How many LEDs / pixels can the MagWLED-1 support?

FAQs

Software limit

WLED supports up to 1500 LEDs on a single output by default. This can be increased in the WLED config, but memory constraints on the ESP32-C3 become a factor at higher counts.

Power limit

The more practical constraint is power. The MagWLED-1’s USB-C input supports up to 3A via USB PD:

At 5V: ~3A = 15W → roughly 100 LEDs at full white brightness (each RGB LED draws up to ~60mA at full white)
At 12V: ~3A = 36W → supports longer 12V strips within power budget

For larger installations, power the LEDs from an external DC supply and use the MagWLED-1 for data only. See Using an external DC power supply.

Practical recommendation

Up to ~100 LEDs at full brightness with USB-C power only (5V strips)
Up to ~300+ LEDs with an external 12V supply
Up to ~500+ LEDs at lower brightness settings or with power injection midway along the strip

Running effects at less than full brightness (common in practice) significantly increases how many LEDs you can drive reliably.