LED Walls vs. Projector Screens – Here’s The Difference & What One You Should Use
For large display applications, there are 2 main options – LED video walls and projection display.
Both technologies allow for larger displays than standard TV’s, making them great for far distance viewing by large numbers of people.
When deciding between the 2, there are many things to factor into consideration. Here is everything you need to know about LED walls vs. projection displays, and what 1 you should use.
What is an LED Wall?
An LED wall is a multi-panel display that utilizes LED technology. Individual LED panels link together to create 1 large, seamless display. Since LED walls are modular, they can be constructed to meet very large sizes or custom aspect ratios.
Types of LED walls include indoor video walls, mobile LED screens, modular rental screens, and digital billboards.
Pictured above is an example of a mobile LED wall, the MAX 1710 LED screen trailer by Insane Impact. Mobile LED walls pose the benefit of being pre-constructed onto a set of wheels, as opposed to modular walls that need to be temporarily fabricated onsite then torn down. They are popular for daytime rental at events.
LED Wall Benefits
Brightness - LED walls utilize LED (light emitting diode) technology, which is the brightest, most energy-efficient display technology on the market. LED walls shine bright enough to be seen under direct outdoor sunlight, making them a popular choice for outdoor display solutions.
Customization – Since LED walls are constructed of individual modular panels, they can be built to limitless sizes and aspect ratios. An aspect ratio is the proportion of a display’s width to its height. The common display ratio is 16:9. But with video walls, you can build whatever aspect ratio you want for a custom look.
LED Wall Disadvantages
Price – LED walls tend to be more expensive than projection displays. Renting a screen will cost a minimum of $2,000/day and buying a screen can easily set you back $500,000+.
Resolution – The resolution of a display is it’s pixel count, written as pixel width x pixel height. For example, a 1080p HD screen is 1920x1080p, meaning it is 1920 pixels wide by 1080 pixels tall. The higher the resolution of a display, the sharper the image clarity. In general, LED walls offer lower resolutions than projection. While 4k UHD is common with projection, a 4k LED video wall is less likely to come by. That’s because the pixel density of LED walls tends to be lower, meaning lower resolutions.
What is a Projector Screen?
A projector screen is the surface on which an image is projected onto. A projection display consists of the projector and the screen. The projector works by shining light through a small lens, which filters the light to create the image.
Projector Screen benefits
Affordability – Projection displays tend to be much more affordable than LED walls. You can get an indoor projection system for just a couple hundred dollars. Professional & outdoor projector display systems such as our Open Air Cinema 20’ Inflatable Projector screen will cost more, but still only a fraction of what an LED video wall would cost.
Resolution – Projection display tends to offer higher resolutions than LED walls. The higher the resolution, the sharper the image. For crisp, clear images that won’t break the bank, projection display is the winner.
Projector screen disadvantages
Brightness – The main disadvantage of projection is it does not get nearly as bright as LED walls do. For outdoor applications, they tend to work best at night.
Space – Since projection requires a projector to transmit the image, they could take up more space. That’s because the area between the projector and the projection screen needs to be unobstructed.
What’s better – LED Walls or Projectors?
Both LED walls and projection allow viewing from far away distances from large numbers of people. They are both great for commercial & residential applications alike.
The biggest difference between the 2 display technologies is brightness. If you require outdoor viewing during the middle of the day, then we suggest an LED wall.
For indoor applications, projection is our choice since the image clarity tends to be much higher at a lower price point.
Another great application for projector displays is outdoor inflatable movie screens. As long as the display is on an overcast day or during the evening, the image will be crystal clear. The only time you would need an LED wall is during sunny days.
So the bottom line is it depends on your display application and budget, but both projection and LED could be an excellent option.
For large display applications, there are 2 main options – LED video walls and projection display.
Both technologies allow for larger displays than standard TV’s, making them great for far distance viewing by large numbers of people.
When deciding between the 2, there are many things to factor into consideration. Here is everything you need to know about LED walls vs. projection displays, and what 1 you should use.