WS2815 vs. WS2812 vs. WS2818 LED strips which one to choose? This blog will help you to select suitable products.
Table of Contents
Introduction
LED strips have gained more and more attention in recent years because of their extensive application for lighting. LED strips have many advantages such as low energy cost, longer life span and easy installation, making them better choices for many different situations.
In order to meet different requirements, many addressable LED strips have been designed and are used in the market. WS2815, WS2812, and WS2818 LED strips rank the top three and they will be introduced in detail for your convenience in this paper. This will help people select suitable products.
WS2815 vs. WS2812 vs. WS2818 LED Chips
In this section, a simple introduction of WS2815, WS2812 and WS2818 LED strips will be given.
WS2815 LED chip: WS2815 has the feature of better color due to its higher refresh rate. Its voltage range of DC12V helps to reduce energy costs and shows good power efficiency.
For more WS2815 LED chip parameters, please click here. WS2815 IC Datasheet
WS2812 LED chip: WS2812 is one kind of built-in IC, also known as internal or integrated IC. The voltage range of WS2812 is DC5V, so it has a higher voltage drop. But the balance of cheaper prices and better property makes it the populist product in the market.
For more WS2812 LED chip parameters, please click here. WS2812 IC Datasheet
WS2818 LED chip: WS2818 is a new 3-channel LED driver control circuit that has an intelligent digital port data latch and a signal-reshaping amplification drive circuit. It has a dual signal transmission feature.
For more WS2818LED chip parameters, please click here. WS2818 IC Datasheet
Below is the comparison Table 1, which compares WS2815, WS2812, and WS2818 from voltage range, addressability, fault tolerance (breakpoint continuity), power requirement,s and price range:
| IC Type | WS2815 | WS2812 | WS2818 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voltage | DC12V | DC5V | DC12V |
| Individually Addressable | Yes | Yes | No |
| Breakpoint Continuity | Yes | No | Yes |
| Power Requirements | 0.1 W | 0.2 W | 0.2 W |
| Price | Expensive | The cheapest | More expensive |
Table 1: WS2815 vs. WS2812 vs. WS2818 LED Chips
a. Voltage and Power Requirements:
Different voltage gives different color accuracy. The higher voltage range allows lower voltage drop and can make sure sufficient power to LEDs, making bright and efficient lighting. WS2815 and WS2818 works at DC12V and WS2812 works at DC5V. So the lighting performance of WS2815 and WS2818 is better than WS2812 because of their higher voltage range. For WS2812, power injection is needed to make sure good color accuracy.
b. Signal transmission and reliability
WS2815 and WS2818 have the character of dual signal transmission and shows better performance in breakpoint continuous transmission. In other words, both of WS2815 and WS2818 have 2 data lines, this makes sure the products can serve well and still light up while one light-emitting diode is broken emergently. So the dual signal transmission guarantees the good reliability.
c. Addressability and control flexibility
Both WS2812 and WS2815 can be individually addressable, while WS2818 has the feature of grouped control. Each LED has its unique address, the user can obtain the independent control of the color and lighting of each LED. WS2812 and WS2815 can be individually addressable, meaning the data line allows controllers to send signals that defines the color and brightness of each LED. While for WS2818, some LEDs are grouped and controlled together in a unit, this leads to simpler programming but reduces the control flexibility.
WS2815 vs. WS2812 vs. WS2818 LED Strip
The performance and difference of WS2815, WS2812 and WS2818 LED strips will be compared.
WS2812 LED strips are made of a series of WS2812 LED chips installed on a flexible circuit board. Every LED can be individually controlled, showing ideal lighting effects. WS2812 has the feature of individually addressable and single data lines. Because WS2812 operates at 5V, so power supply is needed when WS2812 is used for longer-distance situations.
WS2815 LED strip could be regarded as an upgrade of WS2812, it operates at 12V and this could provide better performance such as lower voltage drop and good color accuracy and brightness. Moreover, its dual signal transmission can guarantee better reliability.
WS2818 LED strip is a newly designed product and the main purpose of this product is to strengthen the lighting performance and keep good compatibility with WS2812 and WS2818.
The Table 2 below shows the difference between WS2812, WS2815 and WS2818 LED strips from several aspects:
| Type | WS2812 LED Strip | WS2815 LED Strip | WS2818 LED Strip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voltage | DC5V | DC12V | DC12V |
| Breakpoint Continuity | NO | YES | YES |
| Signal Type | Single | Dual | Dual |
| Brightness | General | Better | Better |
| Color Consistency | General | Better | Better |
| Heat Emission | High | Lower | Lower |
| Installation Length | Short | long | Long |
| Voltage Drop | Large | Lower | Lower |
| Durability and Life Span | Less robust | Robust | Robust |
| Price Range | Cheap | Expensive | Expensive |
Table 2: WS2815 LED Strip vs. WS2812 LED Strip vs. WS2818 LED Strip
Applications: WS2815 vs. WS2812 vs. WS2818 LED Strips
Among the WS2812, WS2815 and WS2818 LED strips, WS2812 is the cheapest because of its single data line, DC5V and simple connectivity, so it’s suitable for people to try to use LEDs in their home decorations or juest for daily fun.
In terms of WS2815, it suits for long distance situations because it operates at 12 V and gives lower voltage drop in the long distance occasions.
Finally, WS2818 could be regarded as the best choice for fault-tolerant designs.
WS2815 vs. WS2812 vs. WS2818 LED Strip Installation Tips
In this section, some installation tips will be explained as below:
For WS2815 and WS2818, they both works at 12V, so a 12V power supply is needed. When it comes to WS2812, it operates at 5V, so a 5V power supply is required. Next, WS2812 only uses one signal line for data control, but for WS2815 and WS2818, they not only has the similar signal line, but also can provide other data input handling, which helps them function with electrical interference.
Here is some tips for reducing voltage drop:
1.You can choose higher power supply, which can help minimize the voltage drop.
2.When using LED strips over long runs, inject power at both the start and end of the LED strip. This helps balance the voltage and reduce the voltage drop.
Pros and Cons Summary WS2815 vs. WS2812 vs. WS2818
In this section, the advantages and disadvantages of each LED strip will be summarized as below in Table 3.
| Type | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| WS2812 | · Widely available and cost-effective. |
· Operates at 5V, which makes it more susceptible to voltage drop over longer distances, often requiring additional power injections. · Single data line can lead to issues in data transmission if the strip is damaged or experiences signal degradation. · Generally lacks protective features against environmental factors, so proper waterproofing methods (like silicone coating or using them within additional protective enclosures) would be necessary. |
| WS2815 | · Operates at 12V, significantly reducing voltage drop, making it suitable for longer runs without issues. · Features a dual-signal line for data, ensuring that if one line fails, the backup allows for continued operation, which enhances reliability outdoors. · Typically comes with more robust housing or can be found in waterproof strips (look for IP65 or higher). |
· Slightly more expensive than the WS2812 but offers better long-term value due to its durability. |
| WS2818 | · Also operates at 12V, similar to the WS2815, providing efficient power distribution and maintaining brightness over longer runs. · Offers intelligent color correction for better color reproduction in varying temperatures, which can enhance the visual quality in outdoor settings. · Comes with a dual-signal line like the WS2815, further improving reliability and reducing failure rates. · Typically designed with greater weather resistance in mind (often available in waterproof configurations). |
· Usually the most expensive of the three options due to its advanced features but worth the investment for demanding outd |
Table 3: Pros and Cons Summary for WS2815 vs. WS2812 vs. WS2818 LED Strips
Choosing the Right LED Strip for Your Needs
This part mainly helps you to choose the right LED strips for your case. In choosing LED strips, you should take into many considerations such as your budget, your main application, the length requirements, and the lighting effect.
When you are considering which LED strips are suitable for your case, below are some tips you should take into account：
- brightness and color accuracy. Different LED strips have various brightness and colors.
- Generally, voltage ranges include 5V, 12V, 24V. You should choose LED strips based on your power supply.
- Different LED strips have different prices, so make smart decisions on the basis of your budget.
- Length requirements. Some LED strips might not be used in long-distance runs, so make the decision after you carefully consider the length needed for your application.
If you want to know more about how to choose an addressable LED strip, please click here https://suntechlite.com/how-to-choose-the-right-addressable-led-strip/
Conclusion
When you have read this paper, it would be better that you get a complete knowledge of WS2812, WS2815 and WS2818 LED strips. As we explained before, each LED strip has its unique features and its application.
WS2812 is cheaper and you can choose it for saving cost, though expensive but WS2815 and WS2818 can provide better performance and reliability, so you can choose them for some important situations.
Finally, no matter which LED trip you will choose, please choose them after taking full considerations of your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What’s the main difference between WS2815 and WS2812?
Answer: these two LED strips operate at different voltage. In other words, they have different power supply. For WS2812, it’s 5V. but for WS2815, it’s 12V.
2. Why does voltage matter in LED strip choice?
Answer: Voltage will affect the brightness of LEDs, and it also have the influence on voltage drop and heat emission. So voltage matters in LED selection.
3. Which LED strip is best for outdoor use?
Answer: both WS2815 and WS2818 are suitable for outdoor situations because of their enhanced property and performance in outdoor environment.
4. What’s break-point continuous transmission, and why is it important?
Answer: Break-point continuous transmission allows the system to keep communication even there is interruption or damage in the transmission path.
5. How do I prevent voltage drop over long LED strips?
Answer: you can choose higher voltage if possible to avoid voltage drop over the long distance runs, you can choose wires with less resistance to prevent energy loss and voltage drop.
