20 Examples of Output Devices

Output devices are an important component of computers, mobile devices, and electronics that convert electronic information into physical formats people can see, hear, or touch.

Examples of output devices include Monitors, printers, speakers, headphones, projectors, LED displays, calculators, and more.

Examples of Output Devices

Here are the best examples of output devices:

1. Monitors

A monitor displays text, graphics, and video. LCD and LED monitors are the most common types today. The monitor allows you to see the information and images from the computer.

Global monitor shipments reached 154 million units in 2022. LCD monitors make up over 90% of unit shipments.

2. Printers

Printers produce printed material like documents and photos on paper. Common types are inkjet, laser, and dot matrix printers. You can hold the physical printouts the printer produces.

Global printer shipments are declining, an estimated 100 million printers were shipped in 2021. Inkjet printers account for 90% of units shipped.

3. Speakers

Speakers convert electrical signals into sound waves you can hear. They allow you to listen to music, sounds from video games, audiobooks, and more from the computer.

Speaker market is expected to grow to $16.5 billion by 2027. Smart speakers with voice assistants grew 60% to 147.7 million units shipped in 2021.

4. Headphones

Headphones also convert electrical impulses into audible sound waves. They allow private listening of computer audio.

The headphone and earphone market reached 3.8 billion units shipped globally in 2022. Wireless models made up 54% of shipments.

5. Projectors

A projector receives video signals from a computer and projects the image onto a screen or other surface. Projectors allow groups to view enlarged screens.

By 2027 projection equipment sales for education are expected to reach $3.3 billion with 7 million projector units shipped to schools.

6. 3D Printers

A 3D printer constructs three-dimensional objects based on digital models. It allows you to produce physical models from computer design files.

3D printer shipments are expected to grow 17% year-over-year to 1.8 million units shipped in 2023 as adoption increases.

7. Plotters

Plotters draw specialized graphics like large blueprints and engineering designs with colored pens on paper. They produce very large printed outputs.

Large format printers represent a $12 billion annual market. Over 815,000 wide-format technical plotters and engineering printers were estimated to ship in 2022.

8. Braille Embossers

A braille embosser transfers computer text into embossed braille pages that blind users can read by touch. The tactile dots allow written computer words to be accessible to visually impaired users.

Over 100 million visually impaired persons globally would benefit from braille content. But less than 10% of published books are converted to braille due to production costs.

9. Computer Speakers

Dedicated external computer speakers provide louder, higher fidelity sound for music, games, and video playback compared to built-in laptop speakers.

The global computer speakers market reached a value of $1.7 billion in 2022. 95 million multimedia speaker sets are estimated to have shipped last year.

10. Television Screens

Computer video and signal cables allow televisions to display the output from computers. This allows larger screen viewing.

98% of US households own at least one TV, with an average of 2.5 TV sets per home. screens, monitors and signage will grow to over $177 billion by 2026.

11. Projection Screens

Front or rear projection screens show enlarged computer video and images projected from attached projectors for presentations to groups.

Motorized, wall-mounted, ceiling, and portable projector screens range from $100 up to $1000 depending on dimensions, format, and materials. Screens with HD and 4K resolution are becoming more common.

12. Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

LEDs convert electrical inputs into visible light. LEDs provide visual feedback from electronic devices.

LED lighting accounted for over 50% of global lighting revenue and 80% of commercial lighting sales in 2021. LED signage and display panel revenue grew to $41 billion in 2022.

13. Traffic Lights

Computers and processors control the sequencing and timing of traffic light signals. The red, yellow, and green lights are output devices directed at drivers and pedestrians.

There are over 300,000 signalized intersections and millions of traffic lights across the United States alone, using LED and sometimes smart traffic control tech.

14. Embedded Touch Screens

Cars, appliances, medical devices, and other equipment now have embedded touch screens to display and control outputs with a finger. The touch interface allows interaction.

over 40% of car infotainment screens are expected to be touch-enabled. The medical interactive display market should reach $9 billion by 2027 as touch screens proliferate.

15. Voice Assistants

Smart speakers with voice assistants like Amazon Echo and Google Home produce verbal responses and music upon voice command input. The speakers allow conversational interaction.

Global spending on voice assistant devices is predicted to grow from $1.7 billion to around $5.5 billion by 2025, a 25% compound annual growth rate.

16. Graphing Calculators

Advanced handheld calculators like TI-84s have LCD screens to graph mathematical functions and display computed answers. The visual output shows math concepts.

Texas Instruments accounts for 76% of graphing calculator market share in the US educational sector. Over 15 million graphing calculators have been sold, with 83% penetration in high schools.

17. Projection Keyboards

Visible laser light beams project the layout of a keyboard onto a flat surface for typing input. This virtual keyboard is an interactive light-based output device.

Texas Instruments accounts for 76% of graphing calculator market share in the US educational sector. Over 15 million graphing calculators have been sold, with 83% penetration in high schools.

18. Laser Levels

Laser levels project aligned beams or lines for construction alignment tasks. The marking lines help guide the proper orientation of structures.

The global laser level and laser measure market is projected to reach $759 million in 2028. Rotary laser levels account for the majority of this fast-growing segment.

19. Stage Lighting

Computerized control of theater spotlights, floodlights, and lighting effects allows elaborate stage productions. The lighting visuals contribute to dramatic performances.

The global stage lighting fixtures market size was estimated at $2.2 billion in 2021. LED technology now dominates with over 80% share of entertainment lighting fixtures using LEDs.

20. Tactile Feedback Devices

Some tablets, phones, and interfaces now produce tactile feedback vibrations to confirm taps, clicks, and selections. These tactile vibratory responses act as touch-based output.

The haptic or tactile feedback component market is expected to grow at a 24% CAGR, reaching over $7 billion by 2026, as adoption in consumer electronics expands exponentially across global markets.