How To Choose 4000K LED Lights?

When we buy LED lights, such as LED strip lights and LED bulbs. You’ll come across “warm white” or “soft white” bulbs, which typically have a color temperature rating of 3000K or 4000K light. These color temperatures are best suited for residential installations, especially bedroom and living room areas.

At the same time, we also hear a bunch of terms, from “neutral white“, “bright white”, “daylight” and “cool white”. We will feel the same lighting. In fact, these names can refer to a variety of color temperature options, including 4000K, 5000K, and 6500K.

If you want to make an informed decision when buying LED lights. You need to understand what color temperature is and know exactly which color you are buying! In this article, we will discuss the 4000K color temperature option in detail. And help you decide if this is the best color choice for you.

What is Color Temperature?

Color temperature is a measure of the appearance of light’s color, measured in degrees Kelvin (K). And it helps define how warm or cool a light source is. Color temperatures range from lower values (eg 2000K-3500K) that represent warm and reddish light, intermediate values representing neutral white light (eg 3500K-5000K) to higher values representing cool colored light (eg 5000K and above).

Color temperature is an important consideration in a variety of applications, especially in lighting, photography, and videography. Because different color temperatures can create different moods and have different effects on the appearance of objects and scenes.

What Does 4000K Look Like?

4000K is an often-overlooked color temperature. Because it’s right in between the “Warm White” (2700K/3000K) and “Daylight White” (5000K/6500K) color options.

Compared with warm light, 4000K color temperature will be cooler. So it’s definitely on the “cool” side compared to typical warm white lighting options, but also on the “warm” side compared to daylight color temperature.

Is 4000K Similar to Natural Light?

Natural light itself is always changing, depending on the weather, time of day, season, and latitude. So, you will find that the color appearance of 4000K LED bulbs is similar to natural sunlight in the morning or afternoon. At noon, the color temperature of direct sunlight will exceed 5000K, and the color temperature of daylight (including the entire blue sky) will be close to 6500K.

If you are looking for full-spectrum lighting for your application. That requires choosing high color rendering index (CRI) values for a better understanding of spectral similarity. A high CRI value of 95 or higher generally ensures that the spectrum does replicate the natural spectrum.

Will 4000K Light Appear Too Blue or Too Yellow?

This question depends on the person. Because ambient lighting may look different depending on how your eyes adapt.

For example, you install 4000K LED lights in the kitchen and 3000K lighting in the living room. Now, if you walk from the living room into the kitchen at night, the kitchen lighting might look crisper and whiter. You won’t feel too blue either.

During the day, the light inside the room may appear a little yellow. But under the same 4000K lighting, the lighting at different times is different.

In fact, since the color temperature of 4000K is between warm white and white light, it will not feel too yellow or too blue, so it is a good color temperature choice for different spaces.

Where Should I Use 4000K LED Lights?

A color temperature of 4000K is commonly used for indoor lighting in various settings, also mainly depending on specific requirements and preferences. It can provide a balanced and comfortable lighting environment. We’ll light 4000K in common indoor lighting: offices, retail stores, libraries, etc.

4000K is a versatile and widely used indoor color temperature scene. Because 4000K delivers clean, natural white light for increased productivity and alertness. It creates a well-lit environment that is neither too warm nor too cool.

Finally, there are many people who choose between 2700K vs 3000K, 3000K vs 4000K, 4000K vs 5000K, and 4000K vs 6000K when choosing a color temperature. But mostly depends on your needs.

In Conclusion

In the end, the 4000K is suitable for many venues. Its light doesn’t feel too yellow or too blue. But for industrial or color-critical applications, we recommend the 5000K or 6500K. This is because 4000K provides a more yellowish color balance compared to natural daylight color temperature.

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