RovyVon Aurora A3 MAO Flashlight Review
The RovyVon Aurora A3 is an aluminum keychain flashlight offering USB-C charging, high output, and the popular new MAO white finish! Read on for testing!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the RovyVon Aurora A3 MAO flashlight product page.
Versions
There are enough versions of the Aurora series that it makes up nearly all of RovyVon’s product line. That Aurora is broken down into these smaller keychain lights like the A3, of which there are also many. Of this specific light, there are two versions. One is cool white with higher output and the other is high CRI with lower output.
Price
The RovyVon Aurora A3 MAO flashlight sells for a reasonable price of $32.95. That’s for either version, too.
Short Review
The main point of this whole story here is the MAO finish. I have had a few white lights before (namely an Olight and Niwalker, but maybe more) but this might be my first actual MAO light. It’s neat! This tiny light looks (and feels) a lot like a stick of chalk (but less chalky, so it’s not a bad thing). Performance is good, and the user interface is good
Long Review
The Big Table
| RovyVon Aurora A3 MAO flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | High output (Cool White) |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $32.95 |
| Cell: | Internal |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes (claimed) |
| Switch Type: | E-Switch |
| Quiescent Current (mA): | ? |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | USB-C |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | Lowest two modes only |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 650 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 358 (55.1% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 6.8 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 110 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 139lux @ 4.787m = 3185cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 112.9 (102.6% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | 6500 |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 5400-6200 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | RovyVon |
| All my RovyVon reviews! | |
^ Measurement disclaimer: Testing flashlights is my hobby. I use hobbyist-level equipment for testing, including some I made myself. Try not to get buried in the details of manufacturer specifications versus measurements recorded here; A certain amount of difference (say, 10 or 15%) is perfectly reasonable.
What’s Included
- RovyVon Aurora A3 MAO flashlight
- Tailcap magnet attachment
- Pocket clip (with magnet)
- Charge port cover spare
- Split rings (two types)
- Manual
Package and Manual
I had sort of missed this point before but this card holding the pocket clip really shows the ideal (and maybe “intended”) attachment point to the light.
Build Quality and Disassembly
I said it above and I’ll say it here too. The real focus of this post (despite the light having been again fully tested) is the MAO finish. MAO stands for “micro-arc oxidation” and is a neat way to anodize lights into this white finish.
Size and Comps
Dimensions: 57.3mm (L) x 15.6mm (Dia.)
Weight: 23.1g
If the flashlight will headstand, I’ll show it here (usually the third photo). If the flashlight will tailstand, I’ll also show that (usually in the fourth photo).
Here’s the test light with the venerable Convoy S2+. Mine’s a custom “baked” edition Nichia 219b triple. A very nice 18650 light.
Also above is the light beside my custom engraved TorchLAB BOSS 35, an 18350 light. I reviewed the aluminum version of that light in both 35 and 70 formats. I also reviewed that specific edition, the “Oveready BOSS FT Collector Vintage Brass” 35. I love it!
Retention and Carry
As with other Auroras, the RovyVon Aurora A3 MAO flashlight has a pocket clip. This does not ship attached to the light, and it has a new magnetic side feature! The magnet is perfectly strong for holding the light in any orientation.
Unlike some other variations of the Aurora, there’s just one place to connect this pocket clip. There are still options, though, because the clip can go on the front or back and up or down.
Not just the pocket clip, but the tailcap also has an attachment and that attachment also has a magnet!
Also included is this little tailcap magnet I mentioned above. This connector snaps in.
Either magnet holds the RovyVon Aurora A3 MAO flashlight very securely.
MAO finishes are not really known for robustness and can be scratched off. Below, you can see how the light looks after installing and removing the pocket clip. Not great.
RovyVon includes two split rings too.
Power and Runtime
The battery is a built-in LiPO and is not removable. I can’t see where the battery capacity is mentioned, but previous similar lights by RovyVon have had 330mAh batteries.
The light shuts off when the cell voltage is low, but I’m not able to test at what voltage it shuts off. RovyVon has confirmed that the shutoff voltage is 2.8V.
Charging
The RovyVon Aurora A3 MAO is charged via USB-C, which has a push-in rubber cover. This cover stays attached. The plug is a little harder to manipulate than most I’ve used, but it works just fine.
Moodes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens |
|---|---|---|---|
| High | 650 | 1m+1.25h | 0s: 578 30s: 358 |
| Medium | 200 | 1m+1.5h | 184 |
| Low | 25 | 6h | 32 |
| Moon | 0.5 | 56h | 0.25 |
Pulse Width Modulation
The order below is the same as the mode order – lowest to highest. Every mode uses PWM, but it’s fast enough that you’re unlikely to notice it.
Here you can see a “baseline” – a chart with almost no light hitting the sensor. Then there’s the Ultrafire WF-602C flashlight, which has some of the worst PWM I’ve seen. It’s so bad that I used a post about it to explain PWM! Here are multiple timescales (10ms, 5ms, 2ms, 1ms, 0.5ms, 0.2ms) to make comparing this “worst” PWM light to the test light easier. That post also explains why I didn’t test the WF-602C at the usual 50us scale.
User Interface and Operation
There’s a single side switch for operating the RovyVon Aurora A3 MAO flashlight. It’s a clicky e-switch.
Here’s a user interface table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Hold | Momentary High |
| Off | Click | No action |
| Off | Double Click | Memorized mode (technically the manually memorized mode^) |
| On | Click | Mode Cycle (Moon > Low > Med > High) |
| On | Hold | Off |
| On >3m | Click | Off (and also sets the mode memory) |
| Any | Click 3x | Strobe |
| Off | Click 3x | Strobe |
^ It’s possible to memorize any of the 4 modes with this UI. Just leave the light on for around 3 minutes, and that mode is memorized (except for secondary emitters). Your light will likely ship with this mode set to High!
LED and Beam
I am not completely sure what emitter is used here (that is, I can’t see where RovyVon has made a claim about it.) but other similar lights (like the Aurora A9 Pro in copper) use a Luminus SST-20. This one looks to also be a Luminus SST-20.
This is the emitter used for higher output (more lumens!) but there’s also an option for high CRI. That light uses a Nichia 219c at 5000K and 90CRI.
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
I would have guessed being the “higher output” option of A3, that this Luminus SST-20 light would be fairly cool. It’s actually more neutral-to-cool, starting at under 5500K and going up to around 6200K. CRI is low, at around 70.
Beamshots
These beamshots always have the following settings: f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and manual 5000K exposure. These photos are taken at floor level, and the beam hits the ceiling around 9 feet away.
Tint vs BLF-348 (KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b version) (affiliate link)
I keep the test flashlight on the left and the BLF-348 reference flashlight on the right.
I compare everything to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 because it’s inexpensive and has the best tint!
Conclusion
What I like
- USB-C charging works well
- Nichia 219c emitter at 5000K and 90CRI is a great option
- Magnets on pocket clip and tailcap are useful
- MAO finish is a fun change of pace
What I don’t like
- Output falls below specification
- Battery is not user-serviceable
- MAO is prone to showing wear
Notes
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