The lighting-producing community is continuously releasing new models of lighting systems in the market and showing improvements with respect to the previous ones in terms of greater versatility, more efficient utilization of actual power, less power consumption, and minimal heat. And apparently, these new inventions are very likely to replace traditional LED lights in the near future.
LEDs are one such undeniable part of the lighting industry that keeps transforming as time passes. They are quite innovative because of their ability to outlive 25 times that of normal bulbs and that they require minimal energy consumption and less heat production as compared to incandescent bulbs.
There are many different subcategories of LED lights, with Cree and COB being the two most trending ones in the market today. Although both of them are very well-known, most people are unable to differentiate between them and choose any one of them randomly. However, they are very different from each other, so it will be really helpful for you to understand the specification of each in detail and make your buying choices accordingly.
We will inform you of everything you need to know about Cree and COB LED lights as well as the differences between them.
Cree LED Light
Cree LED lights are the Apple in the world of LEDs. As their name suggests, Cree LEDs utilize Cree chips that are very much praised in the lighting industry for several reasons. The most common reasons or special features are as follows:
- These LED lighting systems offer a high performance of intense light like no other.
- They are designed while keeping in mind the requirements of energy-efficient LEDs.
- They provide a super clear and crisp, strong light output.
- They are efficient at heat management which results in minimal heat and a longer lifespan.
Cree is an LED lighting system that offers expert and innovative lighting solutions. It is based on a mercury-free LED technology that has outshined many conventional lighting systems. Cree has a significant market share in LED lighting, RF applications, and some semiconductor products. Below are the products of Cree:
- Green and blue LED chips
- LED bulbs and light fixture
- Lighting-grade power LEDs
- LEDs having a high luminosity
- Power switching devices
The above products are designed to facilitate modern applications in general lighting, actual power supplies, electronic signals, solar inverters, backlighting, and signs.
A modern Cree led light in an unbreakable and resilient housing system can offer:
- A lumen output of 460 rather than a wattage output of 40, and
- A lumen output of 815 rather than a wattage output of 60.
This is perfect for soft white (2700 Kelvin) and daylight (5000 Kelvin). They consume 85% less energy than they are supposed to over their lifetime.
COB LED Light
COB or Chip-on-Board is a newborn in the LED family. This LED lighting technology features numerous LED chips instead of a single chip that are installed on the top of the substrate to form an LED system with single modules. These multiple LEDs are small in size and are packed closely together to form a single copper or ceramic plate so as to act as a single light source.
The energization obtained by the packaged system of COB chips makes them look like a lighting panel instead of multiple individual lights, as in the case of many PLED packages. This is exactly like many CREEs that are mounted and used simultaneously.
One of the many advantages of COB LED chips is that since COB lights are based on a multi-chip arrangement, they have the ability to provide massive coverage of the illuminated area, produce focused light and avoid glare all at the same time. This implies that you can obtain a rich amount of radiant light intensity in a small package of quality COB LED lights.
Cree vs. COB LED Lights
Appearance
The biggest difference between the two LEDs is their physical appearance. CREE LED systems have a larger size and wider PCB area than their Chip-On-Board counterpart. As a result of their sizes, their functionalities differ too.
Lifespan
Both LEDs produce a lot of heat when they are used, which results in heat issues demanding the dispersion of heat. If the heat produced is not dispersed properly, it results in the short lifespan of the light.
Due to its wide and large size structure, Cree high-intensity LEDs can easily disperse a higher amount of heat into the environment and are more long-lasting. COB chips have a tough time dealing with the dispersion of heat, so they are not as long-lasting as Cree LEDs. Heat management is one of the common advantages of Cree LEDs and the disadvantage of COB LED.
Quality of Light Output
There is no doubt that both forms offer high-end lighting solutions with intense light output. Still, the light quality is not entirely similar, which might not be noticed by an untrained eye. The COB multi-chip packaging is based on an integrated style which implies that it is an area light source and can produce a large visual angle, so it is better in terms of quality light and spectrum of light, especially compared to regular lights.
Brightness Level
The intensity of light is another differentiating point between the two LEDs. The Cree high-intensity LED light power comprises many units wrapped up in a PCB board, producing significantly more light than a COB technology. It also uses LED chips for blue light and green light with higher levels of brightness, so Cree LED light technology wins for higher light intensity.
Color-changing Ability
Multiple channels for modification are required to produce a color-changing light output. COB LED chips are not designed to produce light spectrum or bulbs that have color-changing abilities and color temperatures. This is because of their one-circuit and two-contact design LED lighting system. Whereas COB chips are more capable in terms of color-changing applications due to their multi-chip packaging.
Power Consumption
When it comes to actual power consumption, COB LED lights stand out from the rest. They come withgreater heat efficient technology and superior lumen/watt ratios as compared to Cree LEDs. This is mainly due to the ceramic substrate and circuit design of the COB LED models, so they are an excellent choice for those looking for LED lights with less power consumption and maximum energy saving.
Conclusion
The lighting industry has witnessed a number of revolutionary inventions, and with the transformation of science and modern technology, it is very likely to continue its growth at a fast pace. The lighting companies come up with new features every day with efficient technology and maximum energy saving ways that appeal to humans’ needs, and LED lighting systems are just one small example of it.
Cree and COB LED light fixture models are very different from each other, and each of them has its own special features and comes with its own merits and demerits. Both lighting technologies are equipped with innovative and energy-efficient solutions to satisfy consumer needs. However, Cree is given more preference in buying choices than COB mainly due to the reason that it lasts much longer than COB.
