The Nitecore TIP3 keychain flashlight has 4 LEDs and three CCT choices (heat, impartial, and funky), a dual-switch interface, and USB-C charging. Learn on!
Official Specs and Options
Right here’s a hyperlink to the Nitecore TIP3 keychain flashlight product web page.
Variations
The Nitecore TIP3 keychain flashlight has three physique colours out there, however all of these supply the identical emitter choices.
Value
What’s Included
- Nitecore TIP3 keychain flashlight
- Charging cable
- Pocket clip
- Keychain elements
- Handbook
Package deal and Handbook
Construct High quality and Disassembly
The Nitecore TIP3 keychain flashlight is sort of a bit just like the Nitecore TUP3. In my case, they share a physique colour (orange), however additionally they have related construct high quality, interface, and swap setup. They even share the defining attribute of providing heat, impartial, and funky white output.
The construct high quality appears fantastic, however I didn’t take the sunshine aside in any respect. Each side have three TORX screws, so it is attainable to get in there!
Measurement and Comps
Dimensions L-2.44″ x W-1.02″ x H-0.59″
Weight 1.06 oz
Right here’s the sunshine in hand:
Right here’s the take a look at mild with the venerable Convoy S2+. The model beneath is a customized laser-engraved Convoy S2+ host by GadgetConnections.com. I did a full put up on an engraved orange host proper right here! Or go straight to GadgetConnections.com to purchase your Convoy S2+ now!
Additionally within the picture above, my Normal Reference Materials (SRM) flashlight is the Hanko Machine Works Trident, an 18350 mild. Whereas I’ve not reviewed or examined the Gunner Grip model seen right here, I’ve examined a Hanko Machine Works Trident Whole Tesseract in brass. I like the Trident, and it’s a placing distinction to the cheap Convoy S2+, one other nice SRM.
Retention and Carry
The Nitecore TIP3 keychain flashlight has a plastic pocket clip included. It hugs the entire physique of the sunshine.
It may be mounted varied methods – particularly, there are 4 factors for attachment.
It is a keychain mild, so there’s a keychain loop on the physique.
Energy and Runtime
The Nitecore TIP3 keychain flashlight has a built-in inner cell, which is acknowledged as a 650mAh battery. Nitecore has been correct prior to now with their different related fashions. This isn’t a user-replaceable battery.
When testing turbo (which is momentary-only) on the Nitecore TIP3 keychain flashlight, I clicked and held the swap till the sunshine appeared to have stepped all the way down to the excessive output degree. Then I launched and shortly after, clicked once more.
The temperature strains in these charts are included as normal context, not exact measurements. The values symbolize the vary (min to max) throughout testing, however shouldn’t be taken as actual readings. A temperature sensor shouldn’t be all the time connected to the bezel (and even the most popular spot, assuming that might be outlined). Even with ultimate placement, too many variables have an effect on temperature to definitively state a selected max worth.
Charging
Charging is by USB-C.
Nitecore features a charging cable, too! It’s USB to USB-C.
Charging appears to be like nice, at round 1C, which on this case, is round 0.5A. This finishes in round an hour and a half.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) (similar for all CCTs) |
Claimed Runtime (similar for all CCTs) |
Measured Lumens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 720 | – | Cool White: 627 Impartial White: 762 Heat White:627 |
| Excessive | 220 | 1h45m | Cool White: 197 Impartial White: 209 Heat White: 206 |
| Mid | 65 | 6h | Cool White: 69 Impartial White: 73 Heat White: 72 |
| Low | 15 | 16h | Cool White: 16 Impartial White: 18 Heat White: 17 |
| Ultralow | 1 | 160h | Cool White: 0.95 Impartial White: 0.99 Heat White: 1.01 |
Pulse Width Modulation
Not one of the modes actually use PWM, however there’s a little bit of waviness. These are the identical for all three CCTs, so I didn’t repeat the photographs right here.
Click on right here to see a “baseline” – a chart with virtually no mild hitting the sensor.
Then there’s the Ultrafire WF-602C flashlight, which has a number of the worst PWM I’ve seen. It’s so unhealthy that I used a put up about it to elucidate PWM! Listed below are a number of timescales (10ms, 5ms, 2ms, 1ms, 0.5ms, 0.2ms) to make evaluating this “worst” PWM mild to the take a look at mild simpler. That put up additionally explains why I didn’t take a look at the WF-602C on the ordinary 50us scale.
Person Interface and Operation
Two e-switches are used for controlling the Nitecore TIP3 keychain flashlight.
Right here’s a person interface desk!
| State | Motion | End result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click on Energy Swap | On (mode reminiscence) |
| Off | Click on Mode Swap | Battery Test |
| Off | Maintain Energy Swap | Ultralow |
| Any | Maintain Mode Swap | Turbo (momentary) |
| On | Each (>1s) | Advance by means of CCT choices (Cool > Impartial > Heat) |
| Off | Double click on (both) | No motion (Technically double clicking the ability turns the sunshine on, then proper again off). |
| On | Click on Energy Swap | Off |
| On | Click on Mode Swap | Mode advance (Ultralow>L>M>H) |
| On | Click on Energy Swap | Off |
| On | Maintain Energy Swap | Semi Lockout (Turbo with Mode swap nonetheless out there) |
| On | Maintain Energy Swap | Full Lock (no modes out there) |
| Both lock | Maintain each switches | Unlock to Ultralow |
LED and Beam
The Nitecore TIP3 keychain flashlight makes use of two NiteLab MCT UHE LEDs. I consider these emitters are divided into quadrants, so one die has sufficient variations to permit three CCTs. It’s a pleasant setup!
LED Coloration Report (CRI and CCT)
The CRI for all modes and ranges hovers round 70-72. That’s fairly low, sadly. Nonetheless, the beam doesn’t seem inexperienced within the pictures or in actual use, in order that’s a optimistic. CCT is throughout the claimed ranges (Cool, impartial, and heat).
CCT (Correlated Coloration Temperature) refers back to the measurement of the colour look of sunshine, expressed in Kelvins (Ok), which signifies whether or not the sunshine is heat (yellowish) or cool (bluish). A decrease CCT (beneath 3000K) is taken into account heat mild, whereas the next CCT (above 5000K) offers cooler, bluish mild.
CRI (Coloration Rendering Index) is a measure of how precisely a light-weight supply renders colours compared to pure daylight. Scored on a scale from 0 to 100, increased CRI values point out that colours seem extra true to life and vibrant, just like how they’d look underneath the solar.
Beamshots
These beamshots all the time have the next settings: f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and guide 5000K publicity. These pictures are taken at ground degree, and the beam hits the ceiling round 9 ft away.
Tint vs BLF-348 (KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b model) (affiliate hyperlink)
I preserve the take a look at flashlight on the left and the BLF-348 reference flashlight on the proper. These pictures are taken round 18 inches from the door.
The Nitecore TIP3 keychain flashlight has 4 LEDs and three CCT choices (heat, impartial, and funky), a dual-switch interface, and USB-C charging.
I evaluate all the things to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 as a result of it’s cheap and has one of the best tint!
Abstract and Conclusion
The Nitecore TIP3 keychain flashlight is a enjoyable mild! I preferred the Nitecore TINI3 and the Nitecore TUP2 fairly a bit, and these lights have many similarities. The beam profile is sweet, the person interface is affordable, and I like that the sunshine can swap between three CCTs. And I additionally love that it’s simply three CCTs – no infinite variable or combine vary CCT. Simply heat, impartial, and funky. Providing these in excessive CRI can be nice! The worth is affordable too, and I like the orange! That is additionally a greater keychain mild than the TUP2, which is an efficient bit thicker. The worth may be very affordable, too!
The Large Desk
^ Measurement disclaimer: Testing flashlights is my interest. I take advantage of hobbyist-level gear for testing, together with some I made myself. Attempt to not get buried within the particulars of producer specs versus measurements recorded right here; A specific amount of distinction (say, 10 or 15%) is completely affordable.
What I like
- Orange physique
- Can swap from CW to NW to WW
- Low price
- Good person interface
- Modes all have the identical output (no “heat tax”)
- Acquainted to these already within the Nitecore keychain mild ecosystem
