If you’re choosing a laser level, one decision you might face is red beam or green beam. While they may look similar on the outside, the difference in visibility, performance, and battery consumption can significantly impact how well the tool suits your job.
Here’s what you need to know.
Green Beam Lasers
- Up to 4x more visible to the human eye
- Easier to see in bright interiors
- Better performance in daylight conditions
- Ideal for large spaces or longer working distances
- Usually more expensive
- Use more power and generally have a shorter runtime per battery charge
Red Beam Lasers
- Clearly visible indoors in normal lighting
- Best suited for shorter distances
- Excellent for smaller rooms and general trade use
- Usually less expensive
- Use more power and generally have a shorter runtime per battery charge
Why is a Green Beam more visible to the human eye?
The human eye is more sensitive to green wavelengths than red, making green appear brighter at the same laser output power.
Laser Receivers
Both red and green beams can be used outdoors with a laser receiver, but visibility to the naked eye will always favour green. Generally Red Beam lasers will only work with a Red Beam receiver and Green Beam lasers will only work with a Green Beam receiver. There are some Hybrid receivers that will work with both Red Beam and Green Beam, but these are not as common, so if you are purchasing a receiver, make sure to check with us that it is compatible with your laser. It is also worth noting that rotating lasers need a rotating laser receiver and dot/line lasers need a dot/line laser receiver, they are not compatible between the two types of laser as they work in a very different way.
Final thoughts
For most indoor trade work, Red Beam lasers are more than sufficient and offer excellent value. However, if visibility is your top priority — especially in bright conditions — a Green Beam laser level will make your job easier and faster.
If you are using a laser mostly for outdoor work, you will typically use a receiver, so there would be no immediate advantage to a Green Beam. Pipe lasers are the exception to this as they are not used with a receiver, so the main advantage of a Green Beam is better visibility over longer distances.
If you’re unsure which is right for your application, feel free to get in touch — we’re happy to help you choose the right tool for the job.