Hesitating between Displate and Photonumerique for decorating your wall? Both brands sell wall art but the similarities stop there. Displate produces magnetic posters printed directly on metal plates, for mass-market decor. Photonumerique publishes silver halide Lambda Print photo art, face-mounted under premium acrylic glass, for gallery-grade interior decoration. This honest comparison helps you choose according to your project.
Displate vs Photonumerique comparison table
| Criterion | Displate | Photonumerique |
|---|---|---|
| Support | Magnetic metal plate | Glossy acrylic glass + alu Dibond |
| Printing process | Direct printing on metal | Lambda Print on Fuji Crystal DP II silver halide paper |
| Maximum format | ~67 × 100 cm | 120 × 120 cm (square) / 180 × 120 cm (rectangle) |
| Thickness | Thin metal plate | 4 mm acrylic glass + 3 mm alu Dibond |
| Hanging system | Wall magnetic plate (magnets) | Recessed aluminum subframe integrated, invisible mounting |
| Target audience | General public / gaming / pop culture fans | Premium decoration / interior designers / professionals |
| Catalog type | Licensed posters (Marvel, Star Wars, gaming) | Proprietary catalog of original French digital art |
| Technical guarantee | Standard | Face-mounting bubble-free and crack-free, thermally stable |
| Origin | Poland | France (published by YTY) |
| Entry price | around €50 | €84.95 TTC |
| Shipping | Paid international | Free in metropolitan France |
When to choose Displate?
- Decorating a teen’s room, a dorm, a gaming corner, a temporary space
- Tight budget (starting at €50 for small formats)
- Wanting to change decor often — the magnetic plate detaches without tools
- Looking for licensed content (Marvel, DC, Star Wars, video games, anime)
- Functional display without seeking advanced photo quality
When to choose Photonumerique?
- Decorating a living room, office, medical practice, hotel, professional space that needs to make a lasting impression
- Caring about gallery or museum-grade photo quality
- Wanting clean, invisible, durable wall mounting
- Looking for original digital art (not licensed, not generic)
- Being an interior decorator, interior designer, or premium decor collector
- Preferring a product made in partnership with a European laboratory rather than mass-produced
Premium alternatives to Displate — quick comparison
If you are looking for a higher-quality alternative to Displate’s metal posters, here are the main premium options on the market:
| Brand | Technique | Entry price | Catalog focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photonumerique | Lambda Print + Diasec face-mount on acrylic glass | €84.95 | Original digital art, 730+ pieces, 9 collections |
| Whitewall | Lambda Print + Diasec face-mount on acrylic glass | €69+ | Custom prints from your own photos |
| Lumas | Lambda Print + Diasec face-mount | €200+ | Limited editions from contemporary photographers |
| Saatchi Art | Various (canvas, paper, framed) | €50+ | Marketplace, original artworks from artists |
| Displate | Sublimation print on aluminum | €50 | Licensed pop culture posters (Marvel, gaming) |
Photonumerique sits in the gallery-grade tier (same technique as Whitewall and Lumas) but with a proprietary catalog of original digital art by Olivier Cordoleani and YTY — not customer photo prints or licensed posters.
And for collectors? Pixelrelic.art
If you’re looking for limited edition numbered and certified artworks, compatible with the RELICKEEPER application, visit our sister gallery pixelrelic.art. Published by the same YTY group, it targets early adopters, pop culture fans, and collectors who want to trace the provenance and authenticity of their digital acquisitions.
Photonumerique technical specs in detail
Lambda Print: true silver halide photo print
Lambda Print refers to the exposure of silver halide photographic paper (Fuji Crystal DP II for color, Ilford for black and white) by a high-resolution laser, followed by classic photographic development. It’s the professional process used by fine art photography labs (Andreas Gursky, Wolfgang Tillmans, Thomas Ruff). It delivers deep black density, superior color fidelity, and longevity of 50 to 75 years under proper conservation. By contrast, direct printing on acrylic glass or metal — used by most mainstream platforms including Displate — is an inkjet process, less faithful and less durable.
Face mount under glossy acrylic glass
The silver halide print is then face-mounted under a glossy acrylic glass plate (4 mm), via an elastic silicone layer. The whole is sealed onto an alu Dibond back panel — a 3-layer aluminum/polyethylene/aluminum composite that ensures dimensional rigidity. The silicone layer absorbs thermal expansion, guaranteeing the absence of bubbles and cracks over time. This mounting technique is known as face mount or Diasec.
Recessed aluminum subframe: invisible mounting
On the back of every artwork, a custom aluminum subframe is integrated. It serves as structural reinforcement and hanging system. The artwork mounts on the wall via this subframe, creating a slight 25 mm wall offset — the artwork appears to float on the wall, with no visible hardware, no frame, no accessories to buy. Unlike Displate’s magnetic mounting, the aluminum subframe is designed to stay in place for years without shifting.
Want to understand the technique deeper?
Diasec face-mount has been the gallery standard since 1969 (patented in Switzerland by Heinz Sobczyk). Combined with Lambda Print, it is the exact technique used by Andreas Gursky (whose “Rhein II” sold for €3.1M in 2011), Wolfgang Tillmans, Thomas Ruff, Hiroshi Sugimoto, and most contemporary fine art photographers represented by Gagosian and David Zwirner. Our complete guide explains how Diasec and Lambda Print work, why they last 50 to 75 years, and a 10-step production walkthrough.
In summary
Displate and Photonumerique serve different needs. Displate is a mass-market magnetic poster, perfect for decorating quickly and affordably spaces that will change decor often. Photonumerique is a gallery-grade photo print on premium acrylic glass, designed to last years in a space that deserves a truly crafted artwork.
For limited edition numbered and certified artworks, see pixelrelic.art (sister gallery, same YTY publisher).
Frequently asked questions
Photonumerique produces gallery-grade digital art prints using true silver halide Lambda Print on premium acrylic glass with Diasec face-mount and alu Dibond backing. Displate sells mass-market posters with direct metal printing held by wall magnets. Photonumerique targets premium decor; Displate targets affordable wall art.
Photonumerique uses a multi-layer Diasec sandwich: 4 mm premium acrylic glass face-mounted with elastic silicone on 3 mm alu Dibond, plus a custom recessed aluminum subframe. Each print is produced by a European TIPA-Award lab via silver halide Lambda Print. Displate uses simpler direct metal printing with magnetic mounting.
Acrylic glass with Diasec face-mount produces deeper color saturation, mirror-like clarity, and a visible depth effect that direct metal printing cannot match. Acrylic glass protects the photographic print underneath; metal posters are the printed substrate itself, more exposed to scratches and fading.
No. Photonumerique uses a custom recessed aluminum subframe integrated on the back of each artwork, creating an invisible wall mount with a 25 mm wall offset. Installation requires only one wall screw — no magnets, no additional hardware, no visible mounting system.
Both are durable but differ in failure modes. Photonumerique’s acrylic glass resists UV and scratches because the print is sealed under 4 mm of acrylic. Displate’s metal posters can scratch directly on the printed surface and may fade under direct sunlight. Acrylic glass holds gallery-grade quality longer.
Photonumerique is a premium alternative to Displate, positioned for gallery-grade interior decoration rather than mass-market wall art. Prices start at 84.95 € TTC vs Displate’s ~50 €. Photonumerique offers 5 orientations (Square, Landscape 16:9/3:2, Portrait 3:2/16:9) and 46 size combinations.
Lambda Print is true silver halide photographic exposure by laser on Fuji Crystal DP II paper — the same process used by museums and high-end galleries. Displate uses direct sublimation printing on steel sheets, a different technology designed for mass production. Lambda Print delivers archival quality; sublimation prioritizes throughput.
Photonumerique has a physical showroom at 3, avenue de la Magalone, 13009 Marseille, France. Walk-ins welcome to view the full range of formats and finishes before purchasing online. Free shipping in metropolitan France, international on quote.