LED vs. Halogen Headlights: What’s the Difference?

The first headlight I ever replaced was in a 1954 Chevrolet. The six-volt sealed beam produced a soft yellowish light, barely as much as a standard 25-watt lightbulb. Throughout my 50-year auto service career, I’ve seen headlights evolve from sealed beams to halogen high-intensity discharge (HID) and now brilliant, eye-piercing light emitting diodes (LEDs).

Your vehicle’s headlights are an essential safety feature. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, “Driving at night is three times as risky as driving during the day.” LED and halogen headlights improve driving safety by illuminating more of the road ahead of your vehicle.

What Are LED Headlights?

Just like the name implies headlights powered by LED bulbs.

LED headlights work by passing electricity through small diodes (semiconductors or microchips) rather than a traditional filament found in halogen or incandescent headlamps. The diode converts electric energy into a bright, white light through a process called electroluminescence, which releases the electrical energy in the form of photons, aka light energy.

LED headlight pros

• Their pure white light easily equals the brightness of halogen headlights.
• They use significantly less energy to emit brighter light, making them perfect for electric vehicles.
• They last longer 30,000 to 50,000 hours on average vs. 1,000 hours for halogen headlights. Keep in mind vibration, operating temperature and the quality of components all effect lifespan.
• The LEDs themselves are smaller than the filaments of other types of headlamps. This permits manufacturers to shape headlamp assemblies that offer improved, targeted illumination over longer distances, even on the darkest roads.
• An LED’s targeted light is excellent for curve-adaptive movable headlights that follow the steering wheel position and swivel in the direction a vehicle travels.
• Replacing LED headlights is DIY-able.

LED headlight cons

• More expensive than other types of headlights, though prices are dropping.
• A misadjusted headlamp assembly can cause an LED to blind oncoming drivers.
• Operating at low temperatures prevents snow from melting off the housing, decreasing brightness.

What Are Halogen Headlights?

Halogen headlights are conventional incandescent light bulbs that use a tungsten filament housed in a quartz glass bulb filled with halogen gas. Standard equipment on most vehicles since the 1970s, they’re the most common headlights in use today.

When powered on, the filament heats up and produces a powerful white light. The gas increases the headlight’s output and prevents the filament from quickly burning out. Although dimmer than LEDs, halogens cover more roadway than older sealed-beam headlights.

Halogen headlight pros

• Brighter with longer life than traditional sealed-beam headlamps.
• Less expensive than LED or HID headlights.
• Replacing halogen headlights is DIY-able.
• Instant-on makes switching between low and high beams easier.

Halogen headlight cons

• Lower light output and less bright than LED or HID headlights.
• Operating at extremely hot temperatures makes them less energy efficient and reduces their lifespan.
• Dirt, moisture or oil from your fingers on the quartz glass bulb can cause premature failure.

Which Is Better, a Halogen or an LED Headlight?

In my opinion, LED headlights are better.

Although expensive, LEDs have a clear advantage and offer more benefits than halogen headlamps. While both give off plenty of light, LEDs illuminate more of the road, especially at highway speeds and on poorly lit country or back roads.

Is It OK To Replace Halogen Headlights With LEDs?

Yes, but there are some things to consider.

Pros of replacing halogen headlights with LEDs

• It’s DIY-able;
• Outstanding light quality, especially when driving in hazardous weather conditions or off-roading;
• Durable and long lifespan;
• Wide variety of aftermarket LEDs and LED kits to choose from.

Cons of replacing halogen headlights with LEDs

• Expensive;
• May need a conversion kit along with the headlights;
• Vibrations, operating temperatures and the quality of components all impact lifespan.
• LED headlamps feature a heat sink (a small braided cable or cooling fins) that draws heat away from the headlight’s base. Because LEDs are somewhat larger than standard halogen headlights, be sure there’s room for the heat sink.

Always check headlight adjustment after upgrading to LEDs.

Original equipment LED headlamp assemblies employ a shield that, by design, can cause a shadow or dark spot. It makes it seem like the headlights are out of adjustment, but they aren’t. In cars, this is referred to as the cut-off line. It’s a horizontal line between the area of the road a headlight illuminates, and the non-illuminated area that reduces glare to oncoming traffic.

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