Bluetooth Classic vs. Bluetooth Low Energy
Comparing 2 standards across 13 specifications. 13 key differences identified.
Bluetooth Classic encompasses Bluetooth Core Specifications v1.0 through v3.0 + HS. Operating in the 2.4 GHz ISM band across 79 channels with Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS), it established wireless audio (A2DP), hands-free telephony (HFP), and serial peripheral connectivity (SPP/HID) at data rates up to 3 Mbps.
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE / Bluetooth Smart) was introduced in Bluetooth Core Specification v4.0 (2010) and enhanced through v4.2 (2014). Operating across 40 channels in the 2.4 GHz band, it replaced continuous connection streams with an event-driven Generic Attribute Profile (GATT) architecture, enabling devices to operate for years on a single coin cell battery.
Specification Comparison Table
13 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Frequency Bands
|
2.402 GHz to 2.480 GHz (79 RF channels @ 1 MHz spacing) | 2.402 GHz to 2.480 GHz (40 RF channels @ 2 MHz spacing) |
|
Bluetooth Generations
|
v1.0, v1.1, v1.2, v2.0 + EDR, v2.1 + EDR, v3.0 + HS | — |
|
Modulation Schemes
|
GFSK (Basic Rate 1 Mbps), π/4-DQPSK (EDR 2 Mbps), 8DPSK (EDR 3 Mbps) | — |
|
Max BR/EDR PHY Rate
|
3 Mbps | — |
|
Frequency Hopping Rate
|
1,600 hops/sec (AFH–Adaptive Frequency Hopping) | — |
|
Key Audio Profiles
|
A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile), HFP, HSP, AVRCP | — |
|
Supported Audio Codecs
|
SBC (Mandatory), AAC, aptX, aptX HD, LDAC | — |
|
Bluetooth Versions
|
— | v4.0 (2010), v4.1 (2013), v4.2 (2014) |
|
Channel Allocation
|
— | 3 Advertising channels (37, 38, 39) + 37 Data channels |
|
Raw PHY Rate
|
— | 1 Mbps (1M PHY) |
|
Application Layer Architecture
|
— | GATT (Generic Attribute Profile) / ATT (Attribute Protocol) |
|
Max Packet Payload (v4.2 DLE)
|
— | 251 bytes (increased from 27 bytes) |
|
Typical Battery Life
|
— | 1 to 5 years (on CR2032 coin cell) |