Projector Headlights VS Reflector Headlights

If you drive a car, chances are that the headlights on it are one of two types - projector or reflector. If you drive an older car, it most likely has a reflector headlight and if you drive a newer one, it most likely has a projector headlight. What do both these terms stand for and what are their pros and cons? We're here to tell you just that. But what you must know at the start is that both of them are good enough for night-time driving so you need not worry about having yours swapped. That said, let's take a deep dive into the two main types of headlights that cars are equipped with.

What is a reflector headlight?

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The concept of the reflector headlight has been around since electric headlamps were invented. The basic idea is to have a bulb in the middle of the whole assembly and place reflective mirrors around it to reflect its light onto the roads. Such headlights are generally smaller than projector headlights and are cheaper to produce. They are identifiable for their dome-like construction, which allows them to take up less space inside the hood of your car. In the early days, a reflector headlight would be built as a single unit and be called a sealed beam. That meant that once the bulb gave up, the entire unit had to be replaced. That has changed over the decades and the bulbs of reflector headlights can now be swapped easily if they lose power. So really, the main benefit of a reflector headlight is its cheaper nature

What's the functional benefit of a reflector headlight?

Reflector headlights are able to produce a bigger beam pattern that covers a larger surface area. However, this also poses the risk of glare if the bulb is not aligned correctly, leading to other drivers getting blinded by its light.

What is a projector headlight?

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The projector headlight is a relatively modern invention. It was first seen in luxury vehicles back in the 1980s but can now be spotted on vehicles from all price ranges. Most of their construction is similar to that of reflector headlights, in the sense that they feature a bulb and reflective mirrors. But where a projector headlight differs is with the addition of an ellipsoidal lens on the outer casing. This lens acts as a magnifying glass, increasing the brightness of the light beam. Moreover, such headlights are also more visually appealing than reflector headlights, which is great for boosting the aesthetics of the car.

What is the functional benefit of a projector headlight?

A projector headlight is able to produce a more focused beam pattern. Moreover, it has less possibility of blinding drivers coming from the other side. Projector headlights also have a sharp cut-off shield, which prevents the light from spreading into areas where it's not needed.

As we said at the start, there is no major disadvantage to having either of these headlights on your car. It's just that projector headlights are a more modern idea that is fast catching up and is increasingly being adopted by car makers for most of their offerings.