{
  "slug": "gaming-pc-vs-cloud",
  "title": "Gaming PC vs Cloud Gaming Cost Calculator",
  "heading": "Gaming PC vs Cloud Calculator",
  "category": "other",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/gaming-pc-vs-cloud",
  "summary": "Five-year cost of owning hardware versus streaming games.",
  "description": "Compare a build's purchase price, electricity, and upgrade cycle against a cloud subscription plus the bandwidth it consumes, over the horizon you actually play.",
  "formula": "PC total = build + power + upgrades − resale; cloud total = subscription × months.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=gaming-pc-vs-cloud",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "build",
      "label": "PC build cost",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1600,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "years",
      "label": "Comparison horizon",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 5,
      "unit": "yr",
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "resale",
      "label": "Resale value at the end",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 400,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "watts",
      "label": "Average draw while gaming",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 400,
      "unit": "W",
      "min": 50,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "hoursWeek",
      "label": "Gaming hours per week",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 14,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "rate",
      "label": "Electricity rate",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 0.17,
      "unit": "$/kWh",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "cloudMonth",
      "label": "Cloud subscription",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 19.99,
      "unit": "$/mo",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "upgrade",
      "label": "Mid-cycle upgrades",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 500,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "pc",
      "label": "Total PC cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "cloud",
      "label": "Total cloud cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "delta",
      "label": "PC minus cloud",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "power",
      "label": "Electricity over the period",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "perHourPc",
      "label": "PC cost per hour played",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "PC build cost: 1600 $",
      "Comparison horizon: 5 yr",
      "Resale value at the end: 400 $",
      "Average draw while gaming: 400 W",
      "Gaming hours per week: 14",
      "Electricity rate: 0.17 $/kWh",
      "Cloud subscription: 19.99 $/mo",
      "Mid-cycle upgrades: 500 $"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Total PC cost: $1,948",
      "Total cloud cost: $1,199",
      "PC minus cloud: $748",
      "Electricity over the period: $248",
      "PC cost per hour played: $0.54"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter pc build cost ($).",
      "Enter comparison horizon (yr).",
      "Enter resale value at the end ($).",
      "Enter average draw while gaming (W).",
      "Enter gaming hours per week.",
      "Enter electricity rate ($/kWh).",
      "Enter cloud subscription ($/mo).",
      "Enter mid-cycle upgrades ($).",
      "Read your total pc cost on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "build": 950,
        "years": 3,
        "resale": 250,
        "watts": 250,
        "hoursWeek": 8,
        "rate": 0.17,
        "cloudMonth": 12,
        "upgrade": 300
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "build": 1600,
        "years": 5,
        "resale": 400,
        "watts": 400,
        "hoursWeek": 14,
        "rate": 0.17,
        "cloudMonth": 20,
        "upgrade": 500
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "build": 2550,
        "years": 8,
        "resale": 650,
        "watts": 650,
        "hoursWeek": 22,
        "rate": 0.17,
        "cloudMonth": 32,
        "upgrade": 800
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.",
    "Results are rounded for readability; add a buffer before ordering, booking, or committing.",
    "Double-check anything with a real cost attached against a local quote."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Does cloud include the games?",
      "a": "Some services bundle a library, others only stream games you already own. If yours is library-only, the comparison tilts further toward cloud."
    },
    {
      "q": "What about latency?",
      "a": "Cost isn't the only axis. Competitive shooters remain meaningfully worse over cloud regardless of what the spreadsheet says."
    }
  ],
  "related": [],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Gaming PC vs Cloud Gaming Cost Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/gaming-pc-vs-cloud)"
}