Break out the shades for Cree's new 100W replacement LED (pictures)

Things are looking bright for this new, more powerful LED.

Ry Crist

Originally hailing from Troy, Ohio, Ry Crist is a writer, a text-based adventure connoisseur, a lover of terrible movies and an enthusiastic yet mediocre cook. A CNET editor since 2013, Ry's beats include smart home tech, lighting, appliances, broadband and home networking.

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Ry Crist

March 12, 2014 4:00 a.m. PT

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Cree 100W replacement LED

Cree's new 100W replacement LED is their brightest bulb to date. Click through for a closer look at what it has to offer.

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Neutral color tone

The Cree 100W replacement glows at a low color temperature of 2,700 K. The extra brightness gives it a more whitish glow than its predecessors of the same color temperature, which have more of a yellow tone.

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Omnidirectionality

The 100W replacement is compatible with most dimmers and fully omnidirectional, both of which make for a very decent reading light.

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A brighter, bigger bulb

The 100W replacement (right) uses extra diodes in order to emit 1,600 lumens. This is why the bulb is noticeably bigger than Cree's 60W and 75W replacements, which put out 800 and 1,100 lumens, respectively.

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Bigger heat sinks, too

The 100W replacement also uses a bigger set of heat sinks to help keep it cool and ensure that it lasts for 25,000 hours, as Cree promises.

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Price point

Cree's new bulb will retail for $19.97 at Home Depot, and that's about as low a price point as you'll find for an LED with this many lumens. If, as expected, it earns Energy Star certification in the next few months, you might be able to get it for even less.