Commercial vs. Consumer Displays

Which one is right for your next project?

As a business with an important product, story, or vision to share, there is only one thing standing between your message and your audience. More times than not, it is technology. One of the best ways to paint a clear visual message is through displays, commonly referred to as televisions or monitors.

Displays can be used in lobbies, conference rooms, classrooms, event spaces and more. The possibilities are endless. It is no wonder why many people look to save money when purchasing the technology. Our team of engineers breaks down why purchasing a consumer-grade display may not be your best bet.

Commercial

• Built and designed to support long hours of operation complete with heat dissipation, cooling fans, and anti-screen burn and image retention
• Designed to work hand-in-hand with PCs
• Usually is backed by multi-year warranties and possible service agreements
• Features controls for security including locking panels and remotes
• Connections for mounts are matched for safety complaint mounts
• Can display both landscape and portrait mode
• Has many connection options that can allow you to video loop and reconfigure the screen to fit your needs.

 Consumer

• Designed for shorter viewing time and longer off-time. These screens are not appropriate for 24-hour use.
• Usually comes with a standard 90-day warranty which may require packaging the display and sending it offsite for help. Onsite support is not typically offered from big-box stores and other retailers
• May need special, third-party mounts to match connections which may not be safety compliant
• Most consumer displays are landscape mode only
• Will typically work with PCs in some applications, but are not specifically designed to do so
• Standard connection options
• These displays have approximately half the lifespan of their commercial-grade counterparts

Saving a few dollars may not be worth the risk.

The bottom line when shopping for your next digital signage is to focus on the application and message you want to convey. If you want your screen to lend a hand in telling your story for long periods of time, buying a consumer –grade display is not the best way to save a few dollars. In reality, many of the available commercial-grade displays are comparable in price.

Don’t know where to go from here? We can help. Our team specializes in helping bridge the gap between your message and its audience. Our team of professionals is ready to talk about commercial displays and more.