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Obviously, light sources make a world of difference in projectors. After all, projectors serve as light delivery devices. That means the light source has a direct impact on the entire experience provided by any given projector.

Increasingly, LED technology has come to replace more traditional high intensity lamps in projection devices. While lamps (as used in DLP and LCD projectors) have been a reliable constituent of projector technology for decades, LED elements offer many advantages. Primarily, LEDs present better energy efficiency, longer lifespans, and faster response so they’re great for all projectors, from portables to high end home cinema models. Whether out on the road or at home watching a movie, LED projectors are the future. 

Energy Saving

First off, LEDs run cooler than bulb or lamp light sources. We don’t mean cool as in chic, rather as in temperature. Just like LED TVs work cooler than CRT sets, so do LED projectors operate at lower temps than their lamp-based counterparts. That leads to simpler thermal solutions and quieter projectors because fans don’t need to spin as much, or may not even be needed at all. 

Cooler and Safer

The cooler operation of LED puts less of a stress on lens assemblies, reducing the likelihood of distortion and degradation over time even further. As an added bonus, cooler projectors mean safer homes and other environments. If you have kids, an LED projector’s inherently cool design all but eliminates the odds of a child accidentally contacting a hot component or internal projector surface, no matter how much they try to break the poor device. 

Longer Life

As a subset of reduced heat strain, the LED elements within projectors last much longer than bulbs and lamps. For example, the GS2 portable projector uses a 30,000-hour LED. That’s ten years even if you just sit there and watch movies or Netflix for eight hours a day, and it’s two to three times the average lamp lifespan. Most LEDs will go longer, meaning that unlike lamp projectors there’s no need to think about replacing the light source in a few short years.

More Compact

LEDs mean far more compact and streamlined assemblies, so projector size gets an even handier reduction for added portability. And finally, as you know from your monitors and TVs, LEDs turn on and off instantly with little to no warm up. No waiting for a power up cycle! They also don’t mind being switched on and off repeatedly and are nearly impossible to break. That’s a huge win for portable projectors that you take with you on the road. Subjected to a lot of jostling and bumpy trails, LEDs offer greater endurance than lamp devices, which are more prone to breakage due to their bulkier design. 

Future Proof

Overall, the light thrower industry is undergoing a change of direction from lamp builds towards LED. With lighting elements matching the raw lumen power of traditional lamps, switching to LED makes a lot of sense due to the advantages we listed above. And once more, those advantages don’t mean a lesser display. 

For now, the biggest beneficiaries are portable projectors like the BenQ outdoor portable projector GS50 or the Bluetooth projector GV31, but in the long run business and home projectors will turn to LED as well. It's the new, bright future of projection.  

Looking Forward to LED

Expect a lot more LED-driven projectors from BenQ to appear in coming months and years. With their better energy efficiency, longer lifespans, and overall improved performance, LED elements fit every type of projector very well.

Portables as we said are just the beginning, and we look forward to sharing more about new LED-based models for business, entertainment, gaming, and home cinema in the very near future.