WS2811 vs WS2812B： What's The Difference?

LED strips: source Freepik

LED strip lights have been gaining massive popularity in recent years. They are mainly used in applications where intensive lighting is required.  If you need to illuminate a particular object, LED strips will be the ideal tool for the job. The lighting enhances the visual appearance of the intended subject. They are more effective when you add some creativity to the lighting strips.

When it comes to buying LED strips, you are likely to come across two major options: WS2811 and WS2812B. What are the differences between these two and which one should you choose for your application? To help you make the right choice of LED strips, we are going to break down the differences between WS2811 and WS2812. At the end of the article, you will be in a perfect position to choose the best   LED strips.

WS2811 Overview

WS2811 is a simple RGB LED strip that has the full capability of screening every single LED color when fed with the right information signal. A driver chip is used for controlling the signals that determine the output colors of the LED strips. The chip also controls the intensity of the light that is illuminated by the LEDs.

WS2811 makes it easy to control each LED unit separately. All you need is to assign unique signal addresses to every single chip that is connected to the  LED. This is where the importance of a microcontroller comes in. It is programmed for easy control of the signals.

Pros of WS2811

· The LED strip is easy to handle especially when you are dealing with multiple LED controls

· Given that it is powered by 12V, it is possible to control many LED lamps on a single strip

·  The design of the strip gives allowance for the connection of long cables

Cons of 2811

· The strip is limited to controlling groups of three LED lighting fixtures

· Has high power consumption, hence not the best option when it comes to energy efficiency

· Each RGB color on the strip is restricted to eight bits of data. This diminishes the smoothness of the strip’s dimming curves.

· It is technically impossible to control the LED lamps on the strip if they are not up to three

· The strip lacks data redundancy

· The LED is more expensive than the WS2812B

Overview of  WS2812B

A WS2812B is a smart control LED strip comprising the control circuit and  RGB chip combined to form a single component or package. This intelligent LED strip has built-in IC lamp beads. The design of these chips helps to save on the space that is required for integrating the lighting systems and other related components.

The LED strip features a smart digital data latch that reshapes the circuit which in turn amplifies the drive. It also has an internal precision oscillator that is backed with a current control port that is rated 5V. This port guarantees consistent light color from the LED bead lamp.

Pros of WS2812B

Some of the advantages of WS2812B include the following:

· Make it possible to control a unit of LED at a time. This way, you can easily customize the lighting feature of a single LED lamp

· The LED strip is quite energy-friendly as it does not consume too much electric power

· The built-in IC lamp beads have higher levels of brightness than the normal lamp beads

· A built-in driver chip guarantees the stable performance of the LED chip

· The control granularity level of the strip is one LED

· The RGB color chips tend to have high levels of consistency

· Compact design thanks to the built-in chip construction. This makes the lamps easier to handle

Cons of WS2812B

· An increase of LED lamps on the strip can trigger a significant voltage drop This is likely to happen because WS2812B is  powered by 5 volts

Differences between WS2811 vs 2812B

Now that we know the basics of these two LED strips, let’s have an in-depth look at the key areas of differences between WS2811 and WS 2812B LED strips. From these differences, you will be in a perfect position to know which LED strip is more suitable for you.

LEDs controlled

WS2811  is designed to have a trio of LEDs in a cluster. This means that it has the full capability of controlling 3 LEDs at a time. This implies that controlling three LEDs is the granularity level of the LED strip. You should not go below this number, no matter what.

WS2812B, on the other hand, is designed to control only 1 LED at a time. It is impossible to go beyond a single LED strip.

 Given the difference in these numbers, which one should I choose? The answer will depend on the number of LEDs that you would like to control. If you are comfortable with one, then WS2812B should be your top choice. However, if the granularity level is more than 1 LED, you should choose WS2811 which has 3 LEDs.

Power consumption WS2811 vs WS2812B

The two LED strips differ in their power consumption rates. WS2811 is designed to run on 12V power while WS2812B relies on 5V power. This explains why the WS2811 can control more than one LED lamp than the WS2812B. This is because the voltage drop across the strip will not be that significant. A significant drop in voltage on the strip will affect the light intensity that emanates from the LED lamps, especially the ones that are positioned at the far end away from the power source.

Since WS2812B operates at 5 volts, it can experience a voltage drop from 5 volts to 3 volts. This is quite significant for any lighting application. Such a voltage drop can cause a serious drop in light brightness on the LED lamps.

Beyond the energy consumption, the two LED strips also differ in how they handle their voltage sources. WS2811 is powered by a DC 12V. This is quite lower as compared to many other power voltage sources. This also makes it safe to handle. You will not have to worry about the possibility of any electrical mishaps and accidents when using the WS2811 LED strip.

Similarly, WS2812B is powered by a DC 5V that requires low input voltages. The fact that it has a single LED means that you can easily customize it to produce the output that you want.

 Integrated circuits: WS2811 vs WS2812B

Both WS2811 and WS2812B rely on integrated circuits to control the behavior of the LED strips. WS2811 chip has an external integrated circuit. This implies that the strip must have a constant source of power so that it can run continuously. Failure to connect power to the external chip will affect the normal operation of the LED strip. Additionally, the current source for the external IC chip is a standalone device. An LED driver can be used to provide this source of current.

WS2812B  on the other hand, comes with an inbuilt IC chip. This spares you the trouble of getting an external power source for the LED strip.

With this comparison, it means that you will have an easier time handling the WS2812B than the WS2811. 

LED colors : WS2811 vs WS2812B

When it comes to colors, both the WS2811 and WS2812B have Red, Green, and Blue colors (RGB) A combination of these three is known for producing multiple colors in any application. RGB is not only powerful but also energy-saving. It produces a wide array of colors without having any negative impact on the cost of energy. Also, in both WS2811 and WS2812B, the RGB colors are quite bright yet they don’t generate significant heat that can have damaging effects on the individual LED lamps. Keep in mind that any of these LED strips are prone to overheating, especially when poorly handled.

Pins: WS2811 vs WS2812B

There is a similarity in the structure and arrangement of these LED strips. Both have three pins: positive, negative, and data pins. The power pins are used for receiving power from the electric source while the data pins are connected to the microcontroller. 

Conclusion

Now that you know the differences between WS2811 and 2812B LED strips, which one should you choose? Well, the answer will depend on your needs and applications. From the guide, it is clear that WS2811 is an ideal option if you want to control relatively longer LED strips. This is possible because it comes with 3 LEDs. On the other hand, WS2812B is an ideal option for someone who prefers shorter LED strips. This is because it has one LED only. Furthermore, the fact that it has a voltage rating of 12V means that it does not need power injection to maintain a consistent brightness. It ends up using less electric energy than its WS2812 counterpart which has a voltage rating of 5V.

Regardless of the LED strips that you buy, you should always strive to choose the best supplier and distributor. This is where Rantle East Electronic comes in. We are a global distributor of quality LED strips. We source the strips from the best manufacturers around the world and it will be our pleasure to work with you.