These APA102 (DotStar) cool white LEDs feature an integrated driver chip inside each 5050 SMD package, giving you individually addressable brightness control over three cool white (~6000K) dies. The phosphor coating produces a consistent, diffused white light that looks far better than mixing RGB to approximate white.

DotStars use generic 2-wire SPI, allowing much faster data rates than the NeoPixel 800KHz protocol with no specific timing requirements. Their 20KHz PWM refresh rate eliminates the visible flicker you get with NeoPixels at low brightness levels, making them excellent for Persistence-of-Vision (POV) displays and smooth animations.

Key Features

• Integrated APA102 Driver – Each LED has a built-in controller chip for individual addressability
• Cool White ~6000K – Three white dies with phosphor diffusion for consistent light
• 2-Wire SPI Interface – Faster data transfer than NeoPixels, no strict timing needed
• 20KHz PWM – Flicker-free dimming, ideal for POV and low-brightness applications
• 24-Bit Brightness Control – High-frequency PWM for smooth dimming
• Chainable – Each LED acts as a shift register; chain as many as you need
• 5050 SMD Package – Compact 5 × 5mm footprint

Ideal For

• Custom white LED arrangements and light panels
• Persistence-of-Vision (POV) displays
• Upgrading from NeoPixels to higher-performance monochrome lighting
• Projects requiring smooth, flicker-free dimming

Package Contents

• 10× APA102 5050 cool white LEDs (~6000K)

Resources

• DotStar LED Guide (note: tutorial references RGB, but these LEDs use WWW — three individual white dies)