Best smart board for fast-growing companies - Cisco Webex Board Pro or BenQ Board RP Series?

Unlike passive projectors and TVs, both the BenQBoard and the Webex Board Pro have an integrated computer that runs whiteboarding software and third-party apps.    These two displays offer different operating systems that have advantages and disadvantages.  Here is a comparison between the three touch screen operating systems. 

Android  

Most touch screen displays, including BenQ, use Android displays for their primary operating system.  There are well over 1 million different Android applications available and most collaboration platforms such as Zoom offer Android versions of their apps that can be loaded onto the board.  The BenQBoard has many built-in apps that can open and save PDF, MS Office, and other popular file formats. 

Windows 

The BenQBoard also be equipped with an integrated computer that turns the BenQBoard into a large Windows touchscreen device.  This enables you to access many dedicated conferencing applications such as Teams, Zoom Rooms, and even Webex – just as if you were using a Windows notebook.   It also enables direct integration and login to Microsoft 365 apps. 

RoomOS 

RoomOS is a proprietary operating system designed around the Webex platform.  Cisco has integrations into other applications such as Microsoft 365, but the number of third-party apps is more limited compared to either Android or Windows.  While this allows developers to create a rich experience around a single product, it could pose a problem to a fast-growing business if they need to switch platforms or require an application not supported by RoomOS. 

Both the BenQBoard and WebEx Pro have integrated speakers and microphones to capture voices from around the room and support video cameras.  The BenQBoard uses two speakers and an integrated subwoofer with over 45 watts of power to ensure you can hear what is being said.   Both systems have advanced array microphones that track the speaker and remove background noise.  The Webex Board Pro has two integrated 4K cameras, while BenQ offers multiple external camera options, enabling nearly any model of BenQ or another third-party camera you want to use.

Fast-growing companies need to be able to collaborate on a single whiteboard from anywhere.  Both models have integrated whiteboard software that enables a user to log into the whiteboard session and collaborate remotely on an unlimited canvas.   BenQ’s EzWrite whiteboard software supports sticky notes, object recognition, and enables you to use your palm as an eraser. To erase on the Webex Pro board, you need to select the eraser tool, circle or scratch out the area you want to erase, then switch back to the pen tool to start writing again.  One nice collaboration feature is the BenQ “Paintbrush” mode that will recognize the width of a real paintbrush or other object being used on the screen – enabling the panel to be used for writing variable-width characters such as Kanji – or facilitating a new design concept.   Also, the BenQBoard can natively run nearly any other whiteboarding software such as Smart Notebook, Explain Everything, or Microsoft Whiteboard running on either Android or Windows. 

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for enhanced employee safety.   The BenQBoard has an advanced safety product to ensure safe and healthy collaboration in a meeting.   Here is a breakdown of the important safety features on each display.  

Anti-Microbial Coatings 

Antimicrobial coatings are used on interactive displays from BenQ, Samsung, and other brands since 2017 to keep germs from growing on the display.  These anti-microbial coatings must be carefully applied and baked onto the glass. The BenQ RE series has been certified by Europe’s TUV against the five most common types of bacteria, including e. Coli, Salmonella, and is also certified as toxin-free under Japan’s SIAA standard tests for potential risks such as long-term touch.  The Cisco Webex Board Pro does not have any antimicrobial protective coatings on the glass. 

Blue Light Protection 

The BenQBoard comes with certified with blue light filtering features. The sensor on the BenQ’s display senses the person approaching the display – will adjust the blue light automatically, minimizing the risk to your employees from excessive blue light exposure.   

Room Air Quality Monitoring 

The BenQBoard RP series has integrated air quality monitoring sensors that track the level of CO2 in the room, as well as dust and other indoor air pollution to ensure that employees are safe.  This data can be collected and centrally stored to be shared.