Electricity cost is one of the most important factors to consider after installing an SMD screen. In this article, I’ll explain how to calculate the power consumption of an SMD display. Once you understand this calculation, you'll be better equipped to manage and reduce your electricity bill.
Before learning power calculation of SMD display lets discuss one difference.
Outdoor SMD screen consume more power compared to Indoor SMD screen. Why is that?
Indoor SMD displays generally offer brightness levels starting around 500 nits, which is sufficient for indoor lighting conditions. In contrast, outdoor models can exceed 4500 nits to stay clearly visible under direct sunlight. This increased brightness demands much more power. These displays also tend to be larger and optimized for long-distance viewing, which further contributes to their higher power usage.
Indoor SMD screen consume less power compared to outdoor SMD screen. Why is that?
Unlike outdoor screens, indoor displays are not exposed to harsh weather, sunlight glare, or temperature extremes. As a result, they focus more on achieving high contrast rather than maximum brightness, which naturally leads to lower power consumption. Their ability to produce deep blacks and accurate colour makes them ideal for controlled indoor environment.
Now we learn how to calculate power consumption of SMD display.
Maximum power Consumption of One Module (GKGD Brand).
Outdoor Modules
Max consumption (Per Module)
P3
35W
P4
33W
P5
38W
P8
23W
P10
50W
P3.91
33W
Indoor Modules
Max consumption (Per Module)
P1.53
31W
P1.86
25W
P2.5
22W
P4
26W
P5
16W
The power consumption of an SMD display can vary depends on
1) Brightness (High brightness High Power consumption).
2) White colour (white colour consumes more power).
You can easily calculate power consumption of your display using following formula:
General Formula
Total No. of modules in display × Max Power consumption Per Module
Now I will tell you with one example how can you apply above formula to calculate power consumption of SMD display.
For Example:
As you know SMD/LED display are modular based lets assume there are total number of P8 modules in SMD display are 100 and per module maximum power consumption is mentioned in above table now simply multiply total number of SMD modules i-e (100) with maximum power consumption of one P8 module i-e (23W).
Total No. of modules in display × P8 outdoor Max Power consumption Per Module
100 × 23W = 2300 (Wh) Watt Hour
2300W ÷ 220V = 10.45 (Ah) Ampere Hour
so what will be electricity bill according to Pakistan standard
2300 ÷ 1000 = 2.3 unit per hour
It means if your running time of display is 8 hours per day and after one month your bill would be:
2.3 unit per hour × 8h per day × 30 days = *552 unit per month
* This is an average estimate of the display's total energy consumption per month. You can use the method explained above to get an idea of your display’s power usage.
A watt-hour indicates that the display consumes 2300 watts of power over the course of one hour.
An ampere-hour means the display draws approximately 10.45 amperes of current per hour at the given voltage.