A high brightness light engine apparatus is disclosed, comprising at least one long red wavelength light source with a peak wavelength longer than 630 nm, at least one green wavelength light source and at least one blue wavelength light source. Furthermore, the long wavelength red light may be combined with short wavelength red light and green/blue lights into a co-axial light path by at least one beam combiner such as wedged dichroic mirror, X-plate dichroic mirror or a dichroic X-cube. A 3-channels/4-channels/5-channels light engine apparatus and a hybrid laser LED light engine apparatus are disclosed that comprises at least a long wavelength red light source, one blue light source, and one converted green light source, combined by a dichroic mirror together with a X-plate dichroic mirror, a wedged dichroic mirror or a dichroic X-cube without Etendue increase to achieve high brightness light engine output as high as 5000 lm.