Seoul Semiconductor's 420-lumen LED puts the sun to shame

We're not really sure if Seoul Semiconductor is completely accurate in asserting that its new 420-lumen (peak) LED is the world's brightest at 8-watts, but considering that we were pretty impressed by the company's 240-lumen model late last year -- and the fact that even the most blinding LED-based tactical flashlights rarely exceed 200 lumens -- this still seems like a fairly notable development. We should start seeing commercial products sporting these mini-suns sometime before the end of the year, so now might be a good time to check up on your insurance plan's optical coverage.

[Jetexas @ Sep 21st 2007 11:17AM]

Wasn't that the solar thingy from The Man With the Golden Gun?

[JD @ Sep 21st 2007 12:47PM]

Although it may look like the solex agitator, it isn't. :)

[FTY @ Sep 21st 2007 11:16AM]

Engadget are you sure, those LEDs don't resemble some Apple products.

[Tony Bowman @ Sep 21st 2007 11:41AM]

hello ultrabright, hi-def projectors!

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Sep 21st 2007 2:13PM]

And LED back-lighted LCD panels and LED DLP rear projection TV!

[rj @ Sep 21st 2007 11:55AM]

Hmmm...I wonder if these might work as grow lights...?

[Chris Derry @ Sep 21st 2007 1:56PM]

420

[Gene @ Sep 21st 2007 11:58AM]

I want like... 4...
Hello blinding headlights!!!
GR

[Jeebus @ Sep 21st 2007 12:20PM]

Ha! That's nothing.

http://www.physorg.com/news93198212.html

One THOUUUUSAND lumens, baby.

[rickane58 @ Sep 21st 2007 12:34PM]

This is completely different than the LED in the article article. The LED in the article is a single LED, while the one you linked two is 6 high performance LEDs

That's not truly an amazing feat anyways. I could hook up 1000 standard 100 lumen LEDs and have a theoretical output of 100,000 lumens. That's why this LED is amazing, it is so powerful in a single package.

[KPrime @ Sep 21st 2007 1:38PM]

rickane58, it is only one LED, you are just seeing the leads/heatsinks.

And that article is relatively old about the 1000lm LED, so I would say Seoul is a little behind.

[Juaquin @ Sep 21st 2007 1:48PM]

KPrime: "whereby the researchers managed to integrate six high-performance LED lighting chips into the unit’s small housing."

Read the link. You can't see the six individual LEDs because of the "light" being emitted from them in the picture, but according to the article, there are six.

[Bruno @ Sep 21st 2007 12:46PM]

8 watts for 420 lumens. Great for an LED and a fine progression for a technology in its relative infancy.

But it's all about lumens per watt for general purpose and residential lighting, so while the output is remarkable for a small package, the energy consumption is still relatively high compared to many other technologies, including fluorescent.

Earlier this year some were celebrating the supposed rush of LEDs in the consumer space for general lighting. Sorry, not going to happen for quite a few years. Efficiency is not there and production costs are certainly not there yet. I still predict at least 5-10 years until LEDs make for a viable residential lighting solution.

[Kasey @ Sep 21st 2007 2:03PM]

Pack 5 or 6 of these into a projector and set new standards of brightness and efficiency...I really don't see this as a light bulb replacement as much as I do for integration into projection components...even the prospects of cell phone based projectors...

[engadget @ Sep 21st 2007 2:39PM]

While true that the light output to poweris not comparable to CFS, I don't need to worry about the LED light breaking and releasing mercury into my environment.

[Shawn-dude @ Sep 21st 2007 3:02PM]

Home LED lighting has some advantages over CFL that create a market today, even with the less-than-optimal lumens per watt issue.

1) smaller. Lights that have to fit into small spaces without creating huge amounts of heat.

2) dimmable. You can dim an array of LEDs but cannot dim a CFL. (although some CFLs have a 3-stage light ability.)

3) lifespan. These little buggers can be turned on and left on for a decade. If you have can lights in a vaulted ceiling, you may never have to change the light as long as you live in the house (assuming average homeownership, blah blah blah.)

CFLs cannot fill all the niches incandescent lights do, but LEDs and CFLs together get darned close.

[Ellianth @ Sep 21st 2007 12:47PM]

After all the years of life the sun has given you, you repay it with a headline like this?

[Asva @ Sep 21st 2007 2:09PM]

No end to the hyperbole... the sun puts out slightly more than 420 lumens.

[-ardcore Canadian @ Sep 21st 2007 2:00PM]

Actually 8 watts for 420 lumens isn't great for an LED at all. It is very powerful, but is it efficient? No. At approximately 50 lm/W it is far from the 100 lm/W of Florescent and the 150 lm/W of some LEDS out there today. I doubt that the kind of LED mentioned in this article has any intent on being used for household lighting. Typically the LED lights that you can purchase for household lighting now are based on a 1 watt LED.

[foozleface @ Sep 22nd 2007 2:10AM]

Sure would be nice to find ANY of these high intensity LEDs to play with. The brightest that I've actually find for sale to mere mortals is the Luxeon K2. And heaven forfend anyone actually posted a price point.

[DerekPowell @ Sep 23rd 2007 4:59AM]

Here's putting the sun to shame:

http://prismscience.com/our_lamps.php

[Gored Bushed @ Sep 23rd 2007 11:14AM]

I'll take one of these 8 watts over 55 watts for my car headlights, any day.