How many watts does a phone use?

As of 2014, a cellphone typically consumes about 2 to 6 watts of electricity when charging. The amount varies based on the phone and its battery size.

A cellphone charger consumes 0.1 to 0.5 watts when plugged in without a phone attached. Cellphones are designed to be energy efficient and use significantly less power than larger electronics, such as laptops, video game consoles and televisions. As of 2012, an iPhone 4 costs approximately $0.38 per year to power, whereas a 42-inch plasma television costs approximately $41.13 per year. Certain cellphone features such as Wi-Fi drain the battery more quickly.