What Is The Difference Between Zoom Client and Zoom Rooms

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Zoom Features Both Software And Hardware Conferencing Solutions

Zoom quickly rose to the top of the conferencing market in 2019, and while it’s locked in a market share battle with Microsoft, its software and hardware conferencing solutions are among the most popular worldwide. There is more than one Zoom product available as the upstart conferencing provider has expanded beyond its soft-codec platform. In addition to the company’s respected conferencing client, Zoom also offers Zoom Rooms, which function much like standard room conferencing solutions.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

What Is The Difference Between The Zoom Client And Zoom Rooms?

It can be tough keeping track of all the conferencing products out there, and it’s made more difficult with conferencing brands offering both software and hardware-based solutions. In Zoom’s case, there is some confusion regarding the two, so here’s a closer look at both:[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

The Zoom Conferencing Client

When most professionals refer to Zoom, they’re referring to the company’s software-based conferencing platform. Launched in 2013, Zoom’s conferencing platform took off within a few years as its usability, security and impressive feature set made it a top choice among professional teams. The Zoom client is still massively popular and is used to host more than 200 million meetings every day. Its popularity is likely tied to its nature as a soft codec solution. As a software-based solution, Zoom meetings can be launched without any dedicated hardware. This makes for an extremely cost efficient and scalable solution that’s tough to compete with.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

The Zoom Room

In the past, conferencing brands were focused on developing hardware solutions that could deliver a reliable, high quality conference call. Those legacy brands, some of which are still major players in the market, have recently developed their own software solutions to pair with their hardware offerings. Zoom is doing that in reverse. It started with a top conferencing software and is now moving into the hardware conferencing space. Zoom calls them Zoom Rooms, and they’re designed to deliver the usability of a Zoom call with the quality of a room conferencing solution. While Zoom does sell its own hardware to build out Zoom Rooms, it has also partnered with several leading hardware manufacturers to offer vendor-specific alternatives. Some of those partners include Poly, Crestron, HP, Logitech and Lenovo.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The Zoom Client Is Good For Individuals And Remote Teams

So, the Zoom client is a software solution while Zoom Rooms are a hardware solution. That’s the primary difference. The question is, which solution will work best for your needs? The Zoom client remains a viable option for many and is especially useful for professionals who work from home. Remote teams, freelancers and always-on-the-go executives are rarely in a shared space with other team members and are unlikely to need a room-based solution like a Zoom Room. There are also a couple reasons why the Zoom client works particularly well for mobile types. For example:

The Zoom Client Is Built For Mobile

The Zoom client’s cross-device versatility is what makes it a compelling choice for individual professionals. With the Zoom platform, users can start a conference from anywhere and with any device. That’s a big advantage for remote workers who spend a majority of their time on the road or at home. In these settings, Zoom Rooms aren’t a feasible option, but professionals can still conference at a high level with the client. It’s also easier for individuals to fit the Zoom client into their budget. In fact, the client can be had for free in its basic version. For many remote workers, basic is enough. Other tiers do come with a cost, but they offer features like expanded meeting sizes, recording transcripts, cloud storage and social media streaming. Those features may be beyond what an individual professional needs, but they may be essential for larger teams and enterprises. Your AV integrator can guide you in which option is best for your needs.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Zoom Rooms Combine The Zoom Experience With Leading Conferencing Hardware

Zoom Rooms look and function like the hardware codecs that once dominated the video conferencing space. As such, they are ideal for companies that rely on in-person meetings. Why not just stick with the client, though, and forego the added cost of a Zoom Room? There are a few reasons. For instance:

Zoom Rooms Combine The Zoom Experience With Superior Hardware

The difference between Zoom Client and a Zoom Room is defined by the hardware associated with the solution. Zoom Client is normally used on a laptop or desktop computer with either a built in webcam or external utilizing the audio built into the solution. With a Zoom Room the solution is based on a conference room solution that fits the needs based on the size of the room. Essential to a Zoom Room is a display, whether interactive or noninteractive, that allows for ideal visual for the viewers in the room. Depending on the size of the room, adding a camera or two and additional microphones and speakers to make sure all participants are seen and heard in a conference is important. Lastly the Zoom Room is run on the PC or conferencing solution and is locked down to only the Zoom application which makes it very easy for any user to walk in and run a meeting. Zoom features like sharing content brings in a more collaborative environment to a video conference.

Zoom Rooms Facilitate In-Person Collaboration

Zoom Rooms are for in-person and hybrid meetings, so they are ideal for in-person, team-based collaboration. With a Zoom Room, your teams can leverage advanced AV technologies like an interactive display or an immersive telepresence solution. You get the convenience of Zoom and the collaborative power of a traditional hard codec solution.

Get Started Right Out Of The Box With A Zoom Room Solution

Because Zoom Rooms can be paired with leading conferencing hardware vendors, it’s likely your organization already has some of the hardware it needs. If your company relies on a top conferencing brand like Poly or Crestron, then it’s already prepared for a Zoom Room solution.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Zoom Client Or Zoom Room, An AV Integrator Can Help

No matter how your team prefers to Zoom, an experienced AV integrator can make the difference in terms of project cost, timeline and effectiveness. A certified integrator can help your organization determine which Zoom solution will work best for your operations, whether it’s the classic software-based client or a Zoom Room. If your hybrid or in-office teams could use a room-based solution like a Zoom Room, your AV integrator can help determine which option makes sense for your operations. This will enable your organization to attain a market-leading conferencing solution that provides instant and long-term value.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]