RGB and RGB+W backlight

Everyone knows that RGB ribbons can shine white, but not everyone knows that this light is very different from the way monochrome white ribbons shine.
White LED strips use a substance called phosphor, a substance capable of converting the energy it absorbs into light radiation (luminescence). Therefore, the light is soft and pleasant. In RGB multi-color ribbons, white light is achieved by mixing red, blue and green (RGB). Since even in the highest quality ribbons, the power and depth of each color may vary slightly, white is not exactly white.
If you are still undecided whether you want white or multicolor backlighting, we want to introduce you to the 2-in-1 option is RGB+W.
There are many RGBW LED strips on the market where RGB and white crystals are combined. Specially designed controllers allow you to control all the colors from a single remote. Adjust their brightness and hue.

Often RGB+W LED strip is produced in two rows. One row has multicolor diodes, the second row has single-color diodes. Personally, we prefer to use two separate ribbons instead of one single row. Practically always it is much more advantageous, because it is a bit more difficult to produce a double-row tape, and it is only different from two parallel glued tapes in terms of marketing.
The advantages of using two different tapes instead of one double row are obvious and we have already considered them (see We vs. double row LED tapes)

How does it work RGBW backlighting

Any RGB+W LED strip has 6 pins (4 on RGB and two on W). All six wires are connected to a special controller (the brain of your lighting). The controller is controlled by radio through a remote control or via a smartphone. You have the ability to control both separately white light and separately colored. So you can add blue or yellow light to the basic white light to get shades of cool to warm light, which is sometimes very relevant.

What's better to buy?

— In our experience, almost any monochrome monochrome strip interrupts the RGB strip, so we recommend installing RGB strip of minimum power 7.2W/m and complementing it with white strip already based on your wishes: if it is the main light, then >17W/m if it is supplementary lighting, then ~9W/m. RGB strip minimum power is quite enough to change the shade, and if you disable the white strip and leave only multicolor, even 7.2W/m is able to flood your room with colorful light.
— If you have a pretty powerful white strip ~19W/m, then the RGB should still take the SMD5050 60 diodes per meter 14.4W, otherwise it is likely that when you turn it on at the same time it will not be visible at all.
— White ribbon is always better to take a neutral or daytime white color. Playing with the shades you can always make it warmer or cooler.