Things to Consider When Choosing Between Lamp or Lamp-Free Projectors

After years of living in the shadows of traditional lamp projectors due to their higher price points, the past few years have seen the emergence of lamp-free projectors as viable options for both consumers and businesses. As with most technologies on the market the use of each type of projector features tradeoffs that the buyer should consider before making the choice that best suits them. So with that in mind, this article will help introduce lamp-free projectors and discuss their pros and cons to help ensure that prospective buyers end up making the most informed decisions when selecting a projector.

As referenced above the main differences between lamp and lamp-free projectors break down into three large categories – functional, economic, and environmental – which we will describe below.

The functional advantages of LED lights and lasers refer to the benefits that these types of light sources bring to the overall performance of the projector. They include the absence of stronger color performance, nearly instant power on/off, and the increased portability and noise-free operation.

In regards to the financial impact, choosing to use a lamp-free projector helps save money in the long run due to lower maintenance costs. This is because lamp-free projectors have longer lifespans and do not require lamp and filter replacements. So, even though lamp projectors many times are priced lower, lamp-free projectors usually end up having a lower total cost of ownership (TCO).

As most users of regular light bulbs know, incandescent bulbs consume a lot more energy than LED lights and lasers. The same runs true when comparing the projectors that rely on these different light sources. Thus, lamp-free projectors are considered to be more energy efficient and less wasteful (since there isn’t the additional waste due to part replacements), which are important benefits to the environmentally-minded.

Given all the advantages that lamp-free projectors in general bring, what should a prospective buyer keep in mind when deciding between the two types of lamp-free projectors? In other words, what are the main differences between LED and laser projectors? The main differences broadly fall under two main categories: brightness and cost. LED lights are diodes that give off cold light, as such the projectors that rely on them as their light sources have the drawback that they produce images with lower overall brightness when compared to other types of projectors. This, though, is not a major obstacle if the projector is meant for use in smaller spaces, which makes LEDs the most suitable light sources for portable or pico projectors. The mechanics that produce the light for laser projectors on the other hand do not feature such brightness limitations, though the tradeoff is that for the time being these projectors are costlier than both LED projectors and lamp-based projectors. These considerations make laser projectors more suitable for use within larger spaces that require brighter images, such as large-scale conference rooms, auditoriums, and other public spaces. One should keep in mind though that as time goes by and the use of laser projectors becomes more prevalent, the costs associated with their use will gradually decline.