Tag Archives: XHP70.3 HI

Acebeam Defender P17

The P17 is a high quality tactical flashlight featuring fairly high output and very good throw, running on a single included 21700 battery. Also features both tactical and general user interface options.

  1. Introduction
  2. Manufacturer Specifications
  3. Package Details
  4. Build
  5. User Interface
  6. Circuit Measures
  7. Emitter Measures
  8. Beamshots
  9. Testing Results
  10. Runtimes
  11. Pros and Cons
  12. Overall Rating
  13. Preliminary Conclusions
  14. Acknowledgement

Introduction

Following on my Acebeam E70 review, I thought it would be worth examining their larger tactical 1×21700 light, the Defender P17.

Featuring the Cree XHP70.3 HI emitter in cool white, the P17 has a reported maximum output of 4900 lumens, and beam distance of 445 meters thanks to the larger head. It also features a dual tactical tail switch similar to the Nitecore P20iX that I recently reviewed. This allows easy one-handed access to instant Turbo and/or Strobe.

Although billed for tactical use (e.g., law enforcement, security, search and rescue, hunting, etc.), this design is frankly very generally useful for all outdoor activities where a rugged build is desired.

Let’s see how it compares in my testing.

Manufacturer Specifications

Note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual testing results.

FeatureSpecs
MakerAcebeam
ModelP17
EmitterXHP70.3 HI
Tint6500 K
Max Output (Lumens)4,900
Min Output (Lumens)3
Max Runtime20 days
Max Beam Intensity (cd)49,506 cd
Max Beam Distance (m)445 m
Constant Levels5
FlashingStrobe/SOS
Battery1x21700
Weight (w/o battery)154 g
Weight (with battery)227 g
Length147 mm
Head Diameter41 mm
Body Diameter26 mm
Waterproof-

Package Details




The light comes in a good quality hard-sided box, with magnetic closing flap. There are printed specs all along the box. Inside, you have cut-out foam for the light and accessories.

Inside the box, I found:

  • Acebeam Defender P17 flashlight with pocket clip attached
  • Acebeam 5100mAh 21700 battery with USB-C charging port
  • Wrist lanyard
  • USB-C charging cable
  • 2 Spare O-rings
  • Manual and warranty card

It’s a decent package, consistent with other lights of this class. As always, I would have liked to have seen a holster, but at least they included a good quality bi-directional pocket clip.

Build


From left to right: Armytek 18650 (3500mAh), Sofirn 21700 (5000mAh), Acebeam 21700 USB-C (5100mAh), Acebeam E70, Acebeam P17, Armytek Doberman Pro, Convoy M21F, Lumintop D3, Nitecore MH12SE, Nitecore P20iX,  Sofirn C8L.










The P17 is larger than most flashlights in this class, due to the larger head, dual-wall body, and dual switch tailcap. But I find it very well balanced, and quite comfortable to hold in the hand – although I do have large hands.

As I mentioned in my Nitecore P20iX review, I’ve always liked this dual tailcap switch arrangement – a number of makers have used it over the years. You have a standard protruding forward physical clicky switch as your main switch for on/off operation and signaling (the “Tactical Switch” in Acebeam’s terminology), with a recessed secondary electronic switch to cycles modes (the “Function Switch”). This is a very “tactical” style arrangement, but I find it just generally very functional. With the wide use of single electronic switches in most lights now, it is great to go back to a primary physical clicky while also keeping the functionality of the electronic switch.

Feel and traverse of the main Tactical clicky switch is good, for both momentary (half-press) and clicked-on. The secondary Function switch is electronic, and I found it easy enough to access given its slightly protruding nature. It too has good feel and resistance.

Since the primary Tactical switch protrudes, tailstanding is not possible, and accidental activation is easy. So as always, I strongly recommend you keep the light stored locked out at the tailcap when not in use. A simple twist of the tailcap will do the job, thanks to breaking of the contact with the inner tube. There are cut-outs on the side of the tail for using the wrist lanyard. The attached bi-direction pocket/belt clip fits on securely, and is designed for either bezel-up or bezel-down carry.

The body has good grip, with all the reeling and cut-outs along the length and on the head. The light can roll, even with the flat cut-outs in the head, but the clip really helps prevent it (I recommend you leave the clip on).

Anodizing is a dark gray, and looks to be excellent quality. It feels relatively thick, and is actually somewhat grippy, with a matte finish. It is advertised as type III (Hard Anodized), and I fully believe that – it feels very high quality. I didn’t notice any flaws on my sample.

As you can see above, there are springs in both the tail and the head, ensuring the cell is held securely in place.

Like the P20iX, the dual switch arrangement in the tailcap requires a double-walled tube connecting the tailcap to the head (i.e., one to the carry the current, one to allow signalling). Unlike the P20iX though, no proprietary cell is needed – because the charging circuit is built into the battery, instead of the flashlight. Like the Acebeam E70, simply remove the 5100mAh cell and charge it through the USB-C port directly on its positive terminal. And special bonus, no need to worry about the waterproofness of a built-in charging dock on this light.




The P17 comes the low-profile XHP70.3 HI emitter, which I prefer over the domed 70.2 HD emitters as it shows far less chromatic aberration (and has slightly better throw). As you can see above, there seems to be a small speck on the flat emitter dome in my sample, but it is not affecting the beam. The reflector is moderate orange peel (OP), to help minimize chromatic variation. I don’t notice any significant colour temperature/tint shifting across the beam – which is rather throwy thanks to the large head (scroll down for emitter measures and beamshots). There is a mild greenish anti-reflective (AR) coating on the lens (which I prefer).

The stainless steel bezel has relatively mild crenelations, but with an unusual feature – 3 integrated round beads of high-strength silicon nitride ceramic on the protruding ends. This allows it to be used as a strike bezel, for example to break glass. At the same time, these beads are rounded, so it won’t rip a hole in your clothing (much appreciated), and still allows the light to headstand. Thanks to the crenelations and beads, you can tell if the light is on when headstanding.

User Interface

The P17 has three available mode sets, referred to as Daily Mode, Tactical Mode, and Special Mode. Unfortunately, some of the mode and level instructions in the manual are not clear, so I will describe everything in detail below. But first, I will explain how you switch between them.

Mode Switching (between Daily, Tactical and Special modes)

  • From Off, press-and-hold down the Function switch for at least 3 secs
  • Without releasing the Function switch, click the Tactical switch.
  • Release the Function switch. Light enters “breathing mode” while it waits for you to select the Mode set (the main LED has a slow fade-in and fade-out repeatedly, which looks like “breathing” – to be honest, I find it rather relaxing).
  • Click the Function switch to advance through the three mode settings, which are identified as follows:
    • Strobe – Tactical mode (also called “Tactical Mode 1” in the manual)
    • High level – Special mode (also called “Tactical Mode 2”)
    • SOS – Daily mode
  • Click the Tactical switch to turn off and accept the mode setting.

And now, here is what you get with each of the three mode sets:

Daily Mode (available levels: Ultra-Low, Low, Med, High, Turbo, SOS)

Daily Mode, from OFF:

  • Partial depress Tactical switch: Momentary On (i.e., turns Off when released).
  • Single-click Tactical switch: Turns On in last memorized mode used.
  • Press-and-hold Function switch: Momentary Ultra-Low. If you keep holding the switch down for >3 secs, it will stay locked On when you release the switch.
  • Single-click Function switch: Nothing but a single flash of Ultra-Low (i.e., there is no single-click option – the Function switch acts as a momentary press-and-hold only, see above).

Daily Mode, from ON:

  • Single-click Tactical switch: Turns Off
  • Press-and-hold Function switch >1 sec: Turns on SOS.
  • Single-click Function switch: Advances through modes in sequence from Low > Med > High > Turbo.

Tactical Mode (available levels: Low, Med, Hi, Turbo, Strobe)

Tactical Mode, from OFF:

  • Partial depress Tactical switch: Momentary On in last memorized constant output mode.
  • Single-click Tactical switch: Turns On in last memorized constant output mode.
  • Press-and-hold Function switch: Momentary Strobe. If you keep holding the switch down for >3 secs, it will stay locked On when you release the switch.
  • Single-click Function switch: Nothing but a single flash of Strobe (i.e., there is no single-click option – the Function switch acts as a momentary press-and-hold only, see above).

Tactical Mode, from ON:

  • Single-click Tactical switch: Turns Off.
  • Press-and-hold Function switch >1 sec: Turns On Strobe.
  • Single-click Function switch: Advances through modes in sequence from  Low > Med > High > Turbo.

Special Mode (available levels: Ultra-Low, Low, High)

Special Mode, from OFF:

  • Partial depress Tactical switch: Momentary On at High level.
  • Single-click Tactical switch: Turns On at High level.
  • Press-and-hold Function switch: Momentary On at High level. If you keep holding the switch down for >3 secs, it will stay On when you release the switch.
  • Single-click Function switch: Nothing but a single flash of High (i.e., there is no single-click option – the Function switch acts as a momentary press-and-hold only, see above).

Special Mode, from ON:

  • Single-click Tactical switch: Turns Off.
  • Press-and-hold Function switch: Nothing, except when you release the switch it  advances you through modes as explained below (i.e., there is no press-and-hold option in this mode, just a click option).
  • Single-click Function switch: Advances though modes as follows: High > Low > Ultra-Low.

Short-cuts:

  • To Ultra-Low: In Daily mode, press-and-hold or click the Function switch from Off.
  • To Hi: In Special mode, press-and-hold Function switch from Off, or click the tactical switch from Off.
  • To Strobe: In Tactical mode, press-and-hold Function switch from Off.
  • To SOS: In Daily mode, press-and-hold Function switch from Off.

Mode memory:

Yes, but only in Daily Mode and Tactical Model, for constant output levels (i.e., Strobe and SOS are accessed by the Function switch). There is no memory for the Special Mode, which always activates in High.

Strobe/Blinking modes:

Yes, for Strobe and SOS – but they are located on separate Mode sets.

Low voltage warning:

Yes. As the battery drains, the light steps down in levels. Once the light reaches the Low level, the main LED starts to flash 3 times every 30 secs.

Lock-out mode:

Yes, but only by physically locking out the light at the tailcap.

Reviewer Comments:

There are a few surprising quirks with this triple-mode interface.

First off, it seems odd that a “tactical” light has no dedicated mode option (or even a short-cut) to jump to Turbo (just the High level, in the Special mode set). But this might become somewhat clearer when you check out the runtimes below. In any case, you can access Turbo by cycling through the main sequence in Daily mode or Tactical Mode – and have the light memorize this choice.

Personally, I plan to use this light in Daily Mode exclusively, as this is that the mode set with access to widest range of levels (i.e., everything except Strobe).

That said, I’m not crazy that the Function switch works differently depending on whether the light is On or Off. Furthermore, it’s odd that the various Modes sets are inconsistent in this regard – that is, when the Function switch acts as a clicky (typically only when On), or when it acts as press-and-hold (always when Off, sometimes when On). Specifically, the Daily and Tactical Mode sets assign a special function to a press-and-hold when On (SOS or Strobe, respectively), but Special Mode doesn’t (i.e., just acts like a long click). They might as well have put a Beacon option in Special mode, just for the sake of consistency if nothing else.  Indeed, I would have preferred a Beacon option in Daily mode, as I’ve always found SOS a bit silly (but it does a similar enough job).

I certainly like that the Daily mode gives an option to activate from Off into Ultra-Low – I always look for a way to jump to that mode from Off. And quirks aside, I do like having a physical forward clicky back as the main switch – call me old-school.

Circuit Measures

Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM):

Ultra-low:
Ultra-Lo

Low:
Lo

Medium:
Med

Hi:
Hi

Turbo:
Turbo

There is no sign of PWM on any level – the circuit appears to be fully current-controlled. This is also no sign of high-frequency noise at any level. This is refreshing – although PWM is very rare nowadays, it is not uncommon to see some (visually-undetectable) circuit noise.

Strobes:

Strobe:


Strobe alternates between 5 Hz and 10 Hz strobes every 2.5 secs.

SOS:

A fairly typical SOS mode.

Charging:

The P17 comes with Acebeam’s 21700 battery with a built-in charging port. There is a small LED on the positive terminal of the battery, which shows red when the cell is charging, and green when it is fully charged. In my testing, resting voltage of the cell was ~4.19V at termination.

Resting voltage <3.0V

Resting voltage >3.0V

The Acebeam 21700 5100mAh battery shows an initial low USB-C charging current of ~0.20A when the cell is heavily depleted (<3.0V resting), which jumps up to ~1.2A once the cell is >3.0V resting. This two-current charging is a good design, and indicates a safe integrated charging circuit. The max charging rate is a bit lower than most lights/batteries in this class, but much better than the original version of this battery when I tested on the E70.

Standby / Parasitic Drain:

I measured the standby current as 0.19 mA. This is a reasonably low standby drain, and it would take just over 3 years to fully drain the cell. Regardless, I always recommend you physically lockout the light at the tailcap to prevent accidental activation when not in use.

Emitter Measures

In this section, I directly measure key emitter characteristics of my sample in terms of colour temperature, tint, and colour rendition. Please see my Emitter Measures page to learn more about what these terms mean, and how I am measuring them. As tint in particular can shift across levels, I typically stick with the highest stably regulated level for all my reported measures.

As explained on that page, since I am using an inexpensive uncalibrated device, you can only make relative comparisons across my reviews (i.e., don’t take these numbers as absolutely accurate values, but as relatively consistent across lights in my testing).

P17 on High:

The key measures above are the colour temperature of ~5565K, and a slight positive tint shift (+0.0115 Duv) toward greenish-yellow at this temperature. For CRI (Ra), I measured a combined score of 66.

These values are very consistent with the rated specs for the cool white white XHP70.3 HI emitter on my sample, and match my visual experience of this light. As mentioned previously, I see no obvious chromatic variation in the beam of my sample.

Beamshots

All outdoor beamshots are taken on my Canon PowerShot S5 IS at f/2.7, 0.5 secs exposure, ISO 400, daylight white balance. The bend in the road is approximately 40 meters (~45 yards) from the camera. Learn more about my outdoor beamshots here (scroll down for the floody light position used in this review).

Click on any thumbnail image below to open a full size image in a new window. You can then easily compare beams by switching between tabs.



As you can see above, the P17 has a throwy beam, with an impressive amount of overall output. This gives you the best of both worlds. It is a super nice beam profile, without artifacts or noticeable chromatic variations.

Testing Results

My summary tables are generally reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. In addition to the links above, please see my output measures page for more background.

All my output numbers are based on my home-made lightbox setup. As explained on that methodology page, I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values to estimated lumens. My Peak Intensity/Beam Distance are directly measured with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter.

P17 Testing Results

ModeSpec LumensEstimated Lumens @0secEstimated Lumens @30 secsBeam Intensity @0secBeam Intensity @30secsBeam Distance @30secsPWM/Strobe FreqNoise FreqCharging Current <3VCharging Current >3VParasitic DrainWeight w/o BatteryWeight with BatteryCCT (K)DuvCRI
Ultra-Low33.13.1---NoNo0.21 A1.2 A0.19 mA153 g233 g---
Low90115115---NoNo0.21 A1.2 A0.19 mA153 g233 g---
Med580570565---NoNo0.21 A1.2 A0.19 mA153 g233 g---
High2,2002,3002,250---NoNo0.21 A1.2 A0.19 mA153 g233 g5,5650.011866
Turbo4,9005,2504,95048,700 cd44,100 cd420 mNoNo0.21 A1.2 A0.19 mA153 g233 g---
Strobe2,000-----5-10 HzNo0.21 A1.2 A0.19 mA153 g233 g---
SOS2,000-----NoNo0.21 A1.2 A0.19 mA153 g233 g---

At all levels, there is a remarkably good concordance between published specs and what my lightbox reports.

My NIST-calibrated luxmeter reports slightly lower beam distance measures, but that is not uncommon in my testing. It’s still an impressive amount of throw.

I don’t really expect to see a Moonlight mode in a light like this, but the ~3 lumen Ultra-Low mode is quite reasonable.

To view and download full testing results for all modern lights in my testing, check out my Database page.

Runtimes

As always, my runtimes are done under a small cooling fan, for safety and consistency. To learn more about how to interpret runtime graphs, see my runtimes methodology page.

Max

Hi

 

Med

The runtime results show you the benefit of having a good thermal mass – The P17 shows very impressive stable regulation on the High level without step-down. No other light in my testing to date has managed the feat of sustained flat output of >2200 lumens for over an hour.

Further, the Turbo mode is quite reasonable too: ~5000 lumens output to start, dropping down within minutes to a stable flat ~1300 lumens for nearly 2 hours.

Taken together, this may help to explain why the Special Mode (aka “Tactical mode 2”) goes automatically to High and not Turbo. High is the fully sustained high output level.

In any case, the P17 shows impressive output/runtime efficiency and regulation on all levels, consistent with an excellent current-controlled driver. I never get tired of seeing those perfectly flat output runtimes. Performance of the XHP70.3 HI emitter in this light is very consistent with other good quality lights running XHP70.2 HD lights in my testing (although I greatly prefer the XHP70.3 HI for its improved beam profile).

You can see the low-voltage warning coming on during the final Low level step-down (~115 lumens). At this point, the LED flashes three times every 30 secs – which is picked up by the sampling frequency of my DMM light meter as those irregular drops to zero at the end of the Med runtime above.

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
Light has excellent output/runtime efficiency, at all levels, with the High mode as a particular stand-out.Turbo step-down level is lower than the defined High level.
Circuit shows very good flat regulation, with thermally-mediated step-down on Turbo only.There is no mode set when Turbo comes on by default (either has mode memory, or High mode on activation).
Uses a dual tail switch design, with the option of three Mode setsLacks a true Moonlight mode, but has a very good low level.
Exceptionally good build quality and hand feel.
Great beam profile, with good balance between throw and flood, without chromatic aberrations.

Overall Rating

Preliminary Conclusions

There are some lights that you just pick up for the first time and go, “Oh, yeah.” By which I mean, there is an ineffable quality that just immediately tells you they got this light right. The P17 is one of those lights.

If I were to break down what that means to me, it starts with the handfeel – which is itself a complex term that includes overall heft, weight balance across the light as it fits in your hand (for both overhand and underhand carry), switch placement and feel, and the tactile feel of the surface of the light itself (i.e., just the right gripiness). That later point is not just the type or degree of knurling (although that is important) or other grip items like cut-outs and clips – good quality thick anodizing can often have a more “grippy” texture (e.g., Armytek is a good example of this). This light gets all of those features just right in my view.

Next is the beam pattern when you turn it on. To be sure, sometimes you want a very focused beam, and sometimes you may want full flood. But often you are looking for a good balance between relative throw and spill – the later involving both how wide and how bright the spill beam is. And then finally how “pretty” the beam is (i.e., lack of aberrations across the range of the beam, including a lack of chromatic variations). Again, as the beamshots above show, this light just really seems to really find that sweet spot – with fantastic output levels to boot.

As I started to handle the light though, I found some of the user interface choices a bit odd. For example, I’m used to having multiple mode sets on “tactical” dual switch lights, and the Daily mode here is generally well suited to my needs. But typically there is a dedicated “tactical” mode where the light always comes on at the maximum output level, with the option for a high-frequency strobe depending on which switch is used. But this light doesn’t do that – the Tactical mode has mode memory (so the light comes on in the last memorized output level), without so much as even a shortcut to Turbo. There is a secondary tactical mode – called the Special mode here – that ditches the level memory, but comes on at the lower High level (and has no strobe option).

I still think this arrangement is odd, but after my runtime tests I can understand why they choose the High level (instead of Turbo) for the non-memorized Special mode set: The P17 is an outstanding performer at the High level. It is in fact the only light I’ve tested so far that can stably produce >2200 lumens in a fully flat-regulated level for over an hour. If you opted for ~5000 initial lumens on Turbo, you would have to put up with the fact that the light quickly steps down to a (very common) lower ~1300 lumen level for its extended run.

This unusual UI is really why I’ve knocked half a star off – everything else about the light, including output/runtime efficiency and regulation, make this light a top performer in the high-output class of 1×21700 lights. Another great showing from Acebeam, and a real pleasure to handle and use!

Acknowledgement

The P17 was supplied by Acebeam for review. As always, all opinions are my own and the light received the same rigourous and objective testing as all other lights that I have reviewed. At the time of review, this light retails for ~$120 USD (~$160 CDN).

Acebeam X75

  1. Introduction
  2. Manufacturer Specifications
  3. Package Details
  4. Build
  5. User Interface
  6. Circuit Measures
  7. Emitter Measures
  8. Beamshots
  9. Testing Results
  10. Runtimes
  11. Pros and Cons
  12. Overall Rating
  13. Preliminary Conclusions
  14. Acknowledgement

Introduction

I first came to know Acebeam (or rather Supbeam, under their original name) as a high-quality maker of high output, thrower lights. Indeed, their K40/K60 series lights were my go-to lights for high-output back in the day (especially when modded by Vinh Nguyen for maximum throw). I’ve always found their lights to be solid offerings, very well made, with efficient current-controlled circuits and well-thought out user interfaces.

So when they suggested sending me their X75 super-high-output light, I said of course. I was glad they sent along the XHP70.3 HI version, since this should have more throw (and less chromatic variation) than the earlier XHP70.2 versions.

I don’t know about you, but I’m excited to see how it performs in my testing.

Manufacturer Specifications

Note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual testing results.

FeatureSpecs
MakerAcebeam
ModelX75
Emitter12xXHP70.3 HI
Tint6500K
Max Output (Lumens)67,000
Min Output (Lumens)900
Max Runtime8 hrs 20 mins
Max Beam Intensity (cd)426,409 cd
Max Beam Distance (m)1,306 m
Mode Levels6
FlashingStrobe
Battery14.4V/4250mAh
Weight (w/o battery)-
Weight (with battery)1240 g
Length176 mm
Head Diameter92 mm
Body Diameter60 mm
WaterproofIP68

Package Details

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The E70 is shipped in a nice and study cardboard display box. However, I personally miss the old metal-clasp carrying cases, with cut-out foam interiors.

Inside, you will find the following:

  • Acebeam X75 flashlight, with integrated handle/fan and silicone head cover (for protection and heat indication)
  • SB-C PD 60W AC charger
  • Spare fan with torx screws and Allen key wrench
  • Two spare o-rings
  • Warranty card
  • Safety card
  • Manual

It’s a reasonable package of accessories, and I like the spare fan in case you burn out the built-in one already included in the handle. I also really like the silicone head cover, due to the amount of heat this light puts out (I’ll come back to this point in later in the review).

My first impression upon unboxing is how much smaller than expected the light looks, given all those emitters. I recall the massive Olight X6 (with its 6x XML emitters, and ~5K lumens) in comparison. But once I lift it out of the box, the heft is about what I expected – you are going to need a lot of battery power to run this beast.

Build

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This is a substantial light, and one that would likely get heavy to carry around for extended walks.

The first thing to understand about this flashlight is that the handle is an integral part of how it works. The two control switches and the Lock-out switch are integrated into the handle, as is the cooling fan that sits under the heatsink in the head. You can remove the handle from the head if you need to change the fan or clean out the heatsink, but you can’t run the light without it attached. This is actually quite innovative, as you don’t have to worry about your significant investment going down the drain when/if the inexpensive fan breaks (and thus the benefit of providing a spare in the package, well done).

The light is a bit front-heavy, but the handle helps balance it out, and places your thumb in a good spot to access and use all the switches.

I will describe the user interface in detail below, but the control buttons are a little unusual to me. The handle has a Lock-out slide switch that you can slide back and forth (to prevent accidental activation), and two round electronic switches you can press: a smaller (though raised) Main switch right above the Lock-out slide switch, a slightly larger Auxiliary switch at the top of the handle.

When unlocked, the Main switch is used for turning the light On/Off and for primary mode level switching. The Auxiliary switch is used to activate/deactivate the built-in fan, switch between ECO and POWER mode sets, and perform some limited mode level switching, like jumping to Turbo (again, see my User Interface section). While easy enough to differentiate by feel, I would have expected the Main power switch to be larger, not just more raised. It also makes more sense to me to place it at one end of the series (i.e., not in the middle).

The Lock-out switch has a good firm sliding feel, locking into position at the two extremes of its traverse. The Main and Auxillary switches have a somewhat soft and slightly “squishy” feel – you need to press firmly to ensure you make contact. Note this makes multiple-clicking of the switches a bit different than other lights (i.e., firmness is what matters here, not speed).

The handle serves another important role – by carrying and using the flashlight by the handle, you don’t have to worry about accidentally burning yourself by picking it up too close to the head. That is a real concern to me, given how hot it got in my testing (which I will discuss further in the Runtimes section).

The is a green LED near the base of the handle on the head of the light that lights up when the light is in operation.

There is a standard tripod mount on the head on the opposite side from the handle. The light can tailstand stably thanks to the flat tailcap (which also serves as the dust/waterproof cover for the USB-C charging port). The tailcap threads are well lubed, and there is an o-ring in there for waterproofness. There are also instructions printed here, along with two charge status LEDs. Strangely, the integrated charger USB-C port is found among the screw threads. There is a recessed reset switch on the tail, in case you somehow over-discharge the battery pack and it won’t start charging (didn’t happen to me in my testing, but I appreciate the thoughtfulness). Scroll down for my charging experience.

Acebeam has emphasized to me the waterproofness of their design, and I tend to agree. Obviously, you would want to run it under water, but I agree appreciate the ability to swap out the fan if anything were to happen to it.

Another important physical safety feature is the removable silicone cover that sits around the head (where most of the heat will be produced). Like a silicone oven mitt, this will also help protect you if you try to grab the light while it is running. But it has another interesting safety feature – it changes colour to a light gray as it heats up:

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The above pics were taken a couple of minutes after I finished my beam distance measures. You can also see some condensation under the lens of the light, which was already starting to fade. I don’t know if the silicone colour shift was intentional or not, but it is a great way to warn you when you are about to pick up something hot. Again, please scroll down to my Runtimes section for a discussion of the heat and this silicone cover.

Of course, the other main safety (and runtime) feature is the small cooling fan integrated into the handle, running under the heatsink. This really reminds me of the early computer CPU fans, and serves the same basic function here. Note that I strongly recommend that you do not try to disable the thermally-mediated “Windy” modes in the user interface. The fan only comes on when it is needed (which is almost instantaneously in Turbo mode), and throttles down (and eventually turns off) automatically once the light has cooled sufficiently (which can take up to a minute after shutting down the light from Turbo). Again, see my Runtimes section for a discussion.

The battery pack body separates from the head. Screw threads are good quality, anodized, and well lubricated. There is a similarly-sized o-ring at this end. Thanks to the anodized threads, you can physically lock-out the light by a twist of the body/battery pack from the head. A spring in the head makes contact with the positive battery terminal.

The light lacks traditional knurling, but has plenty of ridge detail and cut-out finds (plus the handle and silicone head cover). Grip is not a concern in my handling.

Hard anodizing looks to be good quality (as is typical for Acebeam), and is more on the satin/matte side (which I personally prefer, not a fan of high gloss lights).

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My sample came with 12x Cree XHP70.3 HI emitters, each in their own well as part of a giant integrated reflector (moderately orange peel textured). The positioning of the wells is interesting, with a more elliptical shape to the outside ones. It looks like they are trying to harness the light for coordinated throw. But it is of course really going to be a massive flooder, given the wide head and generally shallow reflector setup.

The glass lens has a noticeable purple anti-reflective coating, as I noted in my E70 review. I am not a fan purple AR coatings, as they can lead to purple fringing on the periphery of the beam, but I didn’t really notice that here. I also haven’t noticed any significant tint shifting across output levels when in use, but check out my Emitter Measures below.

The silicone head cover has square crenelations on it, and the light can headstand reasonably well. However I STRONGLY recommend you do not attempt to run the light while headstanding, as I will explain below.

User Interface

As mentioned previously, the Main and Auxillary switches need be pressed firmly to use. This is particularly important for any of the multi-click operations described below (i.e., slow and firm presses are needed, too-rapid ones don’t work).

Before I get into describing the UI in detail, here is the flow-chart from the included user manual.

X75-Manual1

X75-Manual2

From OFF:

  • Main switch Press-and-Hold: Turns On in Ultra-low level
  • Main switch Single-click: Turns On in the last used memorized mode (but not Ultra-Low or Turbo)
  • Main switch Double-click: Turns On in Turbo mode (but timing is tricky, need to press firmly twice, and not too quickly)
  • Main switch Triple-click: Turns on in Strobe (again, slow and steady clicks)
  • Auxiliary switch Press-and-Hold (3 seconds): Activate/deactivate cooling fan (aka Wind mode)
  • Auxiliary switch Single-click: Nothing
  • Auxiliary switch 10 clicks: Switch between POWER mode group and ECO mode group (with their differing step-down timings on Turbo/Hi).

From ON:

  • Main switch Press-and-Hold: Change levels from Low to High (Ultra low and Turbo are not included in the main mode levels)
  • Main switch Single-click: Turns Off
  • Main switch Double-click: Jumps to Turbo
  • Main switch Triple-click: Jumps to Strobe
  • Auxiliary switch Press-and-Hold: Momentary Turbo
  • Auxiliary switch Single-click: Nothing

Shortcuts:

  • To Turbo: Double-click Main switch from On or Off
  • To Ultra Low: Press-and-Hold Main switch from Off
  • To Strobe: Triple-click Main switch from On or Off

Mode memory:

Yes. The light remembers the last main output levels used, and returns to it next time you turn on it On (with the exception of Ultra-Low and Turbo).

Low battery warning:

Yes, the LED indicator near the base of the handle blinks as the battery is running low.

Reviewer Comments:

Although the interface itself is not that complicated, getting use to it and the actual switch timings (and location) took some time. I kept trying to activate the light by the Auxillary switch instead of the Main switch. Once I remembered the right switch for Main, I then kept trying to use the Auxillary switch to change modes (Doh!). Since I don’t really want to turn off the fan or switch between the POWER and ECO mode groups (as I explain below), the Auxillary switch was really more of a complicating feature than a help, especially given its location.

I also don’t really understand who would want the lower step-down levels from Turbo/Hi that the ECO mode group offers over POWER mode. I could see people possibly preferring a separate set of level groupings, but I don’t know too many people who prefer to see a light step-down to an alternate set of even lower levels. And after all, you always have the option to run the light at a lower level if you are looking for more runtime.

I also don’t think it’s a good idea to give people the option to turn off the fan, from a safety or a long-term stability perspective. If you don’t like the fan noise, don’t run the light on Turbo.

Circuit Measures

Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM):

Ultra-Low:
X75-Ultra-Lo

Low:
X75-Lo

Turbo:
X75-Turbo

There is no sign of PWM or circuit noise at any level (some representative traces shown above). The light appears to be fully constant-current controlled. 🙂

Strobe:

X75-strobe

Strobe frequency is a reasonably fast 8.4 Hz, at the Turbo level (same as my Acebeam E70). Certainly annoying, but not as bad as some.

Charging:
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Fully discharged:

After ~10 mins of charging:

The Acebeam X75 battery pack (which is composed on 4×21700 cells in series), charges at ~20V and starts with a low charging current of ~0.2A when you first plug it in after a full discharge. This is a nice and gentle initial charging rate. After ~10 mins of charging time, you can see it was up to 3.1A, which is the very fast charging rate it uses over most of its charge cycle. Near the end of charging, it reverts back to the lower starting amperage, to avoid overcharging the cells. I didn’t specifically measure the charging time, but it seemed to take somewhere between 1.25 hours and 1.5 hours in my testing (as Acebeam indicates).

As an interesting note, when you plug the cable in, the charging circuit takes a couple of seconds to decide its charging rate. If the battery is only partially discharged, and it decides to go for the full 3.1A above, it doesn’t jump up to it – but slowly ramps up the current over about 5 secs or so. This is a very sensible and safe approach, and I’m glad to see Acebeam has taken such care with its charging circuit on this model. The charging port on the screw threads does seem a little odd, but I didn’t encounter any problems.

The battery pack can also serve as a power bank, to charge other USB devices. All you have to do is plug your cell phone or other device directly into the battery pack’s USB-C port. As you can see in the pic below, my Samsung Galaxy S21+ was able to charge at a pretty decent rate: ~2.05A at 9.35V (or just over 19W).

Standby / Parasitic Drain:

I measured the standby current as 0.22 mA.

Given the integrated 4x 21700 cells are arranged in series, and going by the quoted online 4250 mAh capacity, that would mean the cells would be fully drained in ~2.2 years.  This is not at all unreasonable, but I can see now why they have included the reset switch on the battery pack. If you stored this light fully connected but unused for several years, you may need to reset the low-voltage protection circuit in order to initiate a recharge cycle.

Note that storing the light locked or unlocked on the Lock-out handle switch made no difference to the standby current in my testing. It seems to draw the same power regardless.

You can physically lock out the battery pack from the head/handle of the light, thanks to the anodized screw threads in the head. I suggest you do indeed physically lock the light out this way to cut the standby drain. A single twist of the head will physically lock out this light, thanks to the anodized screw threads.

Emitter Measures

This section is a new feature of my reviews, where I directly measure key emitter characteristics in terms of colour temperature, tint, and colour rendition. Please see my Emitter Measures page to learn more about what these terms mean, and how I am measuring them.

As explained on that page, since I am using an inexpensive uncalibrated device, you can only make relative comparisons across my reviews (i.e., don’t take these numbers as absolutely accurate values, but as relatively consistent across lights in my testing).

The key measures above are the colour temperature of ~5840K, and the moderately positive tint shift (+0.0115 Duv) to yellow-green at this temperature.

For CRI (Ra), I measured a combined score of 68.

These values are very consistent with cool white XHP70.3 emitters, and match my visual experience of this light.

Beamshots

All outdoor beamshots are taken on my Canon PowerShot S5 IS at f/2.7, 0.5 secs exposure, ISO 400, daylight white balance. The bend in the road is approximately 40 meters (~45 yards) from the camera. Learn more about my outdoor beamshots here (scroll down for the floody light position used in this review).

Note that the camera settings were selected to best show-off the typical max output ranges of 1×21700 lights. So the X75 is going to seem a bit washed out in comparison!

Click on any thumbnail image below to open a full size image in a new window. You can then easily compare beams by switching between tabs.



For comparison purposes, the Imalent MS03 produces ~13,000 lumens on Turbo at activation, dropping downs to ~11,000 lumens at 30 secs. Beam intensity is about 22,000cd (or ~18,000cd / 265m at 30 secs) on Turbo. High is ~8,000 lumens.

The V54-modified MM15 above is dome-on, and at 30 secs is ~7,400 lumens and 27,500cd beam intensity (331m beam distance).

Testing Results

My summary tables are generally reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. In addition to the links above, please see my output measures page for more background.

All my output numbers are based on my home-made lightbox setup. As explained on that methodology page, I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values to estimated lumens. My Peak Intensity/Beam Distance are directly measured with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter.

X75 Testing Results

ModeSpec LumensEstimated Lumens @0secEstimated Lumens @30 secsBeam Intensity @0secBeam Intensity @30secsBeam Distance @30secsPWM/Strobe FreqNoise FreqCharging Current <3VCharging Current >3VParasitic DrainWeight w/o BatteryWeight with Battery
Ultralow900750750----No0.18 A3.1A0.22 mA-1190 g
Low2,0001,9501,900----No0.18 A3.1A0.22 mA-1190 g
Mid15,000-9004,7504,700----No0.18 A3.1A0.22 mA-1190 g
Mid210,000-9009,1009,500----No0.18 A3.1A0.22 mA-1190 g
Hi21,000-12,000-90022,00021,000----No0.18 A3.1A0.22 mA-1190 g
Turbo67,000-17,00070,50064,500338,000 cd295,000 cd1086 m-No0.18 A3.1A0.22 mA-1190 g
Strobe55,000-20,000-----8.4 HzNo0.18 A3.1A0.22 mA-1190 g

Using my ceiling bounce measures for output (as my lightbox couldn’t handle the size and heat), I actually come in pretty close to the rated specs. Mind you, I know my output measures appear to be a bit inflated compared to others, but they are at least internally consistent across my reviews.

In terms of beam distance though, my calibrated lightmeter used at ANSI FL-1 distance (10m, and calculated back) clearly doesn’t match the stated intensity (although it isn’t bad to be reaching >1 km beam distance at 30 secs).

To see full testing results for all modern lights in my testing, check out my Database page.

Runtimes

As always, my runtimes are done under a small cooling fan, for safety and consistency. To learn more about how to interpret runtime graphs, see my runtimes methodology page.

Note that I had to modify my testing setup for this light, as it too big to fit in my lightbox.

For the Lo and Mid runs, I simply placed the light up against the opening to my lightbox, and applied a correction factor for the reduced output readings (based on a calibration I developed relative to my ceiling bounce measures). For Turbo and Hi, I had to come up with another solution as the Turbo mode caused the adhesive tape that holds the cut-out flap on my milk carton lighbox to start to melt and burn within seconds of the run (!!!).

Yes, that’s right – despite an air-gap between the lens and the lightbox (due to the silicone cover), the intensity of the heat coming out the front was able to quickly ignite the generic-brand adhesive tape I used on the lightbox. I will come back to the heat issue in a bit.

So instead, I downloaded once of those free light meter apps for your cell phone. I used Light Meter – Lux Meter by Coolexp, v.1.5, from the Google Play store for Android, to use on my Samsung Galaxy S21+. I then calibrated the phone and app against my NIST-certified lux light meter, and used it to log runtimes. For safety, I ran the light tailstanding aimed at the ceiling of my cool and empty garage in the evening, with the cell phone lying beside the light facing the ceiling (for ceiling bounce measures). I then correlated the garage bounce to my usual ceiling bounce location, to get the official lumen estimates.

Quite a process, but it worked surprisingly well in the end. Now, let’s see how the runtimes went. Note that for all runtimes below, I left the light in “POWER mode with Wind”.

X75-Max
X75-Mid

As you can see above, the X75 is well regulated at all levels tested. It also seems extremely efficient, as the output/runtime performance looks to be at least ~4.5 times that of the best 1×21700 lights (despite the lower 4250 mAh rated capacity of the cells here). It is of course hard to compare exactly, as I did needed to do some calibrations/correlations for the output measures. And of course, the 4×21700 cells here are running the 12x emitters at lower drive levels to produce the same overall output, which is always more efficient. But any way you look it, this is clearly a very efficient and well regulated circuit!

To better show the thermal step-down feature on Turbo and Hi, here are those output runtimes expanded to show the first eight minutes, and then the first 30 secs. Again, on POWER mode with Wind:

X75-Max-8min
X75-Max-30sec

As you can see, the light rapidly ramps up to Turbo/Hi output over ~5 secs or so (which is interesting – it doesn’t just jump to the max brightness). This is another sign that the circuit is “gentle” on the battery pack on Turbo/Hi at startup, just as it was on charging. The integrated cooling fan turns on almost immediately on Turbo.

The output ramps down slowly on Turbo, until just after one minute, at which point it ramps down more quickly over a period of 30 secs or so, to the regulated High level. This is quite reasonable, given how hard the light is driven for the first minute. It also gets quite warm by the point it starts to ramp down.

In terms of heat, that is actually rather hard to measure. I did a second run using an infrared thermometer gun that has an app-based data-logging feature. For this run, I aimed it at an area just above the tripod mount at the base of the head. Here is how it looks overlayed on the corresponding Turbo runtime (although they were in fact two separate runs, as I needed to use my one cell phone to datalog from the two respective apps):

X75-Max-Temp

It’s interesting that the temperature continues to rise even as the light is in the process of ramping down to the High level. But I suspect this is due to a time lag for when the aluminum body reaches its maximum temperature – see below for a further discussion.

Note the integrated fan is going this whole time, and at full-blast speeds for the first couple of minutes. Once the temperature started to come down, I noticed the pitch (and thus speed) of the fan dropped down several times during the remaining run. I didn’t record or quantify this, but the most pronounced change in pitch occurred at the point near the end of the run above, where the temperature reading increased slightly as a result.

I didn’t time exactly how long the fan lasts after you turn off the light. At the end of the run above, it wasn’t very long. But the fan can continue to run for up to ~2 mins after the you turn the light off if you do so at the point of max heat (i.e., right when it steps down to Hi).

SAFETY WARNING:

Please note that the actual max temperature of the light is much hotter than it appears in the runtime above.

Again, I had my infrared thermometer gun pointed at the aluminum body of the light for the heat trace above, for convenience and safety (i.e., staring at the output of the light is not good for your eyes!). How hot does it actually get coming out the front of the light? I experimented with pointing the thermal gun at different angles to the lens at the front of the light, and found the maximum heat reading occurred when I placed the gun directly in front of the light. At ~1 min 10 secs into another run (i.e., the inflection point where the light begins its steeper ramping down to Hi), I clocked 198°C (388°F). This is as hot as the gun ever measured, as temperature began to drop down from this point. This makes sense, as I would expect the maximum heat to occur just before the light starts its explicit ramp-down stage.

I understand now why the generic Scotch tape on my lightbox started to burn – the brand-name stuff has a melting temperature of 175°C (347°F). Indeed, during this test, if I brought my infrared thermometer gun in too close to the lens (i.e., one inch away), smoke started to burn off the plastic end piece of the gun (!). You therefore have to be EXTREMELY careful not to let anything come into even near-contact with the lens of the light when operating in Turbo mode – or you risk igniting flammable materials, and/or seriously burning yourself.

Please do not even consider removing the silicone cover around the head – it is an absolute minimum safety requirement in my view. In fact, I recommend you slide it up more towards the opening of the light, to provide event better protection. It will hold snugly in couple of positions, for example:

Finally, I find the drain rate on Turbo a bit heavy for 4x 21700 cells. If you plan to run this light routinely at this level, I suggest you pick up the extended 8x 21700 battery pack that Acebeam sells (the much higher capacity/number of cells means the power required on Turbo is less stressful on each individual cell). This will of course make the light longer and heavier though.

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
Incredibly high output with excellent throw (although not quite as high as rated).The light gets VERY hot on Turbo mode very quickly, risking potential burns or igniting flammable materials. Avoid any near-contact with the lens in Turbo operation (see analysis above).
Excellent regulation and output/runtime efficiency, in all modes.The light on Turbo draws power at a very high rate initially - I recommend you purchase the optional extended 8-cell pack if you plan to run Turbo frequently.
Good thermal regulation and step-down performance, with a well-implemented integrated cooling fan.The electronic switch placement, feel and interface is a little unusual, and takes some getting used to.
Very good physical build quality, comfortable to handle and use, even in Turbo mode.
Thoughtful heat safety management, with silicone head cover and handle for carry.
Fast USB-C charging of the battery pack, which can also serve as a power bank for other devices.

A neutral comment is the fan is moderately noisy when Turbo is first activated, and quiets down somewhat as as the light steps-down. You can disable the fan, but I do not recommend this. It is better to just get used to the noise – or simply not use Turbo.

Overall Rating

Preliminary Conclusions

I debated knocking off half a star for some of the things that gave me pause on this light. But given how great the overall feature set is, as well as the physical build and regulated circuit and battery performance, I think 5 stars is warranted. That said, there are a couple of things that concern me, so let’s get those out of the way first.

I will start with the minor one – the user interface (specifically, the Auxillary switch). I really don’t find this switch too useful for the things it is primarily programmed to do (i.e., switching to ECO mode, or turning off the fan – neither of which I wish to do). And I found its presence distracting in use, so close the Main switch. Coupled with having to get the hang of an unusual timing issue for multiple clicks of either switch (i.e., both are a bit squishy), I think this could use a little tweaking.

My main concern is not with the light per se, but just how much heat comes out the front end of this thing on Turbo. The silicone head cover is a brilliant idea, but one that I think should have been extended even further forward. Please take care not to ignite anything on fire with this light – I think those in the UK or Australia would be fully justified in call this light a “torch”!

I know the marquee draw for this light is its raw max output – and correspondingly clever cooling design with the integrated yet replaceable fan. But here’s the thing; even if you completely discount the Turbo mode, I think this light is a five star light for all that it has a lot to offer in its other modes. Let’s not forget just how incredibly bright the High mode’s ~21,000 lumens are, and how versatile it is to go all the way down to ~750 regulated lumens on its lowest setting. The excellent regulation and current-controlled efficiency are just superb.

The physical build and ergonomics of the light are top notch too. It just feels like a really solid piece of kit, with careful attention to detail. It’s a pleasure to use with its integrated handle – and is probably the first light I’ve preferred carrying that way. The silicone head cover is just ingenious, including its colour shift to indicate the light is hot. I haven’t handled other modern super-high output lights, but I can’t recommend much to improve on the physical build here. I am super impressed to see the spare (and user-swappable) cooling fan included here. That is a thoughtful design that I hope other makers consider it too in their designs.

The charging feature also worked great in my testing, and the 3A charging really speeds things up (bonus to be able to use the battery pack as power bank too). Weird to see the USB-C port in the middle of the screw threads, but it didn’t cause any issues for me.

If you are in the market for this sort of monster high-output light (and understand the risks of max output), I am happy to recommend this model.

Acknowledgement

The X75 was provided for review by Acebeam. All opinions are my own however, and the light received the same rigourous and objective testing as all other lights that I have reviewed. At the time of review, this light retails for ~$420 USD (~$570 CDN).

Acebeam is making available a discount code for readers of my reviews. If you purchase the light from the Acebeam.com website, you can use the code ” selfbuilt ” (without the quotation marks) for 10% off.