Here LEDSuntech provides a LED strip width guide to help you choose the correct LED strip width.
Table of Contents
Why is the Width of LED Strips so Important?
Although the width of LED strips seems like a simple physical parameter, it directly determines the installation adaptability, light performance, heat dissipation capacity and it could even affect the entire project.
Narrow strip (8~10 mm): Narrow strips can be hidden in narrow gaps such as cabinet edges and baseboard grooves. Only the light transmitted by strips will be seen and the strips themselves are concealed. For example, the Govee M1 strip (10 mm wide) can be directly embedded in the TV back panel. The thickness of it is only 2 mm and it won’t block the screen.
Wide strip (12~20 mm): This type of LED strips are suitable for places where high brightness is required to cover a large area such as display cabinets in shopping mall and advertising light boxes. Sufficient space must be reserved for the installation of these strips. However, a light strip that is too wide (such as 20 mm) cannot fit the curved surface. Bending the LED strips with too much force may break the solder joints.
Is it true that the narrower the light strip, the more advanced the strip is? Or does the width really affect the color consistency? This blog will provide a detailed introduction to the width of the LED strip and help you choose the most suitable width.
Standard Classification and Application of Different Width
5mm LED Strip
Application:
- Ultra-hidden lighting: This type of LED strip is commonly used in places like museum showcases lighting and luxury display boxes which expect the LED strips to be completely hidden in gaps less than 5 mm.
- Ultra-thin electronic equipment decoration: For example, the RGB light rings used in game console and the lighting at the edge of the transparent mobile phone case are all thin LED strips.
- Precise medical or scientific equipment: the 5 mm thin LED strips are also used in endoscope auxiliary lighting and side lighting for laboratory microscopic operation tables.
Representative products:
- Lumileds Flex FLAME 5 mm: COB packaging technology is applied to this product and its thickness is only 1.2 mm. The luminous angle can achieve 270 degree if it’s customized.
- NICHIA Slim Beam 5 mm: This flexible strip can reach medical-standard. It is IP68 waterproof and can bear high-temperature disinfection environment.
Limitations:
- Low brightness: The maximum brightness of 5 mm width LED strips is usually less than 300 lumen per meter, which means the 5 mm LED strip is only suitable for auxiliary lighting.
- Super high cost: The price is 3~5 times higher than that of 8 mm strips.
- Short bending lifespan: Multiple bending is not suggested. The bending life of 5 mm LED strip is less than 50 times, while 8 mm strips can reach 1000 times.
Tips:
LEDSuntech provides miniature LED chips of 0402 size (0.4×0.2 mm). The density is up to 240 LED/m. The thickness of LED strips is less than 2 mm, which can be perfectly hidden and embedded in a 0.5 mm deep engraved groove.
8mm LED Strip
Application:
- Hidden lighting: The 8 mm LED strip is often used in scenes that expect the conceal of the strip such as the bottom of the cabinet, TV back light and stair lights, etc.
- Detailed outline: This LED strip can also be used to create soft halo for places like art display cabinets and mirror edges.
Representative products:
- Philips Hue Light strip (8 mm): This LED strip is ultra-thin and suitable for domestic smart system. Besides, this product can be cut and extended seamlessly.
- 2835 LED strip (8 mm): With high light efficiency and low power consumption, this product is suitable for home in long-term.
Advantages:
- Flexible bending degree: The 8 mm LED strip can be bent at 180 degree, which is ideal for small space.
- Low heat generation: There is no need to add additional device to dissipate heat.
Limitations:
The brightness is lower than wide LED strip(usually <800 lumen/m) and it’s not suitable for large area lighting.
10mm LED Strip
Application:
- Home lighting: The 10 mm LED strips are widely used in the trough of ceiling light and curtain box lighting, which can balance brightness and beauty.
- Commercial display: The 10 mm LED strip can be installed in jewelry counters, exhibition display racks and other places that require medium brightness.
Representative products:
- Govee RGBIC LED strip (10 mm): This product can adjust color in segments and is suitable for creating dynamic atmosphere.
- WS2812B programmable LED strip (10 mm): This strip is compatible with Arduino. And it’s the best choice for DIY projects (such as interactive lighting wall).
Advantages:
- Wide usage: The 10 mm LED strips perfectly balance the brightness (1200-1500 lumen/m) and installation flexibility.
- High-density: The 10 mm width makes dense LED arrangement (such as 120LED/m) possible, which helps to reduce granularity and light spots.
Limitations:
Aluminum channel is required for heat dissipation when the LED strips work at high brightness for a long time. For example, when it’s used for kitchen workbench lighting.
12mm LED Strip
Application:
- Commercial advertising lighting: With high brightness and uniform light, the 12 mm LED strip could be used in light box for advertising and signs of shops.
- Industrial working area: The 12 mm LED strip can also be used in warehouse shelf lighting and workshop workbench where durability and stability are emphasized.
Representative products:
- 5050 RGB LED strip (12 mm): The size of single LED used for this LED strip is 5×5 mm and the brightness is up to 1800 lumen/m.
- DERUN COB LED strip (12 mm): With spotless lighting effect, this LED strip is suitable for high-end retail store.
- Advantages:
Heat dissipation: The 12 mm LED strips perform well in heat dissipation. 12 mm LED strip is able to withstand long-term and high-power operation 40W/m. - High Stability: Wide LED strip has more protective circuit design such as surge protection and anti-static design.
Limitations:
The bending radius of 12 mm LED strip is limited. The minimum bending radius is about 5 cm. Therefore, 12 mm LED strip is not suitable for complex curved surface installation
20mm LED Strip
Application:
- Industrial lighting: 20 mm LED strips are suitable for places with high ceilings such as factories, parking lots and stadiums.
- Outdoor lighting: The 20 mm LED strips are also recommended in architectural outline lighting and bridge decoration where lighting of IP67 or higher waterproof level is required.
Representative products:
- DERUN high-power LED strip (20 mm): Power of this product can reach 60W/m and it’s compatible with 220V high input voltage.
- COB surface light source LED strip (20 mm): Light of his product is particle-free and uniform. It’s usually used in operating rooms for shadowless lighting.
Advantages:
- Extremely high brightness: The brightness of 20 mm LED strip can reach more than 2500 lumen/m. And the heat dissipation capacity of the 20 mm LED strip is also powerful, which supports 7×24 hours operation.
- Durability: With built-in reinforced cable, the 20 mm LED strips are strongly resistant to mechanical damage.
Limitations:
- Large volume: The 20 mm LED strip is only suitable for fixed installation and not suggested for curved surfaces.
- High cost: The cost of 20 mm LED strip is about 2-3 times higher than that of 10 mm LED strip.
Summary:
Narrow strips (<10 mm) are suitable to be hidden installed in places such as cabinets and skirts. Wide strips (>10 mm) are suitable for places that demand high brightness (such as commercial lighting).
Below is a table summarized by LEDSuntech about how to quickly select the width of LED strip.
| Width | Brightness Range | Best Scenario | Representative Model | Core Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5mm | 200-300 lumens/meter | Ultra-concealed lighting/precision equipment | Lumileds FlexFLAME | Safety > Brightness, custom installation required |
| 8mm | 500-800 lumens/meter | Home detail decoration | Philips Hue | Balanced concealment and basic brightness |
| 10mm | 1000-1500 lumens/meter | Home primary lighting/commercial displays | Govee RGBIC | Versatility + Controllability |
| 12mm | 1500-2000 lumens/meter | Advertising light boxes/industrial work areas | 5050 RGB | Heat dissipation + Light uniformity |
| 20mm | 2000-3000 lumens/meter | Industrial factories/outdoor lighting | DERUN high-voltage strip | Extreme environment durability |
Popular Width of LED Strip
Width of 2835 LED strip is usually around 8~10 mm. With high light efficiency and low power consumption, this LED strip is suitable for home decoration.
5050 LED strip:
Width of 5050 LED strip is usually around 10~12 mm. 5050 LED are larger and brighter but its power consumption is high. Therefore, it is suitable for industrial lighting.
If you are interested in difference between 2835 and 5050 LED strip, please check this blog: 2835 vs 5050 vs 3838 vs 3535 RGB
WS2812B programmable strip:
Width of WS2812B LED strip is 10 mm or 12 mm. This LED strip is compatible with Arduino control and commonly used in smart interactive lighting domestically.
Comparison of branded product :
Govee strip: Common width of Govee strip is 10 mm, which mainly features RGBIC gradient effect.
Philips Hue strip: Width of Philips Hue LED strip is 8~10 mm, it emphasizes seamless integration of smart home systems.
Relationship Between Width and Color Consistency of the LED Strip
The conclusion that “width does not affect color consistency” is a common misunderstanding. In fact, the width of the LED strip indirectly affects the color performance through heat dissipation efficiency, current uniformity and packaging. The following analysis is carried out from the perspective of optical principles and engineering measurements.
Thermodynamic Effect: Temperature is an Invisible Killer of Color Consistency
Color temperature drift mechanism:
When the junction temperature of the LED chip increases, the band gap energy of the semiconductor material will change and result in a shift in the emission wavelength.
The effect varies for different LED chip:
Cold white LED: According to CREE Technology White Paper, every 10°C increase in junction temperature will make the color temperature (CCT) of the cold white LED shift toward warm color by 50~100K.
RGB LED: The temperature drift of red, green and blue chips are different. Besides, uneven temperatures will lead to imbalance of the color mixing ratio. For example, the green color will decay faster.
If you want to know more about color temperature, please check this blog: A Complete Guide to LED Colors and Color Temperatures
Relationship between width and heat dissipation:
Narrow LED strip (≤10 mm): Narrow LED strip has small heat dissipation area, so it is easy for narrow led strip to accumulate heat. After running at full power for 1 hour, the surface temperature of the 8 mm LED strip can reach 65°C while the temperature of surroundings is only 25°C. This high temperature will make the color temperature shift by more than 200K.
Wide light strip (≥12 mm): With wider substrate and aluminum groove, the heat dissipation of wide LED trip is good and the temperature of the LED strip will be limited within 45°C. The color temperature change will be less than 50K.
Uniformity of Current Distribution: Hidden Role of Width
Voltage drop:
Narrow LED strips have a small cross-sectional area of PCB copper foil, so the voltage drop at the end is more significant than wide LED strip when they are used over a long distance. For example, the voltage at the end of a 5-meter 10 mm LED strip drops to 80% of the input voltage, which will result in lower brightness and shifted color temperature of the LED at the end.
Wide LED strips (such as 20 mm) will limit the voltage drop within 5% by widening the copper foil or double-sided circuit.
Solutions:
Below is a video about how to solve the problem of voltage drop.
Differences in Packaging: Limitation of Narrow Width
Technical limitations of narrow light strips:
LED accuracy: In order to reduce the width, manufacturers may lower the LED binning standard, which means the color coordinates of LED chips on the same LED strip will be very different.
Uniformity of Phosphor Coating: Due to limited space, the thickness of the phosphor coating of COB narrow light strips (such as 5 mm) fluctuates by 5%, which will result in color temperature deviation of 150K.
Advantages of wide LED strips:
Wide LED strips can be powered independently with multi-channel (such as RGBW four-circuit), which helps to reduce color distortion caused by crosstalk.
Industrial-standard 12 mm light strips use automatic optical inspection (AOI) to ensure that the color coordinates of each LED are less than 0.0015.
How to Guarantee Color Consistency of Different Widths
Narrow LED strips (≤10 mm):
Limit power: It is recommended to operate at 70% of the nominal power (e.g. Nominal power of 10 mm LED strip is 14.4W/m and the actual working power of it should be less than 10W/m).
Strengthen heat dissipation: Paste aluminum heat sink (such as 3M 8810 thermal conductive glue plus 0.5 mm aluminum foil) can reduce the temperature by 15-20°C.
Wide LED strips (≥12 mm):
Choose products of high-precision: Ask manufacturers to provide strictly graded products that can meet ANSI C78.377 standard (such as 3-step MacAdam ellipse).
Supply power in segments: Independently power the LED strip in every 3~5 meters to avoid voltage drop over long distance.
Summary:
The width of the LED strip indirectly but significantly affects the color consistency. The key process is: width → heat dissipation capacity → junction temperature stability → spectrum/color coordinate shift.
It is necessary to balance the advantages and disadvantages according to the specific scene. If extreme concealment is preferred, then accept the risk of color fluctuation of the narrow LED strips and actively cool down the temperature of the LED strip. If high color accuracy is preferred, give priority to products with a width more than 12 mm and products that fit industrial-standard.
Installation and Maintenance
Bending radius: Narrow strips can be bent at degree of 180, while wide strips have a risk of damage if bent at such degree.
Heat dissipation design: Wide LED strips need to be equipped with aluminum channels for heat dissipation.
Waterproof requirements: Different IP ratings should be applied to different widths. For example, wide LED strip with waterproof glue should be applied outdoors.
For more details about how to install LED strips, please check this blog: How to Install LED Strip Lights Outdoors: Gardens, Houses & Govee Guide
Conclusion
All in all, the key to width selection is to give priority to occasion and also take heat dissipation and aesthetics into consideration. In the future, products that can balance all factors might be developed, which means, the LED strips are likely to have smaller sizes (maybe in nanometer scale) and higher integration such as intelligent control modularization.
FAQ
1. The narrower the LED strip is, the more advanced it will be?
“Narrow” is not equal to “advanced”. The narrow width is a technical compromise solution in specific occasions. The real advancement is reflected in packaging efficiency, intelligent control and material innovation.
2. Width does not affect color consistency?
The conclusion that “width does not affect color consistency” is a common misunderstanding. In fact, the width of the LED strip indirectly affects the color performance through affecting the heat dissipation efficiency, current uniformity and packaging process. The width of the LED strip indirectly but significantly affects color consistency.
3. Does the width of the LED strip affect its lifespan?
The width of the light strip itself is not the main factor that directly determines the lifespan, but it indirectly affects the lifespan through affecting the heat dissipation efficiency, material strength and circuit design.
When you make the decision on width, the usage occasion should be taken into consideration. If high brightness and long-distance installation are required, it is recommended to choose a low voltage and constant current LED strip with moderate width and optimized heat dissipation. If the space is small and the LED strips are used in low frequency, high-voltage LED strips (such as COB type) with reasonable width design are suggested, which can balance cost and lifespan through.