Cisco Room Kit EQ vs Room Kit Pro: Which One Does Your Room Need?
Cisco Room Kit EQ vs Room Kit Pro explained: room size, cameras, microphones and screens compared, plus what happened to the Room Kit Plus.
Chris Gore | Updated 2026
Cisco Room Kit EQ vs Room Kit Pro is the comparison most buyers end up making once a room is too big for a video bar. Both are serious, codec based systems built for large spaces, and on paper they look similar, but they suit very different rooms. Before you specify either one, check that you actually need a codec at all by reading our comparison of the Cisco Room Bar and the Logitech Rally Bar, because plenty of boardrooms get by perfectly well with a video bar.
Cisco Room Kit EQ vs Room Kit Pro at a Glance
The Room Kit EQ is Cisco's current all in one kit for large meeting rooms. Cisco positions it for workspaces of up to 14 to 16 people, and it can be extended with extra cameras beyond that. The Room Kit Pro is the codec Cisco builds for very large rooms, including large boardrooms, auditoriums and classroom theatres. The short version is that the EQ is the packaged answer for a big room, while the Pro is the flexible answer for a very big or very complicated one.
Room Size and Cameras
The Room Kit EQ is built around the Cisco Quad Camera, which has four lenses including a wide angle lens and three telephoto lenses. Cisco quotes an 83 degree horizontal field of view and 7x zoom, and the system includes an AI director that switches between camera views automatically. Presenter tracking and face recognition are supported too. The Room Kit Pro works with the Quad Camera, but it also supports a Cisco PTZ 4K camera and the Precision 60 camera, so you can choose the camera that suits the room instead of accepting the default.
Microphones and Audio
This is where the two codecs part company most clearly. Cisco states that the EQ needs external microphones, either Cisco or third party, and it can connect up to 8 IP microphones, 3 analogue microphones and a DSP over USB. The Pro offers 8 analogue microphone inputs with 48V phantom power, up to 8 networked IP microphones and two USB ports. That makes the Pro the natural choice when an integrator is designing a bigger audio system around a processor, and our explainer on what a DSP is and why your meeting room needs one covers why that matters.
Screens and Connections
On displays the two are closer than most people expect. The Room Kit EQ supports up to three 4K screens, and the Room Kit Pro also drives up to three screens, with two outputs at 4K 60 frames per second and one at 4K 30 frames per second. The Pro adds three HDMI inputs and 5 way embedded multipoint conferencing. Screen count is rarely the deciding factor between the two, so look at cameras and audio first.
What Happened to the Cisco Room Kit Plus?
If you have been searching for a Room Kit Plus, there is a catch. Cisco announced end of sale for the Room Kit Plus, with the last date to order on 20 July 2025. Support continues until 30 April 2030. For most configurations, Cisco recommends the Room Kit EQ as the replacement, although Cisco notes that some accessories and bundle configurations have no direct replacement. If you already own a Room Kit Plus, you have years of support left and no need to rush. If you are specifying a new room, your real choice is between the EQ and the Pro.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose the Room Kit EQ when the room seats around 10 to 16 people, you want AI camera features out of the box and you would like a simpler, more standard installation. Choose the Room Kit Pro when the room is larger, you need a PTZ camera or several cameras, or you need a lot of microphone inputs and DSP integration. Be honest about the room too. A standard video bar covers rooms of up to around 10 people adequately, and our guide on PTZ cameras and when a meeting room needs one explains when extra camera hardware earns its place and when it just adds cost.
What Do They Cost?
At the time of writing, Cisco lists the Room Kit EQ from $13,995 in the US for the base configuration, and UK pricing varies by partner and configuration. The Room Kit Pro is usually specified as part of a wider design, so the final figure depends on the cameras, microphones, processing and installation involved. Neither system is cheap, which is why it pays to get the specification right before you ask for quotes. Our guide to boardroom AV installation costs in the UK shows what the rest of a boardroom project usually adds.
Not sure what your AV setup will cost? If you want a rough idea of what a video bar setup will cost for your specific space before speaking to a supplier, the SPOR AV pricing estimator gives you a quick, honest ballpark. It takes about two minutes. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Cisco Room Kit EQ vs Room Kit Pro?
The Room Kit EQ is Cisco's packaged kit for large rooms of up to around 14 to 16 people, built around the Quad Camera. The Room Kit Pro is a more flexible codec for very large rooms, with a wider choice of cameras and more microphone inputs.
Is the Cisco Room Kit Plus still available?
No. Cisco's last date to order the Room Kit Plus was 20 July 2025, and support runs until 30 April 2030. Cisco recommends the Room Kit EQ as the replacement for most configurations.
How many people can a Cisco Room Kit EQ cover?
Cisco positions the Room Kit EQ for large workspaces of up to 14 to 16 people, and it can be extended with additional cameras for bigger rooms.
Does the Cisco Room Kit EQ come with microphones?
Cisco states that the Room Kit EQ requires external microphones, either Cisco or third party, so you need to budget for them separately when specifying a room.
Can the Cisco Room Kit Pro run three screens?
Yes. The Room Kit Pro supports up to three screens, with two 4K 60 outputs and one 4K 30 output, which suits large boardrooms and auditoriums.
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