Televisions are not covered by the EU energy label directive and there is therefore no guide to energy efficiency or the running costs. The running costs of TVs vary greatly depending on a number of factors:-
- Screen size
The bigger the screen, the more energy is required, the higher the running costs - Type of TV
Plasma TVs use a lot more energy than LCD TVs and are therefore more expensive to run for a given screen size. - Technology
High Definition (HD) TVs contain more pixels, have better resolution and picture quality but they cost more to run. However some features such as autobrightness can help to increase energy efficiency.
The table below provides a guide to annual running costs of different sizes and types of TV. These figures are based on watching an average of 5 hours TV per day.
| Screen Size (inches) | LCD annual running costs | Plasma annual running costs |
| 19 | £ 11 | Not available |
| 26 | £ 19 | Not available |
| 32 | £ 25 | Not available |
| 37 | £ 34 | £ 46 |
| 42 | £ 44 | £ 68 |
| 50 | £ 54 | £ 91 |
| 60+ | Not available | £ 136 |
The above figures are only guidelines and there will be variations within different screen size categories depending on product specifications, however as a general rule buying a smaller screen will save you money on your electricity bill and the TV is cheaper to buy as well ! Below are a few tips to consider in addition to screen size when buying a TV:-
- Check out the power consumption in the technical specification. This will usually be stated in Watts. The higher this figure the greater the energy consumption and the greater the running costs. Use our simple calculator 1 in the left column to estimate TV running costs, just put in the Watts figure and the number of viewing hours per day and it will tell you the approximate annual cost:-
- Lookout for TVs with power saving features. For example some LCDs give you the ability to adjust the intensity of the backlight which can reduce power consumption. Others have specific power saving modes. These options make the TV less bright but it can improve image quality if the room lighting is lower.
