COB or SMD: which LED technology fits your project

Two ways to package an LED

SMD (surface-mounted device) places each red-green-blue pixel in its own small package soldered onto the board. COB (chip on board) bonds the bare LED chips directly to the board and seals the whole surface under a continuous resin layer.

Durability

Because the COB surface is sealed, it resists impacts, dust and humidity, and individual pixels cannot be knocked off during cleaning or installation. SMD modules are more exposed; GOB (glue on board) adds a protective coat to SMD as a middle ground.

Image quality

COB has a deeper black, higher contrast and a smoother surface light, which suits viewing distances under 10 ft. Fine-pitch SMD offers excellent colour uniformity and very high brightness, and remains the reference for rental and outdoor work.

Cost and service

Below 1.5 mm, COB is usually the more economical way to reach a reliable fine pitch. Above 2 mm, SMD is more cost-effective. In both cases modules are front-serviceable on most of our indoor series, so one module can be swapped in minutes.

How to choose

Choose COB for boardrooms, control rooms, home cinemas and any surface people can touch. Choose SMD or GOB for stages, large venues and outdoor screens where brightness and price per square foot matter most.