Strip lighting has become an incredibly popular method of illuminating spaces due to the number of options it offers for accent, task or ambient lighting.  It is highly customisable making it suitable for a number of different environments and spaces.  Two different types of strip mainly dominate the market and these are SMD LED (Surface-Mount Device) or COB LED (Chip on Board).  Both types are effective but they are suitable for different purposes.  We will discuss what these would be below.

Standard LED Strip (SMD)

Standard LED strips typically use Surface-Mount Device (SMD) technology.  This is where individual LED chips are soldered directly onto the flexible printed circuit board (PCB) to make the light.  Individual LED chips are spaced out along this type of LED strip.  This creates visible hotspots of light as the chips can be seen when the tape is turned on.  Using a LED profile/channel combined with a diffuser is one method of reducing this effect.

Chip on Board (COB) Strip

COB technology is done by packaging multiple tiny LED chips directly onto the PCB to form a single, high-density lighting module. The chips are then covered by a continuous layer of phosphors, which diffuses the light.  This makes the chips a lot less visible and creates a uniform beam of light.  You will often see COB LED strips referred to as “dotless” for this reason.  

Comparison Table: SMD vs. COB Strips

What strip is right for what I need?

Choose Standard LED Strips (SMD) if:

• If the lights are behind something such as a cabinet or behind a picture where you will not see the strip directly.  If you are using this type of strip where it can be directly seen you may want to consider using it with a frosted diffuser. 
• You require a very bright high-intensity directional light.  You may find that there are brighter colour options available for SMD strips compared to COB strips.

Choose COB Strips if:

• The strip will be directly visible and you need a professional, dot-free finish.  This could be inside of a glass cabinet or for decorative lighting.
• Color accuracy (high CRI) is critical.  This would be applicable to kitchen task lighting, retail displays, or helping to display art pieces.
• If you do not have the space to use LED profile or diffusers to house the strip or if you are worried that using these would not give you the look you are after from the lighting.
• The installation involves getting the strip around tight bends or corners.  COB LED strips are generally more flexible than SMD LED strips.