LED Display FAQ: 20 Questions Answered by UnifyLED Engineers
Straight answers to the 20 questions buyers ask us most about LED displays — pricing, pixel pitch, installation, warranty, and shipping.
Short answer: An LED display costs roughly $460 to $1,650 per square meter depending on pixel pitch and usage, with indoor P2.5 — the most popular pitch — sitting in the $650–$950 range. Production takes 15 to 25 days, shipping adds 10 to 30 days by sea. UnifyLED covers every screen with a 3-year warranty, a 72-hour factory aging test, and spare parts from four global service centers.
On This Page
2. Getting a quote
3. Shipping & install
4. Cheapest option
5. Sample modules
6. Pixel pitch
7. SMD vs COB
8. Brightness
9. Lifespan
10. Refresh rate
11. Installation
12. Power use
13. Weather
14. Maintenance
15. Screen size
16. Lead time
17. Warranty
18. Dead pixels
19. Spare parts
20. Factory visit
How Much Does an LED Display Cost?
How much does an LED display cost in 2026?
A complete LED display costs roughly $460 to $1,650 per square meter depending on pixel pitch, usage, and cabinet type. Indoor P2.5 — the pitch most churches and boardrooms choose — lands between $650 and $950 per square meter. Outdoor P8 to P10 billboard-grade screens run $460 to $760. Fine-pitch P1.5 and COB models start around $1,150. These ranges cover modules, cabinets, power supplies, and receiving cards; the sending box and installation are quoted separately.
How do I get a quote from UnifyLED?
Send your screen size, viewing distance, application, and country by email or WhatsApp. Our engineers reply within 24 hours with a written proposal: pixel pitch, cabinet model, control system, power calculation, and FOB or CIF pricing. For quick estimates, run our LED screen calculator first — it sizes resolution, power, and budget from your dimensions.
Do LED display prices include shipping and installation?
Factory prices cover the display itself: modules, cabinets, power, and receiving cards. Shipping is quoted separately — sea freight for most orders, air freight for urgent or small shipments. Installation by a local team is arranged in some regions; otherwise we ship with a step-by-step installation guide and video support, and many buyers complete a standard wall themselves in a day.
What is the cheapest LED display that still makes sense?
Outdoor P10 or P8 fixed screens are the lowest cost per square meter — $460 to $760 — because their larger pixels need fewer LEDs. They suit billboards viewed from 10 meters or more. For indoor use, P3.91 or P2.9 gives the best price-to-sharpness ratio. Below those price levels, be careful: panels with recycled LEDs or no aging test fail within months.
Do you offer sample modules before a bulk order?
Yes. You can order sample modules or one full cabinet in the exact pitch and series you are evaluating. This lets you check brightness, color uniformity, and build quality against our datasheet before committing to a large order. The sample cost is credited back on most full orders.
What Pixel Pitch and Brightness Does Your LED Display Need?
What pixel pitch should I choose for my LED display?
Pick pitch by viewing distance: minimum comfortable distance in meters roughly equals the pitch number in millimeters. A P2.5 screen works from 2.5 meters, a P10 billboard from 10 meters. P1.5 to P1.86 suits boardrooms and control rooms viewed up close; P2.5 to P3.91 covers churches, retail, and events; P4.81 to P10 handles outdoor billboards. Choosing a finer pitch than you need costs more without visible benefit.
What is the difference between SMD and COB LED displays?
SMD packages individual red, green, and blue LED chips into small surface-mounted lamps, while COB mounts bare chips directly onto the PCB and seals them in resin. COB gives higher contrast, better off-angle viewing, and impact resistance — at a higher price, mostly for fine pitches under P1.5. SMD remains the value standard for P1.5 and above, with easy module-level field repair.
How bright should an LED display be indoors vs outdoors?
Indoor displays run 800 to 1,200 nits — brighter than a TV because ambient light varies. Outdoor screens need 4,500 to 10,000 nits to beat direct sunlight; large P8 to P10 billboards typically run 6,500 to 10,000 nits. Outdoor panels use higher-power LEDs and thicker mask designs, which is part of why they cost more per square meter at the same pitch.
How long do LED displays last?
LEDs are rated for 100,000 hours to half brightness — over 11 years of continuous 24/7 operation. In practice, most screens stay commercially useful for 8 to 10 years indoors and 6 to 8 years outdoors, where heat and humidity age power supplies first. Power supplies and receiving cards are replaceable, so a well-maintained screen can run well past a decade with periodic part swaps.
What refresh rate and grayscale should I look for?
For most fixed displays, 1,920Hz refresh and 14 to 16-bit grayscale is standard and flicker-free to the eye. On-camera use — broadcast, live streaming, or XR stages — needs 3,840Hz or higher so the screen does not band in footage. Rental and church buyers who record services should specify the high-refresh option at order time; it costs little and prevents camera problems later.
How Is an LED Display Installed and Maintained?
How is an LED display installed?
Fixed screens mount on a steel structure attached to a wall, poles, or a ground frame, then cabinets hang row by row and plug together with data and power cables. A standard 20-square-meter wall takes a two-person crew one to two days. Every order ships with an installation guide, wiring diagrams, and video support on WhatsApp; for large or complex sites we can send an engineer.
How much power does an LED display use?
Average consumption is 200 to 400 watts per square meter depending on pitch and brightness — P2.5 indoor averages about 300 W/m² at normal content. Peak (all-white) draw runs 650 to 1,000 W/m², which is the figure your electrician should size circuits for. Common-cathode outdoor designs cut average consumption by 20 to 30% versus conventional common-anode panels.
Can LED displays run outdoors in rain and heat?
Yes, with the right build. Outdoor UnifyLED screens are IP65-rated front and rear, with sealed module joints, and are tested from -20°C to 50°C. For coastal or high-humidity sites we add anti-corrosion treatment on the cabinet and PCB coating as standard options. Indoor panels must never be used outdoors — they are not sealed and will fail in the first rain.
How do I maintain an LED display?
Maintenance is light: a visual check of the cabinet seals monthly, cleaning with a soft cloth or low-pressure air, and keeping the power cabinet dust-free and dry. Outdoor screens need ventilation clearance checked in hot seasons. Our control software reports module faults and temperatures, so most problems show up in software before they show up on the wall.
What sizes can an LED display be?
Any size, in theory — LED cabinets tile into walls of unlimited dimensions. We have shipped everything from a 1.5-meter poster screen to a 200-square-meter stadium perimeter. The real limits are your structure, power supply, and budget. Tell us the wall or pole dimensions and we size the screen in exact cabinet increments, usually within 5% of your target area.
When Do You Get Your LED Display — Shipping and After-Sales Questions
How long does production and shipping take?
Standard orders leave the factory in 15 to 25 days after deposit. Every panel then spends 72 hours on our aging line before packing. Sea freight takes 10 to 30 days depending on destination; air freight takes 3 to 7 days for urgent jobs. We send container loading photos and tracking so you can plan your installation date.
What does the LED display warranty cover?
Every UnifyLED display carries a 3-year warranty covering LED modules, power supplies, receiving cards, and sending hardware against manufacturing defects. In-warranty parts are replaced free through a 5-step RMA process with 24-hour first response. Full terms, including what is excluded, are on our warranty policy page and in your sales contract.
What happens when pixels fail on my LED display?
A few dead pixels are normal in manufacturing, which is why our 72-hour aging test catches and repairs most before shipment, and why we ship under an industry-standard allowance. If pixels fail later, modules are front-serviceable on most series: one technician swaps the module in minutes without removing the whole wall. Beyond the allowance, failures are covered under warranty.
Do you provide spare parts with the order?
Yes. We recommend ordering 2 to 5% spare modules and one spare power supply per wall, which ship in the same container. Spare parts stock is also kept in our US, Malaysia, Nigeria, and South Africa service centers, so warranty replacements arrive in days rather than weeks.
Can I visit the factory before ordering?
Yes — visits are encouraged. You can watch your order on the SMT line, check the aging room, and meet the engineers who will support your screen. We arrange pick-up from Changsha airport and help with visa invitation letters. Many buyers combine the visit with a trip to the ISLE or InfoComm shows to compare products side by side.
Still Have a Question? Ask an Engineer
Get a written answer with your specific screen size and pitch recommendation within 24 hours.