This is my buying guide on the best LED headlight bulbs for the Ram 1500 in 2023. Below is a quick summary of my top recommendations. Scroll further down to read my in depth, hands on reviews, for each headlight. Also see my real world tests and photos below.
Sealight X2 H11 Headlight bulbs
- Plug and play
- 20,000 lumens/set
- 6,500K Cool White
- +600% brighter than halogens (advertised)
- Best overall H11 LEDs
- The beam pattern covers the standard weak spot
- 60,000-hour lifespan
- 50W per set
- Compact external driver for easier installation
- Built-in 12,000 RPM turbo cooling fan
- Excellent heat retention and temperature
- 1-year warranty
Arismotor 9005 LED
Headlight Bulbs
- Plug and play
- Quality craftsmanship
- 20,000 lumens/set
- 6,500K Cool White
- +600% brighter than halogens (advertised)
- Best overall 9005 LEDs
- Excellent heat retention 85%
- 50,000-hour lifespan
- 120W per set
- External driver
- Built-in 12,000 RPM turbo cooling fan
- Lowest driver temperature I’ve seen so far
- IP68 Waterproof
- 2-year warranty
Nilight H13 LED
Headlight Bulbs
- Plug and play
- 10,000 lumens/set
- 6,000K Cool White
- +350% brighter than halogens (advertised)
- Best overall H13 LEDs
- Excellent beam pattern
- 50,000-hour lifespan
- 50W per set
- External driver
- Built-in 10,000 RPM turbo cooling fan
- Low temperatures of both the main unit and driver
- Heat retention of 82%
- IP67 Water resistant
- 2-year warranty
The Ram 1500 is one unique vehicle, and its after-market replacement parts aren’t always easy to source.
Headlights are an excellent example. The Ram 1500 has four lights and single bulbs are needed for high and low beams, and other models only have 2, where a dual beam bulb works best.
How do you know which ones are right? That’s why I’m here.
I’ve been testing headlight bulbs for over ten years, and I’ve seen my share of good and bad.
If you have a Ram with four lights, you’re best off with 9005 headlight bulbs in your high beams as they’re super bright. And H11 bulbs are excellent for low beams.
If your Ram has dual beam sockets, H13 bulbs are the best.
I’ve tested over twenty bulbs suitable for Dodge Rams and have come up with the best of each. Arismotor is my pick for the best 9005 LED bulb for high beams.
I’ve also recommended the best H11 for low beams and the best H13 for duals.
Get ready to learn about the best LED headlight bulbs for the Ram 1500.
Arismotor 9005 LED Headlight Bulbs
BEST RAM 1500 HIGH BEAMS
Best 9005 High Beam Replacements
For a Dodge Ram single high beam replacement bulb, the Arismotor 9005 LED gets my vote. These bulbs are super bright and have excellent heat retention, meaning they last a lot longer.
Advertised Specifications
Arismotor advertises its 9005 bulbs as 20,000 lumens per set and 600% brighter than halogens. That’s a mighty claim. My test results did confirm that they’re bright, but six times? Find out below.
The beam can be adjusted 360° and has a super focused pattern design, which provides a wider and farther lighting range.
The Kelvin color is 6,500K cool white. Now this is very important for high beams. Factory halogens are more like 3,000k, an amber/yellow color. I like white as it highlights objects in front of the car more clearly than yellow.
The bulbs body is made using aviation aluminum, and has a 12,000 RPM ultra-low noise turbofan to cool them down. They draw 120 watts of power per set, pretty standard for 9005s.
Arismotor claims these will last for 50,000 hours. I’ve never seen a bulb last that long, so I’m not sure these will. However, the 2-year warranty gives me confidence they’ll last a very long time.
Lastly they’re IP68 waterproof rated, which is the highest ranking. These bulbs can be taken out in snow, fog, sand storms, and heavy rain and not be affected by the elements.
My Observations
Arismotor is a relatively new brand, but they’re taking things seriously when it comes to hardware.
The packaging is no-frills, except for its neat logo on the box. Included is a very brief 2-page manual. These are plug-and-play, though, so it’s not needed.
The bulbs themselves look impressive. Just by their feel, I can tell they’re made with quality craftsmanship. I especially like the solid grate protecting the fan.
The adjustable collar locks in nicely and securely, which is excellent, as I’ve seen a few loose ones recently.
It has a very thin core which should assist with the excellent beam pattern.
There’s even a braided cord connecting the standard-looking external driver box, and this cord helps with heat management.
These are decent-quality bulbs and look like care has been taken in their creation.
My Tests
I test all my LED bulbs in the same way. I’ve set up a lux meter 20 feet away from the bulb. I’m not testing for lumens per bulb; I’m comparing them to factory halogens. In the reflector test, halogens have a lux rating of 725 and 910 for the projector test.
The Arismotor 9005 LEDs gave me an initial lux rating of 1,602 in the projector test. That’s two and a half times more than the halogens, so these are bright and perfect for your Dodge Ram’s high beams.
After 27 minutes, the average commute time in the US, the lux rating dropped to 1,362 lux, which is 85%. That is some excellent light retention when you consider the average is around 77%.
The reflector test had equally impressive results, an initial lux rating of 2,860, three times over the halogens, and then it dropped by 85% to 2,432 lux, after 27 minutes..
These bulbs emit a typical beam pattern; they have a sharp cut off which leads to some slight fuzziness at the top and bottom left and top right. For such a high light output, these are well-controlled.
The wattage is a bit of a head-scratcher. They’re advertised at 60 watts each, yet I only observed 40 watts. That’s a considerable difference. Could it be a misprint in the specs?
The 85% heat retention had me wondering how well the turbofan worked. After 27 minutes, the unit was only 132°F, and the driver was 109°F which is the lowest temperature I’ve seen for a bulb driver so far.
This tells me that the driver does an excellent job at keeping the light bright and the heat at a minimum.
What Other Drivers Are Saying
The Arismotor 9005 LED bulbs are a new product and don’t have many ratings yet; right now they currently sit at 4.3/5 stars.
Customers reviews are really positive, how great Arismotor’s customer support is, if needed, and how easy they are to install.
It appears they may not last 50,000 hours, but I wouldn’t expect them to, even with the lower temperatures.
Pros
- Plug and play
- Quality craftsmanship
- 20,000 lumens/set
- 6,500K Cool White
- +600% brighter than halogens (advertised)
- Best overall 9005 LEDs
- Excellent heat retention 85%
- 50,000-hour lifespan
- 120W per set
- External driver
- Built-in 12,000 RPM turbo cooling fan
- Lowest driver temperature I’ve seen so far
- IP68 Waterproof
- 2-year warranty
Cons
- May not last 50,000 hours
Sealight X2 H11 Headlight bulbs
BEST RAM 1500 LOW BEAMS
Best H11 Low Beam Replacements
For Dodge Rams with four headlights, H11s make great low-beam replacements, and the Sealight X2s are my pick of the best.
Advertised Specifications
Sealight advertises the X2 H11 LEDs as having 20,000 lumens and being 600% brighter than halogens. Again, it’s a big claim.
Similarly to the Arismotor 9005s, these are also 6500 Kelvins of cool white. That added clarity to objects in front of the car is appreciated.
These bulbs promise a focused beam pattern without any dark spots or uneven patterns and up to 1,600 feet of visibility.
The cooling system consists of a 20,000 RPM built-in silent turbofan; they don’t draw much power, at only 50 watts per set.
Sealight only offers a 1-year warranty on these bulbs, which is a little low compared to its competitors, especially with the 60,000 hours life span that they claim.
I couldn’t find an IP rating anywhere, so it must be in the range of 65–68, but I suspect it’s at the lower end.
My Observations
Sealight makes excellent products at affordable prices, and these are a fantastic set of bulbs.
This company thinks about what the customer needs, so Inside the box are rubber gloves to protect your hands. To fit the external driver, there are zip ties and double-sided tape.
There’s a comprehensive instruction manual included, but I don’t feel it’s needed as they’re plug-and-play too.
Like all Sealight products, these feel robust and look well-made, and I have confidence in them just by the first inspection.
Sealight also puts thought into its products. It has little unique touches, like the logo covering the fan.
I’m concerned about the heat fan; it seems relatively shallow, and I’m unsure if it can generate the power to keep things cool.
What I love is how compact the external driver is. These components are getting smaller, making e installation into tinier fittings easier.
These are a great-looking set of bulbs.
My Tests
In the projector test, The Sealight X2 H11 LEDs delivered an initial lux rating of 954 lux, 249 more than halogens, so 130% brighter. This is ideal for low beams.
I was wrong about the fan! After 27 minutes, they only dropped to 88%, 842 lux. That’s well above the average and very impressive.
The Sealight X2s delivered an initial lux rating of 1,864 in the reflector test, 200% better than halogens. But not 600% as advertised. After 27 minutes, it dropped to 1,645 lux, again 88%.
As for the beam pattern, I didn’t like the very high cutoff, which has me questioning that the beam will extend to 1,600 ft as advertised.
It impresses me with the excellent coverage of the common weak spot in the lower center but at the expense of some weakness on the upper and lower left.
These are advertised at 25 watts each, and I observed 24.8, which is very close.
Once again, my observation of the shallow fan was in vain. After 27 minutes, the main unit was only 113°F, and the driver 123°F. These incredibly cool temperatures could mean the bulbs will last a long time, but maybe not 60,000 hours.
What Other Drivers Are Saying
Drivers agree with me that the Sealight X2 H11 LED bulbs make for excellent low-beam replacements. The current rating is 4.5/5 stars.
Customers are fans of the awesome brightness, perfect beam pattern, and how easy they are to install.
Some interesting comments are that they don’t perform well when taken out in snowy conditions, which could confirm that they have a lower-than-average IP rating.
Summing it Up
For Dodge Ram low-beam replacement lights. The Sealight X2 H11s are my recommendation.
Pros
- Plug and play
- 20,000 lumens/set
- 6,500K Cool White
- +600% brighter than halogens (advertised)
- Best overall H11 LEDs
- The beam pattern covers the standard weak spot
- 60,000-hour lifespan
- 50W per set
- Compact external driver for easier installation
- Built-in 12,000 RPM turbo cooling fan
- Excellent heat retention and temperature
- 1-year warranty
Cons
- May not work in cold, snowy conditions.
Nilight H13 LED Headlight Bulbs
BEST DUAM BEAMS FOR THE RAM 1500
Best H13 Dual Beam Replacements
You want a dual beam bulb for Ram 1500 with only two headlights, and the Nilight H13 LED is my favorite.
Advertised Specifications
Nilight is pretty good at keeping its product specifications more real. Advertised at 10,000 lumens a set, these should be 350% brighter than halogens.
The bulbs have a 360° illumination angle, giving a super-focused beam pattern with no dark spots or glare to oncoming drivers.
The Kelvin color is 6,000K cool white, ideal for dual beams; you get a much clearer view of objects on the road.
The Nilight H13 bulbs are constructed with an aviation aluminum heat sink and a built-in 10,000 RPM silent cooling fan.
At 50 watts per pair, these don’t draw a lot of power, and if they keep cool, they should outlast the 2-year warranty, but maybe not the advertised 50,000 hours.
They’re waterproof-rated IP67, while not the highest, will still protect the bulbs from heavy rain, snow, and fog.
My Observations
Nilight products consistently rank in the top 20 best sellers of Amazon headlights.
It’s another company that considers the customer by providing anti-static gloves, zip ties, and double-sided tape. There’s a basic manual included too, but they’re plug-and-play, so it’s unnecessary.
What I love about these is how space-age they look. They’re a neat design, with lots of silver and what appears to be an inverted adjustable collar, just for something unique.
The copper board that the chips mount to is only 0.04 inches thick. That should assist with the beam pattern; if it does, I’ll be impressed. See my test results below.
These bulbs are well-made, with quality all metal materials.
My Tests
I got an initial lux rating of 1,437 in the projector test with a drop of 82%, 1,173 27 minutes later. In the reflector test, 2,690 with a decline to 2,176, also 82%.
That makes these just over 300% brighter than halogens and closer to the advertised claim of 350% than the Arismotor and Sealight X2s.
Based on the thin control board, I was keen to see the beam pattern, which seems to work. The light is well controlled, with just some slight blurring at the cutoff, in the usual spot lower center and the bottom left.
Advertised at 25 watts, I observed 23.8 watts, so once again, Nilight does an excellent job of keeping things accurate.
With the temperature after 27 minutes, I tested 129°F for the main unit and 136°F for the driver. These are decent temperatures and explain the 82% heat retention.
What Other Drivers Are Saying
The Nilight H13 LED bulbs are extremely popular and have almost 12,000 ratings, averaging 4.5/5.
Customers love how easy they are to install, lots of mentions of high-quality construction, and how very bright they are.
Unsurprisingly they don’t appear to last 50,000 hours.
Summing it Up
For dual beam lights for a Dodge Ram, don’t look further than the Nilights; super-bright and have excellent heat retention.
Pros
- Plug and play
- 10,000 lumens/set
- 6,000K Cool White
- +350% brighter than halogens (advertised)
- Best overall H13 LEDs
- Excellent beam pattern
- 50,000-hour lifespan
- 50W per set
- External driver
- Built-in 10,000 RPM turbo cooling fan
- Low temperatures of both the main unit and driver
- Heat retention of 82%
- IP67 Water resistant
- 2-year warranty
Cons
- CAN bus errors in some vehicles
Dodge Ram 1500 Headlight Bulbs FAQ
Dodge Ram drivers contact me with tons of questions. Here are the four most common.
Can I put LED bulbs in my RAM 1500?
You can and you should. I recommend upgrading from halogens to LEDs as they last longer, offer more brightness, and have a cooler Kelvin color.
It’s not just the headlight that can be upgraded to LEDs. Brake lights, interior lights, and fog lights can all benefit from LED power.
What size bulbs does the Dodge RAM use?
The Dodge Ram comes in two fit-outs. Four headlights or two. If there are four, a high and low-beam bulb should be purchased, the 9005 bulb is best for high, and H11 is best for low.
Dodge Rams with only two headlights are dual beam, and the H13 bulb takes care of that nicely.
Will my RAM 1500 need a conversion kit for LEDs?
Some Ram drivers may experience some flickering or dashboard errors when they change from halogens to LEDs. The solution is to install a conversion kit or a decoder, which will remove any CAN bus errors and allow the bulbs to perform at their optimum.
