COB vs SMD LED Display Technology

What Are COB and SMD LEDs?

LED displays use two dominant packaging technologies:

 

• • SMD (Surface-Mounted Device): Individual LEDs mounted on PCB boards

• • COB (Chip-on-Board): Multiple LED chips bonded directly to substrates

Industry Insight: SMD controls 68% of commercial displays, while COB grows at 29% CAGR (Source: MarketsandMarkets 2023).

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Technology Breakdown

1. SMD LED Characteristics

 Alt text: “SMD LED module with separate RGB diodes”

 

• • Construction:
    

     

    • • 3-in-1 RGB discrete package
    • • PCB with solder pads

• • Key Features:
    

     

    • • Pixel pitch: 0.9mm-10mm
    • • Brightness: 800-6,000 nits
    • • Typical lifespan: 50,000 hours

2. COB LED Advantages

 COB microchip bonding  Alt text: “COB LED chip-level packaging process”

 

• • Innovative Design:
    

     

    • • Direct die attachment
    • • Epoxy resin encapsulation

• • Performance Edge:
    

     

    • • Pixel pitch: 0.4mm-2.5mm
    • • Brightness: 1,200-8,000 nits
    • • Lifespan: 100,000+ hours

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Head-to-Head Comparison

Factor	SMD LED	COB LED
Pixel Density	Up to P1.2	Down to P0.4
Viewing Angle	140-160°	170-178°
Durability	IP32 rating	IP54 rating
Power Consumption	0.25W/pixel	0.18W/pixel
Maintenance Cost	0.15−0.15−0.30 per diode	Module replacement

Pro Tip: COB reduces dead pixels by 92% compared to SMD (NEC Display Solutions test data).

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Best Use Cases

When to Choose SMD:

✅ Outdoor billboards
✅ Large-format video walls
✅ Budget-conscious projects
Example: Times Square LED billboard project

When COB Excels:

✅ Broadcast studios
✅ Command centers
✅ High-traffic retail displays
Case Study: BBC Studio upgrade with COB

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FAQ Section

Q: Which has better heat dissipation?
A: COB’s direct bonding reduces thermal resistance by 40% vs SMD.

Q: Can SMD and COB be mixed?
A: Not recommended – different driving voltages and pixel structures.

Q: How to calculate ROI?
A: Use our LED Technology Calculator (interactive tool).