Re: 1w individual RGB vs 3w Tri-Color... are they the "same"
Of course, tri-LEDs and their associated optics tend to also have either wide beams or color-fringing (due to different optical centers for each of the 3 color sources), and you may run into fixture to fixture consistency issues with tri-LEDs as well. Not that these issues can't also exist with discrete sources.
There are only a couple tri-LED packages using 350mA class dice (actually, I only know of one that's RGB only), and it's from a manufacturer that's typically a generation behind. Thermal management also tends to be easier with more less intense sources. So if the discrete-source fixture is using SotA LEDs, it's quite possible that it's 20-30% brighter than the tri-LED fixture. Of course, any manufacturer advertising their wares based on the nominal LED power, and not by the measured output is probably not focusing too much on efficiency, so...
If you're looking at replacing current units, some specifics might net you better input.
