Wuben X4 Flashlight Evaluation – ZeroAir Evaluations

The Wuben X4 flashlight is a “redefined” 18650 gentle. It affords a number of white emitters, a hinged 18650 cowl, and a rotary dial for output management. Learn on!

Official Specs and Options

Right here’s a referral hyperlink to the Wuben X4 flashlight web page on Kickstarter.

Variations

Proper now, there are two variations of the Wuben X4 flashlight. They’ve the identical emitter choices however differ in physique colour. Black (seen right here) and gray can be found on Kickstarter.

Worth

The Kickstarter early fowl pricing was round $40, and the value has gone up from there asthe  availability of reward choices decreases. At the moment, it seems to be like you would get in on the Wuben X4 flashlight for round $45, with reductions accessible for a number of purchases. It helps me and doesn’t damage you so that you can use this referral hyperlink! Thanks!

What’s Included

I didn’t get a retail package deal, so that is all I’ve. The Kickstarter web page covers what’s included, although. I received:

• Wuben X4 flashlight
• Wuben 3400mAh 18650
• Charging cable.

Package deal and Handbook

Once more, I didn’t get a package deal for the Wuben X4 flashlight. I additionally didn’t get a guide, which is a part of why this evaluation took method longer than Wuben wished (launch date would have ideally matched the Kickstarter begin date. But right here we’re.)

Construct High quality and Disassembly

The Wuben X4 flashlight is unquestionably a “redesigned” 18650 flashlight, however in case you observe Wuben in any respect, the sunshine will likely be very acquainted. It’s fairly just like the Wuben X2 Professional in kind and performance, however differs in cells used, and another options.

The construct high quality is sweet. I by no means know the way a lot to belief a hinge on a battery cowl, because it’s all the time below pressure, however this one appears strong.

Right here’s a take a look at the hinge. Nothing actually suspicious about it – it seems to be sturdy.

With the hinged door open, you possibly can see that the tailcap has a spring. There are two little contacts too, in all probability for carrying the tactical tail swap sign.

The hinged tailcap will be locked, too!

Contained in the cell tube, you possibly can see that the optimistic contact has a spring too. That’s good!

Dimension and Comps

37.3mm x 26.3mm x 95.7mm and 137g with battery.

If the flashlight can headstand, I’ll present it right here. If it may possibly tailstand, I’ll additionally present that right here!

Right here’s the take a look at gentle 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 photograph above, my Customary Reference Materials (SRM) flashlight is the Hanko Machine Works Trident, an 18350 gentle. 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 putting distinction to the cheap Convoy S2+, one other nice SRM.

Retention and Carry

A pocket clip ships already hooked up to the Wuben X4 flashlight. The clip is sort of large, nevertheless it gives nice protection and can work splendidly on a belt. It may be eliminated simply with simply two screws.

You may additionally use that pocket clip as an space to connect a lanyard. However that’d be the one place you would connect a lanyard.

There’s a magnet within the tailcap as properly.

Above, you might be aware a brand new holder for my magnetic-tailcap objects. That’s the Exceed Designs Hyzer Titanium Mini Hatchet D2 axe. The deal with (because the identify suggests) is titanium. However the blade is D2 metal and excellent for retaining magnetic tailcap flashlights! The Hyzer is offered in a bunch of cerakote physique colours in addition to completely different thickness D2 heads.

Energy and Runtime

The Wuben X4 flashlight is powered by a single 18650. It’s a regular 18650, and one is included.

The cell goes into the Wuben X4 flashlight within the ordinary method – optimistic finish towards the top.

There’s actually just one discrete output on the X4, in order that’s all I examined. I typically fuss a few gentle, and that is usually the explanation – a lightweight could be advantageous (this one is), buta  lack of testable factors you could additionally evaluate actually stymies testing. For instance, if I take a look at turbo after which “just under” turbo, you and I may not reliably all the time choose the identical “just under” turbo mode. And my outcomes wouldn’t be akin to your expertise. It’s one purpose I favor discrete modes!

Output seems to be advantageous, however drops from the very best output of Turbo (claimed 1500 lumens) to a really steady 400 lumens. The sunshine does exhibit low voltage safety.

Charging

Wuben has used their intelligent switch-cover USB-C port right here. The mode selector being put within the moonlight choice space reveals this USB-C port.

Wuben features a USB-A to USB-C charging cable.

Charging seems to be advantageous, and peaks round 2.4A. That’s below 1C for this 3400mAh 18650.

Whereas charging, the aspect colour emitters are used to point the standing. Pink for charging and inexperienced for charging full.

Modes and Currents

Pulse Width Modulation

The modes beneath are simply kind of “chosen modes.” The entrance white emitter array doesn’t use PWM.

The aspect white emitters do use PWM, nevertheless it’s very quick.

The RGB emitters, alternatively, use PWM that you just might discover (however in all probability received’t.) Under (once more), you possibly can simply see “a variety” of RGB, in no specific order.

Click on right here to see a “baseline” – a chart with nearly no gentle hitting the sensor.

Then there’s the Ultrafire WF-602C flashlight, which has a few of the worst PWM I’ve seen. It’s so unhealthy that I used a put up about it to clarify PWM! Listed here are a number of timescales (10ms, 5ms, 2ms, 1ms, 0.5ms, 0.2ms) to make evaluating this “worst” PWM gentle to the take a look at gentle 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

There are a selection of the way to work together with and function the Wuben X4 flashlight. First, there’s this mode selector, which has 4 positions. Lock is chosen beneath, and as you swipe the swap upward (towards the entrance of the sunshine), the alternatives go as follows: Facet gentle, Entrance gentle, Moonlight. Shifting the swap to moonlight can also be the way you entry the USB-C charging port.

When you’ve chosen the output, you flip the sunshine on and off with this e-switch.

After that, you choose the output stage or RGB colour with the rotary dial.

A tactical paddle swap can also be inbuilt.

Right here’s a consumer interface desk!

LED and Beam

If Wuben says what these emitters are, I can’t see that data. There are 4 entrance emitters – one for spot, one for throw, and two for firm. Every has a TIR, with the throw emitter having a easy TIR and flood being dimpled. It’s considerably mistaken to consider these emitters individually because it’s difficult within the consumer interface to handle them individually. It’s far more of a system.

LED Coloration Report (CRI and CCT)

The CCT throughout the board is excessive and CRI is low (and even “very low.”) The aspect emitter have a bit higher CCT, however nonetheless technically “low.”

CCT (Correlated Coloration Temperature) refers back to the measurement of the colour look of sunshine, expressed in Kelvins (Okay), which signifies whether or not the sunshine is heat (yellowish) or cool (bluish). A decrease CCT (beneath 3000K) is taken into account heat gentle, whereas a better CCT (above 5000K) provides cooler, bluish gentle.

CRI (Coloration Rendering Index) is a measure of how precisely a lightweight supply renders colours compared to pure daylight. Scored on a scale from 0 to 100, larger CRI values point out that colours seem extra true to life and vibrant, just like how they might look below 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 stage, and the beam hits the ceiling round 9 toes away.

First are the entrance white emitters. Then it’s simply a mixture of different ranges, that I’m displaying so you possibly can see that at at distance of “ground to ceiling” they aren’t actually vivid sufficient to see. That goes for all aspect emitters (besides possibly white on the very best stage.)

Tint vs BLF-348 (KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b model) (affiliate hyperlink)

I hold the take a look at flashlight on the left and the BLF-348 reference flashlight on the best. These pictures are taken round 18 inches from the door.

I evaluate every little thing to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 as a result of it’s cheap and has the perfect tint!

Abstract and Conclusion

I like that the Wuben X4 flashlight contains an 18650, and that it makes use of a regular cell. The consumer interface is complicated and never particular sufficient for me, however in case you usually like ramping, you’ll in all probability usually be glad with it. The hinged cell door is sweet, and prevents a bunch of tailcap unscrewing, however which may by no means have been needed anyway – with onboard charging, you actually don’t have to take away the cell. The aspect white emitters are heat (good) however low CRI (not good), and the entrance emitters are low CRI too. The Wuben X4 flashlight is an efficient tackle a regular 18650 gentle – it earns the “redesigned” moniker! There are issues to like, just like the swap/selector/charging port cowl. It’s a fairly cheap value proper now, too, so test it out!

The Huge Desk

^ Measurement disclaimer:  Testing flashlights is my interest. I exploit hobbyist-level tools for testing, together with some I made myself. Strive to not get buried within the particulars of producer specs versus measurements recorded right here; A certain quantity of distinction (say, 10 or 15%) is completely cheap.

What I like

• Anti-roll design
• Hinge for tailcap appears sturdy
• Selector swap with charging cowl inbuilt is a neat design
• E-switch and dial work properly collectively
• Cheap value
• A number of RGB modes
• Good magnet
• Included tactical tail swap is sweet (undecided how helpful, although.)

What I don’t like

• Low CRI throughout the board
• No discrete modes between moonlight and Turbo
• Very angular in hand (not “sharp” in any respect, nevertheless it’s very noticeable to hold)

Notes