There are various models of car light bulbs in the auto engineering and automotive lighting market. Different car models require specific bulbs for an optimum upgrade, thus giving drivers the option of customizing their headlight style. Among the many car headlight bulbs, H4 and H7 are the most popular models. So in this blog, we will have the H4 vs H7 light bulb discussions, so you can learn more about the differences between these bulbs and shop for the right bulbs for your car.

What is the H4 car light bulb?

Firstly, the H4 car light bulb was originally invented for use in race cars. However, its application was primarily restricted to European cars for decades. In some countries, such as the United States and India, H4 bulbs were popular in motorcycles but could not be used in cars as the beam pattern did not meet the safety standard.

To solve this problem, an alternative bulb called 9003/HB2 was developed. They can be used for road cars without dazzling other drivers. Today, the development of headlight technology has brought about the interchangeability of the H4, HB2 and 9003. Many bulbs that fit this specification will feature all these labels on the packaging.

What is the H7 car light bulb?

H7 bulbs are quite popular and are most commonly used by German and other European auto manufacturers. Since their first introduction on the market in 1993, they have remained popular due to their small size.

In the past, you will find H7 Xenon bulbs on some luxury cars such as BMW, Audi, Mercedes and Volkswagen, however, due to the shortcoming of high-cost and glare light, they have been supplanted by LED bulbs.

What are the differences between H4 and H7 headlight kits?

One of the biggest differences between H4 and H7 bulbs is the number of filaments they have.

The H4 is also called the dual-beam headlight bulb because each bulb contains two filaments; one is for the low beam and the other for the high beam. When using the high beam, the low beam filament goes out briefly.

The H7 bulbs are single-beam headlight bulbs, which means that there is only one filament for either high or low beam. As for the H7 car bulb, it tends to be used for low beam, and you should buy another single-filament bulb for high beam such as H1. (The type of bulb needed is determined by your vehicle)

You can also take this table for a quick glance at another differences:

After all, H4 bulbs can be classified as dual-beam headlights while H7 bulbs can be categorized as single-beam headlight bulb. Learn more about the differences between dual-beam vs single-beam headlights will provide you an in-depth insight about the differences between H4 and H7.

Are H4 and H7 bulbs interchangeable?

H4 and H7 are two different types of the headlight bulb. It is impossible to replace an H4 bulb with an H7. There are two main reasons why they aren’t interchangeable:

1. The type of base holder is different, so you can not try to insert the bulb into a different bulb’s socket.

2. More importantly, the plug of the lamp can not connect to the socket of the original car, so you can’t even light it up.

Best H4 LED headlight bulb recommendation

The Optimal 3-color H4 LED Headlight Kits

If you are looking for H4 LED bulbs that have multiple functions to escort you in all adverse weather. NAOEVO’s S4 series H4 LED headlight is a perfect pick for you!

These H4 LED bulbs were designed by NAOEVO and feature 3 color lighting modes. The 6500K white is perfect for driving at a normal night, however, when you caught in extreme weather, the 4300K warm white and 3000K yellow better break through the fog, raindrops, snow, and haze in the air, giving drivers clearer sight against the bad weather.

Equipped with the large-size flip chip, these H4 LED headlight kits are likely to deliver 60W 7200LM per set, which is three times brighter than halogen. They feature precise optics technology, which helps to project uniform and broad light onto the ground clearly.

These H4 LED bulbs are designed as small as halogen bulbs so they can be installed into the headlight housing easily. The IP67 waterproof means they can tolerate prolonged submersion under pressure and are storm-resistant. As they are made from sturdy 6063 aluminum and equipped with high-speed mute fan, they can work for over 30,000 hrs.

Best H7 LED headlight bulb recommendation

NAOEVO The Brightest H7 LED Headlight Bulb 16800LM

If you’re looking for high-brightness and stylish H7 LED headlight bulbs, then consider getting NAOEVO ND series replacement headlight bulbs. With an high output of 140W 16800LM per set, these H7 LED headlight kits are estimated to be 600% brighter than ordinary halogen bulbs.

What’s more? The heat sink of the ND H7 bulb is designed as a SPIDER. The more eye-catchy and gorgeous design upgrades your headlight to a new level. They also offer far and wide illumination to make it easier for you to detect road hazards and avoid accidents.

As a result of their dual copper heat pipe, 6063 aluminum bodies, and 12,000 RPM high-speed cooling fans. These awesome H7 LED conversion kits achieve three times faster cooling capacity, thus lasting over 50,000 hours lifespan.

Final Word

Take some time to read your country’s legalities on street upgrades on lights. For the US, headlights need to pass DOT-compliant and so on.
When replacing halogen with the LED headlight bulb, find out if your car headlight is H7 or H4. You never know what new thing you might learn.
Have you considered upgrading your stock bulb to a brighter LED headlight kit? More good LED headlight bulbs at naoevo.com.