How Long Does Digital Signage Last?

Digital signage is often marketed as a future-proof investment, but how long should you realistically expect it to last – and is it worth the cost?! 

You definitely CAN expect longevity, and a worthwhile return on investment (ROI), but it’s important to choose your equipment wisely.

On average, commercial-grade LED displays, System-on-Chip displays and media players can operate for 5-7 years, while a cloud-based CMS is designed to keep running as long as you need.

 Let’s break down exactly what you can expect, and how you can maximise your hardware’s longevity.

What is a Content Management System (CMS)?

Digital signage software – often referred to as a content management system (CMS) is a subscription-based solution that enables you to create, manage and schedule your content – all from the one platform.

What is the Longevity of On-premise versus Cloud-based Content Management Systems (CMS)?

Both on-premise and cloud-based solutions give you years of  support, offering access to their platforms for as long as you subscribe to them.

However, there are a few secondary factors to consider that might impact how long your CMS solution stays viable.

On-premise Content Management System (CMS)

Designed to be run on your company servers, on-premise CMS solutions make it easier for businesses to integrate their own I.T systems and meet strict industry-specific data regulations. 

However, on the downside, their performance depends on on-premise servers, storage devices and networking equipment – all of which have limited life expectancies. 

Life cycles vary depending on conditions and usage, but typically for:

• Dedicated servers – 5–7 years
• Storage devices (HDD/SSD arrays) –  3–5 years for HDDs, 5–7 years for enterprise-grade SSDs.
• Networking equipment (switches, routers, firewalls) – 5–10 years

To keep the hardware sufficiently cool, you’ll also need energy-consuming cooling systems or air conditioning.

Cloud-based CMS

Cloud-based solutions, on the other hand, offer long-term, on-going operation, requiring no on-site servers, networking equipment, storage or specialist systems. 

A cloud-based CMS is hosted in the cloud, offering:

• Infinite scalability – just update the subscription and add screens
• On-going updates and additional features – to future-proof your solution
• Compatibility with a wide range of hardware – enabling you to diversify hardware

What is the Life-span of Digital Signage Displays?

The longevity of your displays will depend on the kind of screen technology they use.

LED Displays:

Lifespan: 5-11 years (50,000 – 100,00 hours)

LED displays ensure longevity and on-screen brightness, offering a more efficient backlight-free design that enables every individual pixel to emit its own light.

MicroLED Displays

Lifespan: 100,000 hours

MicroLED displays also come with a backlight-free design. They ensure the greatest life expectancy, thanks to their use of tiny self-emitting diodes that consume less power and heat.

OLED Displays

Lifespan: 30,000 – 50,000 hours

Also, backlight-free, OLED displays use organic light-emitting diodes, so every pixel can produce its own light. While this enables OLED displays to produce nuanced blacks and incredible on-screen colour contrasts, the organic diodes consume more power, which ultimately reduces the screens’ life expectancy. 

QLED Displays

Lifespan: 50,000-60,000 hours

While the quantum-dot layer of QLED displays enable them to deliver more colour accuracy, brightness and vividness, their backlight designs compromise their efficiency and reduce life expectancy.

LCD Digital Signage Displays 

Lifespan: 30,000 – 60,000 hours

LCD displays are generally cheaper than most other screen types, but due to their backlight design, they don’t offer the kind of longevity you can expect with most other displays.

System-on-Chip Displays

Lifespan: 3-5 years 

System on Chip displays offer a more cost-effective, all-in-one hardware solution, coming with built-in media player functionality. However, they work better for smaller projects, lacking the processing power of dedicated media players.

What is the Life Expectancy of Media Players?

Lifespan: 5–7 years (43,800–61,320 hours)

Media players are generally better suited for large network projects, offering the processing power necessary to display 24/7 high-resolution and HTML content. They also minimise downtimes, enabling any faulty media players to be quickly swapped out, without replacing any displays.

Look out for more robust, enterprise models that last longer, coming with:

• Industrial-grade components (SSD storage, fanless cooling, hardened casing)
• Multiple display outputs (powering video walls or multi-zone signage)
• 4K/8K playback with smooth, hardware-accelerated video rendering
• Redundancy / failover support (auto-switch if one player fails)
• Remote monitoring & control (health checks, reboots, software pushes)
• Secure OS / lockdown mode (prevents tampering, reduces cyber risks)

What Factors can Reduce the Life Expectancy of your Digital Signage Displays and Media Players?

There are a number of factors that can reduce the operational lifespan of your hardware, including:

• Continuous operation
• High brightness settings
• Poor ventilation or cooling
• Frequent content switching or heavy processing
• Low-quality components or power supplies 

What is the Lifespan of Outdoor versus Indoor Digital Signage?

Indoor digital signage: 50,000-100,000

Outdoor digital signage: 50,000

Outdoor digital signage doesn’t have the longevity of indoor models, namely due to climate and environmental challenges.

Outdoor digital signage is degraded by:

• Extreme weather conditions
• Direct sunlight and UV radiation
• Moisture and humidity
• Dust, dirt and debris
• Required continuous high brightness
• Wind and physical impacts 

How can You Maximise the Longevity of Your Digital Signage?

To optimise the lifespan of your displays, you can:

• Invest in enterprise, 24/7 displays
• Opt for enterprise media players with robust, fanless designs
• Reduce brightness levels, when possible
• Enable power-saving or sleep modes
• Regularly clean screens, vents and enclosures
• Schedule periodic maintenance checks
• Automate power offs

Ready to launch your own long-lasting digital signage?! Reach out to find out how we can optimise your return on investment (ROI).