Quick Start Glossary
Pro tip: Tap or click any light image to view its full testing breakdown. For now, here is a quick guide to the card metrics you’ll see:
By default, we only show bulbs you can actually buy today. Looking for a legacy model? Toggle the ‘Discontinued’ filter.
White Range vs. Color Temp
White Range: For Tunable White and Full Color bulbs, this shows the warmest (orange-gold) and coolest (blue-white) settings the bulb can hit.
Color Temp: For static bulbs, this is the fixed “flavor” of white the bulb produces.
White & RGB Brightness
We don’t just measure raw lumens; we measure Perceptual Brightness. Human eyes are much more sensitive to changes at 10 lumens than at 1000 lumens.
Our bars are scaled mathematically to match how you actually see the light, ensuring you can accurately compare a bulb’s dimming range and its maximum punch.
Color Quality (CRI & Rf)
CRI (Color Rendering Index): The industry standard (but outdated) for how “true” colors look. We use CRI-Re as it includes the more difficult R9 (red) value.
Rf (Fidelity Index): Part of the newer TM-30 standard, providing a more rigorous 99-color check for professional-grade accuracy. This is the replacement for CRI.
The RGB Score
This is our algorithm for color performance. It isn’t just about being bright; it’s about being pure.
60% Color Coverage: Can it hit the deep reds and vibrant teals of the Rec. 2020 gamut?
25% Hardware Isolation: Does the red diode stay red, or does it bleed into the green?
15% Spectral Purity: Is the light “laser-sharp” or “muddy”? We reward premium emitters that produce clean, narrow-band colors.
Tint Accuracy (Duv)
Ever notice a light that looks “sickly green” or “weirdly pink”? That is tint shift and TM-30, CRI, and CCT don’t cover it.
We measure the variance across 2200K, 2700K, 4000K, and 6500K. A bar centered at zero means the light is perfectly “white” without a color cast.
Why Dimming Curves Matter
One interesting thing you can sort by is dimming curves:
Logarithmic (Natural)
The Pro Choice. Matches how the human eye actually perceives light. It gives you surgical precision at low brightness levels—perfect for nightlights or mood setting—while keeping transitions smooth all the way to 100%.
Linear (Abrupt)
Standard Tech. The light dims at the same rate the electronics do. This usually feels “jumpy” at the bottom (dropping from 5% to off too fast) and feels like nothing is happening when you dim from 100% down to 70%.