Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-05-08 Origin: Site
RGB and RGBW LED lights are the two most common types of lights in our daily lives. Perhaps you already know that the biggest difference between the two is that RGBW can emit additional white light. But in addition, there are other differences between RGB and RGBW that make them suitable for different application scenarios.
What do RGB and RGBW represent respectively?
RGB lighting fixtures consist of three LED chips that emit three primary colors: red, green, and blue. Its integrated circuit (IC) regulates the current through these three RGB LED chips to change their luminous intensity. With the corresponding changes in the mixing ratio of these three primary colors, they can produce various color variations. It can synthesize all colors within the triangle of the three primary colors - approximately 16.78 million colors, including white light.
The three primary colors of light have different luminous intensities, even under the same rated operating current. To obtain white light, different driving currents are required for each color of light. However, this current control has drawbacks as the relationship between current and luminous intensity is not always linear. Therefore, sometimes it is impossible to generate perfect white light. In addition, the white light produced by RGB lamps is usually darker.
Therefore, RGBW lamps were invented, which additionally added white light chips. Four color RGBW beads can provide purer and brighter white light.
RGB and RGBW: 6 key differences
1.RGB and RGBW controllers
Control RGB and RGBW lights with remote control
RGBW controllers have more color channels than RGB controllers because RGBW lights have four chips, while RGB lights have three. RGBW controllers can control RGB LED light strips and typically have higher rated power than RGB controllers.
The working principle of RGB and RGBW controllers is PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signal. In RGB controllers, PWM is used to adjust the brightness of the red, green, and blue color channels. In RGBW controllers, PWM is used to adjust the brightness of the four color channels of red, green, blue, and white.
The input of RGB controllers usually comes from commands operated by users through buttons or knobs. These commands are processed to generate control signals. The control signal generates a PWM modulation signal through the circuit, and then sends it to the RGB lighting fixture through the output interface.
By adjusting the duty cycle of the PWM modulation signal for each channel (i.e. the ratio of switching time to period), the controller can change the brightness of the RGB lights. For example, by increasing the duty cycle of the red channel, the red color can be made brighter. When the PWM signal strength of the red, green, and blue channels is equal, the lamp emits white light.
Using the DMX 512 system to control RGB and RGBW lights
Each output circuit in the DMX control system can support up to 512 channels. The maximum number of devices that can be controlled by each port depends on the number of channels occupied by each device. Due to the fact that RGB lights have 3 chips and RGBW lights have 4 chips, a DMX 512 port can connect approximately 170 RGB light beads and 128 RGBW light beads, respectively.
2.brightness
The white light of RGBW lamps can be independently emitted by white LED chips, without relying on the combination of red, green, and blue light. This makes it emit brighter white light.
3.Color rendering index (CRI)
Based on the spectrum, we can observe that the light produced by RGBW lamps is closer to sunlight. This means that the light can reflect the true color of the object without producing color cast. Due to its white chip, RGBW lights can also produce more neutral colors such as gray, brown, etc. by adjusting the ratio of red, green, and blue. In this way, lighting can more accurately reproduce the color details of objects. The color rendering index (CRI) of RGB lights is below 50, while the CRI of RGBW lights exceeds 90.
4.Color temperature
RGB LEDs produce white light by combining equal amounts of red, green, and blue light, with a high color temperature typically ranging from 5000K to 6000K. On the other hand, due to the addition of warm white chips, RGBW LEDs can produce warmer white light with a color temperature of approximately 3000-3500K. In order to achieve higher color temperature, there is also the RGBWW chip, which adds a cool white chip to the RGBW lamp and can achieve 6500K cool white light.
5.power consumption
Due to the independent emission of white chips in RGBW lamps, their overall power consumption is relatively low. Compared with traditional RGB lamps, RGBW lamps have lower power consumption at the same brightness, effectively saving electricity. RGBW lamps have better light transmittance and a larger emitting surface, resulting in higher luminous efficiency than RGB lamps.
6.Application
The application of RGB and RGBW lamps is similar, but RGBW lamps have a wider range of applications.
RGB and RGBW lights can be used for stage lighting, decorative lighting, game room lighting, commercial lighting, etc., providing rich and colorful lighting and various lighting effects. In addition to these applications, RGBW lights can also be used for indoor lighting, such as homes, offices, etc. They can also provide practical white light illumination while providing colored lighting.
Common problems with RGB and RGBW LED light strips
1. Can RGB be connected to RGBW?
If you want to control RGBW light strips with an RGB controller, you may need to use two RGB controllers to connect the RGBW light strips. If you want to use an RGBW controller to control RGB light strips, you need to consider voltage drop. Both are possible, but the wiring needs to be modified.
It is difficult to achieve if you want RGB and RGBW lights to share a control system. Because an RGB light bead occupies 3 channels, while an RGBW light occupies 4 channels. This will result in RGB and RGBW lights not being able to achieve the expected lighting effect simultaneously.
2. Why is my RGB/RGBW light strip flashing/displaying the wrong color?
When the light strip flashes or displays the wrong color, it may be due to unstable power supply voltage. You can try replacing the controller and ensure that the selected new controller is compatible with the light strip.
3. Why is only half of my light strip working/ Why can't I change the color of the light strip?
These issues may be caused by poor wiring connections. You need to check whether the various connection points of the light strip are secure, especially the connector part.
Conclusion
There are differences between RGBW lamps and RGB lamps in terms of controller, brightness, color rendering index, color temperature, power consumption, and application. Usually, RGBW LED lights are priced higher than RGB lights, but their prices have been decreasing. Currently, if you only want colored light and do not need the functionality brought by the white chip in RGBW lights, you can choose RGB lights. If you want an updated lighting experience, you can choose RGBW lights.
