The choice between HID lights vs LED lights can pose a dilemma for car owners. If you’re in two minds and waste a lot of time thinking about which one is better, this article is your savior.
Outstanding characteristics of HID light bulbs vs LED light bulbs include:
A more detailed led vs hid comparison chart is below:
| Comparison | HID lights | LED lights | Winner |
| Correlated Color temperature | Depending on materials in the bulbs | Come in wide range from 2200K to 6000K color temperature | LED |
| CRI | Varied by HID type | Broad range available (65-95) | LED |
| Cycling (turning on and off) | Require warm-up period and may flicker | Response immediately without warm-up time or flicker | LED |
| Dimming | Can be dimmed but may affect light quality | Easily dimming without changing light characteristics | LED |
| Directionality | Omnidirectional (360 degrees) | Directional (180 degrees) | LED |
| Efficiency | Lower system efficiency | Higher system efficiency | LED |
| Efficiency Droop | Efficiency drops as bulbs ages and more current is required | Efficiency drops as current increases | |
| Emission (in visual spectrum) | Relevant amounts of IR and UV radiation | Narrow spectrum of visible light without IR or UV | LED |
| Ultraviolet & Infrared | Emit considerable amounts of IR and UV radiation | No IR and UV emission | LED |
| Failure Characteristic | Cycling phenomenon before completely failure | Gradually dimming overtime | LED |
| Foot Candles | System efficiency commonly > 50 lumens/watt | System efficiency commonly < 30 lumens/watt | LED |
| Heat emission | Emit considerable heat | Minimal forward heat emission | LED |
| Lifespan | Typically from 6,000 to 24,000 hours | Typically from 20,000 to 50,000 hours | LED |
| Maintenance cost | Require relamping and ballast replacement regularly | Virtually cost 0 penny | LED |
| Upfront cost | Relatively inexpensive upfront cost | Higher initial cost | LED |
| Shock resistance | Relatively fragile bulbs need gentle handling and disposal | Solid-state lights resistant to physical sock | LED |
| Size | Typically larger bulbs | Have extremely small size as possible | LED |
| Warranty | Typically 90 days, 06 months, or 12 months | Often 12 to 24 months | LED |
HID lights stand for high-intensity discharge lights indicating a principal term for a gas-discharge light. This is the oldest electricity technology.
Features
Three main common HID light types are low and high-pressure sodium, metal halide, and mercury vapor. These lights produce illumination by harnessing the power of electrical arcs that pass between two tungsten electrical conductors (electrodes), traveling through ionized gas (also known as “plasma”) contained inside the bulb.
HID lighting outputs are often brighter than standard headlights. Therefore, HIDs are ideal lighting options for areas that require powerful, large efficient illumination such as sports stadiums, gymnasiums, road lighting, parking lots, automotive lighting, and indoor gardening.
Pros and cons
Understanding more about HID lights through an overview of their advantages and disadvantages:
| Pros | Cons |
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LED lights stand for Light Emitting Diode lights, one of the most popular lighting options these days due to remarkable advantages.
Features
LEDs are made from semiconductive materials like silicon or selenium. They emit light themselves when current passes through the semiconductor material, allowing electricity to flow in one direction within two electrodes (anode and cathode).
LEDs are safe, energy-efficient, durable and have low maintenance costs. That’s why they are wonderful lighting solutions for various applications such as indoor and outdoor lighting, traffic lights, lighted signs, gymnasiums, warehouses, large public areas, road lighting, and parking lots. They are also used for cars as headlights.
Pros and cons
The remarkable distinction of LED lights from other counterparts is their outstanding strong points, accompanying just some small weak points.
| Pros | Cons |
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To empower judgment about HID light vs LED lights which is better, let’s delve into a detailed analysis of 19 outstanding characteristics of them.
Winner: LED lights
When it comes to correlated color temperature comparison between HID lights and LED lights, LEDs dominate.
HID color temperature depends on the composition of materials housed in the bulbs that are used to generate the light, including high-pressure sodium, metal halide, and mercury vapor. Each composition generates specific color temperatures.
LEDs, on the other hand, come in a wide range from 2200K to 6000K color temperatures (ranging from yellow to light blue).
Winner: LED lights
Regarding CRI, the HIDs range starts at extremely low in the case of low and high-pressure sodium lights (0 - 25), rises to a moderate level of 60 in the case of metal halide lights and some reach higher as the mid-90s.
Comparably, despite the high dependence on the particular light in question, LEDs have a wide spectrum of CRI, generally ranging from 65 - 95.
Winner: LED lights
HID lights require a period that ranges from half a second (car lights) to several minutes (stadium lighting) to warm up. Moreover, they can perform unsteadily such as flickering or cycling on and off after a long useful time.
By contrast, LEDs respond rather instantaneously and are an ideal option for turning on and off on and off constantly and frequently on purpose because they need no warm-up or cool-down period. They also maintain steady performance without flicker.
Winner: LED lights
HID can be dimming but a bit complicated due to the manual process. By using electric or magnetic ballast to control the voltage, it can alter the light characteristics. But, you have to accept the high possibility that the HID lights may prematurely expire.
Conversely, LEDs can be installed with a dimmer to easily control the forward current or modulate the pulse duration smoothly.
Winner: LED lights
While HIDs can emit omnidirectional (360-degree) illumination, LED counterparts emit directional (180-degree) illumination. The way HIDs produce the light makes it much more costly due to efficiency losses for redirecting and reflecting at least half of the emitted light to the desired illuminated area. Moreover, to accommodate this omnidirectional output, HIDs require additional accessory components such as a ballast, driving up costs.
Winner: LED lights
Due to power conversion losses, trapped light, non-standard operating temperatures, and protective covers, HID lights’ system source efficiency is typically limited to around 25%. Another HID variant that has impressive source efficiency is the High-Pressure Sodium lights, which range from 100 - 190 lumens/watt.
On the contrary, LEDs are famous for their significant energy efficiency in comparison with other lighting solutions on the market. While varied from 75 to 130 lumens/watt, most LED system efficiency values fall above 50 lumens/watt. Compared to HID lights, LED system source efficiency is up to closer 50%. As a whole, LEDs are more energy efficient than HIDs.
Winner: LED lights
Both HID lights vs LED lights experience efficiency droop as current increases and the device ages. HID lights experience efficiency losses as additional current as LEDs. Besides, the device's age has some effect on efficiency performance. Furthermore, efficiency losses of HID lights are greater and the degradation time is faster.
However, LED efficiency drops as current increases and LEDs’ efficiency droop is relatively lower than HID counterparts.
Winner: LED lights
In terms of emissions, HID lights produce a significant amount of IR and UV radiation. LEDs, on the other hand, release a very narrow spectrum of visible light without producing any irrelevant radiation types (IR or UV) associated with conventional lighting.
Winner: LED lights
HID lights emit considerable amounts of IR and UV radiation so they require special filters to prevent fading of dyed surfaces exposed to HID illumination, serious damage to light fixtures, and even serious harm to human beings and animals. Additionally, about 30% of the emissions from HID lights fall within the infrared spectrum, making them entirely ineffective for standard lighting purposes.
By contrast, LEDs don’t emit IR and UV radiation, enhancing their efficiency and reducing heat output.
Winner: LED lights
HIDs show an end-of-life phenomenon as they cycle when the lights go on and off by themselves spontaneously and then eventually fail. LEDs show failure by dimming gradually over time.
Winner: LED lights
Foot candle measures the amount of light reaching a specified surface area compared to the total amount of illumination source (luminous flux).
Regarding omnidirectional (360-degree) light output, HIDs lose energy to redirect lighting to a desired area. Consequently, HID system efficiency is < 30 lumens/watt.
LEDs are very outstanding energy efficient because they can direct lighting to the target area. Typically, LEDs’ source efficiency ranges between 75 and 130 lumens/watt, and most LEDs’ system efficiency falls above 50 lumens/watt.
Winner: LED lights
HID lights emit copious amounts of heat accompanied by radiant warmth, resulting in heat losses and representing energy inefficiencies. LED lights, by contrast, can wisely avoid the production of futile heat or enigmatic electromagnetic radiation by minimizing forward heat emission and illuminating across a narrow segment of the visible light spectrum.
Winner: LED lights
Relative to some bulbs, HID lights have a good lifespan that ranges from 6,000 hours to 24,000 hours before a bulb requires replacement. Additionally, to prevent serious degradation effects like color changes or cycling, sometimes HID lights need to be changed out before the end of their useful life.
In stark contrast, LEDs have an extremely long longevity. LED longevity typically ranges from 20,000 to 50,000 hours.
Winner: LED lights
If you’re looking for a short-term solution for your budget, choose HID lights. But, LEDs are much better for the long-term.
LED bulbs are significantly durable and have virtually zero maintenance costs as they compensate for their higher upfront cost.
Winner: LED lights
HID bulbs contain hazardous materials like mercury inside but are relatively fragile. Users must be careful and handle gently and dispose of things specially. Unlike HIDs’ delicate, LEDs are solid-state lights resistant to physical shock and difficult to damage.
Winner: LED lights
The lamp size depends on the wattage and intended light required for a given application. While HID bulbs can be small but typically aren’t produced below roughly a centimeter in width, LEDs can be extremely small (less than 2mm in some cases). Both HID and LED lights can be varied to a much larger size.
Winner: LED lights
Both HID vs LEDs can tolerate cold temperatures up to Minus 40 Degrees Celsius, but LEDs impress by turning on instantaneously. This is beneficial for users living in cold areas, ensuring that the lights always maintain good performance without being affected by cold temperatures.
Winner: LED lights
Depending on the specific lighting type, the warm-up time of each HID light is varied. HID lights in automobiles take roughly half a second to power up while HID lights for sporting stadiums might take several minutes to reach maximum brightness.
Conversely, LEDs virtually take no warm-up time. They reach maximum brightness nearly instantaneously.
Winner: LED lights
HID lights warranty is typically 90 days, 06 months, or 12 months from the day of first installation depending on individual manufacturers. LED warranties commonly last longer, from 12 to 24 months.
After discovering HID vs LED headlights’ pros and cons, and differences, guess that you have already empowered your thoughts about HID lights vs LED lights on projector headlights which is better. If not, the overview below will help you summarize the key differences:
| HID lights | LED lights |
You should choose HID lights if you find that you need:
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You should choose LED lights if you prefer:
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Want to dive deeper into the world of lighting technology? Check out these related articles to learn more about the pros and cons of different light bulb types:
Overall, the most suitable lighting solution is the one that meets your needs: budget, lighting needs as well as preference. If you prioritize maximum illumination, choose HIDs. But, if your top priority is stylish and futuristic technology, consider LED headlamps to enjoy flexibility.
No one but you can make a comment about HID vs LED which is better for your lighting needs. HIDs are a smarter decision to upgrade your headlights at a lower price point at first. LEDs, on the other hand, can improve longevity and reduce cost over time.
Although both HID and LED lights create a safe field of vision while driving at night, HID lights are a bit better due to their significant bright output.
The illumination from LEDs is not as intense as HIDs but suitable for many applications, not only car headlights. Combined with many factors such as energy efficiency, maintenance cost, and durability, LED may win this battle if your top priority is not maximum illumination.
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