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Probably at idle, but there is not enough comparable evidence to say which costs less while streaming 24/7. A 2024 comparison reported lower idle power for Raspberry Pi 5 than for typical Intel N100 mini PCs. That does not establish power use during a live stream. For a fair answer, measure each complete setup running the same stream, then multiply its average wall power by your local electricity rate.
What the available power figures do—and do not—show
CNX Software’s 2024 comparison reported 3.0–3.6 W idle for Raspberry Pi 5 and 7.5–10 W typical idle for Intel N100 mini PCs. Those idle ranges favor the Pi in that comparison, but neither figure is a matched measurement of a machine encoding and sending a continuous YouTube stream. The reported difference between the ranges is 3.9–7.0 W at idle; it should not be projected as a guaranteed streaming-power difference. CNX Software’s comparison also includes configuration and benchmark comparisons, not a 24/7 streaming test.
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Raspberry Pi Ltd’s hardware documentation lists 800 mA typical active current consumption for the bare Raspberry Pi 5 board. That current figure is not a precise wall-power result: it should not be converted into a comparable streaming wattage without voltage and measurement conditions. The documentation also cautions that its approximate measurements exclude extra USB devices and HATs, which can increase consumption. Raspberry Pi computer hardware documentation
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The encoder workload depends on the stream you intend to send. YouTube’s current H.264 guidance recommends 10 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps and 17 Mbps for 1080p at 60 fps. These are stream bitrate recommendations, not promises that either computer can encode a particular stream or measurements of its electricity use. YouTube advises testing before going live and monitoring stream health; it also says to choose a quality suited to the reliability of your internet connection. YouTube Help: Choose live encoder settings, bitrates, and resolutions
#1 Best Overall
- Raspberry Pi 5 Mini PC Case: Enhance your Raspberry Pi 5 with the Pironman 5, crafted from durable aluminum with advanced cooling, NVMe M.2 SSD support, OLED display, customizable RGB lighting, dual standard HDMI ports, and a secure power switch. Assembly is simple with a clear, step-by-step guide, ensuring easy setup. Ideal for NAS, Home Assistant, Media, Game Centers and OpenClaw for building your own personal AI agent (Raspberry Pi NOT Included)
- Expandable NVMe M.2 Slot: Boost your Raspberry Pi 5 with an easy-to-install NVMe M.2 slot, supporting sizes 2230, 2242, 2260, and 2280. It also supports the Hailo-8L AI accelerator for advanced edge AI applications and faster performance
- Advanced Cooling System: Keep your Raspberry Pi 5 cool and stylish with Pironman 5’s tower cooler and dual RGB fans, equipped with dust filters for durability and easy maintenance. Designed for long-lasting performance, it efficiently dissipates heat under heavy loads, keeps fan noise low, and provides excellent ventilation to cool both the Raspberry Pi 5 and NVMe SSD and Hailo-8L AI accelerator
- OLED Display for Instant Insights: The Pironman 5 includes a 0.96” OLED display, providing immediate updates on CPU and RAM usage, temperature, IP address, and more
- Enhanced Functionality and Safety: The Pironman 5 secures your Raspberry Pi 5 with features like safe shutdown, customizable RGB LEDs, HDMI ports, an IR receiver, and an external GPIO extender, enhancing functionality and connectivity. The manufacturer offers comprehensive technical support, including online courses and video tutorials, ensuring users can easily assemble and use their Pironman 5 with confidence
To keep the comparison meaningful, match the resolution, frame rate, codec, bitrate, streaming software and peripherals. A system’s total draw can also change with its storage, power supply, enclosure, cooling, network hardware and any display or capture equipment. On the Pi, choose a compatible supply, storage, case and cooling for your particular build; do not assume the bare-board figure represents the complete setup.
Calculate the electricity cost from measured watts
Measure average power at the wall with each full system doing the same streaming job. Then use your electricity supplier’s all-in price per kWh, including any applicable charges in the rate you choose.
Rank #2
- [ULTIMATE RASPBERRY PI 5 CASE & MINI PC] - Unlock the full potential of your Raspberry Pi 5 with the Pironman 5-MAX — the most advanced Raspberry Pi 5 Case for power users. This high-performance Raspberry Pi 5 Cooling Case features dual NVMe M.2 slots with RAID 0/1 support, AI accelerator compatibility ( e.g. Hailo-8l M.2 AI), a PCIe Gen2 switch, a PWM tower cooler + dual RGB fans and a smart OLED display. With its dual transparent panels and optimized cable management (including full-size HDMI), it’s the ideal Raspberry Pi 5 Enclosure for building a high-speed NAS, AI edge computing device, or Home Assistant hub. (Raspberry Pi NOT Included)
- [DUAL NVMe M.2 SLITS & NAS RAID SUPPORT] - Supercharge your storage with the best Raspberry Pi 5 NVMe Case solution. Featuring two expandable NVMe M.2 slots (2230-2280) powered by a built-in PCIe Gen2 switch, this Raspberry Pi 5 NAS Case supports RAID 0/1 for ultra-fast data setups. Whether you're using a high-speed NVMe SSD or a Hailo-8L AI accelerator, Pironman 5-MAX delivers the ultimate performance boost for advanced Raspberry Pi 5 AI applications and edge computing
- [ADVANCED COOLING SYSTEM] - Engineered for high-performance builds, Pironman 5-MAX features a powerful tower cooler, one PWM fan, and dual RGB fans for enhanced airflow. The dual transparent panel design improves ventilation while showcasing vibrant RGB lighting. Ideal for cooling both the Raspberry Pi 5 and dual NVMe SSDs or AI accelerators like Hailo-8L, it ensures stable operation under heavy workloads with low noise and long-term durability
- [SMART OLED DISPLAY WITH VIBRATION WAKE-UP] - Pironman 5-MAX features a 0.96" OLED screen that delivers real-time system insights including CPU usage, memory, temperature, IP address, and disk status. With customizable display options and auto sleep mode, the screen can be instantly reactivated by a light tap thanks to the built-in vibration sensor—offering a smarter and more interactive experience
- [ENHANCED FUNCTIONALITY] - Pironman 5-MAX empowers your Raspberry Pi 5 with advanced features like safe shutdown via a metal power button, customizable RGB lighting, dual full-size HDMI ports, vibration-triggered OLED wake-up, and an external GPIO extender. It also includes RTC battery support for timekeeping and seamless Home Assistant integration. With detailed guides, online tutorials, and full technical support from SunFounder, setup and use are effortless and worry-free
- Energy used: average watts × operating hours ÷ 1,000 = kWh.
- Electricity cost: kWh × your price per kWh.
- Annual energy for continuous operation: average watts × 8.76 = kWh per year, based on 24 hours a day for 365 days (8,760 hours).
For example, if a meter shows an average of 20 W, the arithmetic gives 175.2 kWh over 8,760 hours (20 × 8.76). Multiply 175.2 by your own all-in tariff to estimate annual electricity cost. The assumed 20 W is only an illustration, not a measurement or prediction for either device.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesCompare purchase cost and capability, not just the power bill
A lower electricity bill does not necessarily make the cheaper overall setup. Compare each complete configuration: the computer, required power supply, storage, case and cooling, plus any display or capture hardware your use needs. CNX Software’s example configuration prices date from 2024, so they should not be treated as current prices. Its listed benchmark results generally show stronger general-purpose performance for the tested N100 mini PC than for Pi 5, but benchmarks do not establish which one handles your particular stream more efficiently.
Rank #3
- Fully assembled for plug-and-play operation
- Includes Raspberry Pi 5 with 8GB RAM
- 256 GB PCIe Pi NVMe SSD (Pre-loaded with Pi 64-Bit OS)
- M.2 HAT+
- CanaKit Turbine Black Case for the Pi 5
Choose around your wider requirements as well: operating system and software compatibility, GPIO or camera needs, the stream’s resolution, frame rate and codec, sustained thermal behavior, and how you will restart or recover the stream after a failure. Matched 24/7 reliability and streaming-encoding results are not established by the cited comparisons; treat them as things to test for your own setup, not settled advantages for either machine.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Run a fair, repeatable test
- Prepare both complete systems. Use the supplies, storage, cases, cooling and other peripherals you would keep in service. Include any display or capture hardware required for the intended workflow.
- Use identical streaming settings. Match resolution, frame rate, codec, bitrate, streaming software and content. Confirm that the network connection and YouTube stream configuration are comparable.
- Test before relying on the stream. Follow YouTube’s encoder guidance, check stream health, and verify that each machine can sustain the requested quality before treating it as a 24/7 candidate.
- Measure at the wall after warm-up. Use an optional plug-in watt meter and record average power across a representative period after each system has reached steady operation. A brief idle reading is not a substitute.
- Record operating results alongside watts. Note stream-health warnings, interruptions, thermal behavior and recovery or restart needs during the same test period.
- Apply one tariff consistently. Convert each measured average into kWh for the same number of hours, then multiply both by the same local all-in price per kWh.
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Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Includes Raspberry Pi 5 with 2.4Ghz 64-bit quad-core CPU (8GB RAM)
- Includes 128GB Micro SD Card pre-loaded with 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS, USB MicroSD Card Reader
- CanaKit Turbine Black Case for the Raspberry Pi 5
- CanaKit Low Noise Bearing System Fan
- Mega Heat Sink - Black Anodized
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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