The Difference Between LED Modules, Panels, Screens, + Walls

In LED display conversations, the terms module, panel, screen, + wall are often used interchangeably.

They’re related but they don’t mean the same thing, + the differences matter when you’re planning, buying, or building something!

This is a plain-language breakdown of how these terms are generally used, and how we use them at Pixelgrinder.

LED modules

An LED module is the smallest building block in most LED display systems.

A module typically includes:

• the LEDs themselves, surface mounted in a grid with a specific pixel pitch
• a PCB
• basic driver circuitry

Modules are usually square or rectangular, though other shapes do exist, + are designed to be combined with other modules to form something larger. On their own they aren’t usable + will need a frame, power, + control electronics such as a receiving card so they can be used.

Think of modules as the pixels in hardware form, they are the basic building blocks of your LED panels.

LED panels

An LED panel is what you get when multiple modules are mounted together into a rigid frame. They will generally have:

• a defined physical size
• a receiving card
• power input
• mounting hardware

Panels are the first level at which something starts to feel like a “real object” rather than a component. They’re designed to be handled, transported, mounted, and connected to other panels, + along with a sending card 

In most systems, including the Pixelgrinder PSLED01 System, panels are the units you physically assemble + modules are what the actual display is made up of.

LED screens

A screen is a functional display made up of one or more panels, configured and driven as a single visual display surface.

A screen might be:

• a single small panel on a stand
• a row or grid of panels
• a temporary setup for an event or installation
• panels set apart from one another but addressed as one

“Screen” is a usage-level term. It describes what the audience sees, not how it is constructed internally.

LED walls

An LED wall is essentially a large screen, usually made up of many panels, that is intended to fill a significant visual area.

The distinction here is mostly about scale, permanence, + expectation.

“Wall” implies something immersive, structural, + often semi-permanent, whereas “screen” can comfortably describe smaller or more transient setups.

Why the distinction matters

These terms aren’t just semantics. They affect:

• how systems are priced
• how they’re transported
• how much power + data they need
• how complex setup + installation will be

If someone asks for “a panel” when they mean “a complete screen”, or “a wall” when they really want a small display, expectations can drift very quickly, so it is important to ensure you are on the same page as the person you are interacting with to avoid unnecessary confusion!

The practical takeaway

At Pixelgrinder we try to be explicit about which level we’re talking about:

• modules as components
• panels as physical units
• screens as configured displays
• walls as large-scale assemblies - but this is a bit outside our current scale!

You don’t need to memorise the terminology, but having a shared language makes it much easier to design something that fits the space, the budget, + your actual use case.