If you’ve been browsing the web for a laser pointer you’ve seen that there are tons of different beam colors and output power combinations to choose from. But this can become a bit confusing to those users new to the laser world, here we’ll look at some factors to help you understand the differences in laser output powers.
1. Output Power Basics
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A laser’s power is measured in Milli-Watts (mW) and typically are ranged from 5mW all the way to 1,000mW or 1 Watt. The higher the output of a laser power the brighter it will be, the greater distance it will be visible for, and the greater the burning ability (when over 200mW).
2. Power In Relation To Color
Here is where it really gets confusing for most users as a 200mW green laser is 7 times to 10 times brighter than 200mW of any other color. So, a higher power blue, red, or purple laser, may actually be less visible or bright than a lower-powered green laser (depending on how powerful it actually is). As a rule, remember that green 532nm is at least 7X brighter than any other color at the same power.
3. Burning Ability
No matter the color of the laser, in order for a beam to produce enough heat to light a match or pop a balloon, you’ll need no less than 200mW. Of course, the greater the mW power the greater the burning ability of the laser you are considering.
With even just a few minutes online you can determine the most suitable high power or lower power laser for any application you may have in mind. Be sure to ask questions if you have them and always look for warranty periods of minimum 12 months before you buy a laser online. 1-877-614-5304
