Running an M1 Mac mini continuously for a year would use about 59.6–341.6 kWh at Apple’s published idle and CPU-maximum reference points. At an illustrative electricity rate of $0.15 per kWh, that is about $8.94–$51.25 per year for the Mac itself. Your actual bill depends on the stream workload, connected equipment, and local electricity rates.
How much electricity does an M1 Mac mini use in a year?
Apple reports 6.8 W at idle and 39 W at CPU maximum for a tested M1 Mac mini configuration with 16 GB of unified memory and a 2 TB SSD. These are published reference measurements, not measurements of a particular livestream; your streaming workload may draw differently. [Apple Support]
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For continuous operation over a 365-day year, use 8,760 hours. The calculation is:
Annual energy (kWh) = watts × 8,760 ÷ 1,000
| Reference point | Annual energy for 8,760 hours | Annual cost at illustrative $0.15/kWh | Monthly equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.8 W idle | 59.568 kWh (about 59.6 kWh) | About $8.94 | About $0.75 |
| 39 W CPU maximum | 341.64 kWh (about 341.6 kWh) | About $51.25 | About $4.27 |
The $0.15/kWh rate is an example to show the arithmetic, not a universal electricity price. For your estimate, multiply the annual kWh by the all-in rate on your bill. If your utility uses time-of-use pricing, calculate the energy used in each rate period separately.
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How to estimate your own electricity cost
- Measure the complete setup. A plug-in electricity meter can show actual consumption at the outlet while your stream is running. Measure the Mac and any equipment you want included, such as a display, audio gear, or network hardware.
- Record a representative workload. Measure while the encoder is running and the stream is active, rather than assuming idle power represents streaming. If the workload varies, take readings over a representative period.
- Convert watts into annual energy. Multiply the measured average watts by 8,760, then divide by 1,000 to get kWh for a 365-day year.
- Apply your billed rate. Multiply the kWh by your local all-in price per kWh. With time-of-use rates, use the corresponding rate for each period instead of one blended figure.
For example, if the complete setup averages 20 W, the estimate is 20 × 8,760 ÷ 1,000 = 175.2 kWh per year. Multiply 175.2 by your own billed rate to estimate its annual electricity cost.
What Apple’s 150 W figure means
Apple’s M1 Mac mini technical specifications list 150 W maximum continuous power. That is a product rating, not the expected draw of a livestream. Apple separately reports a 39 W CPU maximum for its tested configuration, so using 150 W as a typical streaming estimate would overstate what that measurement establishes. Apple’s M1 Mac mini technical specifications and power-consumption table describe different figures.
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Costs and reliability beyond the Mac
Connected equipment
The estimates above cover the Mac alone at Apple’s reference points. A monitor, audio equipment, router, modem, or other connected device adds to the total if it is also running continuously. Measuring the complete setup is the most direct way to include those loads.
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Internet service and stream continuity
Electricity cost does not establish that the stream will stay online. YouTube recommends leaving 20% upload-bandwidth headroom above the total bitrate and using a reliable connection; account for primary and backup streams where applicable. The M1 Mac mini has Gigabit Ethernet, but that port specification does not establish your internet service’s upload speed or reliability. See YouTube’s streaming tips.
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YouTube eligibility and archiving
YouTube’s get-started guidance says a channel must be verified and must not have had live-streaming restrictions in the past 90 days. First-time live streaming may take up to 24 hours to become enabled, so allow time before a planned start. Eligibility rules can change; check YouTube’s current live-streaming guidance.
YouTube says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. Do not assume an uninterrupted 24-hour feed will be saved as one complete video; if preserving the full run matters, plan separate recordings or another archiving approach. YouTube’s encoder instructions explain how to enter the Live server URL and stream key in an encoder: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
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Or let it run in the cloud
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