All LED lighting is made up of a light package in one form or other.
A COB or 'chips on board' light is a type of led package.
In COB lighting, single LED chips are placed directly on a circuit board (or substrate) which has thermal properties to disperse heat.Heat dissipation is a very important aspect of LED lighting because it can have a major impact on the life expectancy of the luminaire.Traditional LED chips are not placed directly on the substrate and therefore there is greater thermal resistance.As a result of improved heat dissipation, COB lights can have a higher LED chip density and therefore achieve higher light levels while maintaining or improving life expectancy.COB downlights and spotlights are characterised by the yellow chip (package) visible inside the reflector.Sometimes a diffuser or cover is placed on the light to hide the COB chip.
In Summary:COB lights are a more efficient form of LED lighting for general lighting applications because:
They are more stable and reliable than standard LED packages