Is It Okay To Keep Chromecast Plugged In?

A Chromecast is a handy device to have, and it lets you stream on your TV from anywhere – whether it’s your phone, tablet, or laptop.

However, since it’s an electronic device, is it ok to keep a Chromecast plugged in all the time? Should you unplug it between uses to save electricity, or to keep it from wearing down quickly?

We have found that it’s alright to keep the Chromecast continuously plugged in! It’s designed to be used that way, so it doesn’t wear down. Plus, the Chromecast is extremely energy-efficient, and doesn’t even use enough power to reach a kilowatt in one year of 24/7 usage!

How Much Power Does Chromecast Use?

First things first: how much power does a Chromecast use? After all, if it uses a lot, you’ll probably want to unplug it to save yourself a large electricity bill.

Well, it turns out others have wondered the same thing! We stumbled upon an article from How To Geek, which used a meter to figure out how much power the Chromecast uses.

The test had the Chromecast run continuously for forty-eight hours while plugged into a Kill-a-Watt meter.

The How-To Geek team also had the Chromecast fluctuate between idle and high-use modes while playing HD video playlists. This was to simulate how it would actually be used in real life.

In the end, the Chromecast used only 1.8 watts! That means it only uses 0.9 watts every 24 hours, and it would use only 328.5 watts in a year.

Since most electricity companies charge by kilowatt per hour, this means it won’t even reach the hourly fee for your electricity, since it doesn’t even reach 1000 watts in a year.

Therefore, if you’re worried about leaving your Chromecast plugged in because of the power it uses, you can relax. This device is extremely energy-efficient!

Is It Ok To Keep Chromecast Plugged In?

However, despite Chromecast being very energy-efficient, keeping it plugged in could still be far from ideal. 

Many electronic devices get worn down from being plugged in continuously, so is this the case with the Chromecast as well?

We’ve found that the answer differs depending on the Chromecast’s power source: whether it’s plugged into a wall socket or a USB port.

Is It Ok to Keep Chromecast Plugged Into a Wall Socket?

Yes, it is!

The Chromecast is built to be continuously powered so that you can use it at any time.

The wall socket is also the recommended way to power your Chromecast, since it can provide all the electricity it needs.

Is It Ok To Keep Chromecast Plugged Into a USB Port?

Technically, it is alright to keep a Chromecast plugged into a USB port since it’s designed to do that.

However, powering your Chromecast through a USB port is not the ideal setup.

This is because not all USB ports are built up to standards, as ironic as that sounds.

When USB ports aren’t built up to standards, they typically aren’t capable of supplying all of the power that your Chromecast requires. 

This can make your Chromecast extremely unreliable, since it can go through mini brownouts when it’s not supplied with enough power.

And if you’re using the USB port on your TV, the USB port may only be powered when you turn your TV on.

What Benefits Do You Get from Keeping the Chromecast Plugged In?

Again, this depends on what power source you’re using for your Chromecast: a wall socket or a USB port.

Let’s divide this question into two to cover all of the details.

What Benefits Do You Get From Keeping the Chromecast Plugged Into a Wall Socket?

Of course, if it’s continuously plugged into a wall socket, it will stay on all the time.

This means two things:

1. If it’s connected to the internet, it will be constantly updated and you’ll never have to wait for it to update before you can watch a show.
2. If you have HDMI-CEC on your TV, it will be able to turn on your TV remotely at any time.

Another benefit that is exclusive to a Chromecast that’s plugged into a wall socket is the ability to connect it to the internet via an Ethernet cable. USB ports don’t provide enough electricity for an Ethernet connection, so you need to use the power adaptor.

What Benefits Do You Get From Keeping the Chromecast Plugged Into a USB Port?

Overall, plugging the Chromecast into a USB port does not have many benefits over plugging it into a wall socket.

This is because the USB port will most likely only power it when the TV is on, and even then, it might not provide enough power.

However, keeping the Chromecast continuously plugged in is still ideal.

It means that the Chromecast will automatically update whenever you turn on your TV, which should only take about a minute.

And, if your TV’s USB ports are up to standards, you might also get all of the same benefits as keeping it plugged into a wall socket! 

Conclusion

A Chromecast only uses around 0.9 watts when running continuously for 24 hours. This means that it uses less than a kilowatt in one year of 24/7 usage.

It’s alright to keep a Chromecast plugged into a wall socket, since it’s built for continuous usage and a wall socket provides enough power.

It’s alright to keep a Chromecast plugged into a USB port, but a USB port may not supply enough power. This won’t damage your Chromecast, but it might make it unreliable.

If you keep your Chromecast plugged into a wall socket, it will stay constantly updated and will be able to turn on your TV if it has HDMI-CEC. It will also be able to connect to the Ethernet.

If you keep your Chromecast plugged into a USB port, it will automatically update whenever you turn on your TV.

We hope this article helped you!