Whether you are buying your first lightsaber or upgrading to something more advanced, there is a lot to get your head around. Neopixel, xenopixel, baselit, proffie, RGB... the terminology alone can put people off. We get asked the same questions every week, so we have put together this guide to cover everything you need to know before making a purchase.
What Is a Neopixel Lightsaber?
A neopixel lightsaber uses a strip of individually addressable LEDs that run the full length of the blade, rather than a single LED in the hilt. This means the blade lights up from the base to the tip with a scrolling ignition effect, and the colour is bright, even, and vivid across the entire length. You also get pixel-level effects like unstable blades, fire effects, rainbow cycling, and realistic clash animations that react to where on the blade you make contact.
Neopixel sabers are the premium tier. They look significantly better than baselit models, especially in low light or for video and photography. If you have seen a lightsaber on YouTube or TikTok that made you think "that looks real," it was almost certainly a neopixel.
What Is the Difference Between Neopixel, Xenopixel, Baselit and Proffie?
Baselit sabers use a single high-powered LED in the hilt that projects light up through the blade. They are the most affordable option, typically starting around £45 and ranging up to £300 depending on the hilt design. Baselit sabers still have sound effects, smooth swing, and multiple colour options. They are solid for duelling because the blade construction is simpler and tougher. If you want a combat-ready saber without spending a fortune, baselit is the way to go.
Xenopixel is a specific type of neopixel soundboard made by a company called LGT. It gives you the full neopixel blade experience (scrolling ignition, pixel effects, clash-on-blade detection) at a more accessible price point than a Proffie setup. Our xenopixel sabers start from around £360. Xenopixel boards come pre-loaded with sound fonts and blade styles that you can cycle through without needing any software or technical knowledge. Plug in, turn on, and go.
Proffie is the most advanced soundboard available. It is fully open-source, meaning you can programme custom blade effects, create your own sound fonts, and fine-tune every aspect of how your saber looks and sounds. Proffie sabers are for enthusiasts who want total control over their setup. The trade-off is that configuration requires connecting to a computer and editing text files. If you are not comfortable with that, xenopixel gives you 90% of the visual quality without the learning curve.
RGB is sometimes used interchangeably with baselit. An RGB saber uses red, green and blue LEDs in the hilt that blend to create different colours. Most baselit sabers on the market today are RGB, giving you a wide range of colour options from a single hilt.
What Is the Best Lightsaber for Duelling?
For heavy duelling, baselit sabers are the better choice. The blade is a single polycarbonate tube without internal LED strips, which makes it more resistant to hard impacts. You can go full contact without worrying about damaging internal components. Our baselit range includes character-specific hilts like the Darth Vader Lightsaber (£139.99) and the Anakin Skywalker Lightsaber (£104.99), both built with aluminium alloy hilts and heavy-grade polycarbonate blades rated for full-contact duelling.
Neopixel and xenopixel sabers can be duelled with, but they are better suited to light-to-medium sparring. The LED strip inside the blade adds a point of potential failure under repeated hard strikes. If duelling is your main priority, go baselit. If you want the best visual effects and will mostly be doing cosplay, display, or light sparring, go xenopixel or neopixel.
How Much Does a Lightsaber Cost?
It depends entirely on the technology inside it. Here is a rough breakdown of what to expect:
Entry-level baselit sabers: £45 to £70. These are basic RGB sabers with sound, multiple colours, and a polycarbonate blade. Good starting point if you are testing the waters.
Mid-range baselit (character hilts): £100 to £300. You get a screen-accurate hilt design, 16+ sound fonts, gesture control, smooth swing, flash on clash, and a duel-ready blade. This is where most buyers land.
Xenopixel sabers: £360 to £500. Full neopixel blade with scrolling ignition, pixel effects, and the complete visual experience. Our Darksaber Xenopixel sits at £359.99 and the Ahsoka Tano Xenopixel at £499.99.
All of our sabers ship with the hilt, a 92cm polycarbonate blade, USB Type-C charging cable, pre-installed SD card with sound fonts, and everything you need to get started straight out of the box.
Where Can I Buy a Lightsaber in the UK?
We stock and ship lightsabers from our base in Scarborough, North Yorkshire. Every order ships via Parcelforce 48, so you are typically looking at 3 to 7 working days from order to delivery. Because we are UK-based, there are no customs charges, no import duties, and no waiting weeks for packages from overseas. If something goes wrong, our support team is a phone call away on 01723 507756.
We carry both baselit and xenopixel sabers across a range of character designs and original hilt styles. You can browse the full lightsaber collection here.
How Do I Charge My Lightsaber?
All of our sabers charge via USB Type-C. A charging cable is included with every purchase. The important thing to know is: only use a charger rated at 5V 1A maximum. Using a fast charger (like a modern phone charger rated at 2A or higher) can damage the battery and the soundboard. A standard older phone charger or a low-output USB port on a computer is ideal. Most sabers take around 2 to 3 hours to reach a full charge.
How Long Does a Lightsaber Battery Last?
On a full charge, expect roughly 1 to 2 hours of active use depending on blade brightness, sound volume, and how many effects you are running. Neopixel blades draw more power than baselit because they are powering a full LED strip rather than a single diode. If you are using your saber for a cosplay event or convention, charging it the night before should give you more than enough runtime. All of our sabers use rechargeable 18650 lithium batteries, which hold their charge well and have a long overall lifespan.
What Is the Best Lightsaber to Buy?
That depends on what you want it for:
For duelling: Go baselit. The Darth Vader Lightsaber (£139.99) or Obi-Wan Kenobi Lightsaber (£109.99) are both built tough and look the part.
For display and cosplay: Go xenopixel. The visual effects are in a different league. The Count Dooku Xenopixel (£449.99) with its curved hilt is a showstopper, and the Cal Kestis Crossguard (£499.99) turns heads at any convention.
For a gift or first saber: The Apprentice Baselit (£69.99) or Bounty Hunter Baselit (£99.99) are affordable, come with everything included, and look great without breaking the bank.
Best all-rounder: The Luke Skywalker Return of the Jedi Lightsaber (£129.99) hits the sweet spot of recognisable design, solid build quality, and a price that does not sting. It is our most popular saber for a reason.
Are Lightsabers Durable? Can They Break?
The blades are made from polycarbonate, which is the same material used in riot shields and bulletproof windows. It is extremely tough. Baselit blades in particular can take a serious beating during duelling without cracking or shattering. The hilts are machined from aluminium alloy, so they are solid and weighty in the hand. Neopixel blades are slightly more delicate because of the internal LED strip, but they can still handle light to medium sparring. If you treat them with reasonable care, a quality lightsaber will last years.
What Features Do Lightsabers Come With?
Even our entry-level sabers come with a solid feature set. Here is what you can expect across the range:
Sound: Multiple sound fonts (typically 16+), smooth swing technology that responds to your movement, clash sounds on impact, blaster block effects and adjustable volume.
Blade: Multiple colour options, blade styles including stable, pulse, and unstable modes. Removable 92cm polycarbonate blade.
Control: Gesture control for ignition and effects, button operation, and lock-up mode for sustained clashes.
Xenopixel adds: Scrolling ignition and retraction effects, per-pixel clash detection, advanced blade effects (fire, rainbow, unstable Kylo-style), and a larger library of customisable sound fonts.
Can I Change the Colour of My Lightsaber?
Yes. All of our sabers, both baselit and xenopixel, support multiple colours. On baselit models, you cycle through colours using the button on the hilt or through gesture controls. On xenopixel sabers, you get an even wider range of colour options and the ability to customise blade effects per colour profile. You are not locked into one colour when you buy.
What Comes in the Box?
Every lightsaber we sell comes as a complete package. You get the aluminium alloy hilt, a 92cm polycarbonate blade, a USB Type-C charging cable, a pre-installed SD card loaded with sound fonts, screws, a hex key for blade installation, and a detailed instruction manual. Some models also include an SD card reader. There is nothing extra you need to buy to start using it.
Do You Sell Other Star Wars Collectibles?
Yes. Beyond lightsabers, we stock a wide range of Star Wars collectibles including figures, helmets, and display pieces. We also carry replica swords from franchises like Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, The Witcher, and dozens of anime series.
Ready to find your saber? Browse the full lightsaber collection or visit us in store at Scarborough. If you have a question we have not covered here, get in touch and we will help you find the right saber for what you need.