Wuben X2 Pro Flashlight Review
The Wuben X2 Pro flashlight features a bunch of emitters, a dial, USB-C charging, flood, throw, RGB, and more. It’s a lot to take in! Read on for testing!
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a referral link to the Wuben X2 Pro flashlight product page.
Versions
There are a bunch of versions of the Wuben X2 Pro flashlight. They include this white body with RGB side lights. There’s a black body too, and both bodies are available with RGB or UV. A tactical switch, bike mount, and diffuser are all available.
Price
The “RGB-White” version of the Wuben X2 Pro flashlight sells for $45.99. The Wuben X2 Pro flashlight is available through my referral link. I also was given a 20% discount code! I believe it’ll work on most or all Wuben products. Here’s the code:
zeroair20
What’s Included
- Wuben X2 Pro flashlight
- Wuben 920mAh 14500 (2)
- Lanyard
- Charging cable
- Helmet mount
- Manual etc
Package and Manual
Below is the inner box.
The tactical switch (optional) has its own manual.
Build Quality and Disassembly
The Wuben X2 Pro is ostensibly the Pro version of the Wuben X2. I tested a number of X2 lights (here is one such test). The X2 is neat, but it’s easy to see why this version is Pro. Namely, the cells are standard and removable.
Build quality is similar between this and the older version. Both are nicely built.
I don’t think Wuben says it, but you could probably use these slots for tritium vials.
The tailcap is hinged and flips open aggressively when the latch is depressed. The tail cap has dual springs.
Inside the cell tube, there are buttons (not springs) for contact.
Size and Comps
41.8mm x 25.8mm x 91mm
136g (with 2 cells)
If the flashlight will headstand, I’ll show it here. If the flashlight will tailstand, I’ll also show that here too!
Here’s the test light with the venerable Convoy S2+. The version below is a custom laser-engraved Convoy S2+ host by GadgetConnections.com. I did a full post on an engraved orange host right here! Or go straight to GadgetConnections.com to buy your Convoy S2+ now!
In the photo above, you may note that the SRM (standard reference material) flashlight for comparison has changed! I used a TorchLAB BOSS 35 for ages. Now what you can see as the 18350 SRM is the Hanko Machine Works Trident. While I have not reviewed or tested the Gunner Grip version seen here, I have tested a Hanko Machine Works Trident Total Tesseract in brass. I love the Trident, and it’s a striking contrast next to the inexpensive Convoy S2+, which also makes a great standard reference material.
Retention and Carry
The clip is quite big, but provides great coverage and will work wonderfully on a belt. It can be removed easily with just two screws.
There’s a magnet in the tailcap as well.
A lanyard is also included. The hinge area has been utilized to add a lanyard hole.
A very basic lanyard is included.
Power and Runtime
The Wuben X2 Pro flashlight is powered by two 14500 cells. Wuben includes two 920mAh 14500s. And they’re standard cells, too!
To get to the cells, you press in on the little latch on the tailcap.
The cells orient in the same direction – the positive end (button) toward the head. In case you forget that, you can regard this little icon on the side of the body.
The runtimes are a bit different from the original X-2 Owl. This version has lower overall output and less “flat” output over the duration. (I would generally call that ‘not a great change.’)
A note on the modes – the manual is a bit confusing about it all and I’ve done the best I can do to test the levels. The manual covers three steady modes for the front light. But the front light is made up of four emitters. Those four emitters simply make up the output levels, and are not individually addressable (sort of).
Confounding this is that there’s a rotary dial, allowing the user to ramp through the emitter options. It seems that you can rotate through whatever emitters you want (for example, throw or flood). Then holding down the switch you can go through three modes then turbo (not just three as per the manual.)
The point is that it’s all a bit confusing if you care about discrete modes. I think most of you don’t because ramping on Andúril is so popular. So for those of you who don’t care, just view the runtimes as a description of how the driver performs over time and less how the output is specifically at any time.
Below is the highest mode on the side light.
The Wuben X2 Pro flashlight can also run on just one cell.
Not only that, but the light can run 1.5V as well. That could be primary AA or NiMH AA. You should never mix 1.5V and 4.2V cells and you should never charge 1.5V cells using the on-board USB-C charging!!
Charging
The Wuben X2 Pro flashlight uses USB-C charging. The charging port is on the head opposite to the switch.
Wuben includes a USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
While charging, the side color emitters are used to indicate the status. Red for charging and green for charging complete.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens | Tailcap Amps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front Turbo | – | – | 1202 (0s) 696 (30s) |
4.2V: 4.37 1.5V: 3.72 |
| Front High | 1500-600 | 2.5h | 385 (0s) 375 (30s) |
4.2V: 1.20 1.5V: 0.72 |
| Front Medium | 200 | 5h | 153 | 4.2V: 047 1.5V: 0.26 |
| Front Low | 15 | 90h | 12.5 | 4.2V: 0.04 1.5V: [low] |
| Side White High | 400 | 4h | 325 (os) 237 (30s) |
4.2V: 1.39 1.5V: 0.70 |
| Side White Low | – | – | 3.7 | 4.2V: [low] 1.5V: 0.08 |
| Side RGB (example) | 10 | 40h | – | 4.2V: 0.02 1.5V: [low] |
Pulse Width Modulation
All of the modes use PWM.
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
First, there’s a selector for selecting between the front emitter (the most forward position), side emitters (middle position), and locked (the position seen below.)
After that is the rotary dial, which is also a button itself. It can be pressed and rotated too.
Past that is the optional tactical switch, which attaches on the tailcap.
The switch slides onto the tailcap. You must do this while the tailcap is raised. Then when closed, the body captures the tactical switch. It’s a fairly smart design.
Here’s a user interface table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click | Selector in the forward light position: Front on (memory) Selector in the side light position: On (memory) |
| On | Click | Off |
| Off – Selector in the forward light position | Hold | Electronic Lockout |
| Electronic Lockout | Hold | Unlock |
| On | Hold | Selector in the forward light position: Mode advance (LMH) Selector in the side light position: Iterate between side white and RGB |
| On – Selector in the forward light position | Click 2x | Turbo (it’s not called turbo in the manual. In fact it’s called “high” in the manual. (But it’s higher than high.)) |
| On – Selector in the side light position | Click 2x | White on: Highest side white RGB on: Iterate between blinking and steady RGB (manual has this wrong) |
| On – Selector in the forward light position | Rotate dial | Fade between spot and flood. (This setting is memorized.) |
| Off – Selector in the side light position, but with RGB in memory | Click 2x | Memory of Red and [Color] Flashing Continued 2x click advance this way: Red-Blue Flash > Red-Green Flash > Red-Yellow Flash |
| Off – Selector in Lock position | Any click or rotate action | No change |
LED and Beam
If Wuben says what these emitters are, I can’t see that information. There are four front emitters – one for spot, one for throw, and two for company. Each has a TIR, with the throw emitter having a smooth TIR and flood being dimpled. It’s somewhat wrong to think about these emitters separately since it’s challenging in the user interface to manage them individually. It’s much more of a system.
The side has just one white emitter but a separate LED for RGB. It’s a mixing emitter, so you can have not just standard RGB, but mixes of R, G, and B.
The side emitter setup has a swivel, too.
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
The CCT across the board is high and CRI is low (or even “very low.”)
CCT (Correlated Color Temperature) refers to the measurement of the color appearance of light, expressed in Kelvins (K), which indicates whether the light is warm (yellowish) or cool (bluish). A lower CCT (below 3000K) is considered warm light, while a higher CCT (above 5000K) gives cooler, bluish light.
CRI (Color Rendering Index) is a measure of how accurately a light source renders colors in comparison to natural sunlight. Scored on a scale from 0 to 100, higher CRI values indicate that colors appear more true to life and vibrant, similar to how they would look under the sun.
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. The last three photos below are examples of RGB.
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. These photos are taken around 18 inches from the door.
I compare everything to the KillzoneFlashlights.com 219b BLF-348 because it’s inexpensive and has the best tint!
Summary and Conclusion
I love that the Wuben X2 Pro flashlight 14500 cells are included. It’s great that the light can run just one cell and can also run 1.5V cells – that makes it very versatile! The user interface is confusing and not specific enough for me, but if you generally like ramping, you’ll probably generally be satisfied with it. I really find the side emitters to be superfluous, so in that regard, I suppose I like the original X-2 just as much. Charging works great!
The Big Table
| Wuben X2 Pro flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | Unstated |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $45.99 |
| Cell: | 14500×2 or 1 or 1.5V x2 or x1 |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | Yes |
| Switch Type: | E-Switch |
| Quiescent Current (mA): | ? |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | USB-C |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | No modes |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 1500 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 696 (46.4% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 18.82 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 205 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 179lux @ 5.609m = 5631cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 150.1 (73.2% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | – |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 6500-7000 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | Wuben |
| All my Wuben 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 I like
- 14500 cells are included
- Can run 1.5V as well
- Many emitter options
- RGB is useful
- A bunch of accessories are available
- Cells can be accessed (the tailcap opens)
- Offers a rotary dial for selecting between many options (flood/throw, RGB colors, etc)
What I don’t like
- The user interface is a lot to take in
- The specificity of the output (it’s never completely clear, frankly)
- Feels wrong in the right hand. (Which is to say, it feels like it may be designed for a left-hander.)
Notes
- This content originally appeared at zeroair.org. Please visit there for the best experience!
- For flashlight-related patches, stickers, and gear, head over to PhotonPhreaks.com!
- Please use my amazon.com referral link to help support zeroair.org!
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