Review: Thrunite TN4A Hi NW (Pics, Beamshots, Runtime)

I received the Thrunite TN4A HI NW from Thrunite for the review.

5% Discount! Coupon Code:THRUNITE, For Official Website Only

Amazon US: Amazon.com: ThruNite

_Thrunite Specs for the TN4A HI NW:

Adopts latest CREE XP-L HI LED technology to give great light efficiency.
Compact thrower with high quality beam from smooth peel reflector.
Advanced electronic switch with low voltage indication for silent operation.
ThruNite ITC (intelligent temperature control) technology to prevent possible light damage from overheating.
Six modes available: Firefly, Low, Medium, High, Turbo and Strobe.
Reversed polarity protection system prevents damage to the light.
Ultra clear tempered glass lens with anti-reflective coating.
Aircraft grade aluminum body structure with knurling for firm grip.
Premium type III hard anodized anti-abrasive finish.
Memory function to set any mode (except for Firefly, Turbo and Strobe) for immediate use.
Applicable for AA batteries to use economically everywhere.

Specifications
LED: CREE XP-L HI LED with a lifespan of 20+ years of run time.
Runs on: 4 x AA batteries (not included).
Working Voltage: 2.75V-8V.
Output mode/Runtime(tested with Four NIMH 2500MAH batteries)
-Strobe (1050 lumens/150 minutes)
-Turbo (1050 lumens/56 minutes)
-High (520 lumens/150 minutes)
-Medium (120 lumens/14 hrs)
-Low (14 lumens/93 hrs)
-Firefly (0.2 lumens/80 days).

Peak Beam Intensity: 52340cd.
Max beam distance: 457m.
Impact resistant: 2 meters.
Waterproof to IPX-8 Standard (1.5 meters).
Weight: 218.6g without battery.
Dimensions: 111.5mm in length, 45.5mm in diameter.
Accessories: Holster x1, Spare O ring x2, Battery Carrier x1(inside the flashlight), Lanyard x1._

The light comes in this cardboard box.

Well protected inside the sheath and with black plastic foam.

The TN4A HI comes with a manual, sheath, a silica bag, lanyard, spare o-rings, spare switch cover.

Honestly, I expected the TN4A HI to be much smaller. The light has a cylindrical design, with some knurling on the body.



It is a really compact 4xAA light.

The electronic switch at the head, only element of control of the light, has a metal cover and a LED underneath it. It is positioned in the only raised and squared portion of the light to make it easier to find. In the accessories there’s a clear rubber switch cover, if you want to replace the metallic one.

The emitter is a CREE XP-L HI NW, perfectly centered thanks to a gasket, in a smooth reflector. The glass has AR treatment and a metallic bezel with a sanded finish.

The tailcap is flat and has a lanyard hole

With bare hands, the light can be divided into body and head. The head has a golden spring as contact point for the positive pole.

Inside the body, with anodized and squared threads, there is the carrier for the 4xAA batteries. Interestingly, in the carrier the springs are not equal, 2 are longer and 2 shorter.


The carrier has several metal parts and looks solid, even if some parts came scratched. The contact points for the batteries are golden, but not the contact point for the driver.

Inserting the batteries in the carrier with the correct polarity is easy, and the carrier can be inserted with either of the faces facing the driver.

The cordura sheath has a plastic D-ring, a belt loop and is MOLLE compatible, and closes with Velcro. The TN4A HI can fit in the sheath either way. The inside of the sheath is not very well padded and shows some marks already out of the box.


UI
Click the switch once to turn the light on and off.
When the light is on, keep pressed the switch to cycle between low, medium and high mode.
When the light is off, keep pressed the switch to turn the light on at moonlight mode.
A double click will activate Turbo mode (works with the light on and off). A following double click will activate strobe.
The light does have memory mode for low, medium and high modes only.

When you turn the light on, the LED underneath the switch will turn on blue, and will become red when the batteries need to be replaced.

There is no electronic lockout, you can physically lockout the light by untwisting the head from the body.

*Beamshots *at 0.5 meters from the wall.




The spot is rather small and this will make the TN4A HI a great thrower for its size.
The NW tint on my sample is really pleasant for my eyes, around 4000K.
There is no PWM sign at any levels according to my eyes.

100 meters at the tree, measured both with laser telemeter and google maps.


No problem for the TN4A HI NW. The spill is wide enough for a thrower.

Output and runtime
Tested with Nimh Batteries: Panasonic Eneloop XX Pro 2500mAh and with Amazonbasics AA 2000mAh.

Considered that the specs are the one of the CW version, the values are right.

Thrunite claims that the TN4A HI has a built in thermal sensor that affects the stepdown at max output. Let’s test it.

There is indeed and it works, not only preventing the big stepdown at the beginning of the test.

But also keeps the output higher compared to the uncooled test until the batteries are empty.

When the cells are almost empty, the light switches to a dim level, a few lumens, for a long additional time.

Here is the runtime of the “few lumens” level, that I cut from most runtime plots.

My thoughts
The light is well built and finished.
The TN4A HI offers a great throw, output and regulation, packed in a small form factor (consider that it is powered by regular AA batteries).
The UI is good: direct access to lowest mode, turbo and memory mode, and the levels are well spaced. I like also the “few lumen level” that is present an all the tested levels.
I don’t like too much the battery indicator, it should have an intermediate state between the 1) batteries are fine, 2) batteries need to be replaced.
I always like when a light comes with a sheath, I believe it makes the light easier to carry (and therefore increases its chances to be used) and it protects it. However, I’d like the sheath built with cordura with higher denier number, and double layer (cordura also on the inside).

This is a good light for those who need a good amount of throw, with a simple UI, in a compact factor, running with AA cells.

Thanks to: AntoLed for the camera and the luxmeter.

thank you budda, grazie!

have you tried to take out the switch?
“The TN4A HI comes with a manual, sheath, a silica bag, lanyard, spare o-rings, spare switch cover.”

spare switch cover

by the way, how is your cometa?
mine is working fine :person_facepalming:

Thank you for the review Budda.

I bought a TN4A NW for my dad last year. It had all the features that I wanted in a flashlight for him, except for 1. It had to take AA batteries, be neutral white, have a moonlight mode, and have temperature regulation. The only feature it didn’t have was inserting the batteries directly into the flashlight (like the Nitecore EA41) rather than utilizing a battery carrier. My dad is really happy with the flashlight.

BTW, the battery carrier also had a fault related to the springs. Not them being different sizes, but the springs were lined up directly across from each other. So 2 battery slots had no springs and 2 battery slots had 2 springs. Luckily the carrier is easily taken apart and I was able to align the springs correctly.

Lol, luckily you got a hold of it first.

I quite like the look of this light.

Does anyone know of any other discount codes?

They were on sale on amazon for 15% off recently. Probably the Thrunite store too. The whole Thrunite store was on sale for 20% off before Christmas. Keep checking in. It looks like sales happen.

My TN4A HI arrived. I ordered NW and expected to be below 5000K as my Archer 2A V3.
Unfortunately the tint is over 5000K.
Anyway, I like it very mach. UI is a different than the other lights. I think Firefly and Turbo mode are hidden and you are circul thru Low, Medium, High which is very clever.
My worry is about Ni-Mh battery. Although they are LSD I am not sure after 1 or 2 month they can perform well on turbo mode.

Why do you worry? I believe the TN4A has sufficiently low parasitic drain* not to worry about turbo performance after only a couple of months.

I know TN4A is a good light.
My worry is that Ni-Mh are loose voltage even if they are not in flashlight.
To reduce the weight I put white Eneloop 1900mAh.
So I will charge them after every long use and ones per month if I do not use flashlight.

i did not try that.

i never bought or received a cometa and i don’t plan to ever do one of that thing either.

The voltage drop won’t affect the turbo output, don’t worry.

I have just did a serous night walk test and I am very imresed from this light. Turbo mode works very stable, no visual drop of intensity.Battery are discharge at 1.27V.
Thanks Budda.

is there anyway we can get the pictures back here ?

Not trying to hijack the thread or anything…… and I know a lot of the Photobucket stuff has not been replaced or updated yet as some of mine from there has not yet ether.

The video review I did has a good many still pictures of the TN4A HI , from the box to the driver and between. Also beamshots from 3 feet to 175 yards covering all the modes and live footage comparing a couple of other lights with the TN4A outside.

Times are noted where each segment starts in the video timeline near the video itself in the OP.