Short answer: an SMD LED strip is a row of separate LED packages, so where you can see the strip, you see a line of bright dots. A COB (chip-on-board) strip mounts many tiny LED chips close together under one continuous layer of phosphor, so it shows a single, even line of light. Choose COB when the strip will be visible or reflected, or when there is no room for a deep diffuser channel.
What SMD and COB mean
SMD stands for surface-mounted device. Each LED is a small square package soldered to the strip at a set spacing, so the light comes from separate points with darker gaps between them.
COB stands for chip on board. Instead of separate packages, the bare LED chips sit very close together on the strip and are covered by one continuous strip of phosphor. The phosphor turns the chips' light into white light along its whole length, so there are no gaps to see. Every Linework strip has 320 LEDs per metre under one continuous phosphor line.
Where you notice the difference
- Reflections. Under a shelf above polished stone, glass or a glossy worktop, an SMD strip reflects as a row of dots. A COB strip reflects as a clean line.
- Shallow details. In a shallow groove or a thin shelf edge there is no room for the light to blend, so SMD dots show through. COB looks even right up close.
- Display cases. Glass shelves and mirrored backs repeat every hotspot. A continuous line keeps the case looking calm.
- Coves and indirect light. When the strip is hidden and bounces light off a wall or ceiling, both types can work. Even here, COB tends to give a smoother wash closer to the source.
Do you still need a diffuser?
With SMD strips, designers usually add an aluminium channel with a frosted cover and enough depth to blend the dots, which adds cost and changes the detail. A COB strip already gives a continuous line, so in many joinery and display details it can go without a diffuser, or with a shallow one. A channel is still useful when you want a finished look, extra protection or a heat path on long runs.
What stays the same
Strip type does not change the basics of specifying: choose the voltage (12 V for longer runs and installer wiring, 5 V USB for plug-in fixtures), pick a white and check the colour rendering, plan cuts at the marked points, and fix the strip to a clean, dry surface. Linework strips cut every 5 cm and are for indoor, dry locations only.
Specifying Linework
- Linework 12V: 0.5 to 5 m, DC plug or bare leads, for installers and longer runs.
- Linework USB and USB-C: plug into a USB charger, laptop or power bank.
- Linework Remote: USB with a remote dimmer for shelves and display cases.
All four are sold in packs of ten, from one pack. See the full specification and spec sheets, or browse all COB LED strip lights.