01 June 2023 • 5 min read

LED Walls vs. Video Walls

Emma Radcliffe

LED walls and video walls are both large format digital signage options that offer a great way to attract attention and create a wow factor.

Both are mature technologies with their own pros and cons – and it’s often not a question of which is better, but more a case of which is best suited for the relevant situation.

Let’s compare LED walls versus video walls to learn about the similarities, the differences, and when and why you might choose one technology over the other.

LED Walls

LED walls, also referred to as dvLED (direct view LED) and sometimes rather confusingly LED video walls, are becoming extremely popular. They consist of lots of small tiles each containing lots of LEDs (light-emitting diodes) which are used to display your content.

LED wall in AO office reception area

Pros of LED Walls

Some of the pros of LED walls include:

• More vibrant than screens
• They’re not reflective so they’re easily visible even in direct sunlight.
• Flexibility. They can be any shape or size, curved or even transparent
• Suitable for outdoors (with appropriate hardware)
• Easy to maintain. Faulty LED tiles can easily be swapped
• Easily visibility from near or far
• Longevity. Typically, they have around twice the life span of a video wall
• No bezels so they give you a seamless display space

Combined with the energy efficiency of the LEDs, this all adds up to a display that’s vibrant, eye-catching and delivers a good total cost of ownership.

Cons of LED Walls

So, are there any downsides to LED walls? There are a few:

• The initial purchase is expensive (although prices are coming down)
• Hardware quality can vary, especially amongst newer entrants on the market
• They require additional hardware called controllers (also called processors) to work
• Content appearing on the display can look distorted from some viewing angles
• Energy consumption (they’re more efficient than a video wall but still consume a lot of energy)

In general, working with a reputable supplier can help to overcome potential problems with hardware quality, giving you an LED wall you can put your faith in.

Video Walls

Video walls are made up of multiple purpose-built screens. These can be LCD displays or LED screens, and have a smaller bezel than conventional screens.

Pros of Video Walls

Video walls are an excellent choice if you’re on a budget. They have fewer limitations on use than projectors do, and cost around the same for a mid-sized display.

So to summarise:

• Cheaper than LED walls to purchase (but more expensive than projectors)
• Good visibility in bright ambient light (better than projectors)
• Good range of viewing angles

Done well, a video wall can give you a large-scale, attention-grabbing screen on which you can display almost anything you choose.

Cons of Video Walls

There are some limitations of video walls, including:

• Cannot be used outdoors
• Only suitable for flat surfaces so you can’t have a curved video wall
• May suffer from glare/reflections
• Not great over longer distances
• Visible bezels create a noticeable ‘grid’ across the display
• One faulty screen will render the whole display unusable
• Replacement screens must be a perfect match
• Energy consumption (more than an LED wall)

Because of this, we would recommend you don’t choose a video wall as your main or only display, so as not to be left with nothing in the event of a fault.

Which is better?

Both types of digital screens have their advantages. Installation costs (not including hardware cost) are about the same for both, and both can be adjusted to reduce energy consumption and/or used on a timer to shut off when not required.

Overall, video walls may be better for indoor use on a budget, while LED walls offer stronger visuals and better longevity if you’ve got the funds available.

If you have any remaining questions or you’d like to make an enquiry about purchasing and installing an LED wall or video wall, please contact us today using the form below.