§ Comparison · Decision aid

LED vs projection.

We sell LED. We're going to be honest with you anyway: there are still rooms where projection is the right call. Here's how we think about it.

Side by side.

Brightness
LED: 1 500–5 000+ nit.
Projection: 200–2 000 nit equivalent (depends on screen + room).
Ambient light
LED: wins. Reads in full sun.
Projection: needs darkened room for best result.
Lifetime
LED: 100 000 hours.
Projection: 20 000–30 000 hours (lamp); 30 000+ (laser).
Resolution
LED: determined by pitch + wall size.
Projection: fixed by projector, scales by stitch.
Capex
LED: higher upfront.
Projection: lower upfront, especially at 100"+ sizes.
Opex (5 yr)
LED: auto-cal, low service.
Projection: bulb / filter / re-alignment.
Throw distance
LED: none — direct view.
Projection: needs throw budget.
Setup time
LED: 2–4 hr/cabinet.
Projection: 30 min for one; hours for blended array.
Image quality
LED: seamless, no edge blend.
Projection: visible blends in multi-projector.
Surface flexibility
LED: any geometry, custom radius.
Projection: domes possible, requires warping.

When projection still wins.

  • Massive simulator domes where the dome interior is > 30 m. Projection is still the dominant tech — laser projectors have come a long way.
  • Tight-budget classrooms where the room is dark, content is static, and the screen is < 120″. A laser projector will be a fraction of the cost.
  • Outdoor projection-mapping events where the surface is a building, not a wall.
  • Some museum exhibits where the artistic effect of dim, painterly projection matters — LED would feel "screen-like."

If you're in one of those buckets and want a second opinion, we still take the call.

When LED wins decisively.

  • XR / virtual production: projection cannot compete on color management or genlock.
  • Bright-room corporate lobbies, retail, broadcast studios: projection can't read.
  • Outdoor everything: sun-readable, IP-rated, weatherproof — projection is not in the conversation.
  • Long-term fixed installs: 100k-hour LED lifetime + auto-cal beats projector lamp/filter cycles.
  • Custom geometry (curves, spirals, sculpted): LED cabinets can be cut to any radius without optical warping.

Replace the projector.

Tell us your room and your budget. We'll come back with a recommendation — even if the recommendation is "stick with projection for now."

Request a recommendation LED vs LCD video walls