Adafruit
APA102 5050 Cool White LED w/ Integrated Driver Chip - 10 Pack [~6000K]
These APA102 (DotStar) cool white LEDs feature an integrated driver chip inside each 5050 SMD package, giving you individually addressable brightness control...
These APA102 (DotStar) cool white LEDs feature an integrated driver chip inside each 5050 SMD package, giving you individually addressable brightness control over three cool white (~6000K) dies. The phosphor coating produces a consistent, diffused white light that looks far better than mixing RGB to approximate white.
DotStars use generic 2-wire SPI, allowing much faster data rates than the NeoPixel 800KHz protocol with no specific timing requirements. Their 20KHz PWM refresh rate eliminates the visible flicker you get with NeoPixels at low brightness levels, making them excellent for Persistence-of-Vision (POV) displays and smooth animations.
Key Features
- Integrated APA102 Driver – Each LED has a built-in controller chip for individual addressability
- Cool White ~6000K – Three white dies with phosphor diffusion for consistent light
- 2-Wire SPI Interface – Faster data transfer than NeoPixels, no strict timing needed
- 20KHz PWM – Flicker-free dimming, ideal for POV and low-brightness applications
- 24-Bit Brightness Control – High-frequency PWM for smooth dimming
- Chainable – Each LED acts as a shift register; chain as many as you need
- 5050 SMD Package – Compact 5 × 5mm footprint
Ideal For
- Custom white LED arrangements and light panels
- Persistence-of-Vision (POV) displays
- Upgrading from NeoPixels to higher-performance monochrome lighting
- Projects requiring smooth, flicker-free dimming
Package Contents
- 10× APA102 5050 cool white LEDs (~6000K)
Resources
- DotStar LED Guide (note: tutorial references RGB, but these LEDs use WWW — three individual white dies)
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- LED
- A light-emitting diode is a small electronic component that lights up when current flows through it in the correct direction. In this kit, LEDs create the flashing effect, so polarity and correct soldering matter for the project to work.
- NeoPixel
- A type of addressable LED system where colour data is sent along a single digital data line from one LED or controller to the next. Compatibility matters because the timing and signal format must match for the lights or driver board to respond correctly.
- PWM
- Pulse Width Modulation is a way for a digital pin to simulate variable output power by switching on and off very quickly. It matters for controlling things like LED brightness, motor speed, or servo-style signals from a microcontroller pin.
- RGB
- Short for red, green and blue, usually referring to an LED that can mix those three colours. It matters because controlling an RGB LED teaches how separate outputs combine to create different colours.
- SPI
- A fast serial communication bus often used for displays, memory cards, and sensors. It matters because SPI devices need specific pins for clock and data, plus a separate chip-select line for each device.
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