Did you know that a modern TV uses significantly less energy than a 10-year-old TV? This may not be surprising, considering how much more power-efficient today’s display panels are. According to perch energy, the average power consumption of an old TV costs about $54 per year in energy costs. LED-backlit TVs and OLEDs consume less power than traditional LCD screens, so newer models cost about $32 per year.
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Broadly speaking, the larger the screen size, the more power your TV needs. However, there are ways to reduce your TV’s power consumption every time you turn it on. Here are some settings you can change to save more on your next electric bill: Even if the money you ultimately end up saving is only a few dozen dollars, it’s still a little less money coming out of your pocket, and that’s the goal.
What are the EnergyGuide ratings?
First, if you’re considering buying a new TV, start with the most basic sources of information: the EnergyGuide label and ENERGY STAR® ratings. Each TV on the showroom floor will be marked with this label. This information from the manufacturer provides a reliable metric for comparing efficiency between TV sets.
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The grades range from A to G, with grade A being the highest and the most energy efficient. However, TVs that receive an A rating are rare. For smart TVs, a D or E rating is considered very efficient. To be ENERGY STAR® qualified, a new TV must have equivalent features and be 25% more energy efficient than competitors. Many energy-efficient TVs may cost more up front, but you can quickly make up the price difference through energy savings.
But what about your current TV setup? There are a few things you can tweak for better results.
1. Lower the brightness
The brightness of any TV is a tricky variable. It can improve your viewing experience, but sometimes too much brightness isn’t worth the money. Too much brightness can distort sharpness and contrast and also incur additional costs. Some newer TVs have automatic brightness control (ABC) sensors that detect ambient light and automatically adjust brightness.
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Look for Eco Mode or Movie Picture Mode on your TV. Choose one of these for optimal energy efficiency and realistic viewing experience. Ultimately, turning down the brightness can benefit both your eyes and your checkbook.
2. Set sleep timer
I know it’s not ideal sleep hygiene, but I admit I enjoy going to bed with the TV on. I have the luxury of drifting away, bathed in that comforting light. We know that this is also meaningless from an economic perspective. So I set a sleep timer on my Samsung. If the TV detects no activity for 2 hours, it will automatically turn off. This is similar to standby mode, and can also power down the set after a predetermined period of inactivity.
3. Turn off the screen when streaming music
Have you ever listened to Spotify or one of the music channels included in your cable package? If you listen to music on your TV, you don’t necessarily need a video. Many TVs have special settings that allow you to turn off the screen completely, but you can also lower the brightness if that option isn’t available.
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The same goes for using the TV simply because of the background noise. If you’re not actually watching the screen, you can save money by turning off lumens and focusing on volume.
4. Turn off the power completely.
A new TV set uses about 55kWh per year. By comparison, refrigerators use an average of 550 kWh per year, but they don’t have enough time to turn off to take a break. Even if you turn off the TV with the remote control, it tends to go into standby mode and continue to consume about 0.4 watts. If you really want to limit your TV’s power consumption, it’s a good idea to connect your TV and all peripherals to a power strip so you can quickly turn everything on and off.
5. Notes on image quality and output
If you want to significantly reduce your energy usage, OLED TVs are a great choice thanks to their advanced pixel technology. OLED TVs feature pixels that emit their own light and can be turned on and off individually. This precise control allows for deeper blacks, higher contrast, and lower overall power consumption. OLED TVs turn off individual pixels when displaying dark scenes, consuming less power than traditional LCDs that require an always-on backlight.
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As mentioned earlier, if you’re in the market for a TV, we recommend an OLED model that has an EnergyGuide rating of D and is ENERGY STAR® certified. However, it is important to remember that higher resolutions require more pixels and therefore may result in greater energy consumption. A 4K screen has 8.29 million pixels, which is four times more than a 1080p screen, so it requires four times as much energy.
Consider your viewing habits before making your decision. Many streaming services still offer content in 720p or 1080p. Evaluate how often you watch 4K content to determine whether the higher energy consumption of a 4K TV suits your needs.
