh a year.
• Power supply ratings: the Dell XPS 8960 offers 460, 750, or 1,000 W power supplies. That is the maximum the supply can deliver, not what the computer normally uses.
• Monitors: ENERGY STAR certified 24 inch class monitors have a median on-mode draw of 12.9 W, and 27 inch class monitors 16.81 W.

Sources: ENERGY STAR Certified Computers (version 9.0) and Displays data sets, medians computed November 3, 2026.

How many watts does a router use?

eero reports typical power under the CTA 2049-A test: eero 6 at 4.4 W, eero 7 at 7 W (15 W max), and eero Max 7 at 21.9 W. NETGEAR says a router's draw does not exceed its adapter rating, such as 12V at 1.5 A (18 W) for the RAX10. Add your modem, which has its own adapter.

What generator charts say

Honda's generator wattage guide lists a laptop at 200 to 250 W and a desktop at 600 to 800 W, while Champion lists phone and laptop chargers at 20 to 100 W. Those charts run high next to today's adapter ratings. The adapter rating on your own laptop is a better ceiling. See the Generator Wattage Chart.

How long will a power station run a laptop?

Hours = capacity x 0.9 / watts, using the full 65 W adapter rating. Most of the time a laptop draws less, so real run time is longer. Home office = 65 W laptop + 17 W monitor + 7 W router. Capacity is from each product page.

Charge over USB-C to save power. The Explorer 1000 v2's USB-C ports support up to 100 W PD, enough for most laptops without going through the AC inverter.

Working through an outage with satellite internet? Read How Many Watts Does a Starlink Mini Use? Browse portable power stations.

Need help sizing? Call 1-888-855-7286. Tell us your computer, monitor, and how long you need to work, and we will match you to a power station.

Laptop and computer wattage FAQ

How many watts does a laptop use? No more than its charger rating (40 to 140 W for current MacBooks, 60 to 100 W for the Dell and HP models above), and about 4 to 5 W idle.

How many watts does a computer use? ENERGY STAR desktops idle at a median 10.5 W and use a median 41.7 kWh a year.

How many watts does a gaming PC use? It depends on the power supply and load. A Dell XPS 8960 offers up to a 1,000 W power supply, which is its maximum, not its typical draw.

How many watts does a Wi-Fi router use? About 4.4 to 21.9 W for eero models under the CTA 2049-A typical-use test.

How long will a power station run a laptop? About 15 hours at 65 W on the 1,070 Wh Explorer 1000 v2.

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