Back when the tenth generation F150s were rolling off the factory floor, the pinnacle of accessory lighting was to throw several 5-7" round spot lights up on the roof, and then upgrade the battery (or even the alternator) in order to feed them. The next big step forward was the introduction of HIDs, however they were considerably more expensive, and while providing much better lighting power, were still just as fragile. Today, the king of the F150 accessory lighting market is the LED. Powerful, durable and versatile, mainstream production of LED technology has flooded the F150 market with highly capable LED systems at very friendly prices. When outfitting your rig with off-road lighting, here are some factors to consider.
Spot Beam vs Flood Beam: The former, as the name implies, provides a spot beam that focuses mainly directly ahead with lower illumination of objects to the side. These types of lights have good range. A "driving beam" is similar to a spot light. The main concentration is straight ahead, with lesser scatter to the sides.
A flood beam, on the other hand, illuminates both in front and to the side, however does not carry as far forward.
Round vs Cube: Is around LED better than a cube LED, or a cube LED better than a round LED? The truth of the matter is neither. For all intensive purposes, it is mostly an aesthetic difference. Round LEDs come in a larger variety of sizes (2.75"-6" in diameter) and will usually have a narrower beam at around 30 degrees. 3" diameter is the standard size for cube lights and they usually feature a slightly wider beam spread in the neighborhood of 40 degrees. The factors you need to focus on is appropriate size (dimension wise), beam style and light output. The higher the lumens rating, the more powerful the light. Furthermore, not all diodes are created equal. One light may feature 4 small diodes that together produce a total of 1200 lumens, whereas another version may only have 2 diodes (larger) with a total output of 1400 lumens.
LED Bars: LED light bars are the latest to the market, and perhaps the best of the bunch. It is entirely possible to hang a honking big 50" dual row light bar atop your windshield in order to turn night into day, or place a smaller LED bar atop your bumper with lesser results, but equally as satisfactory.
Like your F150, LED light bars are extremely versatile. They can feature multiple rows of diodes, and even better than that, have multiple beam patterns on the same bar. For example, the center portion of a light bar may have a lens that provides a spot beam, whereas the left and right extremes of the bar have a lens producing a flood beam. This would result in both excellent forward lighting and peripheral lighting - all from one light. The same concept applies to curved LED bars, where the straight portion in the middle would serve to light up directly ahead whereas the curved ends project off to the side.
Water and Dust Proof: When selecting an off-road light to mount on your F150, look for an IP67 or higher rating. This means the light is sealed from water up to 1 meter deep for a length of 30 minutes and is dust tight, ensuring the light will survive routine weather patterns and anything extra thrown at it when off the beaten path.
Installation: Most, if not all, accessory and off-road lighting components are universal fit, meaning they can be installed on any vehicle. Occasionally some may come with a bracket specific to your year F150 in order to facilitate mounting, but most work and come with a universal bracket. As far as wiring goes, accessory lights are mostly plug and play, installing with a harness that only need be connected to a power source and a switch. Typically, the harness and switch are sold separately.