2835 LEDs Made Simple (2025): Meaning, Wattage, Dimming, SMD Basics & 2835 vs 5050

2835 LED: Meaning, Watts, Dimming & 2835 vs 5050

What 2835 really means, how many watts it draws, dimming rules, SMD basics, and whether 2835 is brighter than 5050—RFQ-ready answers for U.S. wholesale buyers.

Supplier pages shout “SMD 2835 high-efficiency,” but you still don’t know the real wattage, dimming limits, or if 2835 beats 5050 for your job.

Guess wrong and you’ll overpay for drivers, ship zebra-striped shelves, and burn weeks on RMAs while your client quietly switches vendors.

Use the five buyer-tested answers below (with copy-ready RFQ lines) to spec 2835 correctly the first time—no surprises, no excuses.

Understand the package, calculate true watts, dim without flicker, assemble SMDs right, and pick 2835 vs 5050 with confidence.

If you’re a New York–based wholesale buyer comparing strips and modules, you’ve probably Googled “What does 2835 LED mean?” or “Which is brighter, 2835 or 5050?” at least once this month. Most results recycle marketing copy—great for clicks, terrible for purchase orders. You don’t need fluff; you need numbers you can paste into an RFQ: footprint, forward voltage (Vf) window, current range, thermal resistance (RθJC), bin policy (SDCM), and the dimming metrics auditors ask for (IEEE 1789).

Here’s the fast context:

2835 = 2.8 × 3.5 mm package. It’s a mid-power SMD with a decent thermal pad. In 2025, top bins hit ~140–165 lm/W @ 65 mA for Ra80 white.

Watts aren’t fixed. Pd = I × Vf. That brochure “0.2 W” becomes 0.36–0.5 W the moment you crank current without upgrading the heat path.

Dimming is doable. Clean results require 2 kHz+ PWM (or CCR), low flicker, and phosphor mixes that don’t smear color at low duty cycle.

SMD = surface-mount device. Reflow soldering cuts labor and improves thermals—if your profile and stencil keep voids low.

Brightness choice. 5050 wins per package and rules RGB; 2835 often wins per lumen-per-dollar on dense white strips with better heat spread.

Below you’ll find a buyer-friendly, PAS-driven section with five short chapters that answer these exact questions. Each chapter gives you:

a plain-English lead,

a practical “why this matters” snippet,

a visual placeholder you can swap on your CMS, and

a deeper dive with ready-to-paste RFQ lines and quick references.

We’ll also weave in E-E-A-T signals—LM-80/TM-21, EN 62471, and reliability checks—so your content satisfies Google and procurement. Use this as your spec baseline with XGM (Shenzhen Xinguanming). We’ll map bins, share native PDFs, and ship pilot lots—so your next PO lands bright, uniform, and on time.

Get It Right the First Time

1·2835 = A 2.8×3.5 mm Workhorse (the footprint behind the hype)

“2835” is the package size—2.8 mm × 3.5 mm—optimized for lm/W, thermal pad area, and tight strip spacing.

The 2835 code tells you dimensions, not brightness. Inside that rectangle sits a mid-power InGaN die over a reflective leadframe and an exposed thermal slug. The geometry enables uniform pitch (think 120 LED/m), a flat optical profile for smooth diffusion, and room for a robust heat path. That’s why modern 2835 whites hit ~140–165 lm/W @ 65 mA for Ra80 and ~130 lm/W at Ra90 (with high R9 options for retail). Tight SDCM (≤3 standard; ≤2 premium) keeps shelves from looking green-pink checkerboard.

Because the package spreads heat well, you can mount on FR-4 with thermal vias for 0.2–0.24 W class, or step up to MCPCB for 0.36–0.5 W designs. Put simply: 2835 balances efficacy, density, and cost better than legacy 3528—and with less hotspotting than big tri-die packages. See our quick sketch: package drawing & pads.

What to specify:

Thermal: RθJC ≤ 12 °C/W; staggered micro-vias under the slug; 2-oz copper recommended.

Optics: Flat top for strips; low-profile lens optional for forward punch.

Materials: Silver-mirror leadframe (ask for anti-sulfur encapsulant). See sulfur-safe checklist.

Binning: ≤ 3 SDCM (≤ 2 premium) with shipment ≤ 2 adjacent bins. Map on ANSI diagram: bin policy template.

RFQ copy: “2835 package 2.8×3.5 mm, exposed thermal pad; RθJC ≤ 12 °C/W; anti-sulfur encapsulant; provide LM-80/TM-21 PDFs (ISO/IEC 17025 lab).”

2·How Many Watts Is a 2835 LED? (do the math, avoid the melt)

Watts = I × Vf—not a brochure label. Check current, voltage, and heat path.

That “0.2 W” catalog line assumes roughly 65 mA @ ~2.9 V. Increase drive to 120 mA @ ~3.0 V and you’re burning 0.36 W. Great for flux—awful for lifetime on thin FR-4. Always compute Pd from your driver’s current and the supplier’s Vf histogram. Then estimate ΔT = Pd × RθJC and add board-to-ambient to find Tj. If Tj crosses ~105 °C, your L70 prediction craters and color shift accelerates.

A smarter play is under-driving (60–80 mA) and using more emitters for the same lumens. You’ll spread heat, elevate lm/W, and keep drivers in their sweet spot. Share the math with finance using our quick sheet: wattage & thermal budget.

Controls that stabilize watts:

Tight Vf window: Vf typ 2.8–2.9 V; max 3.1 V @ 65 mA (request the Vf distribution). Vf histogram guide

Ripple: Keep driver ripple < 5 %—peaks matter more than averages.

Layout: Parallel strings need balancing resistors or matched lengths to prevent current hogging.

Substrate: Move to MCPCB before crossing ~0.3–0.36 W per LED.

RFQ copy: “Quote lm/W at 65 mA and at our max current; provide Vf histogram, RθJC data, and ΔVf after 1 000 h @ 85 °C/IFnom.”

3·Is 2835 Dimmable? (yes—if you respect flicker physics)

Use 2 kHz+ PWM or CCR drivers and verify IEEE 1789 metrics.

Most 2835 whites dim beautifully to 5 % duty with 2–4 kHz PWM. Problems show up when constant-voltage strips meet triac wall dimmers: ripple explodes, Percent Flicker jumps, and cameras reveal banding. If your installs involve filming or sensitive users, specify CCR drivers or PWM with spread-spectrum modulation.

Put two numbers in writing: Percent Flicker < 10 % and Flicker Index < 0.05 at full output. Then test at 20 %—cheap drivers spike there. Ask for phosphor decay curves; fast-decay mixes track PWM better (less smear), while slow-decay can warm the CCT but hide strobe. Reference: flicker & decay quicksheet.

Dimming checklist you can copy:

Driver spec: PWM ≥ 2 kHz or CCR; optional shunt FET to prevent ghost at < 2 % duty.

EMI: Prefer spread-spectrum controllers to avoid radio noise.

Color stability: Require Δu′v′ ≤ 0.003 from 100 % → 10 % at Tc 25/55 °C.

Verification: Provide oscilloscope captures and Pst_LM/SVM if site standards demand it.

RFQ copy: “Share IEEE 1789 metrics (Percent Flicker, Flicker Index) and Δu′v′ dimming plots. Validate at 100 % and 20 % on our driver.” See dimming SOP.

4·What Does SMD Mean for LED Lights? (and why your reflow profile pays the bills)

SMD = surface-mount device; it lowers labor and improves thermals—if your stencil and profile control voids.

SMD LEDs reflow directly to copper pads. That’s cheaper than through-hole and better for heat, but only when paste, stencil, and profile are dialed in. Use 0.12–0.15 mm stencils, keep ramp < 3 °C/s, and peak around 245 ± 5 °C with nitrogen if available. X-ray the first article: if void area under the slug exceeds ~30 %, RθJA rises and lifetime falls. Cleanliness matters too; residues trapped under the lens can wick moisture, nudging Δu′v′ over time.

Set expectations for your EMS partner up front with a one-page reflow card and pad drawing. Template: SMD reflow profile.

Assembly notes we enforce at XGM:

Area ratio ≥ 0.66 for paste transfer; step stencils for the thermal pad if needed.

Paste type-4 (or 4.5) for consistent bricks at 0.12–0.13 mm.

No-clean flux to avoid water traps; bake PCBs if storage > 6 months.

X-ray sampling per IPC-7093; rework any reel with repeat void hotspots.

RFQ copy: “Provide pad layout, stencil guidance, and recommended reflow curve for the quoted 2835; confirm IPC-7093 compliance and max void %.” Quick ref: assembly checklist.

5·Which Is Brighter, 2835 or 5050? (package punch vs strip economics)

Per package, 5050 is brighter; per lumen-per-dollar on dense white strips, 2835 usually wins. RGB? 5050 rules.

A single white 5050 (often higher current or multi-die) can output ~210–240 lm @ ~150 mA, out-punching a 0.2 W 2835 at ~60–70 lm. But strip-level reality flips the story: eight 2835s at 65 mA spread heat, maintain lm/W, and often beat three 5050s on $/kilolumen once you add driver channels and duty. For RGB, 5050 is king—the tri-die format delivers real color mixing with known wavelength windows.

Decision rule: Retail/task/appliance → 2835 whites with tight SDCM; Stage/architectural RGB → 5050; Outdoor punch → 5050 whites but derate current by ~20 % for heat. Compare with our matrix: 2835 vs 5050 cost-to-lumen.

What to normalize in quotes:

$/klm (include freight, duty, bin premiums).

CRI/R9 & SDCM (color quality premium).

Driver topology (channels, PWM headroom).

Thermal headroom (Tj at ambient worst case).

Supply risk (addressable IC dependencies for 5050 RGB).

RFQ copy: “Quote 2835 white (Ra80 & Ra90) and 5050 white/RGB as $/pc and $/klm landed (FOB & DDP NY). Include SDCM, RθJC, and surge limits.” See matrix template.

Binning: ≤ 3 SDCM (≤ 2 premium); shipment ≤ 2 adjacent bins; include bin & lot certificate.

Thermal: RθJC ≤ 12 °C/W; provide RθJA on our PCB stack.

Reliability: HTOL 1 000 h (105–125 °C), 85/85 1 000 h, –40↔125 °C 1 000 cycles, surge 10/700 µs to 2 kV; lumen loss ≤ 10 %, ΔVf ≤ 0.1 V, Δu′v′ ≤ 0.006.

Dimming: IEEE 1789 metrics—Percent Flicker < 10 %, Flicker Index < 0.05 at 100 %; verify at 20 %.

Pricing: Quote $/pc and $/klm landed (FOB Shenzhen, DDP NY); itemize bin premiums; NET-30/NET-60 scenarios.

FAQs

What does 2835 LED mean?

It’s the 2.8 × 3.5 mm SMD footprint—mid-power, efficient, and thermally friendly. See package basics.

Is 2835 dimmable?

Yes—use 2 kHz+ PWM or CCR, and verify IEEE 1789 metrics. dimming checklist

Which is brighter, 2835 or 5050?

Per package, 5050; per lumen-per-dollar on dense white strips, 2835. comparison chart

Ready for samples?

Tell us your CCT/CRI, drive current, and incoterm. XGM will send matched-bin 2835 sample kits plus native LM-80/TM-21 and EN 62471 PDFs—so you can evaluate today and order with confidence tomorrow.