RGB vs RGBW vs RGBWW: What's the Difference?
When looking for RGB LED lighting options, you may find that different models of lights will have different types of RGB attributed to them. Some models will state "RGBW", some "RGBWW", and some just "RGB". But what's the difference? How does these different RGB types impact the light itself and how you use it? We've broken this down so you can make an informed choice about what kind of lighting you need.
RGB
RGB is your most basic colour array, consisting of Red, Green, Blue. RGB Lights are on the colour spectrum specifically, but cannot produce plain white light as it doesn't have specific white light chips. This limits the saturation and colour options you can select from.
While it is true that mixing Red, Green and Blue at 100% each on a fixture of this kind will produce a near-white light, this will have a blue-tinge to it and won't be as accurate for professional uses.
RGBW
RGBW consists of the basic Red, Green, and Blue, but also has the addition of White light. This addition allows you more flexibility on light options, as mixing this into your colour lighting allows for brighter, more saturated lights, as well as more accurate colour representation. The white light also allows for you to remove the RGB aspect and use the fixture as a plain white light only.
RGBWW
RGBWW, naturally, is the next step up from this and includes Red, Green, Blue and White, as well as Warm White. This combination is essentially an amalgamation of RGB and Bi-Colour lighting, which allows you to make your white light cooler or warmer, or switch it over to RGB, offering maximum flexibility on colour and colour temperature within one fixture.
RGBW and RGBWW lights are your best option for higher-end uses such as professional photography or video shoots where high colour accuracy and rendering is necessary for the best result.
Most of the RGB LED lighting options we stock are RGBWW specifically, especially the Godox KNOWLED Range which caters professional large scale video productions that need the increased brightness and flexibility that RGBWW models offer. Check out a list of some of the RGB lights we stock in the table at the end of the blog to see what kind of RGB type they offer.
Other RGB Types
Both the M600R and MG1200R come equipped with RGBWW technology that includes HSI functionality, which contributes to their higher price point. On the other hand, the Aputure X series utilizes a different technology called RGBALC. This stands for Red, Green, Blue, Amber, Lime, and Cyan, and it represents a colour mixing system used in LED lights.
RGBWW offers a much broader colour spectrum, allowing for a variety of colour combinations. In contrast, RGBALC LED lights have a narrower spectrum that can produce more saturated RGB colours, but they typically have lower brightness compared to the RGBWW series. RGBWW enables saturation adjustments through HSI, providing vibrant results similar to RGBALC but across a wider colour range.
| Light Model | RGB Type | |
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PiXAPRO Rainbow LED Tubes | RGB & CCT mode |
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Godox SZ150R Zoomable COB LED | RGB & CCT modes & Green/Magenta Offset |
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Godox SL150R COB LED | RGBWW |
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Godox TL Series RGB Tubes (30cm, 60cm, 80cm, 120cm) | RGB & CCT mode |
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Godox WT Dive Light Tubes (25cm, 40cm, 60cm) | RGBWW |
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Godox LD Series LED Panels | RGB & CCT mode |
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KNOWLED C5R Mini Panel | RGBWW |
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KNOWLED TP Series LED Tubes (2ft, 4ft, 8ft) | RGBWW |
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KNOWLED P Series LED Hard/Soft Light Panels | RGBWW |
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KNOWLED M600R/M1000R COB LED Head | RGBWW & Green/Magenta Offset |
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KNOWLED MG1200R & MG2400R COB LED Heads | RGBWW |
