We can do some quick estimates to compare (using a 3090 because I helped a friend do a bit of mining on theirs and I know what figures are plausible): First so

We can do some quick estimates to compare (using a 3090 because I helped a friend do a bit of mining on theirs and I know what figures are plausible): First some variables: RTX3090 idle power usage = 21 Watts RTX3090 mining power usage = 270 Watts RTX3090 gaming power usage = 350 Watts Mining energy usage: 270W \* 24H = 6.48 kWH per day Gaming energy usage: (low, 1 hour per day) 350W \* 1H + 21W \* 23H = 0.37 kWH per day (med, 4 hours per day) 350W \* 4H + 21W \* 20H = 1.82 kWH per day (hig, 8 hours per day) 350W \* 8H + 21W \* 16H = 3.14 kWH per day (ext, 18 hours per day) 350W \* 18H + 21W \* 6H = 6.43 kWH per day So even with someone who I'd consider a high volume gamer (8 hours per day) uses less than half the energy of running a miner for a day. You'd have to game for over 18 hours per day to use more energy than a miner. Of course both the gamer and the miner end up using a chunk of metal and plastic that will end up in a landfill so that bit counts the same. Note: From what general figures I've seen online the energy works out roughly the same for the rest of the recent RTX series cards (some such as the 3060Ti work out a few % more favourable for mining as they are more energy efficient overall)