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How much does a Mac mini cost to run 24/7? Idle power cost

By TechCompare · Updated · How we check

A Mac mini idling at 4 W costs about $6.31 a year at $0.18/kWh and about €10.51 at €0.30/kWh. Apple's 65 W maximum, held every hour, would cost $102.49 a year, but a Mac mini only reaches that peak under heavy load.

Apple's published wall measurements put the Mac mini at 4 W idle. Left on 24/7, that's 35 kWh a year, which costs $6.31 at $0.18/kWh, or $0.53 a month.

The table below prices the same idle draw at three dollar rates and three euro rates.

Yearly cost at six example rates, for 35 kWh a year

Example rateYearly costMonthly cost
$0.12 per kWh$4.20$0.35
$0.18 per kWh$6.31$0.53
$0.30 per kWh$10.51$0.88
€0.20 per kWh€7.01€0.58
€0.30 per kWh€10.51€0.88
€0.40 per kWh€14.02€1.17

Your own rate will differ. Open this scenario in euros and type the price from your bill.

Annual cost
$6.31
At $0.18/kWh, or €10.51 at €0.30/kWh
Monthly cost
$0.53
24 h/day at 100% load
Annual consumption
35 kWh
4 W load baseline
This exact 4 W at 24 h/day scenario, pre-loaded. Change the load, price, or add a second device to compare.
Edit in the full tool

How this is calculated

Apple lists power use for every Mac in its Mac mini power consumption and thermal output article. For the 2024 Mac mini with the M4 chip it gives 4 W idle and 65 W at maximum, measured at the wall with power supply losses included. Apple defines idle as only Finder open with the default power management settings. A Mac that runs a media server, backups or containers sits above that figure, and the maximum is a peak under heavy load, not an hourly average.

This page enters 4 W at 100% utilization for 24 hours. If your Mac mini does real work for part of the day, enter an average from a plug meter instead.

Verdict

Leaving a Mac mini on all day is a small line on the bill. At idle it costs about $6 a year at $0.18/kWh, and about €14 at €0.40/kWh, the top euro rate in the table.

The idle figure only holds while the Mac does little. A Mac that transcodes video or compiles code for hours draws well above 4 W for those hours, so measure it once under your usual load before you trust this number.

More Always on scenarios

500 W gaming PC, 4 h/day
This example uses a hypothetical 500 W wall-load baseline at 80%, giving 400 W average draw during four daily gaming hours.
View details
850 W gaming PC, 4 h/day
This example assumes an 850 W wall-load baseline at 80%, or 680 W average draw, for four hours daily.
View details
1200 W workstation, 8 h/day
This example uses a 1200 W wall-load baseline at 80%, giving 960 W average draw over eight daily hours.
View details

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Frequently asked questions

How much electricity does a Mac mini use at idle?
Apple lists 4 W at idle for the 2024 M4 Mac mini, measured at the wall with only Finder open. Over a year that's 35 kWh.
How much does a Mac mini cost to run at full load?
Apple lists 65 W at maximum for the M4 model. Held 24/7 that's 569.4 kWh and $102.49 a year at $0.18/kWh, or about €170.82 at €0.30/kWh. Real use sits between idle and maximum.
What does a Mac mini cost per year in euros?
At idle it costs €7.01 a year at €0.20/kWh, €10.51 at €0.30/kWh and €14.02 at €0.40/kWh. The euro link under the table opens the estimator in euros so you can enter your own rate.

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