What's the difference between RGB/W and RGB/UV

[VortexHero]

Looking to pick up RGB strips for my build, and I don't know the difference between RGB/W and RGB/UV. Also, which is better out of the two?

[Drak3]

RGB/W has a dedicated white LED. If you want white, you actually get white.

 

RGB/UV has UV LEDs. These give off soft glows with certain things/colors. White objects will have a soft, purplish glow, and if you watercool, you can get UV reactive dyes.

 

Neither is really better, objectively. They're different, and fill different subroles.

[vanished]

To add on to the above, the reason for RGB/W, when we all know that RGB (at least in a display) can make white, is that RGB lights tend to not do the best job of this.  Due to a lack of power balancing (calibration) and their large size, they don't blend well like the subpixels on a monitor

[VortexHero]

6 minutes ago, Drak3 said:

RGB/W has a dedicated white LED. If you want white, you actually get white.

 

RGB/UV has UV LEDs. These give off soft glows with certain things/colors. White objects will have a soft, purplish glow, and if you watercool, you can get UV reactive dyes.

 

Neither is really better, objectively. They're different, and fill different subroles.

So if I have a black case with no water cooling, would RGB/W be most fit for me?

[Drak3]

Just now, VortexHero said:

So if I have a black case with no water cooling, would RGB/W be most fit for me?

Yup, if your mainboard or RGB controller supports RGB/W. Not all of them do.

[vanished]

Just now, VortexHero said:

So if I have a black case with no water cooling, would RGB/W be most fit for me?

It is entirely an aesthetic choice.  There is no right answer, except maybe with UV that can cause certain materials to age faster if I'm not mistaken.