What Are The Different Types Of Headlight Bulbs?

Headlights are one of the most important safety features when it comes to driving. If you ever made the switch from driving an old car with halogen bulbs to something more modern, you know that the difference in visibility at night is tremendous. The difference becomes even more apparent in bad weather conditions, such as heavy rain and fog. That’s why it's a good idea to have a car with modern lighting technology and powerful bulbs. We’ll go over what your options are for car headlights and help you understand each category’s pros and cons.

Halogen Bulbs

The most basic type of headlight bulbs, which have been here forever, are halogens. Practically every car was equipped with them up to 2005 or so when better technologies became more widely available. Even today, you’ll find them on some entry-level spec models. They are quite simple and work by passing an electric current through a thin line of tungsten filament, which heats up, and thus produces light. The bulb is filled with halogen gas to increase the efficiency and lifespan of the bulb.

Given the technology, they are the most cost-effective solution. They’re also widely available, and easy to replace when it comes to it.

On the other hand, you shouldn’t expect much in terms of brightness and how far the light car reaches. Halogen car headlights are the least expensive and that limits their power. Compared to other types of bulbs, they have a relatively short lifespan. However, this isn’t a major issue, as they cost only a few dollars to replace. Today, you can find more powerful halogen bulbs, which might have an even shorter lifespan, but they should still be good for at least 20,000 miles, and they provide at least a slightly higher brightness. Last but not least, the halogen bulbs get very hot, which means their efficiency is rather poor.

Xenon High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Bulbs

Halogen bulbs were introduced in the early 60s, and it took a long three decades for better technology to arrive. In 1991, the then-new BMW 7 Series was introduced with optional xenon headlamps. They did not use a filament, contrary to the usual halogen lamps. Instead, the light was produced by an electric arc created between two electrodes inside of a glass tube, which was filled with xenon gas and metal salts. It was a huge step forward, but the technology was very expensive, which is why it took at least another decade for the lights to start appearing on more common vehicles, like the Toyota Corolla and similar.

Besides being brighter, HID bulbs also produce a different and more natural color of light. Halogen bulbs are known for their yellow color, which is not always preferred. Xenon light is whiter, which makes the bulbs look even brighter than they are. They’re also more power efficient and don’t produce much heat. A longer lifespan is another benefit of xenons, partially thanks to the lower heat.

On the other hand, there are also some cons. Xenons are more costly to replace and after a few years, even if they’re still functional, their performance will degrade after about 10 years. Still, they’re not terribly expensive – an average bulb will cost you around 70 dollars apiece, so it’s not a major cost.

Light Emitting Diode (LED) Bulbs

The most common car headlights on premium models of passenger vehicles nowadays are LED. Xenons were a step in the right direction but LEDs truly revolutionized car headlights. Such bulbs consist of multiple light-emitting diodes that produce light when an electric current passes through them.

The bulbs are more compact, less brittle, and produce little to no heat, which means they can be much more easily integrated. They also allow automotive designers to create original designs. They are very energy efficient and have a long lifespan, which will likely surpass the life of the vehicle itself. The LED technology also gave way to adaptive lights with segmentation.

A car headlight with LED bulbs has a few downsides too, the main one being the price. As well, they can’t be retrofitted to just any older vehicle, and conversion kits are often required. ​

Laser Headlights

The brightest car headlight and the latest innovation are laser headlights. This type of headlight passes laser beams through a chamber filled with phosphorus gas, which creates the light.

Laser headlights are incredibly efficient and can produce light up to ten times brighter than LED bulbs. Their light can also reach very far – even 600 meters or more, and just like LEDs, laser headlamps can also feature adaptive lighting with segments.

As far as disadvantages go, they remain very expensive and can only be found on certain high-end luxury vehicles.

Get Bright Bulbs for Your Car

If you want to replace your car’s old lighting with some of the brightest headlight bulbs, take a look at our wide selection of not only bulbs but aftermarket car parts and accessories in general. And in case you still have questions after reading this article, our sales techs will gladly help you make an informed purchase and make the shopping process as smooth as possible.