Are LED displays energy efficient? A Deep Dive for Buyers

Choosing an energy efficient LED display means saving on electricity bills without sacrificing brightness. But LED screen power consumption varies by size, brightness, and usage. This guide helps you understand what to look for to get the best value and performance.

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The power consumption of LED screens is not a fixed number, but is affected by multiple factors, including brightness and size, display content, LED technology, etc. Only by understanding these variables can we more accurately evaluate the actual energy consumption and choose a truly efficient LED display solution.

Brightness is the biggest factor affecting the power consumption of LED screens. The brighter the screen, the harder the lamp beads work, and the more power they consume. Especially outdoors, the screen has to fight against strong sunlight, and the brightness is often turned up very high, and the power consumption will also increase.

The size and resolution of LED screens are directly related to the number of light-emitting lamp beads. A larger screen requires more LEDs to present the image, which naturally leads to higher power consumption. Similarly, higher resolution means more LEDs per square inch, resulting in sharper visuals but also increased energy use. If you’re unsure about what screen size suits your project, check out our guide on choosing the right LED screen size for more insights.

Compared with indoor LED screens, outdoor LED screens usually require higher brightness to ensure clear images because they have to work in complex environments such as sunlight, rain, wind and dust. At the same time, strong sunlight will make the cabinet heat up, so outdoor screens are usually equipped with more complex heat dissipation systems, such as built-in fans.

For most users, the most direct way to determine whether an LED display screen is “power-consuming” is to calculate: How much electricity does one square meter use per day? How much does it cost per day?

Daily power consumption (kWh) = screen area (㎡) × average power consumption (W/㎡) × usage time (hours) ÷ 1000

Note: LED display screens have two power consumption values ​​

Maximum power consumption refers to the extreme power consumption when the screen is fully lit and the screen is all white (uncommon)

Average power consumption is closer to actual daily use, generally 30%–50% of the maximum power consumption.

If you want to calculate the energy consumption of a P2.5, full-color indoor conference room LED screen, assuming an area of 3㎡ (about 2.4m x 1.25m), an average of 8 hours of use per day, and an average power consumption of 300W/㎡ (industry reference value), then you can calculate it like this: 3 × 300 × 8 ÷ 1000 = 7.2 (kWh)

5㎡, average energy consumption 350W/㎡, pixel pitch P4, assuming 8 hours of use per day, energy consumption calculation method for indoor shopping mall advertising LED screen: 5 × 350 × 8 ÷ 1000 = 14 kWh

10㎡, average energy consumption 500W/㎡, pixel pitch P5, assuming 8 hours of use per day, energy consumption calculation method for full-color outdoor LED large screen: 10 × 500 × 8 ÷ 1000 = 40kWh

You certainly don’t want to spend extra money on the monthly electricity bill for the advertising screen, right? Don’t worry, choose according to the following standards, you can have a low power display, which does not sacrifice the picture effect, but can effectively reduce the LED screen power consumption, making your LED advertising screen display equipment more energy-saving and money-saving.

The smaller the pixel pitch, the clearer the picture, but it will also increase power consumption.The smaller the pixel pitch, the clearer the picture—but it will also increase power consumption. If you’re not yet familiar with how pixel pitch affects image quality and viewing distance, our guide to choosing the best pixel pitch will help you understand it better.

If you are using it in a close-up viewing environment such as a conference room, control room or exhibition hall, you can choose a product with a smaller pitch such as P2.5 or P3.

if it is outdoor advertising or long-distance viewing, P5 or P6 is clear enough and can significantly reduce LED screen power consumption.

The driver chip is the “brain” of the LED display, responsible for controlling the lighting mode and current of each LED lamp bead.

The recognized energy-saving driver chip brands in the market include MBI, ICN, Chipone, etc. Modules using such chips are often more guaranteed in terms of LED power consumption performance.

When the ambient light is dim, if the screen still maintains a high brightness, it will waste a lot of electricity and may also make the viewer feel glaring and uncomfortable.

Through intelligent brightness control, the LED display always works within the appropriate brightness range, avoiding unnecessary energy waste, thereby achieving the energy-saving goal of low power display.

The more energy-efficient LED module packaging technologies on the market today are COB (Chip on Board) and GOB (Glue on Board).

COB technology directly encapsulates the LED chip on the module circuit board, reducing the distance and connection loss between the lamp beads, making the current transmission more efficient, reducing power consumption, and also improving the heat dissipation performance and reliability of the module.

GOB technology is based on COB. It protects the chip and circuit by reinforcing the glue layer, which not only improves the durability and protection ability of the module, but also helps to control the current more stably and reduce energy consumption fluctuations.

Therefore, it is recommended to give priority to products using COB or GOB packaging technology. In actual use, they are often more power-saving and have a longer life than traditional SMD modules.

If an LED screen does not dissipate heat well, it will not only generate serious heat, but also “steal more electricity”, which will be a considerable cost in the long run. The real energy efficient LED products often start energy-saving design from the heat dissipation system.

The following are several common heat dissipation methods. You can choose a more suitable one according to the usage scenario:

Passive heat dissipation does not rely on fans, but naturally conducts heat through aluminum alloy shells, thermal conductive silicone and other materials. This method does not consume extra power and has obvious energy-saving effects.

Passive heat dissipation is suitable for indoor use or screens with low power consumption. It is also the basic method adopted by many conventional energy efficient LED screens.

For outdoor large screens or high-brightness operation scenes, active heat dissipation is necessary. The intelligent fan system can automatically adjust the speed according to the temperature, quickly cool down when needed, and keep silent when not needed.

Fan heat dissipation design avoids the energy waste caused by long-term operation of the fan, making the overall LED screen power consumption lower.

Liquid cooling is a high-end heat dissipation method that quickly removes heat through liquid circulation. It is very efficient and runs quietly. It can help control the temperature of high-brightness, high-density LED screens while extending their service life. It is suitable for large advertising screens or low power screen solutions in special environments.

The EagerLED Energy Efficient LED screen series, with advanced heat dissipation technology and optimized design, greatly reduces the energy consumption of the screen, truly achieving the high efficiency of low power display.

Ea640c3 LED display rental solution adopts a fanless heat dissipation design and uses advanced passive thermal management (Advanced Thermal Management) technology to avoid fan energy consumption and noise, while effectively reducing the screen temperature.

For the commercial advertising market, the Ea800f1 digital advertising board achieves excellent energy saving effects with its high-efficiency circuit design. It ensures the brightness and color performance of the picture while effectively reducing power consumption, making it an ideal low power display choice.

It is not difficult to save power on LED screens. Whether it is for environmental protection or to reduce long-term operating costs, mastering a few tips can effectively reduce LED screen power consumption.

Adjust brightness properly

The brighter the screen, the better. Adjusting the brightness according to the ambient light during the day or at night can not only save power, but also protect the audience’s eyesight. Now many LED screens support automatic brightness adjustment, which is worry-free and power-saving.

Note that Content can also save power

Don’t underestimate the impact of playback content. Dark and black backgrounds save more power than large areas of white because fewer lamp beads are lit. Especially when static images are displayed for a long time, optimized design can bring obvious energy-saving effects.

Set the on and off time period

Not all occasions need to run 24 hours a day. Setting the on and off time, avoiding nighttime or sparse traffic periods, and avoiding unnecessary power consumption is a very direct and effective way to save energy.

Choose energy-saving hardware

Selecting LED modules and driver chips with low power consumption characteristics can also reduce energy consumption at the source. These energy efficient LED components can intelligently adjust power output according to usage, making the overall efficiency more efficient.

The cooling system needs special attention

When the temperature is high, the energy consumption will also increase. Maintaining good heat dissipation can not only extend the life of the device, but also avoid extra power consumption caused by overheating. Good heat dissipation is also an important part of building a low power display.

The benefits of using Energy efficient LED screens are far more than just saving electricity and money. In short, it can also bring you the following advantages:

Reduce operating costs
Energy-efficient LED screens have lower power consumption, which is particularly suitable for occasions that need to operate around the clock. They can help you save a lot of electricity bills, and the money saved is really tangible.

Extend equipment life
Reduced power consumption means less screen heat, less hardware pressure, and more durable equipment. The frequency of maintenance and replacement will also be reduced, saving worry and money.

Maintain high-quality display effects
Modern energy-efficient LED technology can intelligently adjust brightness and power, ensuring clear and bright images, and effectively controlling LED screen power consumption.

Support green environmental protection
Lower energy consumption means less carbon emissions, which is in line with the environmental protection concept of enterprises and society, and can also enhance your brand image.

Relieve pressure on the power system
Especially for large-scale installation projects, energy-saving screens can reduce the burden on the power system and reduce the risk of accidents.

After reading the above, you can see that an energy efficient LED display effectively reduces power consumption, helping you cut electricity costs and avoid frequent repairs. If you want to lower your operating costs and improve display reliability, contact us today to learn more.