Phantom PHOTOBIO MX 680W vs. Iluminar iL8x 670w

The PHANTOM PHOTOBIO MX 680W and Iluminar iL8x 670W are similarly priced high-output LED grow lights designed for serious commercial cultivation and hydroponic production. Both fixtures sit in the upper tier of professional-grade horticultural lighting and are available through GrowersHouse. In this comparison, we look at the technical specs, light spectrum, control options, and cost of ownership to help commercial and hydroponic growers decide which fixture best fits their operation.

High-Efficiency LED Grow Lights with Full Spectrum Output

Modern LED grow lights continue to become more efficient and cost-effective. Manufacturers such as PHOTOBIO and Iluminar are using advanced diodes with very high PAR efficiency to reduce power consumption while delivering a broad, nearly full spectrum light output suitable for both vegetative and flowering stages.

Both the PHOTOBIO MX 680W and Iluminar iL8x 670W are purpose-built for commercial indoor cultivation and are especially well suited for dense hydroponic or soilless canopy layouts where uniformity, efficiency, and controllability matter.

• Both fixtures are compatible with external controllers, allowing automated management of multiple lights in large-scale facilities.
• They are engineered for low-profile mounting, delivering high PPFD at relatively low hanging heights to help maximize vertical space in the grow room or grow tent.
• Each fixture offers strong PAR efficiency, with the PHOTOBIO MX rated at 2.55 µmol/J and the Iluminar iL8x at 2.6 µmol/J (380–780 nm).

Overall, these two commercial LED grow lights compare very closely on paper. The table below highlights the key technical differences and similarities.

Technical Specifications: Side-by-Side LED Comparison

LED Specs Compared

LED Specifications	PHOTOBIO MX 680W LED	Iluminar iL8x 670W LED
Wattage (Input Power)	680 W	670 W
Voltage Options	110–120 V | 208–240 V | 277 V	120 V | 240 V | 277 V
PAR Efficiency (µmol/J) [380–780 nm]	2.55	2.6
Total PPF Intensity (µmol/s) [380–780 nm]	1700+	1742
LED Diodes	S4 Spectrum: Full	FSG: Full Spectrum Growth | High Efficiency SMD Array
Amps	5.67 @ 120 V | 3.27 @ 208 V | 2.83 @ 240 V | 2.45 @ 277 V	5.69 @ 120 V | 2.8 @ 240 V | 2.42 @ 277 V
Mounting Height	6"–24" from canopy	6"–12" from canopy
Coverage Footprint – Veg	Up to 7' x 7'	Up to 7' x 7'
Coverage Footprint – Flower	Up to 5' x 5'	Up to 5' x 5'
Length	44.1" (112 cm)	42" (106.7 cm)
Width	43.3" (110 cm)	39.5" (100.3 cm)
Height	2.2" (5.6 cm)	5.08" (12.9 cm)
Weight	47 lbs	35.3 lbs
Warranty	5 years	5 years
Controllable	Yes with Autopilot PX2 Controller	Yes with Iluminar HASH Controller
DLC Listed for Energy Rebates?	Yes	Yes
IP Rating	IP65	IP65
UV and/or IR Spectra?	No	No
Dimming	Yes (0–10 V)	Yes (0–10 V)
Cooling	Passive	Passive
Heat Output (BTUs)	N/A	2278
LED Lifespan (90%)	50,000+ hrs	55,000+ hrs

From a pure specification standpoint, the two fixtures are very closely matched. The Iluminar iL8x is slightly more efficient on paper and lighter in weight, while the PHOTOBIO MX is physically larger and heavier but offers a similarly strong output and coverage.

Controller Compatibility and Automation for Commercial Facilities

Both the PHOTOBIO MX and Iluminar iL8x LEDs offer robust controllability when integrated with their respective control systems. For commercial hydroponic facilities running many fixtures, this is critical for maintaining consistent daily light integral (DLI), protecting crops from heat spikes, and optimizing energy use.

The PHOTOBIO MX pairs with the Autopilot PX2 Advanced Digital Lighting Controller, which can manage two independent lighting zones with up to 50 LEDs per zone (100 fixtures total). This setup enables:

• Two temperature sensors (one per zone) for temperature-based dimming and safety limits.
• Auto-dimming, scheduling, timers, sunrise/sunset simulation, and emergency shut-down protocols.

The Iluminar iL8x can be integrated with either of two Iluminar-made controllers—the Iluminar HASH Lighting Controller and the HASH Environmental Controller—depending on the desired level of environmental integration. Compared with the Autopilot controller, the Iluminar HASH system offers several advanced advantages for large-scale environments:

• Ability to dim an effectively unlimited number of LEDs across two zones.
• Support for up to six temperature sensors, offering more granular thermal monitoring.
• Rules-based triggers, schedules, timers, remote access, and flexible automation logic.
• Control of LED intensity based on a wider range of environmental inputs, including HVAC status.

From an automation standpoint, the Iluminar ecosystem clearly provides more advanced environmental integration, which can be valuable in complex hydroponic facilities with multiple microclimates. However, the Autopilot system still covers the core needs of most commercial rooms, especially where fixture counts per room stay under 100.

One practical consideration: the PHOTOBIO fixture is 11.7 lbs heavier than the Iluminar, at 47 lbs total, making it one of the heaviest commercial LED fixtures on the market. For overhead racking or mobile vertical systems, that added weight may influence hardware and mounting decisions.

Light Spectrum Differences and Plant Response

The chart below compares the 380–780 nm spectrums of the PHOTOBIO MX 680W and Iluminar iL8x 670W, alongside the absorption curves of chlorophylls and carotenoids, which are key pigments driving photosynthesis.

PHOTOBIO MX 680W vs. Iluminar iL8x 670W LED Spectrum Comparison

A second graphic adds spectrum curves from several other established brands—such as Growers Choice, Fluence, and HLG (Horticulture Lighting Group)—to give context for how PHOTOBIO and Iluminar compare to other leading horticultural fixtures.

In the first graphic, a significant difference in spectral balance is clear. The PHOTOBIO MX delivers higher levels of red (approximately 1.0) and deep red (approximately 0.95), while the Iluminar iL8x shows higher relative levels of blue (about 0.95 vs. 0.8). Interestingly, the Iluminar produces slightly higher PAR intensities specifically between 660–700 nm, but this small difference is unlikely to translate into a meaningful yield advantage.

In general:

• Higher levels of red (~600 nm) and deep red (~660 nm) are associated with reproductive growth and flowering responses.
• Higher levels of blue (~450 nm) are commonly used to drive compact vegetative growth and tighter internodal spacing.

Both fixtures provide substantial amounts of both red and blue light, making them suitable for full-cycle cultivation—from vegetative growth through flowering—without the need to swap fixtures or spectrums.

Overall, the PHOTOBIO MX spectrum is slightly more “complete” within the PAR region. It delivers strong intensities across all critical wavelengths, with particular emphasis on red and deep red. In the broader multi-brand comparison, the PHOTOBIO spectrum aligns more closely with other popular high-performance LEDs from brands like Growers Choice, Fluence, and HLG.

With elevated green and yellow output, the PHOTOBIO MX is expected to maintain better penetration through dense canopies over time. This helps keep lower foliage healthier and can support higher overall yields—especially in tall hydroponic crops or multi-layer vertical systems. At the same time, both fixtures maintain high blue and red intensity for strong growth during both vegetative and bloom stages.

PAR Coverage Profiles and Canopy Uniformity

Neither the PHOTOBIO MX nor the Iluminar iL8x has yet undergone a full PAR PPFD grid coverage test in this specific comparison project. However, both fixtures share a similar bar-style form factor to other well-known models such as the Growers Choice ROI-E series and Fluence Spydr series. Those comparable fixtures are known for delivering significantly more uniform PAR coverage compared with compact, traditional HID or older LED designs.

Given their bar-style layouts and comparable dimensions, it is reasonable to expect the PHOTOBIO MX and Iluminar iL8x to provide similarly uniform, edge-to-edge PPFD distribution across a 4' x 4' to 5' x 5' flowering footprint, with extended coverage up to 7' x 7' in vegetative growth. For hydroponic and soilless systems where plants are often densely spaced, that uniformity helps reduce “hot spots” and “cold corners,” leading to more consistent plant height and crop quality.

Fixture Price & Operating Cost for Commercial Growers

PhotoBio MX 680W LED vs. Iluminar iL8x 670W LED Cost Comparison

	PHOTOBIO MX 680W LED	Iluminar iL8x 670W LED
Estimated Fixture Cost	$895	$999
Adapter for Controller	N/A	N/A
Controller	Yes, Autopilot PX2 Controller ($355)	Yes, Iluminar HASH Controllers (Lighting = $399) | (Environmental = $480)
Cost to Run per Month @ $0.13/kWh (U.S. average) (12–16 hr DLI)	$31.82 (12-hr DLI) – $42.43 (16-hr DLI) @ 680 W	$31.36 (12-hr DLI) – $41.81 (16-hr DLI) @ 670 W

From a fixture price standpoint, the PHOTOBIO MX is the more economical choice, coming in at more than 10% less than the Iluminar iL8x in this comparison. The Autopilot PX2 controller is also slightly less expensive than the Iluminar HASH controller options.

However, the Iluminar controllers offer a more advanced feature set geared toward large commercial facilities, including support for more sensors, more complex rule sets, and a higher ceiling on fixture count per zone.

When it comes to monthly operating cost at an average U.S. power rate of $0.13/kWh, the difference between the two fixtures is negligible—on the order of $0.60 per month per fixture at similar DLI, which is essentially insignificant at the facility level.

Key Takeaways for Hydroponic and Commercial Growers

For hydroponic growers and commercial indoor cultivators choosing between the PHOTOBIO MX 680W and Iluminar iL8x 670W, the data points to a few clear conclusions:

• Both fixtures are high-performance commercial LED grow lights. They offer similar PAR efficiency, coverage footprints, IP65 protection, dimming, and DLC listing for potential energy rebates.
• PHOTOBIO MX offers stronger value on upfront cost. The fixture itself is more than 10% cheaper in this comparison, and the corresponding controller is also less expensive.
• Iluminar iL8x has the more advanced control ecosystem. For large-scale facilities needing deep integration with environmental monitoring and complex automation, the Iluminar HASH controllers provide more flexibility and scalability.
• Spectrum favors PHOTOBIO for canopy penetration and full-cycle use. The PHOTOBIO MX spectrum delivers relatively higher red and deep red output, while still maintaining strong blue, green, and yellow components for good penetration and full-cycle performance.
• Operating cost is effectively a tie. Power consumption and monthly cost at typical DLI are so close that energy expense should not be the deciding factor between these two LEDs.