Manker E14 IV Flashlight Review
The Manker E14 IV Quad flashlight is now available in a warm white Nichia 519a emitter option, which gives exceptionally high CRI and great output. Read on!
Note From The Editor
Somewhere along the way, after this post was initially published on 10/10/2023, it got totally deleted from the site. I’m not sure how or why that happened, but it happened multiple times over the course of a few years. I’ve rewritten it with some effort, but note that this isn’t really a new post, nor is there any new data herein. So if you see this post on the republish date, I hope you still enjoy it! (I still have 2 or so more posts like this that I will repost on slow days!)
Two years on, and this is still a neat light! And having Nichia 519a emitters keeps it current, too!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a link to the Manker E14 IV Quad flashlight product page.
Versions
Of the Manker E14 IV Quad flashlight specifically, there are at least three emitter options: Samsung LH351d in cool or warm white, and Nichia 519a in warm white (seen here). There’s also a 21700 body available separately.
Price
The going price of the Manker E14 IV Quad flashlight is $64.95, which includes an 18350 cell. The 21700 body is an additional $10, and I really recommend that, too.
Buy your Manker E14 IV Quad flashlight at KillzoneFlashlights.com! (referral link)
Short Review
I have a long history with the Manker E14 (series, or “type”) light (since it has been made under other brands too, like Astrolux). I love this light, and I think this is probably the best one ever (especially if you like or accept e-switches.) The output, versatility, build quality, and low price here are all fantastic! I like that there’s a 21700 body (more on that below). Manker’s user interface is great, too.
Long Review
The Big Table
| Manker E14 IV Flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Nichia 519a (Quad, NW ) |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $64.95 |
| Cell: | 1×18650 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | E-Switch |
| Quiescent Current (mA): | ? |
| On-Board Charging? | No |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | Quad, NW (18650): 3000 Quad, NW (18350): 2100 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | Quad, NW (18650): 2381 (79.4% of claim)^ Quad, NW (18350): 2494 (118.8% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | Quad, NW (18650): 2.17 Quad, NW (18350): 2.17 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | Quad, NW (18650): 126 Quad, NW (18350): 126 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | Quad, NW (18650): 85lux @ 4.758m = 1924cd Quad, NW (18350): 181lux @ 4.677m = 3959cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | Quad, NW (18650): 87.7 (69.6% of claim)^ Quad, NW (18350): 125.8 (99.8% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | Quad, NW (18650): 4000 Quad, NW (18350): 4000 |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | Quad, NW (18650): 3900-4000 Kelvin Quad, NW (18350): 3900-4000 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | KillzoneFlashlights.com |
| All my Manker 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
- Manker E14 IV Quad flashlight
- Manker 1100mAh 18350
- USB to USB-C charging cable
- Lanyard
- Spare o-ring
- Diffuser
- Manual etc
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
While I’ve already stated this clearly, I want to state it again: I love this style of light and also this light specifically. The “muscle combo” was a huge hit for me years ago (the muscle combo consisted of the E14 III and the MC13 head – a flood and throw combo!) You can faux your own muscle combo with this E14 IV if you go for the MC13 II, too!
Anyway, enough gushing about the Manker E14 IV Quad flashlight, and on to stuff. The build quality is great. Part of the reason I mention the MC13 II in context with this light is that they share a neat body feature – the body has a built-in adapter (or “extension”) for using an 18650!
The head has a beefy spring and lots of copper! I love the contrasting copper parts (which appear to be coated) with the black hard-anodized body.
The tail has a beefy (but bigger) spring, and there’s a magnet in there, too.
Size and Comps
Size: 82 (Length) x 28 (Head diameter) x 25.9 (Tail diameter) mm;
111.3(length) x 28 (Head diameter) x 25.9 (Tail diameter) mm
Weight: 69 grams or 2.43 oz (With Battery)
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+. The version you see below is an orange Convoy S2+ host that’s been laser-engraved by GadgetConnections.com. I did a full post on this light right here! Or just go straight to GadgetConnections.com to buy your Convoy S2+ now
Also above is the light beside a new standard 18350 light! It’s not one I’ve reviewed yet, but this is the CWF Arcadian Peanut in aluminum. This one is stonewashed and has the new Quantum Dragon driver – a whole new product! Stay tuned for a full review of this tiny powerhouse!
Below is the Manker E14 IV Quad flashlight beside an old Astrolux S41, a similar light with the same lineage as this one.
Retention and Carry
The Manker E14 IV Quad flashlight does not have a pocket clip. That’s a big loss in theory but in practice it may not matter much to you. What is included is a lanyard, which attaches through a hole in the tail cap.
Also there’s this magnet in the tailcap which is quite strong.
That’s it!
Power and Runtime
With the default 18350 body, the Manker E14 IV Quad flashlight runs on a single 18350 cell. Since both ends have springs, various 18350 cells should work just fine. Manker includes the cell you can see below.
The cell is installed in the usual orientation: positive terminal toward the head.
Below are a few runtimes with the included 18350 cell. Check out that hold on Turbo!
When fully extended, the Manker E14 IV Quad flashlight can also run a single 18650. Careful to never use two 18350 cells, though; the driver will only allow up to 4.4V (and two 18350 cells would be over 8V). I tested with a button top; with springs on both ends, just about any 18650 cell should work fine!
During operation, the indicating switch will approximate the cell voltage for around 10 seconds, as follows:
>3.4V: switch is blue
3.4V to 3.2V: switch is purple
3.2V-2.8V: switch is red
<2.8V: light turns off
Charging
The Manker E14 IV Quad flashlight incorporates USB-C charging into the cell only (and not the flashlight body). This is one difference between the E14 IV and MC13 II – the MC13 II has USB-C charging in the flashlight body!
A USB to USB-C cable is included.
Charging the cell via the built-in charging port is fast. I don’t mean “Yay, this is fast!” I mean “charging at nearly 3C fast,” which, even if safe for the cell, will likely cause the cell to age fairly quickly (or at least more quickly than 1C or 0.5C charging).
While charging, the indicator on the cell is red. When charging is complete, the switch turns blue.
Modes and Currents
This table is what’s listed for the 18350 cell. I’m only adding this info (not 18650) because the light ship with a 18350 (and not 18650) so this seems most fair.
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 2100 | 55m | 2610 (0s) 2494 (30s) |
13.35+ |
| High | 750 | 1h8m | 688 | 2.10 |
| Medium | 460 | 1h25m | 421 | 1.17 |
| Low | 90 | 6h | 100 | 0.25 |
| Ultra Low 2 | 55 | 27h | 65 | 0.17 |
| Ultra Low 1 | 20 | 45h | 16 | 0.07 |
| Moonlight | 0.1 | 50h | 0.21 | 0.02 |
Pulse Width Modulation
There isn’t any PWM to be seen. These are all from the 18350 cell, but 18650 will be the same.
Click here to 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
The Manker E14 IV Quad flashlight uses an indicating e-switch. It can light in blue, purple, or red.
The action is good and feels pretty normal.
I believe the user interface is like the MC13 II.
Here’s a user interface table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click | Memorized mode (LMH only) |
| Any | Double Click | Turbo |
| Off | Hold | Memorized ECO mode^ |
| On | Click | Off |
| On (ECO Group) | Hold | ECO cycle (lowest to highest) |
| On (LMH Group) | Hold | LMH cycle (lowest to highest) |
| Any | Click 4x | Lockout (noted by 3 flashes of emitters) |
| Lockout | Click 4x | Unlock to LMH group (Mode Memory) |
| Any | Click 3x | Strobe group (Strobe memory) |
| Strobe Group | Hold | Strobe advance (Strobe > Beacon > SOS) |
^ The manual seems to indicate that the ECO modes go to memory, but as far as I can tell, ECO always starts on the lowest ECO level. This is MUCH preferred, and it’s the best way. So while I don’t love the manual being wrong, I love the fact of the ui, and always starting ECO in the lowest level. (Also note that, unlike the 5 levels of the original MC13, all levels on the MC13 II Eco mode are useful.)
LED and Beam
The huge update here on the Manker E14 IV Quad flashlight is that the quad emitters are all Nichia 519a. I love this emitter (nearly as much as Nichia 219b), and in this form factor, they’re great too. This light provides a wall of high CRI light in around 4000K CCT. It is exceptionally pleasant.
Manker includes a diffuser, which I find just a bit funny for a light this floody. Sure, it makes the light even more diffuse (but it’s still funny!)
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
This is stated as a “NW” light and I usually consider that in the 4000K (+) range. The output hits that on the nose. CRI is also very high, at an average of around 96-97. Really incredible.
Beamshots
These beamshots are always with the following settings: f8, ISO100, 0.3s shutter, and manual 5000K exposure. The beams between 18350 and 18650 are indistinguishable in photos, so I included just one set.
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. The beams between 18350 and 18650 are indistinguishable in photos, so I included just one set.
I compare everything to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 because it’s inexpensive and has the best tint!
Conclusion
What I like
- Built-in extension to run 18650 is included
- USB-C Charging on the cell (C to C works) (which is nice because the body isn’t complicated by a charging circuit)
- Extremely high CRI
- Good user interface (love ECO always starting in the lowest mode – no memory)
- Useful indicating switch
What I don’t like
- 3A charging for 18350 is definitely a bit fast
- 18650 built-in adapter adds to the waist
- No pocket clip (I’m ok with this on the MC13 II, but would like to have one on this tube light)
Notes
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