Infographic: What does SMD mean in LED lighting?

SMD stands for Surface Mounted Device: an LED chip that is soldered directly onto the surface of a circuit board. SMD LEDs are compact and efficient and are used in LED strips, bulbs, panels and spotlights. The numerical code, such as 2835 or 5050, gives the size of the chip in tenths of a millimetre.

SMD LED strip with individual dots of light
With an SMD strip, you see the individual LEDs as dots of light.

What do the SMD codes mean?

CodeSizeCharacteristic
35283.5 x 2.8 mmsmall, low power, mood lighting
28352.8 x 3.5 mmefficient, widely used in strips and bulbs
50505.0 x 5.0 mmlarger, often RGB (three chips in one package)

3528 and 2835 are about the same size, but the 2835 has a more modern design with better heat dissipation and usually a higher efficacy.

SMD or COB?

With SMD strips you see individual dots of light, especially if the strip is mounted without a diffuser. With COB (Chip on Board), a great many tiny chips sit so close together that an even line of light is created. COB is ideal if you do not want to see dots; SMD is often cheaper and very efficient.

What to look for in an SMD LED strip

  • Number of LEDs per metre: more LEDs give a more even line of light.
  • Wattage per metre: low for ambience, high for functional light.
  • Voltage: 24V is better than 12V for long runs.
  • IP rating: IP20 indoors, IP65 or higher for damp locations.

Take a look at our LED strips, power supplies and read how LEDs produce light.

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: SMD 2835 or 5050?

2835 is more efficient for white light; 5050 is often used for RGB strips.

What is the difference between SMD and COB?

SMD are individual chips with visible dots; COB gives an even line of light.

What does 60 LEDs/m mean?

That there are 60 LED chips per metre of strip; the more there are, the more even the light.