What a TV costs to run per year
Bottom line
A typical ENERGY STAR TV costs about $12–$61 a year to run at the US average electricity price (middle 80% of 175 certified models; median $33).
Size and type matter more than brand: the median runs from $9 (Under 40 in) to $63 (80 in and up).
Within one group, the spread is widest for 70-79 in: about $29 a year between the more efficient and less efficient models (10th vs 90th percentile).
Typical cost by screen size (inches)
| Screen size (inches) | Models | Median kWh/yr | Median $/yr | Middle 80% $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 40 in | 22 | 49 | $9 | $4–$12 |
| 40-49 in | 39 | 127 | $23 | $18–$29 |
| 50-59 in | 33 | 181 | $33 | $24–$38 |
| 60-69 in | 33 | 221 | $40 | $31–$47 |
| 70-79 in | 25 | 273 | $50 | $34–$63 |
| 80 in and up | 23 | 345 | $63 | $48–$73 |
175 of 175 models fall in the groups above (groups with too few models are left out of this table but counted in the bottom line).
Lowest-energy certified models
The 54 models below have the lowest rated annual energy use in their group. Model numbers with * cover a family of variants (color, trim). Listed by rated kWh, not reviewed or tested by us.
Under 40 in
| Brand | Model | Display | Screen | kWh/yr | $/yr | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Tunes | ATSC-PM81331 | LCD | 13 in | 18 | $3 | Check on Amazon |
| Emerson | ATSC-PM81331 | LCD | 13 in | 18 | $3 | Check on Amazon |
| Clear Tunes | CT-1514S | LCD | 16 in | 20 | $4 | Check on Amazon |
| Clear Tunes | CT-1385S | LCD | 13 in | 22 | $4 | Check on Amazon |
| Clear Tunes | PDVA-PM31561 | LCD | 15 in | 24 | $4 | Check on Amazon |
| Emerson | PDVA-PM31561 | LCD | 15 in | 24 | $4 | Check on Amazon |
| Emerson | PDVA-PM81851 | LCD | 18 in | 33 | $6 | Check on Amazon |
| Emerson | ETC-1900S | Other | 18 in | 33 | $6 | Check on Amazon |
| Sansui | LE-24T1 | LCD | 24 in | 45 | $8 | Check on Amazon |
40-49 in
| Brand | Model | Display | Screen | kWh/yr | $/yr | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sansui | LE-43KA1 | LCD | 42 in | 82 | $15 | Check on Amazon |
| PHILIPS | 43HFL4518U/27 | LCD | 42 in | 93 | $17 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | 43QNED80AU* | LCD | 42 in | 99 | $18 | Check on Amazon |
| Sansui | LE-43VA1 | LCD | 42 in | 99 | $18 | Check on Amazon |
| PHILIPS | 43HFL6214U/27 | LCD | 42 in | 100 | $18 | Check on Amazon |
| PHILIPS | 43BFL2214/27 | LCD | 42 in | 104 | $19 | Check on Amazon |
| Loewe | stellar 42 | OLED | 42 in | 107 | $19 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | 43QNED82AU* | LCD | 42 in | 110 | $20 | Check on Amazon |
| Sansui | S50KAUT | LCD | 50 in | 114 | $21 | Check on Amazon |
50-59 in
| Brand | Model | Display | Screen | kWh/yr | $/yr | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOEWE. | stellar 55 | OLED | 55 in | 120 | $22 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | 55QNED80AU* | LCD | 55 in | 128 | $23 | Check on Amazon |
| PHILIPS | 55HFL5214U/27 | LCD | 54 in | 130 | $24 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | 55QNED82AU* | LCD | 55 in | 133 | $24 | Check on Amazon |
| Sansui | LE-55V4 | LCD | 55 in | 135 | $25 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | 55QNED85TU* | QD-LED (QLED) | 55 in | 142 | $26 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | 55QNED85AU* | LCD | 55 in | 147 | $27 | Check on Amazon |
| Sansui | LE-55TA1 | LCD | 55 in | 147 | $27 | Check on Amazon |
| PHILIPS | 58HFL6214U/27 | LCD | 58 in | 150 | $27 | Check on Amazon |
60-69 in
| Brand | Model | Display | Screen | kWh/yr | $/yr | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LOEWE. | stellar 65 | OLED | 65 in | 157 | $29 | Check on Amazon |
| PHILIPS | 65HFL5214U/27 | LCD | 64 in | 159 | $29 | Check on Amazon |
| XITRIX | XPN-DSA6560 | LCD | 65 in | 161 | $29 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | 65QNED82AU* | LCD | 64 in | 171 | $31 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | 65QNED85AU* | LCD | 64 in | 172 | $31 | Check on Amazon |
| Sansui | S65KAUT | LCD | 65 in | 173 | $31 | Check on Amazon |
| PHILIPS | 65HFL6214U/27 | LCD | 64 in | 176 | $32 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | 65QNED80AU* | LCD | 64 in | 176 | $32 | Check on Amazon |
| Sansui | LE-65KA1 | LCD | 65 in | 189 | $34 | Check on Amazon |
70-79 in
| Brand | Model | Display | Screen | kWh/yr | $/yr | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LG | 75QNED80AU* | LCD | 74 in | 175 | $32 | Check on Amazon |
| PHILIPS | 75HFL6214U/27 | LCD | 74 in | 186 | $34 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | 75QNED82AU* | LCD | 74 in | 187 | $34 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | 75QNED85AU* | LCD | 74 in | 210 | $38 | Check on Amazon |
| Sansui | LE-75VH5 | LCD | 74 in | 220 | $40 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | OLED77C6HU* | OLED | 77 in | 250 | $45 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | 75QNED90TU* | QD-LED (QLED) | 74 in | 256 | $47 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | 75QNED85TU* | QD-LED (QLED) | 74 in | 260 | $47 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | OLED77B4PU* | OLED | 77 in | 263 | $48 | Check on Amazon |
80 in and up
| Brand | Model | Display | Screen | kWh/yr | $/yr | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LG | 86QNED80AU* | LCD | 86 in | 234 | $43 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | 86QNED82AU* | LCD | 86 in | 262 | $48 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | 86QNED85AU* | LCD | 86 in | 264 | $48 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | OLED83C6HU* | OLED | 82 in | 303 | $55 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | 86QNED85TU* | QD-LED (QLED) | 86 in | 306 | $56 | Check on Amazon |
| Samsung | QN83S85HAE | OLED | 82 in | 306 | $56 | Check on Amazon |
| XITRIX | XPN-DSA8650 | LCD | 86 in | 306 | $56 | Check on Amazon |
| Samsung | QN83S85FAE | OLED | 82 in | 312 | $57 | Check on Amazon |
| LG | OLED83B4PU* | OLED | 82 in | 314 | $57 | Check on Amazon |
Notes
- The annual figure is the manufacturer-reported value under the federal test (about 5 hours a day at the default picture setting). Brighter settings and HDR use more.
- ENERGY STAR certified TVs (a smaller list than the other categories).
Work it out for your rate
Annual kWh ÷ 5.5 ≈ dollars per year
At the US average price of 18.19¢ per kWh, every 5.5 kWh costs about $1 (1 ÷ 0.1819 = 5.50). A refrigerator rated at 550 kWh a year costs about $100 a year to run.
Multiply the kWh figure by your own price per kWh from your bill. Your state's price may be far from the average: see rates by state.
Source: ENERGY STAR certified tvs (dataset pd96-rr3d), retrieved 2026-10-30. Rate: EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B, residential, January-August 2026 year-to-date (released 2026-10-23). How we calculate.