The Advantages of Smart Boards Vs. Flat Screen TV

When deciding whether to purchase a smart board or a flat-screen TV, the deciding factor should be which of the two screens better suits your needs. In some scenarios a flat-screen TV clear display may be more desirable, while in others the smart board's interactive touch screen is better. It's important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of one against the other when making your decision.

There are several advantages a smart board has over any flat-screen TV. The smart board is linked to a computer and allows users to perform all the functions the computer is capable of, all by touching the screen. Due to this feature, the smart board has replaced many chalkboards in schools. You can write, draw, open applications, save documents, search the Internet, play videos, view pictures and present information in an interactive manner.

A major advantage of a flat-screen TVs is the price tag. Flat-screen TVs range in price from less than $400 to more than $3,000 depending on the brand and size. Additionally, flat-screen TVs don't require a computer to operate, but most models can connect to a computer and be used as a monitor. Philips' MediaConnect software even allows users to link their computer wireless to their flat-screen TVs.

A disadvantage of smart boards is that their price ranges from $999 to over $6,000, making them more expensive than most flat-screen TVs. The 64-inch SMART SB660i4 retails for $4,399, while the 65-inch Panasonic TC-P65GT30 starts at $3,327.95. This doesn't include the added cost of the computer that a smart board requires to operate. The necessity of having a permanent computer, the installation of the projector and various other software upgrades are other disadvantages of the smart board.

The major difference between smart boards and flat-screen TVs is the interactive touch screen, which flat-screen TVs lack. While they are able to connect with computers and display presentations in the same manner, a user will still need to interact with the computer. The ability to change, adjust, select, open files or draw pie charts by touching the screen is unavailable on flat-screen TVs.