LED light strips can provide decent brightness for decorative and accent lighting needs.Here are some specifications to evaluate the brightness of LED light strips:
Lumen output:
LED light strips typically provide 200 to 2,000 lumens per 16.4 foot reel at 24 watts. The higher the lumens, the brighter the light strip. Double row or high-density LED strip options can provide up to 10,000 lumens per 16.4 foot length. RGB and RGBW LED light strips will be on the lower end of the range since they contain multiple LEDs to produce color changing effects.
LED led density:
Most LED light strips provide 24 to 72 LEDs per 16.4 feet. Double row or high-density options contain 144 to 360 LEDs for maximum brightness. More LEDs mean higher density and greater brightness. RGB and RGBW options typically have 60-144 LEDs for adequate brightness.
24-72 LEDs per 16.4 feet is a normal density for LED strip lights, enough for most indoor decorative and ambient lighting needs with moderate brightness. These strips are lower in price but limited in brightness, not suitable for task lighting.
96-144 LEDs per 16.4 feet is medium to high density that can provide adequate brightness for undercabinet, bookshelf lighting or accent lighting of focused areas. These products cost slightly higher but still provide good value, are great options for most residential and commercial lighting.
192-360 LEDs per 16.4 feet is high to ultra-high density that can provide up to 10,000 lumens of brightness, ideal for kitchen cabinet lighting, hallway lighting and other areas requiring intense light. These products are the most expensive but provide professional-level and the most intense brightness with the most prominent lighting effects.
RGB and RGBW LED strips typically have 60-144 LEDs per 16.4 feet, a medium density, due to requiring multiple chips to produce color changing effects. The lighting effects produced are softer, and the actual light intensity is slightly lower than that of single-color LED strips of the same length.
Commonly SMD2835 or SMD5050 LED chips are used, with SMD5050 chips being slightly brighter. Newer options like SMD3021 provide up to 30% higher brightness than comparable SMD5050 strips. Brighter LED chips mean higher brightness potential for the light strip.
2835 chip: this is the most commonly used chip size LED strip, power consumption 0.5-0.6W, high brightness, widely used in general lighting purposes of the LED strip, the price is more affordable.
3030 chip: size slightly larger, power consumption 0.8-1W, brightness up to 1000 lumens, mainly used for high brightness requirements of the LED strip, such as bar lighting, cabinet lighting, etc.. Price is slightly higher than the 2835 chip.
3528 chip: this is a high-efficiency and high brightness chip, power consumption of only 0.3W, but the lumen value of 600lm, widely used in high-end market LED strip, its uniform and soft light effect favored by users. The price is higher than 2835 and 3030 chips.
45050 chip: this is a kind of power, very high brightness LED chip, power consumption 1.8-2W, lumen value up to 1500lm, mainly used for high brightness and require high lighting quality applications, such as staircase lighting, shopping mall lighting. The price is also higher.
5630 chip: this is a new and efficient LED chip, power consumption of only 1W, lumen value has reached 1000 lumens, lower cost and higher quality, is gradually replacing the 3030 chip, used in high-end LED strip products.
RGB tricolor chip: this chip combination of red, green, blue tricolor light chip, through electronic control can produce unlimited color changes, very suitable for color lighting and stage decoration purposes. Power consumption and price is also higher.
Beam angle:
Most LED strip lights provide a beam angle of 120° to 160° for wide area coverage. Some higher density or double row products may have a slightly narrower beam angle of 90° to 120°. Wider beam angles produce more even general lighting effect.
Many LED strip lights offer dimming from 100% down to 20% brightness to suit different moods and needs. Dimmable light strips provide more flexibility and control over the brightness level.
Currently, most LED strip products offer manual dimming or support dimming controllers for free adjustment of brightness to achieve the desired lighting effects. The dimming range is usually between 100% and 20%, and some products can dim to 10% minimum.
By dimming, the lighting effects of LED strips can be easily changed to produce soft ambient lighting or accent lighting of focused areas. In spaces requiring different light intensities, the dimming function can maximize the application effects of LED strips.
Smart dimming controllers can remotely control the on/off and dimming of LED strips via phone apps, remotes, voice control, etc., offering more intelligent convenience. Some controllers also provide preset lighting modes, timing functions, etc. to simplify usage.
RGB and RGBW LED strips can not only control brightness through dimming but also infinitely vary their colors and color gradient effects to create a highly decorative lighting atmosphere. This is also the biggest advantage of these products.
Note that non-dimmable LED strip lights can only provide fixed brightness and lighting effects. Although more economical, applications are more limited and cannot meet the needs of environments requiring varied illumination. Unless no variation in lighting effects is needed, dimmable products are recommended. For example, LED strips can be used in conjunction with LED track lights. We can use LED strips to illuminate wall or floor areas that cannot be covered by LED track lights, making the LED lighting effect more balanced throughout the space.
the brightness of LED strip lights depends on factors like lumen output, LED density and type, beam angle, and dimming capability. For general lighting of workspaces, cabinets and shelving, choose options with at least 1,000 lumens and SMD5050 or brighter chips. For task lighting and highlighting, select higher density strips with integrated dimming. RGB and RGBW strips produce more decorative effects with minimum 300 lumens per 16.4 feet.
