CableMod WideBeam Hybrid LED Strips Offer Both RGB And White LEDs

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Choosing between multiple options sucks. That's why someone thought up surf and turf, for when you want both steak and seafood, and why CableMod made the new WideBeam Hybrid RGB/W LED Strips for people who can't decide if their rig should be lit with a bunch of fancy colors or plain white lights.

CableMod said that using RGB LEDs to create white light can often lead to off colors when viewed at the wrong angle. So the WideBeam Hybrid RGB/W LED Strips have two rows of LEDs: the all-too-popular RGBs handle the colors, and a row of WideBeam White LEDs offer honest-to-goodness white light. Both rows of LEDs can be independently controlled with an included 40-key remote control; they also support Gigabyte's RGB Fusion Technology.

"These Hybrid RGB/W strips combine two types of adhesive," the company said in its announcement. "Rare-earth magnets adhere securely to ferrous surfaces like steel PC cases, while allowing easy ad mess-free repositioning at any time. Also along the bottom of each strip is a strong 3M adhesive, making these strips suitable for even non-magnetic surfaces like aluminum." (CableMod's first strips used only one type of adhesive or the other.)

The WideBeam Hybrid RGB/W LED Strips use SATA Power Connectors and can be daisy chained to cover more space. CableMod will sell the strips in four variants: 30cm strips, 60cm strips, and kits for each length that include Y cables, an RF remote control and receiver pair, and more. The company didn't say when the product would debut or how much it will cost when it does. Here's a full breakdown from CableMod about what's included with each kit:

1 x 30cm or 60cm WideBeam Hybrid LED Strip1 x RF Remote Control1 x RF Receiver1 x Y Cable (50cm)1 x SATA Power Cable (15cm)1 x 5-pin Extension Cable (5cm)4 x 5-pin Connectors1 x Instruction Booklet

The individual packages include the strips, extension cable, and connectors.

Nathaniel Mott
Nathaniel Mott
Freelance News & Features Writer

Nathaniel Mott is a freelance news and features writer for Tom's Hardware US, covering breaking news, security, and the silliest aspects of the tech industry.

6 Comments Comment from the forums
  • synphul
    Kind of a cool concept, similar to existing rgb +w strips. Any mention what size the led's or the strip are in terms of width or whether they use 5050's or 3528's? My concern would be the width of the strip itself, if it's wider than a standard smd 5050 it may be difficult to place in tight spots.

    Nice to see other rgb+w options since trying to achieve white using standard rgb general isn't pure white as the article states. In theory 255/255/255 should be 'white' but often ends up with a bluish tinge. Maybe not as noticeable unless next to a true white led but sometimes it's nice to have true white.
    Reply
  • Gam3r01
    I wonder if RGB will ever integrate a dedicated white diode, instead of just a separate one.
    (I am glad to see that)
    Reply
  • nycalex
    who cares what your case lights up..............like a christmas tree?

    like: " wow you nerd, you are sooooooo cool!"

    if any of you saw the inside of my case, you would get a heart attack. but it works, that's all that matters.
    Reply
  • JackNaylorPE
    These have been available on Amazon for several years, and I'm sure at much lower prices. Personally not a fan of the bling bling with changing light patterns. For a while laser light shows were a stable of concerts but, at least for the drug free, soon faded after 5 minutes of experience.

    That's not to say that simple illumination is a bad thing ... white LEDs do thos job the best but Phanteks approach where you can select a shade to display works well. The pulsing, breathing, flashing, and color changing "light shows" however are distracting and, after 5 minutes, quite annoying. The "ooh look at me, look at me" approach to grab attention is kinda like a full face tatoo ... you can't help but look at it once seen, but after the brain takes it all in, it's not like you want to see it again .... it's uncomfortable to see it again.

    The death knell for this system however is the remote. It will get dumped in a drawer or misplaced just like every other remote. Make it self-contained with software or perhaps even a phone app, but lose the remote.
    Reply
  • synphul
    The remote looks identical to the one for my led strip. It's just been branded with their name on it. They've gone to the trouble to make it plug into a psu vs a power brick which many will like. My rgb+w is alternating not side by side, that's different. I agree with JackNaylorPE on the motion effects but that's my personal subjectivity. The breathing/flashing effects aren't my cup of tea. The separate white and rgb channels are nice though for creating pastel colors.

    If someone is worried about losing the remote they can use something like a sticky backed velcro tab or velcro 'dot'. Stick one half to the case someplace inconspicuous and the other on the back of the remote. It's super lightweight (the same or less than a stick of ram) so a small tab of velcro would work.
    Reply
  • ttt_2017
    RGB bla bla bla ...

    This is a PC ... a PERSONAL COMPUTER ...

    Put the Money on better components ....
    Reply