Interactive technology like smart boards is the new standard in classrooms. But before diving in and purchasing a smart board, school administrators need to understand the costs. Finding specific price quotes for smart boards depends on model, location, installation fees, and accessories. 

This article will break down different factors to consider before purchase so you can understand the estimated cost of adding a smart board to your learning environment, and why it’s lower than you might think. 

It’s not just befuddled grandparents — anyone who’s ever bought a different type of phone or tried to set up a new TV knows that technology can be intimidating. And, trust me, the last thing a teacher wants when they’re trying to confidently lead a class of rowdy kids is to appear confused in the front of the classroom while figuring out the technology.

That said, both teachers and students are becoming more and more comfortable with technology in their daily lives, and the role it plays in real and virtual classrooms. It’s becoming the new norm, only accelerated by the pandemic. 

As technology improves, more emphasis is being placed on developing edutech connected devices that are easy to use and foster collaboration. BenQ understands that need, and creates smart boards with usability at the forefront of the experience.

Technology in the classroom is getting more common, but any school considering adding a smart board to its classrooms has to consider the cost of training and the learning curve teachers face as they gain familiarity with their new tool. 

From my experience, the learning curve for a BenQ smart board is more like a learning ramp, onto a sidewalk, through a park with lots of trees and flowers. In other words, getting comfortable with the smart board was quick and easy, and its positive effects on my lessons were immediately noticeable.

BenQ smart boards are built to be intuitive. They have features like dual pens, which let teachers instantly write in different colors without having to manually change the color on the screen. And the built-in Floating Tool lets a teacher write on top of any content — app, video, website, image, or otherwise — enriching lessons with more info, more explanations, and less hassle.

The smart board is also compatible with any operating system, like Windows, Mac, or Chrome. So instead of dealing with high blood pressure moments, teachers can breezily take notes over anything displayed on the screen, and then save the documents to the cloud in a few taps.

It’s time to embrace the growing role technology plays in our daily lives, and particularly in our classrooms. Thankfully, BenQ is making it easy.

Before taking the plunge and purchasing smart boards for their classrooms, school administrators also want to know what other technology they’ll have to buy to make everything work. The good news is that BenQ smart boards actually don’t require any external technology — they can work as standalone units. 

The better news is that, if desired, accessories like WiFi bluetooth adaptors, slot-in PCs, wall mounts, and rolling stands can be purchased with the smart board for added convenience. 

Depending on needs, schools can choose from a variety of stands and mounting options. The rotating VESA wall mount, made with durable heavy-duty steel, provides up to 90 degrees of rotation and supports displays of up to 45 kilograms (or 98 pounds).

Or, for a mobile display, schools can choose a rolling stand with the VESA wall mount for easy transport and even more flexible collaboration.

But the best accessories are built in — BenQ smart boards come equipped with features like an air quality sensor, array mic, camera, motion sensors, front-facing speaker pen tray, and a set of smart pens, so everything you really need comes in the box.

So what’s the actual price of purchasing a BenQ smart board? The price of BenQ’s smart boards depends on the size. Customers can choose from screen sizes 55”, 65”, 75”, and 86” and up.

So we’ve covered the hardware and accessories, but what about the smart board’s software?

BenQ’s smart boards come with complementary integrated software Account and Device Management Software, which also allows multiple displays to be remotely managed with local network and serial ports, automatically keeping all units running in prime shape. 

Maintaining the smart board is also about as easy as it gets, since BenQ’s over-the-air (OTA) technology keeps display drivers up-to-date by installing the latest firmware onto smart boards through the internet. The smart system can automatically detect needed updates and start upgrading with a few simple steps. And all for free.

To get an even more detailed look at what you should consider when planning an upgrade by adding a smart board to your school’s classrooms, use the BenQ EdTech Calculator. Enter your details to get a quick cost estimate for your school’s transformation. All you have to do is answer a brief series of questions and the calculator will provide you with a free personalized equipment proposal, and you can download the results in PDF format for reference. 

Interactive technology like smart boards is becoming the standard of quality education in real and remote classrooms. BenQ believes that quality education should be accessible, so they design smart boards with built-in accessories, integrated software, easy maintenance, and cost-effective installation to reduce your external costs as much as possible and simplify price estimates. Contact us to talk to an expert about transforming your classroom.