Nitecore TUP2 Rechargeable Keychain Flashlight Review
The Nitecore TUP2 rechargeable keychain flashlight has four LEDs and three CCT options (warm, neutral, and cool), a dual-switch interface, and USB-C charging.
Official Specs and Features
Here’s a referral link to the Nitecore TUP2 rechargeable keychain flashlight product page.
Versions
The Nitecore TUP2 rechargeable keychain flashlight has three body colors available, but all of those offer the same emitter options.
Price
What’s Included
- Nitecore TUP2 rechargeable keychain flashlight
- Charging cable
- Keychain parts
- Manual
Package and Manual
Build Quality and Disassembly
The Nitecore TUP2 rechargeable keychain flashlight is quite a bit like the Nitecore TINI3. In my case, they share a body color (orange), but they also have similar build quality, interface, and switch setup. They even share the defining characteristic of offering warm, neutral, and cool white output.
The build quality seems fine, but I didn’t take the light apart at all. Both sides have three TORX screws, so it is possible to get in there!
Size and Comps
Dimensions L-2.76″ x W-1.06″ x H-1.18″
Weight 2.05 oz
If the flashlight can headstand, I’ll show it here. If it can tailstand, I’ll also show that here!
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!
Also in the photo above, my Standard Reference Material (SRM) flashlight is the Hanko Machine Works Trident, an 18350 light. 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 to the inexpensive Convoy S2+, another great SRM.
Retention and Carry
This is a keychain light, so there’s a keychain loop on the body.
Nitecore includes the pieces needed to attach the light to a keychain, too.
The final option for carry is the pocket clip. It attaches via two screws.
Power and Runtime
The Nitecore TUP2 rechargeable keychain flashlight has a built-in internal cell, which is stated as a 1300mAh battery. Nitecore has been accurate in the past with their other similar models. This isn’t a user-replaceable battery.
When testing turbo (which is momentary-only) on the Nitecore TUP2 rechargeable keychain flashlight, I clicked and held the switch until the light seemed to have stepped down to the high output level. Then I released and soon after, clicked again.
The temperature lines in these charts are included as general context, not precise measurements. The values represent the range (min to max) during testing, but should not be taken as exact readings. Temperature sensors are attached however feasible and not always on the bezel or hottest spot (assuming that can even be clearly defined). Even with ideal placement, too many variables affect temperature to definitively state a specific max value.
Charging
Charging is by USB-C.
Nitecore includes a charging cable, too! It’s USB to USB-C.
Charging looks great, at around 1C, which in this case, is around 1A. This finishes in around an hour and a quarter.
Modes and Currents
| Mode | Mode Claimed Output (lm) | Claimed Runtime | Measured Lumens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbo | 1200 | – | (0s) (30s) |
| High | 300 | 2h | (0s) (30s) |
| Mid | 80 | 7h15m | |
| Low | 15 | 30h | |
| Ultralow | 1 | 190h |
Pulse Width Modulation
None of the modes really use PWM, but there’s a bit of waviness. One thing I did notice is that the OLED has a fairly slow refresh rate, and I picked that up (in my eye and mind) as “the light uses PWM.” The light doesn’t, but the OLED refresh rate can be distracting(ly slow).
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
Two e-switches are used for controlling the Nitecore TUP2 rechargeable keychain flashlight.
They don’t stick up much (any), and the action is good. The switches feel the same.
Here’s a look at that OLED display. Refresh is quite slow! It shows the level and output (claimed), as well as the duration the light will run at this level. It’s quite informative!
Here’s a user interface table!
| State | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Off | Click Power Switch | On (mode memory) |
| Off | Click Mode Switch | Battery Check (OLED display shows battery level as a percentage) |
| Off | Hold Power Switch | Ultralow |
| Any | Hold Mode Switch | Turbo (momentary) |
| On | Both (>1s) | Advance through CCT options (Cool > Neutral > Warm) |
| Off | Double click (either) | No action |
| On | Click Power Switch | Off |
| On | Click Mode Switch | Mode advance (Ultralow>L>M>H) |
| On | Click Power Switch | Off |
| On | Hold Power Switch (observe OLED) | Semi Lockout (Turbo with Mode switch still available) |
| On | Hold Power Switch (longer than above, observe OLED) | Full Lock (no modes available) |
| Either lock | Hold both switches | Unlock to Ultralow |
LED and Beam
The Nitecore TUP2 rechargeable keychain flashlight uses four NiteLab MCT UHE LEDs. I believe these emitters are divided into quadrants, so one die has enough variations to allow three CCTs. It’s a nice setup!
The dimpled TIR gives a good beam profile, too.
LED Color Report (CRI and CCT)
The CRI for all modes and levels hovers around 70-72. That’s pretty low, unfortunately. Still, the beam doesn’t appear green in the photos or in real use, so that’s a positive. CCT is within the claimed ranges (Cool, neutral, and warm).
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.
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
The Nitecore TUP2 rechargeable keychain flashlight is a fun light! I liked the Nitecore TINI3 quite a bit, and these lights have many similarities. This one is bigger, with bigger output, and that’s appreciated. The beam profile is good, the user interface is reasonable, and I love that the light can switch between three CCTs. And I also love that it’s just three CCTs – no infinite variable or mix range CCT. Just warm, neutral, and cool. Offering those in high CRI would be great! The price is reasonable too, and I love the orange!
One final minor point – I love that the OLED screen tells me what to do to unlock the light! No need to memorize a new user interface here!
The Big Table
| Nitecore TUP2 rechargeable keychain flashlight | |
|---|---|
| Emitter: | NiteLab MCT UHE LEDs (4) (Cool white tested (default)) |
| Price in USD at publication time: | $59.95 |
| Cell: | Internal |
| Runtime Graphs | |
| LVP? | ? |
| Switch Type: | E-switch |
| Quiescent Current (mA): | ? |
| On-Board Charging? | Yes |
| Charge Port Type: | USB-C |
| Charge Graph | |
| Power off Charge Port | all modes |
| Claimed Lumens (lm) | 1200 |
| Measured Lumens (at 30s) | 1011 (84.3% of claim)^ |
| Candela per Lumen | 3.9 |
| Claimed Throw (m) | 124 |
| Candela (Calculated) in cd (at 30s) | 172lux @ 4.68m = 3767cd |
| Throw (Calculated) (m) | 122.8 (99% of claim)^ |
| Claimed CCT | – |
| Measured CCT Range (K) | 5600-5900 Kelvin |
| Item provided for review by: | Nitecore |
| All my Nitecore 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
- Orange body
- Can switch from CW to NW to WW
- Reasonable cost
- Good user interface
- Modes all have the same output (no “warm tax”)
- Similar light to TINI3 but higher outputs
What I don’t like
- Low CRI
- Built-in battery
- Slow refresh on OLED
Notes
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