Energy Consumption: Is Your Projector Environment-Friendly?

by Una Tao July 03, 2023 Buying Guides

Having energy-efficient appliances at home is crucial in lowering electricity costs and overall energy consumption. TVs and projectors can be some of the most used entertainment appliances at home theaters, but how much energy do they actually consume? Projectors also consume energy differently, depending on the type. LED projectors vs Laser projectors are put into comparison.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, the emission of greenhouse gases is continuing to rise at an alarming rate. And the truth is, electricity is the number reason why fossil is burnt, and as you may or not know, burning fossil fuel is the number one culprit behind the release of greenhouse gases.

Therefore, if you or your office are using non-energy-efficient projectors, you are exacerbating the production of greenhouse gases.

In this article, we will tell you all you need to know about environmentally-friendly projectors, and how you and your office can use them to transform your presentations, as well as, the environment.

Understanding Energy Consumption in Projectors

As an individual or a company whose focus is to help build a sustainable environment, learn to identify a projector's energy efficiency to help you choose one that best suits your needs.

So, in this section, we will provide you with tips on how to evaluate a projector's energy efficiency.

How To Evaluate A Projector's Energy Efficiency

To evaluate the efficiency of your projector, one key metric you need is the lumen-to-watt rating. If you are confused as to how to find this rating, below are some steps to help you:

There are two ways to evaluate the energy efficiency of your projector: Checking the lumen-to-watt ratio and checking the energy star rating. Let's take a look at each.

A. Checking the Lumen-to-Watt Ratio

Checking the lumen-to-watt ratio isn't as obvious as the other two options, since it might involve some calculations. However, you can still make it simple in three steps.

Step 1: Check the watt rating of the projector

The first thing you need to do is to check the watt rating of the projector, and this can be done by checking the specification or the label of your projector. The energy consumption should be measured in watts. This measurement should tell you how much wattage the projector uses in an hour. Therefore if your project has a Watt rating of 80, then it means your projector consumes 80 watts of power per hour.

Step 2: Find the projector lumen

Just like the wattage, the lumen rating can be found on the label or even on the box package of the projector. The lumens of your projector tell you how bright the light bulbs of the projector are.

Step 3: Divide the lumen rating by the wattage

If your projector has a lumen rating of 2,500 with a wattage of 150 watts, then your lumen-to-watt ratio will be 2500/80= 31.25 lumens per watt.

Generally, the higher your lumen-to-watt ratio, the better the performance. Generally, you want to aim for projectors with a lumen-to-watt ratio of 9 and above.

B. Checking the Energy Star Rating

Some projectors come with an energy star rating which is awarded by the US Environmental Protection Agency or the US Department of Energy after they have thoroughly checked the energy of the projector.

The energy star rating is scored from 0 to 100% and the closer the rating of your device is to 100, the more efficient it is.

Factors May Affect A Projector's Energy Efficiency

There are quite a lot of factors that can affect the energy efficiency of your project, some of which include:

Display Technology

The energy efficiency of your project will greatly depend on the type of display technology you use; whether DLP, LCD, or LED. LEDs tend to be more efficient than LCDs, and LCDs tend to be more efficient than DLPs.

Energy Modes

Some projectors come with various energy modes such as SmartEco or Eco mode, which regulate the brightness or help automatically switch off the power of your projector when not in use.

Overheating

Overheating can affect the performance of your projector's bulbs, therefore you must minimize the occurrence of overheating as much as you can. One way to achieve this is to ensure that you use the projector in a well-ventilated room.

Also, ensure that you clean the project occasionally. Finally, turn off the projector when not in use.

Projector Screen

The whiter and smoother your projector screen is, the lesser brightness required to display images; hence, less energy consumption.

Energy Consumption Comparison

We highlighted that LEDs are more efficient than LCDs. In this section, we will take a deep dive and compare the two.

But before we delve into that, we will like to compare a projector to its distant cousin, the TV.

TV vs. Projector

In terms of choosing between a TV and a projector, it can be quite dicey since they can both display content and both have the same capability of both audio and video. However, the difference lies in how efficient each is.

Regarding energy consumption, you can expect a modern TV to consume less power than a projector.

Most modern TVs usually consume between 80 to 400 watts, while projectors consume between 150 to 800 watts. However, it is worth noting that traditional TVs such as plasma TVs and LCDs tend to consume more power than the average projector.

Even though that is the case, it is crucial to note that most projectors come with various features such as Eco-mode and a whole lot of features that allow you to control the brightness level of your projector which gives you more control over how much power you consume.

Also, it is worth stating that projectors tend to display a much larger picture than a TV giving you a more immersive experience. Comparing the price of a projector that can give you a 120" image vs a 120" TV, you will realize that the TV will be super expensive and take up more space than the TV would.

LED Projector vs. Laser Projector vs. ALPD Laser Projector

When it comes to choosing a project, you have two main options: an LED and a Laser projector. In this post, we will compare an LED projector to a Laser projector and an ALPD projector and help you make an informed decision as to which to choose in terms of energy efficiency and performance.

What are LED projectors?

LED projectors use light-emitting diodes to display images (hence the name, LED). These diodes consist of red, blue, and green lights, which combine to produce colored images on a screen. LED projectors are more affordable and compact than the other two types of projectors on the list.

What are laser projectors?

Laser projectors use three diodes (red, green, and blue) to emit a highly concentrated beam passing through a mirror which enables it to produce high-quality and more accurate images.

What are ALPD projectors?

Finally, ALPD projectors (also known as Advanced Laser Phosphor Display) are a type of laser projector known for their advanced picture quality than regular laser projectors.

These types of projectors work just like regular laser projectors; however, these projectors produce a blue laser which is passed through a phosphor wheel to produce more color-accurate (Red, Green, Blue) lights.

Longevity

In terms of longevity, LED projectors tend to last longer than the two other types of projectors. You can expect an LED projector to last for 30,000 hours, whiles both a laser projector and an ALPD projector can last for 20,000 hours. Therefore, in terms of longevity, LEDs last long.

Not only that but laser projectors tend to give you a good lifespan of about 20,000 to 30,000 hours of use. However, one thing that does it for me is that lasers tend to have a faster startup time since it requires no bulb to warm up.

Energy Efficiency

The truth is that LED projectors consume less power than laser or ALPD projectors; however, just because they consume less power doesn't make them more efficient than a laser or an ALPD projector. It is worth noting that the reason why LED consumes less power is because they produce less bright images which are blurred.

Lasers, on the other hand, produce high-quality images, whiles ALPD produces crystal clear images together with other features; hence, it makes sense that they consume more power.

However, these projectors can put their power to more use than an LED does. According to Gadget reviews, laser projectors tend to produce 3500 lumens brightness than a regular LED projector; hence, they will be generally more efficient.

Picture Quality

If you are looking for a brighter projector with better color accuracy then you should be looking for a laser projector.

Most laser projectors, especially ALPD projects tend to display 4K images, which means you are getting some of the best picture quality out there, thanks to the wide color gamut.

The only upside for LEDs is that they tend to have fewer dark spots However, you should expect a smaller and more washed-up image on your display, which might not bring out the best of each content.

Other Features

When it comes to features, laser, and ALPD projectors tend to have more features than LED projectors. LEDs tend to be less bulkier, hence there is a limitation on how many features it can carry.

This means, with a typical LED projector, you will have to add other peripheral components to make your viewing experience worthwhile, which can add up and even surpass the consumption of a regular ALPD or laser projector.

For example, the WEMAX Nova comes with a 4K display quality, in-built 30 Dobly HD sounds together with apps; therefore, it means you do not have to worry about bringing anything to the table since it is a whole meal.

Finally, laser and ALPD projectors have a quick setup and turn on time, making it faster for you to make your presentations or watch your content.

How to Choose an Environmental-Friendly Projector

Wemax Nova Energy Consumption Environment-Friendly Projector

Knowing what to look for when choosing an environmental-friendly projector is crucial, and this is what we will be telling you about in this section:

1. High Compatibility Matters

Getting a projector that is compatible with numerous platforms and comes with tons of features is crucial since it reduces the number of secondary devices needed for your entertainment.

This doesn't only ensure that you consume less power overall, but then it makes your entertainment space look clean and decluttered.

For example, the WEMAX Nova has some in-built apps which eliminate the need for hardware and platforms such as Roku, Andriod apps, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney +, and a whole lot more.

It also comes with multi-device outlets, which allow you to connect peripherals such as laptops, tablets, phones, and streaming devices either wirelessly, via an HDMI, or a USB cord.

2. No Specified Toxic Substances

Additionally, checking to ensure the composition materials of your projector is free from any toxic substances is crucial. It is worth noting that most bulb projectors contain mercury, which can harm you when exposed to your environment.

However, a laser projector contains no mercury, making it the ideal choice when it comes to your safety and that of the environment.

This is because when the bulbs of these projectors are changed and not disposed of properly, it can expose the environment and humans to this toxic chemical.

3. Easy-to-Use Design Will Save Resources

Ensure that using the projector is as intuitive as it can be. This is because the more complex it is to use, the more likely it is that you will use certain features you might not need, which will mean you will be wasting more energy.

However, when a projector is easy to use and set up like the WEMAX Nova, you can rest assured that you can easily navigate through the settings to use only the features you need, saving you electricity.

4. Warranty Brings Longer Service Time

Finally, you want to ensure that the projector has a substantial warranty. I think for me, Warranty shows you get your money's worth since you can return the product anytime you detect a defect not caused by you.

I highly recommend that you stay off any product or appliance that doesn't offer any substantial warranty.

Luckily, the WEMAX Nova comes with a 12-month warranty; therefore, you can enjoy your device confidently with the assurance that you can get it changed any time you detect a defect caused by the manufacturer.

Wrapping It Up

You must choose a projector that gives you more control over how much energy you use and comes with features that allow you to use less auxiliary equipment.

Also, you need to ensure that the value for money for your projector is high, which is why we highly recommend the Wemax Nova.

Get up to 150" of display when you place the projector 35" away from the display wall. This ensures that you get a cinematic experience.