To budget for conference room technology, price each room by size first (camera and audio, display, controller), then add mounts, cabling, installation, platform licenses and ongoing support. Hardware is usually the biggest single cost, but licenses and support recur every year, so plan a multi-year total, not just the purchase.
Step 1: List rooms by size
Group rooms into a few standard types. Standard designs make budgeting, buying and support simpler.
| Room type | Seats | Typical approach |
|---|---|---|
| Focus / huddle | 1-5 | USB video bar or all-in-one huddle bar |
| Small | 4-8 | Video bar with controller |
| Medium | 8-14 | Larger bar, expansion mics |
| Large / boardroom | 14+ | Large-room bar or modular system, ceiling or extra mics, dual displays |
See conference room size and how to calculate conference room capacity.
Step 2: Price the core hardware
Example catalog prices for the core device in each tier (check current prices on each product page):
| Room | BYOD / USB option | Appliance option |
|---|---|---|
| Huddle | Logitech MeetUp 2, $1,079 | Rally Bar Huddle + Tap IP, $3,199 |
| Small / medium | Jabra PanaCast 50, $1,117 | Rally Bar Mini + Tap IP, $4,399 |
| Medium / large | Poly Studio V72, $4,444 | Yealink MVC S50, $5,229 |
| Large | Poly Studio X72, $5,879 | Yealink MVC S80, $5,508 |
USB options need a PC or laptop. Appliance options run Teams Rooms, Zoom Rooms or Google Meet on the device. See Teams Rooms vs BYOD.
Step 3: Add the rest of the room
- Display(s): sized to the room. Commercial displays cost more but last. See commercial display vs consumer TV.
- Mounts: wall mount plus a video bar mount. See VESA mount sizes.
- Extra mics for long tables.
- Content sharing: HDMI/USB-C at the table or wireless presentation.
- Scheduling panel outside busy rooms.
- Cabling, power and network drops, including PoE ports for controllers. See conference room wiring.
- Acoustic treatment for echoey rooms.
Step 4: Add services and recurring costs
- Installation and labor, including electrical and network work.
- Platform licenses per room, such as Teams Rooms Basic or Pro, or Zoom Rooms. Prices change; check current pricing. See Teams Rooms license cost and Zoom Rooms license cost.
- Management software tiers from manufacturers, if used.
- Support and warranty extensions.
- Training for staff. See how to train staff to use meeting rooms.
Step 5: Plan the lifecycle
Most organizations replace room hardware every 5-7 years. Spread the cost over that period, and include a spare device for every few rooms if downtime is costly.
Common budgeting mistakes
- Pricing only the video bar and forgetting display, mounts and cables.
- Ignoring recurring licenses.
- Under-sizing audio for long tables, then buying mics later.
- Buying a different device for every room, which raises support costs.
- Leaving no contingency. Add a margin for surprises in walls and ceilings.
More: conference room build cost, video conferencing cost, how to compare video conferencing quotes and how to get IT to approve meeting room hardware.
Need numbers for a budget request? Send us your room list and we'll return an itemized quote.
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