Metal halide lamps are used to illuminate a space where light quality and high light levels are extremely important. These can be supermarkets, stadiums, tennis courts, sports halls, showrooms, etc. Excellent color stability ensures good light distribution throughout the lifetime while a good color rendering index creates a pleasant ambience with excellent visual properties.

The tube arc inside the outer casing is an integral part of the metal halide lamp. This pipe arch is made of quartz or ceramic, and contains gas (most commonly argon), mercury, and salt. Traditional quartz metal halide lamps are similar in shape to mercury, but they operate at higher temperatures and pressures.