12-LED RGBW NeoPixel Ring (Natural White) with individually addressable pixels, dedicated white LEDs, and 32-bit colour control. Chainable, 5 V powered, and controlled from a single pin — ideal for compact circular lighting projects.
What’s better than smart RGB LEDs? Smart RGB + White LEDs! This 12-LED RGBW NeoPixel Ring (Natural White) adds a dedicated white LED to every pixel, giving you brighter whites and more natural lighting effects, all arranged in a compact circular layout.
The ring has a 1.45″ (37 mm) outer diameter and features 12 ultra-bright, individually addressable NeoPixels. Each LED contains its own driver chip, so every pixel can be controlled independently using just one microcontroller pin. The rings are fully chainable — simply connect the data output of one ring to the input of the next to control as many as you like from a single pin.
Each NeoPixel provides approximately 18 mA constant current drive, keeping colours consistent even if the supply voltage fluctuates. No external resistors are required, keeping designs clean and compact. Power the ring with 5 V DC and it’s ready to go.
Internally, each pixel is “split”: one half handles the familiar RGB, while the other is a natural white LED with yellow phosphor. Unlit, the white element looks a bit like an egg yolk, but once powered it’s extremely bright. Brightness and colour are controlled using 8-bit PWM per channel, giving 32-bit colour control per pixel, perfect for smooth colour mixing and accurate white tones.
NeoPixels use an 800 kHz single-wire protocol, which requires precise timing. The PWM refresh rate is around 400 Hz, which works well for most applications but may be noticeable if the LEDs are moving. For higher-speed visual effects, DotStars offer a 20 kHz PWM rate, though NeoPixels remain an excellent choice for the majority of projects.
Each NeoPixel contains an embedded microcontroller and operates like a shift register, passing data along the ring from one LED to the next. Once colour data is sent, the built-in PWM continues driving the LEDs automatically — no constant updates required.
Comprehensive documentation is available, including wiring guides, power calculations, and example code. Be sure to use a NeoPixel library with RGBW support, as RGB-only libraries will not work correctly. The Adafruit NeoPixel library fully supports RGBW devices, and the NeoPixel Überguide covers everything you need to get started.
Each ring ships fully assembled and tested, with 12 individually addressable RGBW NeoPixels.
Specifications
Outer diameter: 36.8mm / 1.45"
Inner diameter: 23.3mm / 0.92"
Thickness: 3.25mm / 0.13"
Weight: 3.3g
May ship with either WS2812B or SK6812-based LEDs. They are the same brightness, color and protocol
Revision History
As of May 20, 2024 - We updated this PCB with Adafruit Pinguin to make a lovely and legible silkscreen. You may get the new PCB or the older version with vector fonts; both are identical other than the fancy silkscreen.
As of May 18, 2023 - You may get a NeoPixel Jewel with either WS2812B LEDs or SKC6812 LEDs; they are the same protocol and brightness. However, the SKC are more reliable and handle accidental over-volting a little better!
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