There is no denying that television is a cultural mainstay in the United States and around the world. In the United States alone, the number of households with a television is approximately 128.1 million per TVB, and approximately 97.2% of American households own a television. Regardless, not everyone uses a conventional TV as a source of information and entertainment at home. Some prefer to turn their TV space into a home theater via a projector setup. While there are several pros and cons to replacing your TV with a projector, you’d have to look further than unit prices to truly weigh each option. These days, TVs and projectors are generally in similar price brackets in terms of size and quality level. For example, if you’re considering replacing your home theater TV with a projector, the cost could range from $150 to as high as thousands of dollars for either option, depending on the model and features you choose. Projectors, however, may incur additional expenses if you choose to purchase accessories like a screen or blackout curtains for your home theater.
Basic projectors, however, have an advantage over standard TVs in terms of average operating cost. Magcubic says a 100W TV can spend an average of $21.90 per year on your wallet, based on an average electricity rate of $0.15/kWh and 4 hours of viewing per day. On the other hand, a cheap projector would cost around $15.30 (considering 70W power consumption) per year. They also benefit from a larger display size than televisions with the same power. Higher-end models, however, may use more energy, and therefore more money; The Xgimi Horizon Ultra with a maximum power consumption of 300W adds around $70 to your annual electricity bill after around 30 hours of use per week.
Projectors include additional expenses
The upfront and daily cost of a basic home theater may be enough to convince you to ditch your TV for a projector. However, other factors should also be considered before making the jump, including their respective lifespans and additional expenses like replacing lamps. Modern TVs can last 5 to 10 years – depending on model, features and usage. Some projectors generally last the same amount of time, although traditional lamps and bulbs often need to be replaced after 1-2 years of use and often cost between $100 and $400 to replace. While some LED and laser projectors can help you save a little, given that they last over 20,000 hours while maintaining impeccable picture quality, they may still require replacing parts that would increase the total cost – or sometimes the unit itself may not last longer than a standard TV.
The price difference between TVs and projectors ultimately depends on the size, type and specifications of the device you choose, as well as any additional expenses. While it may seem appealing to add a retro projector vibe to your home theater, the lower cost of running some units – while still getting a larger screen – may be offset by the added price of additional accessories, parts and replacements. So, it’s up to the buyer to determine whether they value performance and value more than low maintenance to truly determine which is the best option.
