In recent years, ws2812B and WS2815 LED strip lights are becoming more and more popular. However, many people do not know the difference between them. Today we mainly compare the technical specifications and functional characteristics of ws2812B and WS2815 addressable LED strips. Hope to help you find the best LED strip for your project.
WS2815 is a 12V, 6-pin IC, RGB LED color, 3 output channels, breakpoint continues, relatively expensive addressable LED strip.
WS2812B is a 5V, 4-pin IC, RGB LED color, 3 output channels, no breakpoint continues, relatively cheap addressable LED strip.
Video 1. WS2815 vs WS2812B RGB LED strips
Figure1, WS2812B LED vs WS2815 LED
If you want to know more about WS2815 VS WS2812B, please click the link of the PDF specification:
Quick Table: WS2815 vs WS2812B
| IC Type: | WS2815 | WS2812B |
|---|---|---|
| Pin: | 6-pin IC | 4-pin IC |
| IC Placement: | Built-in LED | Built-in LED |
| SMD LED Size: | 5050/3535 | 5050/3535/2020 |
| LED per meter: | 30/60/66/84/120/144 | 30/60/72/96/144/200 |
| Voltage: | DC12V | DC5V |
| LED Color: | Addressable RGB, White (3000K/6000K) | Addressable RGB |
| Signal: | Dual signal | Single signal |
| Break continues: | Yes | No |
| Individually Addressable: | Yes | Yes |
| Cut Segment: | 1-LED | 1-LED |
| Voltage Drop: | Low | High |
| Reset Time: | 280us | 280us |
| Frequency: | 2000Hz | 400Hz |
| PWM Resolution: | 8 bits (256 levels) | 8 bits (256 levels) |
| Data Rate: | 800Kbps | 800Kbps |
| Output channel | 3 | 3 |
| Wires: | Positive + Negative + Data line + Backup data line | Positive + Negative+ Data line |
| PCB: | Black/White | Black/White |
| Price: | Slightly more expensive | Cheap |
Table1, A table to quickly understand the difference between WS2812B and WS2815
Quickly Identify WS2815 vs WS2812B LED Strip
Figure2, A picture quickly separates WS2812B and WS2815 LED strip
Can you tell the difference between WS2815 and WS2812B strips? Both are built-in ICs. From Figure 2, you can intuitively see the difference between the two:
1. Voltage: WS2815 voltage is 12V, while WS2812B voltage is 5V.
2. Pin point: Three lines (Positive + Negative
+ Data line + Backup data line) working is WS2812B, and four lines (Positive + Negative+ Data line) working is WS2815.
WS2812B LED strip
The WS2812B is very famous and also known as “Neopixels” which is still frequently utilized in a variety of applications. The WS2812B is a versatile and powerful addressable LED light source that is compatible with a wide range of microcontrollers and development boards.
It can do 30LEDs/M, 60LEDs/M, 144LEDs/m.
One LED per pixel, each LED can be cut.
And because it appeared first in the market and its technology is mature, it is now cheaper than WS2815. The WS2812B has a lower refresh rate and voltage range than the WS2815 but still provides good color fidelity.
The WS2812B LED strip is controlled by a single wire and can be easily integrated into various projects. But WS2812B does not have the function of break continue. If one LED on the strip is damaged, the LEDs behind it will not receive a signal and will not work. This is different from WS2815.
WS2815 LED strip
WS2815 is a new chip that is compatible with the same protocol as WS2812B and is an upgraded version of WS2812B.
The main improvement of WS2815 is a higher internal PWM frequency (about 2kHz), which means it can provide better color accuracy.
The WS2815 voltage range is 12v, which allows for more power to be sent to each LED, making it brighter and more efficient. Plus, it’s capable of running longer distances. A 5m/16.4ft WS2815 LED strip, no matter whether it is in RGB color or warm white/daylight color, there is no voltage drop when one end is injected with electricity.
Our newly developed 24V WS2815 addressable LED strip has better performance in this aspect, you don’t have to worry about voltage drop at all.
Different from WS2812B, WS2815 has dual signal lines (DI, BI, GND, 12V), so it has the function of resume transmission. That is to say, if one light-emitting diode is accidentally damaged during LED work, other LEDs can still be lit.
But if two LEDs in a row are broken, the following LEDs will no longer work.
Figure 2, WS2815 vs WS2812 signal break continuous transmission: if one LED is defective, the following LEDs can still work.
♦ Get more products: addressable LED string lights
Application: Which to Choose WS2815 or WS2812B?
1. One of my commercial lighting projects requires long-distance use of LED light strips and requires a high refresh rate. Should I choose WS2812B or WS2815?
Answer: WS2815 LED strip is more suitable. It has a high refresh rate, higher voltage range, and longer distance applications.
2. Can WS2812B and WS2815 be used together?
Answer: 5V WS2812B light strips and 12V WS2815 light strips cannot be used together, otherwise it will cause damage to 5V light strips or the dim light of 12V light strips.
3. Can ws2815 and ws2812B LED strips use the same controller?
Answer: Yes, usually no problem. Here we recommend you choose K1000C and K8000C LED controllers.
If you’re using a simple pixel controller with a specific connector, double-check if it’s 3 or 4-pin. For the ws2812B light bar, please choose a 3-pin connector; for the ws2815 light bar, please choose a 4-pin connector.
4. I have an engineering controller that is far away from the addressable LED strips, and the number of strips is relatively large. I want to inject voltage every 100 LEDs. Choose a 5V or 12V LED strip.
Answer: 12V WS2815 is a better choice. But because the voltage is high, it needs to consume a lot of power. When buying a controller, please be careful, all components (including the controller) need to support 12V voltage.
Summarize
All in all, both WS2815 and WS2812B are good choices for LED strips. You should choose products according to your engineering characteristics and actual needs. If you are not sure which one to choose, please do not hesitate to contact our Suntech Lite engineers for a free consultation in time.
We can provide customized services for WS2815 and WS2812B LED strip products. Spot fast delivery products are as follows:
WS2815 Individually Addressable RGB LED Strip
| Item | Voltage | Power | Pixel Qty | LED Qty | Cutting Unit | Break Continue | PCB Width |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STB-TTL-4PIN-RGB-30-12 | DC12V | 4.3 W/M | 30 pixels/m | 30 LEDs/m | 33.33 mm | Yes | 10 mm |
| STB-TTL-4PIN-RGB-60-12V | DC12V | 8.6W/M | 60 pixels/m | 60 LEDs/m | 16.67mm | Yes | 10mm |
| STB-TTL-4PIN-RGB-60-12 | DC12V | 8.6 W/m | 60 Pixels/m | 60 LEDs/m | 16.67 mm | Yes | 10 mm |
| STB-TTL-3PIN-RGB-60-12V | DC12V | 8.6W/M | 60 pixels/m | 60 LEDs/m | 16.67mm | Yes | 5mm |
| STB-TTL-3PIN-W-60-12V | DC12V | 8.6 W/M | 60 pixels/m | 60 LEDs/m | 16.67 mm | Yes | 5mm |
| STB-TTL-4PIN-RGB-66-12/24V | DC12V/24V | 13.2 W/M | 66 pixels/m | 66 LEDs/m | 15.15mm | Yes | 10mm |
| STB-TTL-4PIN-W-66-12/24V | DC12V/24V | 13.2 W/M | 66 pixels/m | 66 LEDs/m | 15.15mm | Yes | 10mm |
| STS-TTL-3PIN-RGB-84-12V | DC12V | 12W/M | 84 pixels/m | 84 LEDs/m | 35.7mm | Yes | 6mm |
| STS-TTL-3PIN-W-84-12V | DC12V | 12W/M | 84 pixels/m | 84 LEDs/m | 35.7mm | Yes | 6mm |
| ST-WS2815-4PIN-RGB-120-12 | DC12V | 24 W/m | 120 pixels/m | 120 LEDs/m | 8.3 mm | Yes | 5 mm |
| STB-TTL-3PIN-RGB-120-12V | DC12V | 17.2W/M | 120 pixels/m | 120 LEDs/m | 16.67mm | Yes | 5mm |
| STB-TTL-3PIN-W-120-12V | DC12V | 17.2W/M | 120 pixels/m | 120 LEDs/m | 8.3mm | Yes | 5mm |
| STB-TTL-4PIN-RGB-120-12 | DC12V | 17.3 W/M | 120 Pixels/m | 120 LEDs/m | 16.67 mm | Yes | 10 mm |
| STB-TTL-4PIN-RGB-144-12V | DC12V | 20.6W/M | 144 pixels/m | 144 LEDs/m | 6.9mm | Yes | 12mm |
| STB-TTL-4PIN-RGB-144-12V | DC12V | 20.6 W/M | 144 pixels/m | 144 LEDs/m | 13.89mm | Yes | 8mm |
WS2812B Individually Addressable RGB LED Strip
| Item | Voltage | Power | Pixel Qty | LED Qty | Cutting Unit | Break Continue | PCB Width |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STB-TTL-3PIN-RGB-200-5V-3.5mm | DC5V | 40W/M | 200 pixels/m | 200 LEDs/m | 25mm | No | 3.5mm |
| STS-TTL-3PIN-RGB-60-5V-6mm | DC5V | 12W/M | 60 pixels/m | 60 LEDs/m | 50mm | No | 6mm |
| STB-TTL–3PIN-RGB-60-5V-10mm | DC5V | 12W/M | 60 pixels/m | 60 LEDs/m | 16.67mm | No | 10mm |
| STB-TTL–3PIN-RGB-144-5V-12mm | DC5V | 28.8W/M | 144 pixels/m | 144 LEDs/m | 6.9mm | No | 12mm |
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