There are six major factors to consider when customizing LED displays: resolution and pixel pitch, brightness level, viewing angle, weather resistance and durability, energy efficiency, and custom size and shape.
Resolution and Pixel Pitch
Resolution and pixel pitch affect the clarity of the screen. For instance, for an outdoor advertising screen, you usually need a pixel pitch ranging from P6 to P10 (6mm-10mm) because the outdoor viewing distances are farther. Conference screens indoors or retail window displays require P2.5 or lower. Just as a small trick according to industrial research says that a good distance should be typically about 1,000 times a pixel pitch. That implies for P2 LED screen, the best viewing distance would come out to be 2 meters, and the P10 hence would be suitable beyond 10 meters.
The core of cost issues lies in the very fact that the higher resolution is, the more are the pixels per unit area: P1.5 screen provides about 440,000 LED beads per square meter, though P4 has only around 62,500 beads. That is why a P1.5 panel is usually 200% to 300% higher in cost than P4.
For instance, considering a 10-square meter LED screen:
The average price of a P4 screen is about 1,500 dollars per square meter, with a total cost of 15,000 dollars. While the average price of a P1.5 screen is as high as 4,500 dollars per square meter, bringing the total cost to 45,000 dollars. It can be seen from the data that the maintenance cost of high-density screens is about 15%-20% higher than that of ordinary screens due to more failures.
In the year 2022, at an international exhibition, one customer first decided to use the P2 screen but afterwards found out that the following problems had arisen:
- Viewing distance was 8-10 meters.
- P2 Screen power consumption is up to 480 watts per square meter.
Thus, this customer finally changed his mind to use the P3.9 screen and successfully reduced the power consumption to 260 watts per square meter, saving energy consumption of about 45%, cutting down the project cost around $20,000 or so.
If you are still confused, you can use a quick calculation formula to preliminarily determine the selection range:
Budget ÷ Screen area ÷ Pixel pitch (mm) = Reasonable cost-effectiveness range
For example, with a budget of $50,000, a screen area of 20 square meters, and a pixel pitch of P3, the result is $833 per square meter.
For more insights on whether LED wall screens get hot, click here.
Brightness Levels
Brightness for LED screens is usually measured in nits. Indoor screens may range from 500 to 1,500 nits, and outdoor ones normally stand between 3,000 to 5,000 nits and can even go as high as 10,000 nits.
At 1,000 nits of brightness, the indoor conference rooms would work just fine.
For an outdoor billboard, one will need at least 4,500 nits.
In a study relating to traffic guidance screens, for instance, a brightness of 1,500 nits offered only 70% visibility in sunny conditions, while at 5,000 nits, the visibility was nearly 100%.
For a screen that is 10 square meters, an increase in brightness from 3,000 nits to 5,000 nits will involve an increase in power consumption by about 30-50%.
For example, with increased power consumption per square meter from 200 to 300 watts, running the screen for 10 hours daily will increase electricity costs by more than $1,000 annually.
In 2023, a smart dimming system was implemented in one of the popular retail chains and is estimated to save $50,000 per year in electricity costs.
In 2021, one big shopping mall renovated indoor display screens, choosing those with 800 nits of brightness. However, screens that were too close to the glass wall showed poor performance in sunlight-exposed areas, and customers mistakenly thought these screens were out of order. Later, they changed them with screens boasting 1,200 nits of brightness and added anti-glare coatings to reduce glare and improve customer experience.
For more information about plasma screens, click here.
The viewing angle refers to the maximum range of angles from the centre of the screen within which information on the screen is still visible, often in both horizontal and vertical directions.
For indoor viewing, it ranges from meeting rooms to shopping malls, airports, stations, etc. It’s normally viewed in a more concentrated audience in a short-distance observation. Thus, the requirements for the angle of view are relatively low. Most indoor LED screens have a horizontal and vertical viewing angle ranging between 120° to 160°.
P2.5 and P4 screens: for most P2.5 and P4 indoors, there are general needs for viewing angles of around 120°-160°. They are normally for relatively concentrated audiences such as meeting rooms, shops, and so on.
Small malls and shops displays: For small malls or shop displays, choices often fall on P2 or P3 screens, with viewing angles of about 140° to 160° for the purpose of making sure that customers will see everything clearly from any angle.
In outdoor environments, the viewing angle of an LED screen is usually larger. Most of the advertising screens and public information screens need to have a viewing angle of more than 160°. Some even have 170° or wider viewing angles to guarantee that no matter where the audience is standing, they can clearly see what is on the screen.
P6 and P8 outdoor displays: The majority of these products provide 160° – 170° viewing angle, so very good visibility could be provided on big-sized advertising screens as well as sports grounds, where large-sized audiences may get the benefit of viewing it. For a broader angle of view, some top-range outdoor LED screens use advanced LED Chips and optics design.
High-end outdoor advertising screens: For international brands running global campaigns, they will opt for P4 or P5 outdoor advertising screens, which have a viewing angle that could go over 170°. These use high-quality LED chips that can guarantee consistency in brightness and color performance across a wide angle.
Weather Resistance and Durability
Outdoor LED displays usually work within the range of -30°C to +50°C. Higher-class products can work in even more extreme temperatures to ensure all-season work. Some high-end outdoor LED displays support a temperature range from -40°C to +60°C, with built-in heating and cooling systems to ensure temperature fluctuations do not affect the display.
Waterproofing and dustproofing for outdoor LED displays are very important, as the outdoors is often exposed to rain, snow, dust, and other natural elements. Common protection ratings include IP65, IP67, and IP68:
- IP65: Protects against water spray but cannot be fully submerged in water. Suitable for most outdoor environments.
- IP67: Can withstand short-term submersion, typically resisting water pressure at depths of 1 meter for 30 minutes.
- IP68: Provides higher waterproof protection, suitable for harsh outdoor environments, ensuring long-term submersion stability, typically used in areas with heavy rainfall or high humidity.
Indoor LED displays are called upon to work uninterruptedly, especially at places of high traffic such as malls, airports, and exhibition halls. Long-time stability depends on the heat dissipation design of the screen and the use of anti-aging materials. A good heat dissipating system can effectively lower overheating, reduce the failure rate, and extend the life of the display.
Though indoor LED displays are at a lesser risk of mechanical damage, in highly populated areas and public places like malls and airports, some collision or impact may happen with the screens. Thus, most indoor displays use robust housing and high-strength glass panels that effectively prevent external damages.
Energy Efficiency
High-resolution LED displays typically require more LED beads and more complex driving circuits, which means higher power consumption. A higher resolution P1.5 LED screen may consume around 700 watts per square meter, while a P4 screen typically consumes between 350 and 500 watts per square meter.
Besides traditional means of adjusting brightness, there exist systems that can automatically adjust screen brightness with changes in ambient light. This adjustment method not only raises the quality of the display but also decreases power consumption to a certain extent. Some malls and public places make use of smart dimming systems where the brightness of the screen is altered according to time or intensity of light outside, cutting over-consumption of brightness in day and night, hence cutting down about 30% energy usage.
Adopting high-efficiency LED beads and advanced driving technology can raise the energy efficiency of LED displays by 15%-25% in general. For example, an advertising company once reduced the power consumption of its outdoor LED screen from 800 watts per square meter to 600 watts per square meter by switching to more efficient LED beads, saving 25% on electricity costs.
To learn more about calculating LED display size, click here.
Custom Size and Shape
Custom-sized LED screens can be designed according to the specific needs of the space, maximizing space utilization and providing the best display effect. For example, a shopping center customized a 1.5-meter wide by 3-meter high LED screen for its window display, perfectly fitting the window frame, enhancing both clarity and visual appeal.
Custom LED displays will also raise customer interaction and conversion rates. Certain malls even recorded a 35% increase in the dwell time of customers and over 15% in sales after using custom displays.
Irregularly shaped LED screens work at exhibitions and events. A car brand, for instance, customized a curved LED screen at an auto show. This added to the visual dynamism and attracted 20% more visitors.
Although the initial costs for custom screens are higher, normally 1.5 to 2 times more expensive than the standard screens, their innovative display and brand exposure often bring higher returns.
For more insights on choosing LED outdoor signage and providers, click here.
