Headlights Blog

Reflector Vs. Projector Headlights: Which Is Best?

The headlight housing design comes in two types: reflector and projector headlights. While driving on the road, you may notice that some vehicles equip with reflector or projector headlights, and some even use both in one headlight. One of the hottest topics discussed among auto enthusiasts and consumers is whether projector headlights are better or reflector headlights are. Which design accomplishes the job of a headlight the best? In other words, which design provides the best experience for both the driver and oncoming traffic? In this blog, we'll examine the differences between these two types of headlights and discuss which is better.

What Are Reflector Headlights?

A reflector headlight is easy to identify because of its unique shape. It consists of a chrome bowl with several reflectors and a bulb in the center of the bowl. When you turn on the headlights and ignite the bulb, the individual reflector surfaces will reflect the light and improve your visibility on the road. In general, reflector headlights will not lead to a more focused beam pattern, because the multiple reflectors of the chrome bowl will throw light in different directions.

Typically, manufacturers used reflector headlights on cars built around the 2000s or before. If you have a used car or an affordable model, you may have headlights with reflector housings and halogen bulbs. However, it's best not to guess, but to check the car owner's manual or ask your dealer for details.

Reflector Headlights

Advantages of Reflector Headlights

1. An Inexpensive Option
Reflector headlights are generally simpler and therefore less expensive than projector headlights.

2. Easy Installation
When you get reflector headlights, you don't have to worry about taking hours to install them into your car. You can hire a professional to do the work, or watch a few how-to videos and do it yourself if you feel confident enough.

3. Compact Design
If you have a small car, then the right headlight you need would be reflector headlights. They are smaller in size and therefore take up less space within the vehicle, which also explains why reflector headlights are still very popular today.

Disadvantages of Reflector Headlights

1. Less Control Over Lighting
When you have reflector headlights, one of the main problems you may face is the inability to control where the light actually hits. In most cases, this is not a very big problem because the light is bright enough, but at some point, it can cause visual problems.

2. Lack of Light Concentration
Compared to projector headlights, the light produced by reflector headlights is less focused, illuminating a wider range but with less precision and intensity. There are a few weak or intense spots in the beam. In addition, the brightness fades away from the center, not consistent across the beam. In terms of visibility, this lack of light concentration may be more dangerous to oncoming traffic.

What Are Projector Headlights?

As a relatively newer invention in the automotive industry, projector headlights can give your vehicle a modern look. These headlights were first introduced in the 1980s, but used to be limited to luxury, high-end vehicles. However, several newer car models also host projector headlights today.

Each projector headlight has a lens. One of the main benefits of a projector headlight is that its design enables you to throw focused light down on the road. Therefore, it does not blind oncoming drivers.

There are several types of projector headlights today. If your car has dual-beam projector housing, it will also have a cut-off shield/shutter in addition to the lens. The shutter can help you project light in different ways. So even if your car headlights only have one bulb, you can enjoy dual beams (low beam and high beam) with the help of a dual-beam projector housing. And, it is one of the main advantages of projector headlights over reflector ones.

If your car has a single-beam projector housing, it will not have a shutter to change the light beam pattern. In this case, the projector housing will have a separate, static projector for the low beam, and a projector or reflector for the high beam. Nowadays, many high-end cars use hybrid housing (dual-beam projector and reflector housings) for more superior beam patterns.

Projector Headlights

Advantages of Projector Headlights

1. Brightest Light
Projector headlights can focus the light produced by the bulb better and are therefore brighter than reflector headlights. Additionally, they can handle brighter headlight bulbs, known as high-intensity discharge (HID) bulbs, due to the distinct cutoff. Brighter headlight bulbs generally provide a better night driving experience.

2. Keeping Oncoming Traffic From Being Blinded
Projector headlights are safer for both the driver and oncoming traffic. The lens can project the beam of light downwards onto the road to avoid blinding other drivers or pedestrians who are crossing the road.

3. No Blind or Weak Spots
The light produced by projector headlights is evenly distributed. When the beam reaches the left and right edges, it appears as if your light won't fade, increasing visibility left, right and forward. There are also little to no “hot spots” or intense and weak spots.

Disadvantages of Projector Headlights

1. An Expensive Option
The budget might be a deciding factor when it comes to buying anything. The projector headlights are more expensive than reflector headlights, so you might have to think twice before the purchase.

2. Requiring More Space
Since there are a lot of components inside the projector headlight, the unit is pretty big and therefore requires more space. Those who have a small car might not even have the option of installing projector headlights into their car because there isn’t enough space in the front to install them.

Conclusion

After nearly one decade in the automotive industry, Vehicleaid has always come to the same conclusion. No headlight housing design is truly better as they both have their pros and cons. If both vehicles and environments are exactly the same and the only difference is the housing, we would still get the same amount of light output and brightness. Actually, reflector and projector headlights are simply different methods of directing light.

For the best results, it doesn’t matter what type of headlight housings you have but instead you should keep on top of their maintenance. It is highly recommended to check, fix and replace your headlights regularly. If you need one pair of new headlights, Vehicleaid may be the best choice!

Wondering how to choose between OEM and aftermarket headlights? Check here:
OEM vs. Aftermarket Headlights for Your Car: How to Choose