How Many Watts Does a PS4 Use

A PS4 uses between 100 and 145 watts during active gameplay, depending on the console model and the graphical demands of the game being played. The PS4 Slim draws the least watts, typically 77 to 110 watts under gaming load, while the PS4 Pro reaches up to 160 watts during demanding 4K titles. At standby with the internet connected, all three models drop to just 3 watts.

Whether you are calculating your monthly electricity bill, planning a gaming setup for an outdoor event, or figuring out which solar generator can sustain a long gaming session during a power outage, knowing how many watts a PS4 uses is the starting point. This guide covers every PS4 model and mode, the electricity cost by US state, and which Jackery Solar Generators best match the PS4's power demands.

Key Takeaways

• The PS4 draws 100–145W during gaming, the PS4 Slim draws 77–110W, and the PS4 Pro draws 145–160W under load.
• All PS4 models drop to just 3 watts in Rest Mode when connected to the internet, which is a negligible standby consumption.
• Running a PS4 (100W) for 8.5 hours per week costs approximately $7.68 per year at the US average electricity rate of 18.83 cents per kWh.
• When combining a PS4 with a TV during an active gaming session, the combined draw typically reaches 180 to 250 watts, depending on the TV's screen size and display technology.
• You can use the Running Time Calculator available on the Jackery Buying Guide page to calculate how long will Jackery run a PlayStation.

How Many Watts Does a PS4 Consume?

PS4 power consumption varies across three console models and multiple operating modes. The rated maximum wattage listed on a console's label represents the ceiling and not the typical draw. In general, the real-world consumption during gaming is almost always lower than the rated maximum.

PS4 Wattage by Console Model

The PS4 Pro's higher wattage under demanding loads reflects its additional processing power for 4K gaming and higher frame rate modes. The PS4 Slim is the most energy-efficient model of the three. Its 40% smaller form factor translates directly to lower power consumption across every mode.

PS4 Wattage by Operating Mode

Understanding wattage at each operating mode gives a clearer picture of where electricity is actually consumed during a gaming session:

How Much Does It Cost to Run a PS4?

At the US average electricity rate of $0.1883 per kWh and average gaming time of 8.5 hours per week, the annual cost of running a PS4 is approximately $7.68. The table below breaks this down across major US states:

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Actual rates vary by utility provider and plan.

Formula to Calculate Your Personal PS4 Electricity Cost

Hourly Cost = (PS4 Gaming Wattage ÷ 1,000) × Your Electricity Rate

Monthly Cost = Hourly Cost × Weekly Gaming Hours × 4.33 weeks

For a PS4 Pro drawing 160W at gaming, with 10 hours of weekly play at $0.3525/kWh (California rate): (160 ÷ 1,000) × $0.3525 × 10 × 4.33 = $2.44 per month, or approximately $29.30 per year.

How Many Watts Does a PS4 Use With a TV?

Adding a television to the PS4's draw increases total system consumption significantly. Television power consumption depends on screen size and display technology:

Here is the combined gaming system wattage with the LED TV:

For sizing a solar generator or backup power solution for a full PS4 gaming setup, you should always use the combined PS4 plus TV wattage.

What Factors Affect PS4 Power Consumption?

Game type, graphical demand, PS4 display output setting, background downloads and updates, controller charging, and rest mode configuration are some of the factors that affect PS4 power consumption. Let us explain all of them in detail: 

Game Type and Graphical Demand: Games with complex open-world environments, ray-tracing effects, and high-resolution assets push the PS4's GPU harder than simpler 2D titles. A demanding AAA game at full settings draws meaningfully more power than a retro-style indie game running at standard resolution.

PS4 Display Output Setting: Running the PS4 Pro in Performance Mode (targeting higher frame rates at reduced resolution) versus Quality Mode (targeting 4K at lower frame rates) produces different GPU load profiles and different wattage draws. Performance Mode generally uses slightly more wattage due to higher sustained frame rates.

Background Downloads and Updates: If the PS4 is downloading a game update while you play, the network card and storage write operations add a small but measurable draw on top of the gaming load.

Controller Charging: Charging a DualShock 4 via the console adds approximately 4 to 5 watts while the controller charges. And with two controllers charging simultaneously, that adds up to 10 watts to the total system draw.

Rest Mode Configuration: Rest Mode with internet connectivity (3W) draws more than Rest Mode without (5W: slightly counterintuitively, because internet-enabled Rest Mode keeps the network adapter active but allows more efficient management of other components in lower-power states).

For Leslie Williams, a long-haul truck driver who spends six days a week logging 577 miles behind the wheel, home has to earn its keep as a place of genuine rest and connection. One unexpected source of that stability has been gaming. Leslie uses his stack of Jackery Solar Generators to power a video game setup he shares with his granddaughter, turning a small hobby into a reliable way to bond and unwind between long stretches on the road. Running the setup off his Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus and its add-on battery packs means the games stay on without worrying about grid outages or noisy generators interrupting the fun. Discover more such Jackery Stories to see how people use reliable and portable power in their lives.

Recommended Jackery Solar Generators for PS4 Gaming

Jackery Solar Generators combine portable power stations with solar panels to deliver clean, portable, zero-emission electricity for gaming setups at a campsite, in a van, during a backyard gaming night, or when the grid goes down. The PS4 has no startup surge beyond its running wattage, so a solar generator only needs to match the PS4's rated gaming wattage in continuous output to power it smoothly.

Jackery Solar Generator 600 v2: Recommended for PS4 Slim Gaming Sessions and Travel Setups

The Jackery Solar Generator 600 v2 is the most balanced entry point for PS4 portable gaming, which has enough capacity for a meaningful session and is compact enough to carry wherever the gaming goes. It can easily handle a PS4 Slim (110W gaming) plus a 27-inch LED monitor (30W) simultaneously at a combined 140W, delivering approximately 3.5 hours of gaming runtime per charge. It also features instant UPS switching (≤0.01 seconds) that makes it equally effective as a home battery backup power source during brief outages, so gaming does not have to stop just because the grid went down. 

Appliances Running Time

• PS4 Slim (110W) = 4.4H
• PS4 Original (145W) = 3.4H
• PS4 Pro (160W) = 3.1H
• TV (100W) = 4.8H
• Gaming Lights (100W) = 4.8H

Who Should Buy This

PS4 Slim owners, van lifers, and outdoor gaming enthusiasts who want portable power for a solo gaming session with a smaller display and want the option to use the same unit for home backup during short outages can consider investing in the Jackery Solar Generator 600 v2.

Customer Review

The Jackery 600 v2 was tested on something small such as a 34in TV, a router and a PS4 from a surge protector plugin with minimal game play mostly YouTube just to see power consumption. At just a little bit over 100 volts the Jackery 600 v2 lasted 6 hours, and charged in 2 1/2 hours.

— Forever G.

Jackery Solar Generator 1000 v2: Recommended for Extended PS4 Gaming Sessions and Full Setup Coverage

When a single gaming session stretches past four hours, or when the setup includes a large-screen TV and multiple controllers charging simultaneously, the Jackery Solar Generator 1000 v2 provides the capacity and output to cover it without interruption. It can sustain a PS4 Pro (160W) plus a 65-inch OLED TV (120W) at a combined 280W for approximately 3.0 hours, or a PS4 Slim plus a 43-inch LED monitor (45W) at 155W combined for approximately 5.2 hours. The compatible solar panels make it genuinely self-sustaining for a full gaming day at a campsite or off-grid location.

Appliances Running Time

• PS4 Slim (110W) = 7.0H
• PS4 Original (145W) = 5.5H
• PS4 Pro (160W) = 5.0H
• TV (100W) = 7.6H
• Gaming Lights (100W) = 7.6H

Who Should Buy This

The Jackery Solar Generator 1000 v2 is ideal for gamers who run extended multi-hour sessions with a large TV, want backup coverage that outlasts a typical grid outage, or need a portable solar generator that handles a PS4 plus a full-sized screen simultaneously for outdoor events and travel.

Customer Review

Works great. I needed a battery pack to power a 12V fridge and the Starlink Mini and the Jackery works great powering both.

— Timothy C.

Jackery Solar Generator 1500 v2: Recommended for All-Day Gaming and Multi-Appliance Gaming Setups

For a full day of uninterrupted gaming with a 4K PS4 Pro connected to a large OLED TV, a subwoofer, and two controllers charging throughout the session, the Jackery Solar Generator 1500 v2 delivers both the output rating and the capacity reserve to handle it all. It covers a PS4 Pro (160W) plus a 65-inch OLED (120W) plus a soundbar (50W) plus two controller charges (10W) simultaneously at approximately 340W, for approximately 3.5 hours of full-setup runtime. At a lighter load using a PS4 Slim with a compact monitor, runtime extends well beyond 9.8 hours per charge cycle.

Appliances Running Time

• PS4 Slim (110W) = 9.8H
• PS4 Original (145W) = 7.7H
• PS4 Pro (160W) = 7.1H
• TV (100W) = 10.7H
• Gaming Lights (100W) = 10.7H

Who Should Buy This

The Jackery Solar Generator 1500 v2 is suited for enthusiast gamers with a premium large-screen PS4 Pro setup, households running multi-appliance gaming stations during outages, and anyone who wants a solar generator capable of sustaining a complete home entertainment system beyond what a 1kWh unit can cover without constraints.

Customer Review

I use my Jackery to power my Starlink and router that use about 35 watts. I surfed and watched movies on my computer while in the middle of nowhere for 7hrs. During the day the solar panels provided plenty of juice to keep it fully charged during use.

— Elva H.

How to Reduce PS4 Electricity Consumption?

You can reduce your PS4's power usage by fully turning off the console instead of using Rest Mode, and disabling the "Supply Power to USB Ports" feature in power settings. You can also conserve energy during active play by setting auto-off timers for controller inactivity and keeping the vents clean to prevent the fan from working harder.

Enable Power Save Settings: Navigate to Settings > Power Save Settings on your PS4. Reducing the time before the system enters Rest Mode when idle, from the default 20 minutes to 5 minutes, meaningfully cuts electricity draw during pauses in play without affecting the gaming experience.

Disable HDMI Device Link: The HDMI Device Link feature keeps connected TVs and AV receivers on standby when the PS4 is active. Disabling the feature when not needed prevents the TV from drawing unnecessary power during gaming sessions where it would otherwise be linked but unused.

Use Rest Mode Wisely: If the PS4 is in Rest Mode primarily for controller charging, connect the controller to a USB wall adapter instead. USB charging directly from the PS4 draws 4 to 5 watts from the console. A dedicated phone-style USB charger draws zero watts from the console itself.

Dim or Reduce the Connected TV Brightness: TV backlight and brightness settings account for a significant portion of total display power consumption. Reducing brightness from 100% to 50–60% on a 65-inch display can cut TV wattage by 15–30W, extending solar generator runtime by 30 minutes to over an hour per charge, depending on the setup.

FAQs

What is the average wattage used by a PS4?

A PS4 uses approximately 120 watts averaged across all three models at typical gaming loads, though model-specific figures are more practical: 100–145W for the original PS4, 77–110W for the PS4 Slim, and 145–160W for the PS4 Pro.

What is the annual cost of running a PS4?

At the US average electricity rate and 8.5 hours of weekly gaming, the annual cost is approximately $7.68 for a standard PS4 (100W). In high-rate states like California (35.25¢/kWh), that rises to approximately $14.38 per year.

How many watts does a PS4 use with a TV?

A PS4 combined with a 55-inch LED TV typically draws 175 to 225 watts total, depending on the console model. Adding a large OLED TV and a soundbar can push a complete gaming setup to 300W or more. Always calculate total system wattage when sizing a solar generator for a full gaming setup.

Can a PS4 run on a solar generator?

Yes, the PS4 can run on a solar generator. Any solar generator with a rated continuous output above the PS4's gaming wattage (110–160W, depending on the model) can power the console. For a complete setup including a TV, choose a solar generator with at least 500W of continuous output. The Jackery Solar Generator 600 v2, for example, has a 640Wh capacity and 500W output to power PS4 and other appliances safely.

Does the PS4 have a startup surge?

Yes, the PS4's startup current draw is briefly higher than its steady-state gaming wattage as the system boots and initializes, but this transient is small and short. It is not a true inductive surge like a refrigerator compressor. Any solar generator rated above 200W handles the PS4 startup without any surge-related concerns.

How long will a 640Wh solar generator run a PS4?

A Jackery Solar Generator 600 v2 (640Wh) running a PS4 Slim at 110W delivers approximately 4.4 hours of gaming. Running a PS4 Pro at 160W, the runtime reduces to approximately 3.1 hours. Adding a 55-inch LED TV to either setup reduces those figures by approximately 1 to 2 hours, depending on TV wattage.

Conclusion

The PS4's power consumption, ranging from 3 watts in Rest Mode to 160 watts under a demanding PS4 Pro game, spans a wide enough range that the right solar generator depends on which model you own and whether you are running the console alone or with a full TV and peripheral setup. The Jackery Solar Generator 600 v2 covers PS4 Slim sessions with a compact display for close to 5 hours per charge, genuinely practical for outdoor gaming events and travel. The Jackery Solar Generator 1000 v2 extends that to over 8 hours for the PS4 Slim, or covers a PS4 Pro with a large TV for a 3 to 4 hour stretch. The Jackery Solar Generator 1500 v2 handles the most demanding full gaming setups, including PS4 Pro, 65-inch OLED, soundbar, and controller charging simultaneously, for hours.