2835 LED Buyer’s Guide 2025: Everything U.S. Wholesale Distributors Must Know

Buying LEDs wholesale can feel like navigating a minefield. One wrong choice—wrong package, wrong supplier, or wrong specs—and your entire order could underperform, causing costly reworks and unhappy customers.

American distributors often order based on price alone, only to discover that the LEDs don’t pass LM-80 testing, burn out too quickly, or fail to deliver brightness claims. That means returns, wasted inventory, and lost profit.

This guide answers the five biggest questions U.S. buyers ask about 2835 LEDs. By the end, you’ll know exactly what the 2835 LED is, how it compares to the 5050, what lifespan to expect, and how many lumens per watt it really produces.

The 2835 LED is one of the most efficient and widely used lamp beads in 2025—this guide explains why it may be your smartest wholesale choice.

1. What Is the 2835 LED?

The 2835 LED is a surface-mounted diode (SMD) that measures 2.8mm × 3.5mm. It was developed as an upgrade to older SMD models like 3528, offering higher brightness and better thermal management in a compact size. Because of its efficiency and versatility, the 2835 LED has become one of the most commonly used lamp beads in modern electronics and lighting solutions.

Where do you see 2835 LEDs in real life? Everywhere. They’re inside indoor panel lights, LED tubes, strip lights, smart home products, small household appliances, automotive steering lamps, toys, gifts, and even medical beauty phototherapy devices. Their small footprint makes them easy to integrate into consumer electronics while still providing powerful light output.

Unlike the bulkier 5050 LED, the 2835 is designed for single-color, high-efficiency lighting. Manufacturers love it because it delivers 90–120 lumens per watt while keeping junction temperatures low, extending product lifespan.

Technically, the 2835 LED is a mid-power LED that can handle currents from 60mA to 150mA, depending on binning and application. Its thin package design allows excellent heat dissipation—critical for ensuring stability in large-scale applications.

Here’s why it’s important to wholesale buyers:

High lumen efficiency: Customers demand brighter lights without increasing power bills. The 2835 answers that demand.

Versatile applications: From retail display lighting to outdoor signage, 2835 LEDs are adaptable.

Cost-performance balance: Compared with COB LEDs or high-power diodes, the 2835 offers a sweet spot of affordability and efficiency.

For procurement teams in New York or Los Angeles, the 2835 LED is an easy sell: it performs well, lasts long, and reduces energy costs. That makes your job easier when pitching products to downstream customers.

2. What Does 2835 LED Mean?

The code “2835” in 2835 LED isn’t marketing—it’s a size code. It literally means the chip package measures 2.8mm by 3.5mm. This size determines how the LED fits onto printed circuit boards (PCBs), how much light it can emit, and how well it handles heat.

Many U.S. buyers mistakenly assume that “2835” refers to wattage or brightness. That’s a costly misunderstanding. The truth is, the package size is a standard across the industry, and different manufacturers produce 2835 LEDs with different performance levels (measured in lumens per watt, CRI, and lifespan).

For example, an uncertified factory may sell a 2835 LED that barely reaches 70 lm/W, while a certified supplier like Shenzhen Xinguanming Technology (XGM) can supply LM-80 tested 2835 LEDs with 110–120 lm/W. Both are technically “2835 LEDs,” but the performance gap is massive.

Understanding the meaning of 2835 LED helps you as a buyer in two ways:

Product Compatibility: If your design requires slim strips or PCBs with limited real estate, 2835 LEDs are designed to fit. Ordering a 5050 by mistake could make the entire batch unusable.

Specification Matching: Since “2835” refers only to package size, you must still check datasheets for CCT (correlated color temperature), CRI (color rendering index), forward voltage, and binning information.

This is why professional suppliers always provide detailed datasheets, LM-80 reports, and RoHS/REACH certifications. If a supplier can’t provide these, it’s a red flag.

So next time you see “2835 LED” in a catalog, remember: the number tells you size, not quality. Quality comes from binning, certifications, and manufacturing standards.

3. Which Is Better, 5050 or 2835 LED Lights?

This is the single most common question we hear from wholesale buyers. The answer depends on application.

If you need RGB color mixing, the 5050 LED is better. Why? Because its larger 5.0mm × 5.0mm package allows three diodes inside—red, green, and blue—that combine to produce millions of colors. That’s why 5050 LEDs dominate in RGB strip lights, stage lighting, and decorative signage.

If you need energy-efficient, single-color lighting, the 2835 LED wins. It’s smaller, more efficient (up to 120 lm/W vs 70–90 lm/W for 5050), and offers superior heat dissipation. That means longer lifespan, lower power bills, and fewer warranty claims.

For U.S. distributors, here’s the bottom line:

Choose 5050 if your customers want flashy RGB effects.

Choose 2835 if they want long-lasting, efficient, and practical lighting.

The global trend in 2025 is clear: 2835 is replacing 5050 in mainstream white-light applications.

4. What Is the Lifespan of 2835 LED?

Marketing brochures love to promise 50,000 hours or even 100,000 hours. But let’s be real: the true lifespan of a 2835 LED depends on quality of materials, binning, and thermal management.

High-quality 2835 LEDs from certified manufacturers (with LM-80 and TM-21 test data) typically last 30,000–50,000 hours under normal operating conditions. That’s about 5–7 years of continuous use.

Cheap, uncertified 2835 LEDs may last only 10,000–15,000 hours before lumen depreciation becomes obvious. For wholesale buyers, this difference means the gap between repeat customers and refund requests.

Key factors affecting 2835 LED lifespan:

Junction Temperature: If heat isn’t dissipated properly, LEDs degrade faster.

Current Drive: Overdriving beyond recommended mA shortens lifespan dramatically.

PCB Design: Poor layout traps heat, reducing stability.

Materials: High-quality phosphors and substrates extend usable life.

That’s why it’s crucial to source from suppliers that provide LM-80 test reports. LM-80 measures lumen maintenance over 6,000–10,000 hours and projects long-term performance. TM-21 extrapolates expected lifespan.

In practice, if you buy from a certified supplier, you can confidently market your products as 30,000–50,000 hours lifespan LEDs. That’s a claim that both American regulators and end customers trust.

5. How Many Lumens per Watt Is a 2835 LED?

The lumen-per-watt (lm/W) ratio tells you how efficient an LED is. For the 2835, this is one of its biggest strengths.

On average, 2835 LEDs deliver 90–120 lm/W. High-end models can reach 130–140 lm/W with advanced phosphors and optimized binning. By comparison, the 5050 LED averages 60–90 lm/W.

That means 2835 LEDs produce more light for the same power consumption—a critical factor for energy-conscious buyers in the U.S. market.

Here’s what lumen-per-watt means in practice:

90 lm/W: Equivalent to a mid-range 2835 LED strip—efficient for indoor use.

110–120 lm/W: Common for premium office or retail lighting.

130+ lm/W: Achievable with high-bin LEDs, often used in industrial or automotive setups.

For wholesalers, higher efficiency means you can market your products as eco-friendly, cost-saving, and compliant with U.S. energy standards. This boosts your sales pitch to retailers, contractors, and government buyers who must meet energy codes.

It also impacts ROI. A warehouse using 10,000 LEDs at 120 lm/W instead of 80 lm/W could save thousands of dollars per year in energy bills. That’s a compelling story to tell your customers.

FAQs

Q: Are 2835 LEDs safe for medical or beauty devices?A: Yes, provided they meet EN 62471 photobiological safety standards.

Q: Do 2835 LEDs support dimming?A: Yes, most high-quality 2835 LEDs are fully dimmable when paired with the right driver.

Q: Can I use 2835 LEDs outdoors?A: Yes, but only when packaged in waterproof housings (IP65 or higher).

Q: Are 2835 LEDs cheaper than 5050?A: Generally, yes. 2835 LEDs are less expensive per lumen due to better efficiency and smaller packaging.