So what is the difference between 12V RGB and 5V ARGB?
To put it simply 12 volt RGB means that all the LEDs on a specific device (whether the device is a Fan or LED strip) will be the same color. 5 volt ARGB allows multiple colors per device as each LED “pixel” can be addressed separately providing a different color value, allowing greater customization and immersion.
How do you tell the difference?
The best way to know immediately is that 12 volt RGB requires a 4 pin connection, while 5 volt ARGB only has 3 pins.
Please see image below for the differences between the two connectors.
Should I purchase a RGB or ARGB device?
ARGB is superior in terms of customization and lighting performance. If you have the capability to control ARGB devices, either via your motherboard or through an external controller, we recommend purchasing ARGB devices.
If your motherboard doesn’t have any ARGB headers, you have two choices. You can either use RGB devices, or purchase an external controller. External controllers often provide more flexibility in terms of number of devices that they can control. Please consult the Lighting Controllers section of our website before purchasing an ARGB controller to use with SignalRGB.