Review Of The Best LED Headlights
LED headlights can significantly change the look of your car, not to mention improve visibility. There are thousands of options out there for LED headlights and choosing the right setup is crucial to getting a good experience out of your lighting upgrade. If you get LED headlights that aren’t compatible with your car, they don’t do you any good. It’s important to do research on which LED headlights work specifically for your vehicle.
Here we show a complete overview of products that can make your car or truck more stylish and efficient. All the products have at least good parameters if they meet your car’s requirements, but you can choose from your own criteria to get the best LED headlights directly for your car.
PROS
- High power LED lights with awesome visibility
- Great cost-efficiency
- Impressive durability and performance
- Easy installation process without additional drivers
CONS
- It might not work for some cars that doesn’t have projector lens
- For about 1% of car models it may require installation decoder
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
When it comes to sets of headlights owned by car owners, this top quality, high power, superior Cougar Motor Led Headlight is the best choice to go for. It is up to four times stronger and brighter than the stock halogen headlight model. With its Top-tier LED chips, the LED headlight is provided with a bright laser aligned, perfectly adjustable beam pattern, with no foggy lights or uneven beams. It has a cool white 6,500K color temperature and high Lumen bulbs of up to 10,000 LM per bulb (20K LM / pair). It comes with a swift high speed cougar heat dissipation system.
It is durable and can be installed easily. Once it is installed, it has a high performance and fully upgraded bulbs that are CanBus-Ready. It works perfectly with computer systems of most vehicles without any error. Some of its special features include, its powerful 10,000 RPM, dual-ball turbo air cooling fan to prevent overheating, its long lasting light of up to 50,000 hours, plug and play connector, fully sealed waterproof design corresponding to IP67 rate, great beam angle and glare control.
PROS
- A 6x better visibility vs. halogen lamps
- Able to increase safety ensuring top level of visibility
- A great lifespan of 60,000 hours
- Hassle-free advanced CSP LED chips compatible with 99% of vehicles
CONS
- Installation decoder is required for about 1% of the vehicle models
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
Fitted with the advanced 7035 Top-Automotive LED chips, this powerful combo delivers an outstanding 150W and 48,000 lumens of light output per 1 set of bulbs. This ensures signs, reflectors, and lane markings are brilliantly illuminated, even in remote or mountainous areas, guaranteeing a safer driving experience. With its distinctive 6500K natural daylight white hue, the light not only brightens up the road ahead but also ensures drivers don’t suffer from visual fatigue during night drives. A testament to its efficiency, users have praised its ability to transform roads from night to day, with the added benefit of a considerably wider and clearer vision than conventional bulbs offer.
What sets the SEALIGHT X2 bulbs apart, however, is their longevity and hassle-free installation. A sophisticated heat dissipation system, featuring an intelligent temperature control chip paired with a 20,000RPM silent turbofan, ensures the bulbs perform optimally for up to a decade. Their compact 1:1 design ratio aligns seamlessly with original factory assemblies, making installations swift and typically tool-free in under five minutes. On top of this, their universal compatibility, thanks to the in-built intelligent CSP LED chips, means they cater to 99% of vehicle systems, further proving their versatility and value for users.
PROS
- Produces a bright beam pattern
- Prevents overheating, which helps to unsure 50,000 hours lifespan
- No hassles in installation with its plug and play design
- It has a durable and waterproof design
CONS
- Offers not the best light-productivity on the market
- Very rarely, a separate decoder might be needed to prevent the light from flickering
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
This BEAMTECH LED Headlight bulb is very cost-effective and a great investment for you. It is perfect for safety driving both during the day and at night. It is the newest double sided Korean CSP LED Chips that produces 12,000 lumen output and its Xenon white light is higher than the standard halogen lamp. It has a lifespan of 50,000 hours and a great light beam pattern that does not affect your eyes or other oncoming drivers. Its lamp cooling system prolongs the life of the lamps so, you can enjoy its extended service life.
There is no high voltage, electromagnetic radiation, large current startup and no circuit interference. Its plug and play design makes installation easier. You also don’t have to be anxious driving down a dark road as this LED headlight bulb ensures your safety. It is a high quality light that will increase your visibility on the road regardless of the weather condition.
PROS
- Powerful beam pattern with 4x better visibility vs. halogen lamps
- Perfect for safety from road hazards
- Very cost-effective and has a great lifespan
- Anti-flicker CSP LED chips, compatible with 99% of vehicles
CONS
- It doesn’t have the highest lumen output and is not the brightest light
- Installation decoder is required for about 1% of the vehicle models
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
If you need a car headlight that is of high value and will give you the best illumination on the road then, SEALIGHT S1-series LED Headlight bulb is the right choice for you. This cool-looking white headlight is four times brighter than the dim yellow standard halogen bulbs. You won’t have to worry about being able to see and be seen in the nighttime, in the rain or fog. It comes with an optimized beam pattern that ensures your safety from traffic and road hazards. It focuses its light without much glare or blinding oncoming drivers.
Thanks to its non-integrated driver design, it achieves peak performance and has an extended lifespan of over 50,000 hours. Its daylight optics provides increased visibility and is suitable for all weather conditions. You will enjoy its turbo cool fan designed with aluminum sink for advanced heat dissipation. It is non-polarity and enables easy plug and play installation. It gives your car that modern look and is great for everyday driving.
PROS
- High performance set with outcome of up to 34000LM
- High-quality LED chips that lasts for up to 50,000 hours
- Perfectly fitted with a clear focused adjustable beam technology
- Durable and is resistant to shocks
CONS
- Equipped with additional small driver box
- Can't be used in low-voltage high/low beam 6V DRL applications
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
If you are looking for a headlight that gives a crystal clear bright white light on a hazy and dark night then, SNGL LED Headlight is a great choice. These bulbs achieve a high level of brightness on the road of up to 34,000 lumen. Compared to the stock halogen bulbs, it is up to fantastic 850% more efficient and achieves a full 6,000K daylight bright white, better focused light pattern, that can last up to 50,000 hours. It is optimized and provides an extra boost for projector headlights reflector systems. It illuminates the road to enable you see obstacles or road hazards clearly. It is rain resistant and works even in extreme weather conditions.
These SNGL bulbs are CanBus-ready and can be easily installed without any difficulty. Its dazzling light does not affect other road drivers or road users. Its efficient cooling system is a combination of its dual ball cooling fan and its exclusive LED Headlight driver and LED Chips for longer lifespan. The unique 75W LED drivers come equipped with strong software protection against overheating and fan malfunction. The fan’s durability is showcased as it functions seamlessly even under the harshest conditions. With such reliability, there’s minimal need for regular replacements.
PROS
- CanBus ready and compatible with 98% vehicles
- Efficient cooling system
- It has a super bright beam pattern that doesn’t blind oncoming traffic
- Easy to install
CONS
- May require additional decoder to work properly in rare instances
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
This all-in-one Fahren Headlight Conversion Kit is six times brighter than the halogen headlight. Its super focused 6,500k cool white light design enables you to see wider and farther distances on the road. Asides from its super bright LED headlight, it comes with a 360˚ adjustable locker ring that ensures the best beam pattern. It is CanBus Ready and works great with 98% of vehicles without any error problems with the computer systems. There are no dark or foggy spots with this headlight. It produces no glare and it doesn’t blind oncoming drivers.
Beyond their brilliance, they promise longevity. It features a super cooling aviation aluminum body, a hollow-carved heat sink and a 12,000 RPM turbo fan that ensures a longer lifespan of up to 50,000 hours. It comes with an upgraded cooling driver and a built-in Smart IC that provides the best headlight temperature protection and performance. It is full waterproof and is completely easy to install. Regardless of where you are, this brand new Fahren Led Headlight will light your way home and you would elevate your nighttime driving experience.
PROS
- Incredibly high light output of 20,000 LM / bulb with great visibility
- Cost effective and offers great value
- Uses modern LED technology and has a 360˚ adjustable beam pattern
- Achieves a 6000k brightness that illuminates even the non-lit roads
- 99.9% compatibility with various cars
CONS
- It’s not always compatible with projector headlight
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
Take your ride to the next level with this new designed Japanese Hikari LED Core-12 Headlight bulb. It offers a flawless 360˚ adjustable high quality light beam that gives a maximum light output of 20,000LM thanks to 12 advanced LED chips. It is compatible with 99% vehicles. If you want to replace your Halogen or HID with LED, Hikari LED Headlight is an awesome choice. It is two times brighter than standard halogen bulb. It is oncoming traffic friendly and doesn’t produce much glare. It is not only fully-waterproof corresponding to IP68 rate; it also has a superior cooling system which ensures a 50,000 hours long service life.
In addition to its 6000K pure white quality LED Chips and modern drive, it also comes with cooling turbo mini fan which is compatible with most OEM headlight cover. Its plug and play design makes installation easier. It is one of the best innovative technology design and LED illumination headlight. It is the strongest and most reliable bulb in the market that offers great value.
PROS
- Very easy to install
- Durable and has a long lifespan
- Produces ultra-bright light and gives great illumination on the road
- Works great even in extreme weather conditions
- Very affordable and offers great value for money
CONS
- Not CanBus ready
- 30,000 hours lifespan is less than you normally could find among the others
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
This Aukee H7 LED Headlight bulb is known for its great value for money and good for usage as fog lamps. It is a very affordable conversion kit that produces ultra-bright light with 5,000 lumen output per bulb. It’s designed for safe driving especially at night. It is a direct replacement for the halogen lamp. It comes with a removable aluminum adapter, which you can easily mount before inserting the bulb. You can rotate the LED Chips to achieve a perfect beam pattern. Although the LED Headlight bulbs are not CanBus ready, it comes with a compact bulb design that makes the installation process easy.
The radio interference is reduced due to its built-in EMC system. It is a perfect headlight upgrade that has a clear focused light and glare control. The generated heat is dissipated with its high speed cooling fan that cools down the LED Chips, which makes the bulb work continuously and have a longer lifespan of up to 30,000 hours.
PROS
- 12,000 lumen/bulb output and a 360˚ clear beam
- Soft-white light perfectly illuminates the road
- Efficient in-built turbo fan for heat dissipation
- Excellent water resistance
- Easy to install plug-and-play design
CONS
- It does not work on all vehicles
- The fan might produce loud noise
- Not fit a low-voltage 6V DRL/Daytime running light
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
To have an enjoyable driving experience, you can purchase this Auxbeam LED Headlight Conversion Kit. Its Xenon white light has a 360˚ beam with no blind zone that gives you a better and clear view sight especially at night. It produces fantastic 12,000 lumen output and has no delay in starting up. This LED Headlight is durable and comes with an aluminum sink heat dissipation system, a high speed mute turbo fan for a faster cooling effect that keeps the temperature working appropriately and a lifespan of up to 55,000 hours.
It is dustproof, snow and water proof corresponding IP68 rate so, you don’t have to worry about the weather condition. It has its plug and play design and it does not require further modification. You can simply fit and install your LED headlight. It also has glare control and does not dazzle oncoming traffic with to its soft white light. It does not give any discomfort so; you can freely drive on the road.
PROS
- Low power consumption technology
- Super easy to install
- Efficient cooling system on-board
- LED bulb is durable and offers great value for money
- It has no dark spots, shadow areas and no glare to oncoming drivers
CONS
- Not bright enough for some car owners
- You might need additional decoder during installation
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
This Car Rover H7 Headlight is an incredibly bright 6,000 Xenon white light with a low beam pattern, that is four times brighter than the stock halogen bulb. It uses the newest Korean CSP LED Chips that produces up to 8,000 lumen output per bulb. It has no glare and does not dazzle oncoming drivers. It is perfectly designed for 95% vehicles. Its plug and play design helps in easy installation. You can mount it in the projector or reflector headlight since it has a removable adapter. The LED aluminum adapter can easily be rotated to adjust the beam pattern.
Although, it comes with a built-in cooling fan that is made of aviation lamp body for heat dissipation, better performance and protection. The fan works great even in extreme conditions. It is durable and rain proof. It has a wider exposure, ensures maximum illumination a gives you a clear road view while on those road trips.
PROS
- Provides a super bright light with great visibility
- Great performance even under harsh weather conditions
- Superior cooling system
- Keep safety on the road and does not blind oncoming drivers
- Plug-and-play design for easy installation
CONS
- Might require additional decoder to prevent hyper flashing
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
Famous for its high luminous efficacy of up to 6,000 lumens per pair, this LED Headlight is highly recommended, is two times brighter and is a great replacement for the halogen bulb. It provides a better visibility of up to 150 meters, ensuring you have a safe ride. It does not blind oncoming traffic and it works great with most vehicle computer systems without any error. It features a thermo-electric separation copper band, CREE CSP LED Chip, 360˚ adjustable collar and removable adapter.
It is IP65 waterproof, has an excellent performance and can work even under harsh weather conditions. It comes with an aviation aluminum super cooling system and a powerful turbo cool open mute fan, that ensures an optimal heat dissipation, extending its operating power up to 3,000 hours. It is easy to install as it is made to fit your car’s original factory plug so, you are good to go on those rides.
Benefits Of Using LED Headlights
LED headlights offer many benefits over standard halogen bulbs or even more advanced HID headlights. One of the biggest advantages of LED is its very low power consumption. That means they won’t be a strain on your battery and even if you accidentally leave them on while you’re not driving, it gives you a better chance of the battery still having some life in it. LEDs also turn on at full brightness instantly and don’t need any time at all to “warm up”. That means you’re getting the best possible lighting as soon as you turn them on without needing to wait for the light to improve.
If you compare lumens which measure a light’s brightness, LED headlights are significantly brighter than halogen light bulbs. A brighter, more intense light means you can see more clearly and have greater visibility while driving at night.
LED headlights also last much longer than typical halogen lights. A halogen headlight has a lifespan of around 6,000 hours while the best LED headlights can last up to 50,000 hours. LEDs last so much longer than halogens that they can actually save you money in the long run since they can go so long between replacements. Another big plus of LED headlights is that they just look cool with the white light they emit rather than the yellowish light of halogen bulbs.
What to Consider When Choosing the Best LED Headlights
LED headlights come in many shapes and sizes. LED chips are organized in different ways on different bulbs which can greatly influence the beam pattern they create. If you’re looking for high-quality LED lighting for your car, truck, or SUV, it’s a good idea to find a thin LED bulb replacement with a shape and size that mimics the standard bulb you’re replacing. The closer in shape and size the LED chip array is to the filament in your stock halogen bulb, the better.
NOTE: The biggest thing to consider is whether a LED bulb will fit properly in your headlight housing
You want the beam pattern to stay about the same as your stock headlights since if it’s too high or too broad of a beam, it can blind other drivers. A nice, narrow beam gives you a nice distance for visibility while also being safe for other drivers. The right LED bulb design can achieve that while improving the quality of the light along with a host of other benefits. We also recommends to look on the HID Conversion Kits as a real and good alternative of LEDs in general.
Most Important LED Headlights Features and Specs
We’ve already talked a bit about the importance of having the right shape and size for your LED chip array and how you want it to mimic the shape and size of the filament in your stock halogen headlight bulbs. Another very important feature in LED headlights is the head sink.
The heat sink. It is the part of the bulb that prevents your LED chip from overheating. While it’s true that LED lights generally create less heat than traditional halogen bulbs, LED headlights are very bright and still create heat that is significant enough that it needs to be dispersed to prevent overheating and damage.
There are two basic types of heat sinks on LED headlights; passive and active. A passive heat sink has no moving parts and uses a series of fins that are usually stationary, but sometimes flexible. These fins are intended to dissipate the heat created by the LED. An active heat sink uses a fan to actively pull heat away from the LED, kind of like a computer fan. Obviously, an active heat sink is more effective than a passive heat sink. Because of this, the brightest LED headlights use an active heat sink with a fan in order to maximize airflow and minimize the risk of overheating. LED headlights with a passive heat sink are typically not as bright as alternatives with an active heat sink.
Brightness. Perhaps the most important spec of LED headlights or any headlight at all is the brightness. Brightness is measured in lumens, which tells us the intensity of the light that is emitted by a given product. There are generally three different categories of light intensity;
- low intensity (around 6,000 lumens);
- medium intensity (around 8,000 lumens);
- high intensity (around 10,000 lumens and more).
LED headlights run the gamut of brightness with the best products ranging from low to high intensity. However, even LEDs that are considered low intensity are still much brighter than the typical halogen headlight which only produces around 700 lumens for a low beam and around 1,200 lumens for a high beam.
Color temperature. Another important spec of LED headlights is the color they create. The Kelvin color temperature scale is what is used to measure a white LED headlight’s color. The lower the color temperature (3,000K-4,000K) the warmer and more orange the light is going to look, which is good to have in snowy or foggy road conditions. If you’re considering using LED lights for your fog lamps, you will want a lower color temperature. The higher the color temperature (5,000K-8,000K) the more clear and white the color of the light will be up to around 8,000K. When it gets higher than that, the light starts to look more blue than white. High color temperature is good for regular use on a clear night making it good for most drivers. Most of the most popular LED headlights are around the 6,000K mark.
Types of LED Headlights
Aside from variations in specs and features, there are two basic types of LED headlights; single-beam and dual-beam. A single-beam headlight does what it sounds like; it only creates one beam. Since all automobiles have low beams and high beams, you either need two single beam bulbs to serve both functions or you need a dual-beam headlight. A dual-beam bulb is capable of switching between low beams and high beams. Which one you need depends on how your headlights are arranged in your vehicle.
FAQs:
Which LEDs fit my car?
It really depends on your car. We can’t give one sweeping recommendation on this since headlight connections and arrangements vary so much between vehicles. It’s best to do some research on the headlights of your specific vehicle and to make sure the LED headlights you buy will work for you before you buy them.
Are LED headlights worth it?
Yes, LED headlights are worth the investment. They cost more than simply swapping out your halogen bulbs and it might take some extra modification to make them fit in your headlight housing, but it’s worth it because they are brighter, more efficient, and longer-lasting than halogen bulbs. In fact, LEDs can save you money in the long run compared to halogens because of how rarely LED headlights require replacement.
Are LED headlight bulbs legal?
Yes, LED headlight bulbs are legal in all 50 states in the U.S. However, every state has their own rules about headlights. If LED headlights are installed properly, they are perfectly legal. But since LEDs require less power than halogen bulbs, they can be much brighter without drawing much energy. If your LED headlights are too bright, they could create a safety hazard and violate a regulation in your state.
Authorities also really don’t like it when the color of your headlights deviates from the typical white light of regular headlights. If it’s too blue or too orange, you could be breaking the law. Make sure you’re buying a trustworthy product and installing it properly to keep your LED headlights legal and safe.
What headlight bulbs are illegal?
LED headlights that have too high or too low of color temperature can violate state law. This is why it’s important to keep your headlights in a reasonable range of color temperatures. Most of the best LED headlights have a color temperature that is right around the 6,000K mark which provides a crisp, white light that does not change the appearance of people or things in the road. Just avoid LED headlights that create any color other than white.
Why won’t LED bulbs work in my car?
LED bulbs might not work in your car if the stock headlight reflectors of your car are designed for a specific type of bulb. If you swap out your halogen bulbs for LED bulbs without making any other modifications, the reflector could create a light band that is too narrow or too wide. This doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t use LED headlights in your car, but you might need to consider getting a whole new headlight housing in order to create a beam that is safe and legal.
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