Trade Show Booth Technology Checklist by Booth Size

Last reviewed October 15, 2026 by the ConventionVendor.com rental team.

Before listing equipment, decide what a visitor should do in the first two minutes: watch a demo, try a product, answer a few questions, or leave contact details. Each goal points to different hardware, and a clear goal keeps you from renting screens nobody watches.

Next, count the people who will staff the booth during its busiest hour. Staffing drives the number of lead capture devices and chargers far more than square footage does.

Finally, open your exhibitor manual and note your booth type, height limits, and the deadlines for electrical and internet. Those rules decide where screens can stand and what you can plug in.

Most booths use at least one display for a looping video or a live product demo. A screen on a floor stand is the simplest choice because it needs no wall and can move if the floor plan changes.

If staff will run a software demo, plan a laptop or desktop plus a second screen that faces the aisle. A small crowd can then follow along without leaning over the counter.

Plan one lead capture device for each staffer who will scan badges at the same moment, then add a spare. Tablets on stands or in locking enclosures suit a counter, while handheld iPads let staff scan in the aisle.

Confirm early whether your company will use the show's official lead retrieval app or its own app or CRM. That answer decides which logins, licenses, and settings each device needs before move-in.

Tablets and phones drain quickly when they scan badges and run demos all day. A charging station keeps staff devices topped up and can also draw visitors who need a few minutes of charge.

Booth power must be ordered from the venue's or show's official electrical provider, and every item on this list plugs into that service. Total up the devices you will run before ordering so the outlets are sized and placed correctly.

For internet, choose early between a wired connection, the venue's Wi-Fi, or a cellular hotspot where the venue and show allow it. Any demo that depends on the internet deserves the most reliable option you can order.

Small items cause most move-in delays. Pack HDMI cables in two lengths, video adapters for every laptop you plan to connect, and a charging cable for each tablet and phone.

Use power strips only where your show and its electrical provider allow them, and follow their rules for listing and grounding. Many providers prohibit plugging one power strip or extension cord into another, so plan cable runs before you arrive.

Keep every case and box the equipment arrives in. You will need them to secure gear overnight and to pack quickly at move-out.

Treat the table as a starting point, then adjust for staffing and goals. A small booth with a heavy demo schedule may need more screens than a larger booth built around conversations.

Corner and peninsula booths face more than one aisle, so they often need a screen or demo point on each open side. Island booths are seen from every direction and usually justify an on-site technician.

A complete request saves a round of follow-up questions. ConventionVendor.com can include screens, tablets, stands, charging, hotspots where allowed, and cables in one quote covering move-in through move-out.

Send the show name, venue, booth number and size, move-in and move-out dates, staff count, and how you plan to capture leads. If you already have a floor plan with outlet locations, attach it as well.