To measure what your PC uses while streaming YouTube with OBS, plug a watt-hour meter into the wall, connect the PC’s power supply through it, and take the reading while your normal stream is running. Let the setup reach steady state first. The meter reports the connected equipment’s total power at the wall—not OBS’s share alone or the PC’s internal DC power.
What you need
- A plug-in watt-hour meter rated for your outlet and equipment. Check that its plug type and electrical rating suit your region and PC.
- The PC and the OBS/YouTube setup you want to assess.
- A way to note the meter readings, measurement duration, and stream settings.
A watt-hour meter at the outlet is the direct practical method for measuring the connected PC’s wall-side electricity use. The cited Microsoft guidance describes this category of meter, but does not endorse a particular make or model: Microsoft Sustainable Software guidance. Tom’s Guide also describes a mains wattage meter for direct measurement and contrasts it with software approaches: Tom’s Guide.
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How to measure the PC during an OBS stream
- Connect the meter. Plug it into the wall outlet, then connect the PC’s power supply to the meter. If you want PC-only use, do not include monitors, speakers, or other devices in the measurement.
- Start the complete workload. Turn on the PC, open OBS, start the intended YouTube stream, and run the content or game you normally use. Keep the workload representative of the session you want to understand.
- Wait for steady state. Do not treat startup as representative of a normal stream. Begin the timed reading after the PC and streaming setup have settled; electrical components can draw transient energy during startup, as Microsoft’s guidance notes.
- Record power and energy. Note the meter’s watts at consistent intervals or its representative/average power if available. For a longer session, record accumulated watt-hours or kilowatt-hours (kWh), plus the exact measurement duration.
- Write down the workload settings. Record the encoder, output resolution, frame rate, scene complexity and active sources, content or game, and whether OBS preview or other demanding programs are running. These variables affect the load.
- For a laptop, separate workload from charging. Start with the battery fully charged if your goal is to assess streaming workload rather than energy used to recharge it.
What the meter reading tells you
Watts are power; kWh is energy over time
A watt reading is power at a moment or over the interval represented by the meter. Accumulated watt-hours or kWh tell you how much energy the connected equipment used across a period. Record duration alongside energy: the same power draw over a longer stream consumes more energy.
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It is a whole-PC wall reading, not an OBS-only number
The meter measures mains input for everything connected through it. For a PC, that includes the power supply’s conversion losses and the other internal components. It does not isolate OBS, report the PC’s internal DC consumption, or equal the CPU/GPU telemetry shown by monitoring software. Software readings can help explain component behavior, but they are not a substitute for measuring total system input at the outlet.
#1 Best Overall
- Various Monitoring Parameters: The power meter plug can monitor the power (W), energy (kWh), volts, amps, hertz, power factor, cost, minimum and maximum power (W), cumulative days and time of your appliances. By switching 7 display modes, you can easily know the various parameters while the appliance is working. The home energy monitor can also calculate and display how much power your appliance uses and how much electricity bill it cost in cumulative time
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Estimate your electricity cost
Multiply the measured kWh by your electricity rate for the relevant billing unit. For example, if your meter records a session’s energy in kWh, use that number—not a watt reading by itself—in the calculation. Rates vary, and there is no established universal cost or typical wattage for a PC streaming YouTube with OBS.
Make readings comparable
OBS’s CPU requirements vary with encoder, resolution, frame rate, and scene complexity. OBS also uses GPU time and resources to composite and render scenes; a demanding game can leave less GPU capacity available. See OBS’s guidance on system requirements and encoding performance troubleshooting.
Rank #2
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When comparing two sessions or configurations, keep the measurement interval and scope consistent, and record:
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- Encoder, output resolution, and frame rate.
- Scene complexity and active sources.
- Game or other content load, plus demanding programs running alongside OBS.
- Whether the meter includes only the PC or also peripherals such as monitors and speakers.
There is no reliable general wattage benchmark established for this exact YouTube-with-OBS scenario. Your measured result applies to your hardware, settings, and workload; do not treat it as a typical figure for other PCs.
Rank #3
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- 90-250 V Wide Voltage Range: The amp draw meter measures 90-250 Vac, 0-16 AMP, and 0-3680 Watt, with overload indication adjustable from 680 to 3680 W; Adhering to Class 1.0 accuracy standard with 0.1 W, 0.1 V, 0.001 A, and 0.001 kWh resolution, this watt power meter ensures precise readings
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Common measurement problems
- The reading jumps near startup: Startup transients can skew a short measurement. Wait until the PC and stream setup reach steady state, then begin recording.
- Two readings do not match: Check whether duration, encoder, resolution, frame rate, scenes, game load, background programs, or included peripherals changed. Compare like with like.
- The number seems lower than component-monitoring totals: Outlet power is a whole-system mains-input measurement; software telemetry for CPU or GPU is component context and measures something different.
- A laptop reading includes battery charging: Recharge first, then begin the workload measurement with the battery fully charged if charging is not part of the question.
- The result is in watts, but you need energy: Record accumulated Wh or kWh over the session. A momentary watt reading alone does not say how much energy the stream consumed.
- You want PC-only use but connected the full desk: Move peripherals outside the meter’s measured connection, or report clearly that the result covers the whole setup.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is keeping a pre-recorded YouTube stream live rather than measuring a local PC workload, StreamNeo runs the uploaded video or playlist from the cloud: upload your recording, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. It streams the file as uploaded, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot; it can automatically recover if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly: $9.99 per month. Start your free day with StreamNeo.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Real-Time Energy Monitoring: Smart plugs track the real-time power, current, and voltage of your plug-in devices on Govee Home App. Supports reviewing data daily / weekly / monthly and up to 1 year to effectively save energy and reduce waste.
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Rank #4
- ✓ Backlit LCD Display: The watt meter features an upgraded backlit LCD display with a 160° wide viewing angle, providing clear and distinct data readings from any angle, day or night. (Note: To conserve energy, the backlight will automatically turn off after 15 seconds of continuous use.)
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- ✓ Save Money and Energy: By toggling through the 9 display modes, you can gain insights into various operational parameters of your devices. The home energy monitor also calculates and displays the electricity consumption and cost over time, helping you save on your electricity bills by monitoring and managing energy usage.
- ✓ Data Storage: The plug-in electricity meter stores all non-real-time data, ensuring no information is lost in the event of a sudden power outage. If data exceeds the screen’s maximum display range, the screen will flash as a reminder. Pressing and holding the reset button for 3 seconds will reset the cumulative data to zero.
- ✓ Safe to Use: Rated voltage 125VAC, 60Hz, 15A maximum 1875W resistor and tungsten wire, 1/2HP. Clean and tidy interface, very simple to use.
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