Can a Power Station Run a TV, Wi-Fi and Game Console?

TV and Wi-Fi router running from a portable power station during a night outage

Quick answer: yes, easily. A modern 55-inch LED TV uses roughly 55 W while on, and a router plus modem typically adds 10–20 W, so a 1 kWh power station runs TV and Wi-Fi for about 11 hours. A PS5 is the heavy one: Sony measured it at below 100 W to around 200 W while gaming, so a TV, console and Wi-Fi together drain 1 kWh in about 3 hours.

How we worked this out: TV figures come from real EnergyGuide labels; console figures from Sony’s published measurements; router figures are typical estimates. Runtimes are our own math, shown below. We haven’t tested these setups hands-on. See How We Test.

How much power do these devices use?

DevicePower while in useWhere the number comes from
43-inch LED TV (LG 43LH5500)~42 WEnergyGuide label: 76 kWh/year at 5 h/day
55-inch LED TV (LG 55LH575A, TCL 55S21)~54–55 WEnergyGuide labels: 98 and 100 kWh/year at 5 h/day
PS5 while gamingBelow 100 W to ~200 WSony’s measurements of launch models
PS5 in rest mode (suspend)0.5 W or lessSony
Router + modem~10–20 WTypical estimate; check the power adapters’ labels
Laptop~60 W while workingOur planning figure
Your own devices may differ. A plug-in energy meter shows the exact draw in a minute.

Turning a TV’s EnergyGuide label into watts

TV labels assume 5 hours of use a day (plus standby the rest of the time). So: watts while on ≈ kWh per year × 1,000 ÷ 365 ÷ 5. For the TCL 55S21: 100 × 1,000 ÷ 365 ÷ 5 ≈ 55 W. It slightly overstates on-power because a little of the yearly total is standby, which makes it a safe planning number.

The runtime formula

Hours = (battery Wh × 0.85) ÷ (total device watts + 10 W inverter)

  1. 55-inch TV (55 W) + router and modem (15 W) = 70 W.
  2. Add 10 W for the inverter: 80 W.
  3. A 1,024 Wh station gives about 1,024 × 0.85 ≈ 870 Wh.
  4. 870 ÷ 80 ≈ 10.9 hours.
Setup (with inverter)Total watts1 kWh station2 kWh station
Router + modem only~25 W~35 h~70 h
55-inch TV only~65 W~13 h~27 h
TV + Wi-Fi~80 W~11 h~22 h
Wi-Fi + laptop (on USB-C)~85 W~10 h~20 h
TV + Wi-Fi + PS5 gaming (~200 W)~280 W~3 h~6 h
Our estimates for 1,024 Wh and 2,048 Wh stations using 85% usable capacity. The laptop row counts the inverter once for the router; charging the laptop by USB-C avoids extra conversion losses.

Three real-world scenarios

1. An evening outage: TV and Wi-Fi for three hours

TV and Wi-Fi at about 80 W for 3 hours use roughly 240 Wh, about a quarter of a 1 kWh station. Even a small 300 Wh camping unit could cover it. See our small power station picks.

2. Working from home through an outage

Router and modem on AC (about 25 W with the inverter) plus a laptop charging from USB-C (about 60 W) is roughly 85 W. An 8-hour workday uses about 680 Wh, which a 1 kWh station covers with room for phones. If your router is plugged in through the station as a UPS, the connection stays up the moment the power drops. More in power station vs UPS for a home office.

3. Keeping the kids gaming during a storm

A TV, Wi-Fi and a PS5 at up to 200 W total about 280 W: roughly 840 Wh for three hours, nearly all of a 1 kWh station. If the same station also has to keep the refrigerator cold overnight, gaming has to wait. Put the fridge first; see best power stations for a refrigerator.

How to make it last longer

  1. Charge laptops, tablets and phones from USB-C, not the AC outlets.
  2. Use the smaller screen. A tablet or laptop uses a fraction of a big TV’s power.
  3. Lower the TV’s brightness or use its energy-saving picture mode.
  4. Turn the console fully off or use rest mode with USB power and internet off; Sony lists 0.5 W or less for suspend.
  5. Turn off the AC outlets on the station when nothing needs them, to save the inverter’s idle draw.

Common mistakes

  1. Assuming internet will work. Your router can stay on, but the connection also depends on your provider’s local equipment having power. Keep your phone charged as a backup hotspot.
  2. Reading the adapter label as real use. A router adapter marked 12 V 2 A (24 W) is a maximum, not the typical draw.
  3. Gaming on the fridge’s battery. A console session can use most of a 1 kWh station.
  4. Forgetting the inverter. Even small AC loads carry about 10 W of overhead.

Which power station fits?

If you mainly need…SizeExamples
Wi-Fi and a TV for an evening~300 WhSee our EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus review
A full workday online, or TV and Wi-Fi overnight~1 kWhAnker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2, EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus
Fridge plus entertainment and work2 kWh or moreBest power stations for home backup

Not sure how to read the specs? See power station specs explained.

Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to run a TV from a power station?

Yes, with a pure sine wave inverter, which the models we review provide. TVs and routers are designed for that kind of power.

Will a power station keep my Wi-Fi on automatically when the power goes out?

If it has a UPS feature and the router is plugged into it while it’s plugged into the wall, yes. Current models switch over in about 10–20 ms.

Can a power station run a gaming PC?

Yes, if its output covers the PC and monitor, but gaming PCs can draw several hundred watts, so runtimes are short. Measure yours with a plug-in meter and use our formula.

How long will a PS5 run on 1 kWh?

At about 200 W while gaming, plus 10 W for the inverter, about 4 hours for the console alone, and about 3 hours once you add the TV and Wi-Fi.

The bottom line

TV and Wi-Fi are light loads: about 80 W together, or roughly 11 hours on a 1 kWh station. A game console roughly triples the draw. Plan the fridge first, then entertainment. For your full list, use our sizing guide.

Sources


Written by Alejandro, MD. Have a question, or spotted an error? Contact us. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases; see our Affiliate Disclosure.