How Many Watts Does A Laptop Use: MacBook, Dell, Asus and More [With Data Table]
William ZacharyWondering how many watts your laptop actually uses — and how big a battery or portable power station you need to keep it running? In this guide, we’ll look at real-world laptop wattage for popular brands like Apple, Dell, Asus, Lenovo, and HP, then turn those numbers into practical run-time and electricity-cost estimates (with data tables you can reuse in your own calculations).
1. What “laptop wattage” actually means
When people ask “how many watts does a laptop use?”, they usually mix up two related but different numbers:
- Charger (adapter) wattage – The maximum power the power brick can supply (for example 45W, 65W, 96W, 130W, 240W).
- Real-world power draw – How many watts your laptop is actually using at a given moment (often much lower than the adapter rating).
Three more terms you’ll see in this article:
- Watt (W) – Instant power use. Higher watts = more power being drawn right now.
- Watt-hour (Wh) – Energy capacity. A 60W laptop drawing power for 1 hour uses about 60Wh of energy.
- kWh (kilowatt-hour) – 1,000Wh of energy. Your utility bill charges you per kWh.
A typical thin-and-light laptop often uses around 15–60W in real-world use, even if its charger is rated for 60–100W. Gaming laptops can spike to 150–240W or more when under heavy load.
2. Typical laptop wattage by category (quick table)
Before diving into specific brands, here’s a quick look at typical power use by laptop category. These numbers combine manufacturer adapter ratings with independent measurements of actual draw under normal use.
| Laptop Type | Typical Charger Rating (W) | Real-World Use (Web, Office) | Heavy Use / Gaming |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chromebook / low-power 13″–14″ | 30–45W | 10–25W | 30–40W |
| Standard 14″–15″ Windows laptop | 45–65W | 20–60W | 60–90W |
| Ultrabook (MacBook Air, Zenbook, X1 Carbon, Spectre) | 30–65W | 15–45W | 45–70W |
| Creator / workstation 15″–16″ | 90–140W | 40–80W | 90–150W+ |
| Gaming laptop (Dell G-series, Asus TUF/ROG, etc.) | 180–240W | 40–90W | 150–240W+ |
These ranges are based on a mix of manufacturer adapter specs and independent testing that places typical laptop use between roughly 30–90W, with a “typical” 14–15″ laptop around 60W under normal load.
Example references: Anker’s laptop power guide and multiple energy-use calculators and analyses from Jackery and others.
3. How many watts does a MacBook use?
Apple doesn’t list “average watts while browsing” on the box, but you can get a good idea from the official power adapters and third-party measurements.
| Model (Recent Generations) | Included / Common Adapter | Charger Rating (W) | Typical Use (Web / Office) | Heavy Use (Video, Compiles, etc.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Air 13″ (M1 / M2 / M3) | Apple USB-C Power Adapter | 30–35W adapter (some configs can use up to ~67W) | ~10–25W | ~30–45W+ |
| MacBook Air 15″ (M2 / M3) | Apple 35W or 70W USB-C adapter | 35–70W adapter | ~15–30W | ~40–60W |
| MacBook Pro 13″ (Intel / M1) | Apple USB-C Power Adapter | 60–61W adapter | ~20–40W | ~50–70W |
| MacBook Pro 14″ (M-series) | Apple 67W or 96W adapter | 67–96W adapter | ~25–50W | ~70–100W (short spikes possible) |
| MacBook Pro 16″ (M-series) | Apple 96W or 140W adapter | 96–140W adapter | ~30–60W | ~90–140W during intensive workloads |
Apple documents different USB-C adapter wattages for Mac notebooks (including 30W, 35W, 67W, 96W and 140W units). Independent testing and Apple-focused power guides show real-world MacBook usage typically far below the adapter’s maximum rating under light to moderate use.
For planning battery backup or portable power, a safe planning number for most MacBooks is:
- Light work: 25–35W
- Heavy creative work / external display: 50–90W
4. How many watts does a Dell laptop use?
Dell publishes detailed adapter specs in its support manuals. Real-world usage depends on CPU, GPU, and screen size, but adapter ratings provide a good upper bound.
| Dell Model / Category | Typical Adapter Rating | Real-World Use (Web / Office) | Heavy Use (Gaming / Rendering) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XPS 13 (9310 / 9370 etc.) | 45W USB-C adapter | ~15–35W | ~40–60W | Dell’s official setup/spec docs list a 45W USB-C power adapter for XPS 13. |
| XPS 15 (9520 & similar) | 90W or 130W USB-C adapter | ~25–60W | ~80–120W | Designed for up to 130W; may throttle or charge slowly on lower-wattage chargers. |
| Latitude / Inspiron 15″ business class | 65W adapter (sometimes 90W) | ~20–50W | ~60–90W | Many modern units follow the “65W USB-C” standard. |
| Dell G-Series Gaming (G15, G16 etc.) | 180–240W adapter | ~40–80W | ~150–240W | Gaming-class chargers up to 240W are common for G-series and Alienware. |
| Alienware 15″–17″ gaming | 180–240W adapter | ~50–90W | ~180–240W | High-performance GPUs can briefly spike near adapter rating when gaming. |
Examples: Dell’s XPS 13 9310 documentation lists a 45W USB-C adapter, while XPS 15 9520 lists 90W and 130W USB-C adapters. Multiple Dell and third-party gaming chargers are rated at 180–240W for G-series and Alienware laptops.
5. How many watts does an Asus laptop use?
Asus offers everything from ultra-efficient Zenbooks to very power-hungry TUF and ROG gaming laptops. Again, chargers tell us the upper limit; actual use is usually lower except during gaming or rendering.
| Asus Category | Typical Adapter Rating | Real-World Use (Web / Office) | Heavy Use / Gaming | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zenbook 13″–14″ (USB-C) | 65W USB-C adapter | ~15–40W | ~50–70W | 65W USB-C adapters are widely sold for Zenbook 14 (UM425 etc.). |
| Vivobook / midrange 15″ | 65–90W adapter | ~20–50W | ~60–100W | Similar to typical Windows 15″ laptops. |
| TUF Gaming 15″–17″ | 180W adapter (around 20V, 9A) | ~40–80W | ~150–180W | Numerous official and third-party TUF adapters are rated at 180W. |
| ROG Strix / Zephyrus premium gaming | 180–240W adapter | ~50–90W | ~180–240W | High-end ROG chargers and docks support up to 240W output. |
Asus’ own adapter documentation and accessories pages show 65W USB-C adapters for ultrabooks and 120–240W barrel-jack adapters for gaming models such as TUF and ROG.
6. Lenovo, HP & other brands: common wattages
Here are common charger ratings for other popular brands. These are useful if you’re sizing a battery, solar generator, or portable power station and don’t have the exact spec sheet handy.
| Brand / Series | Typical Adapter Rating | Real-World Use (Web / Office) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon | 65W USB-C adapter | ~15–45W | Lenovo sells 65W USB-C AC adapters for X1 Carbon and similar ultrabooks. |
| Lenovo mainstream 15″ | 45–65W | ~20–50W | Many IdeaPad and ThinkPad models use 45W or 65W chargers. |
| HP Spectre x360 13–14″ | 65W USB-C charger | ~15–45W | HP’s USB-C laptop chargers provide up to 65W for compatible devices. |
| HP Envy / Pavilion 15″ | 65–90W | ~25–60W | Higher-end configurations with discrete GPUs may ship with 90W. |
| Framework 16 (modular) | Up to 240W USB-C PD | ~40–90W typical | One of the first laptops designed to fully utilize 240W USB-C PD for high-end GPUs. |
Across many sources, “typical” modern laptops generally draw about 15–60W in normal use, with 60–90W being common for more powerful machines and gaming rigs drawing substantially more under load.
7. How to measure your own laptop’s watt usage
You don’t have to guess — here are three practical ways to measure your laptop’s real-time wattage:
7.1. Check the charger label (upper limit)
Every laptop charger has a label with volts (V) and amps (A). Multiply them to get watts:
Watts ≈ Volts × Amps
If your USB-C charger directly lists “65W”, that’s even easier — that’s the maximum it can supply. Your laptop usually uses much less than this except during peak loads and charging from low battery.
7.2. Use software and OS tools
- Windows: Tools like HWInfo, BatteryInfoView, or manufacturer utilities can estimate power draw.
- macOS: Apps like CoconutBattery (or built-in Activity Monitor + “Energy” tab) give insight into energy impact, though not always direct watts.
-
Linux: Tools such as
powertoporupowercan estimate power usage from battery discharge rates.
7.3. Use a wall power meter (most accurate)
A plug-in power meter between your charger and the wall outlet will show exactly how many watts your laptop + charger are drawing. This includes conversion losses and is the best way to size:
- Solar generators
- Portable power stations
- Off-grid setups in vans, RVs, or cabins
8. How much does it cost to run a laptop? (kWh & cost table)
To estimate cost, you need two things:
- Your laptop’s average wattage (for example 30W, 60W, 90W).
- Your electricity rate in $/kWh.
In late 2025, the average U.S. residential electricity price is around 18¢ per kWh (0.18 USD/kWh), according to several energy-rate trackers and U.S. government data.
Formula:
Monthly kWh = (Laptop Watts ÷ 1000) × Hours per Day × 30Monthly Cost = Monthly kWh × Price per kWh
| Laptop Power | Hours / Day | Monthly Energy (kWh) | Monthly Cost @ $0.18/kWh | Yearly Cost @ $0.18/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30W ultrabook | 4 h/day | 3.6 kWh | $0.65 | ~$7.78 |
| 30W ultrabook | 8 h/day | 7.2 kWh | $1.30 | ~$15.55 |
| 60W mainstream laptop | 4 h/day | 7.2 kWh | $1.30 | ~$15.55 |
| 60W mainstream laptop | 8 h/day | 14.4 kWh | $2.59 | ~$31.10 |
| 90W powerful / gaming laptop | 4 h/day | 10.8 kWh | $1.94 | ~$23.33 |
| 90W powerful / gaming laptop | 8 h/day | 21.6 kWh | $3.89 | ~$46.66 |
Even with heavier 60–90W laptops, the annual cost for typical use is usually well under $50 at current U.S. average rates. Large desktop PCs and gaming rigs cost significantly more per year than laptops.
9. How big a portable power station do you need for a laptop?
If you’re working off-grid, camping, or preparing for outages, laptop power use matters because it tells you how many watt-hours of battery you need.
9.1. Quick sizing formula
Use this rule of thumb:
Estimated Runtime (hours) ≈ Battery Capacity (Wh) × 0.85 ÷ Laptop Watts
The 0.85 factor accounts for inverter and conversion losses when using AC outlets on a portable power station.
9.2. Using UDPOWER portable power stations as examples
UDPOWER makes LiFePO₄ portable power stations with long cycle life (4,000+ cycles) and capacities that work well for laptop-centric setups:
-
C200 Portable Power Station – 192Wh capacity, 200W output (400W max), ~5.4 lb, 4,000+ cycles.
Ideal for ultra-light laptop + phone setups. -
C400 Portable Power Station – 256Wh capacity, 400W output (800W max), doubles as a 12V car jump starter.
Good for laptops plus a small monitor or router. -
C600 Portable Power Station – 596Wh capacity, 600W output (1,200W peak), LiFePO₄, multiple AC & USB ports.
Solid choice for remote workstations, creators, and multi-device camping setups. -
S1200 Portable Power Station – 1,190Wh capacity, 1,200W output (1,800W surge), LiFePO₄, <0.01s UPS switching.
Designed for home backup and long off-grid sessions.
(Assuming 85% efficiency and continuous draw)
| Model | Capacity (Wh) | 30W Laptop | 60W Laptop | 90W Laptop | 120W Laptop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C200 | 192Wh | ~5.4 h | ~2.7 h | ~1.8 h | ~1.4 h |
| C400 | 256Wh | ~7.3 h | ~3.6 h | ~2.4 h | ~1.8 h |
| C600 | 596Wh | ~16.9 h | ~8.4 h | ~5.6 h | ~4.2 h |
| S1200 | 1,190Wh | ~33.7 h | ~16.9 h | ~11.2 h | ~8.4 h |
These are approximate continuous runtimes. Real-world results will vary with screen brightness, CPU/GPU load, Wi-Fi, and whether you are charging other devices at the same time.
For most remote-work / travel setups (one 60W laptop + phone + router), a 200–600Wh power station like UDPOWER C200, C400, or C600 is usually enough for a full workday. For multi-day outages or running multiple laptops, monitors, and small appliances, a 1,000Wh+ unit such as the UDPOWER S1200 is more comfortable, especially paired with a 120W or 210W solar panel.
10. Laptop wattage FAQs
10.1. Do laptops use the full wattage printed on the charger?
No. The adapter rating (for example 65W) is the maximum it can safely supply. During light tasks, many laptops draw only 15–30W, and may climb toward the charger’s rating only under heavy CPU/GPU load or when charging a low battery.
10.2. How many watts does a laptop use when idle?
A modern efficient laptop with the screen dimmed may idle around 10–20W. Gaming laptops with big screens and dedicated GPUs can idle much higher, sometimes 25–40W, depending on power-saving settings.
10.3. Is it safe to use a higher-wattage charger?
In most cases, yes — as long as the voltage and connector standard are compatible (for example, USB-C PD). The laptop will only draw the power it needs. What you must avoid is a lower-wattage charger than required for high-power laptops, as it can charge slowly or fail to keep up under heavy load.
10.4. What about power banks versus portable power stations for laptops?
USB-C power banks with 45–100W output can work for many ultrabooks and smaller laptops, but they may not power gaming or workstation laptops. AC-outlet portable power stations (like UDPOWER C600 or S1200) can power almost any laptop charger, plus other devices, and usually have much larger energy storage (hundreds to thousands of watt-hours).
10.5. How do I quickly estimate if a battery is big enough for my laptop?
Divide the battery’s watt-hours by your laptop’s watts, then reduce by 10–20% for conversion losses. For example, a 600Wh power station and a 60W laptop: 600 × 0.85 ÷ 60 ≈ 8.5 hours of continuous use.
