MECO vs Gearbest SK-68 clone mini review

Meco vs Gearbest branded SK68 clones

Introduction:
After getting burnt with so many cheap flashlights that advertise as cree leds but come with lattice bright leds, I contacted Banggood and Neal to get 2 ‘Meco’ flashlights to review. My aim was to see if we, flashaholics could still get sk 68 quality at cut throat prices. They were nice enough to provide me those 2 samples free of charge for review.
Upon unboxing and putting it on, I could see it was definetely not a CREE led. So, instead, I turned this review into a comparison between the MECO and the GB flashlights.

Build
Both nearly similar in size. Bangood branded version is named Meco and Gearbest is named after the company itself. The GB version is slightly slippery due to the paint job.

The tailcap are of similar height and have the same number of threads.

The inner tube of the gearbest version is thicker and there is no movement of the cell once it is inserted unlike the Meco one which has some rattles. NOTE: This is a non issue once the tail caps are inserted and the springs exert pressure…
!https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/54700356/Flashlight/Meco%20vs%20GB/05.jpg !

While it appears that the GB version has thicker/wider springs, they have much movements and will easily fall apart. The meco one does not suffer from this spring ‘play’. MECO comes with thinner orings The tailcaps are interchangeable.

The MECO led sits deeper than the GB version. It does not come with the 2 ‘holes’ that allow easy removal unlike the GB version. The Oring of the head is better in the MECO version. While the tints aint great, the GB version is definetely too purplish for my liking.

Drivers:
The drivers appear to be the same with some slight modifications. They do work the same although I could clearly defect the PWM on the GB version…

Beamshots:
Here are some beamshots for comparison

Zoomed in:

Zoomed out:

Comparison with other lights:

Those lights put about 40-50 lumens on an eneloop.

Summary of MECO vs GB:
Took a pic as I could not figure how to insert a table…lol

Conclusion:
Flashaholics will be definetely underwhelmed by this low output. However, the tint is quite nice and it could make as a gifter, child gift or stuffs like that. Output is definetely much lower than the original SK-68 clones(ultrafire) which had much higher outputs and probably were running CREE leds. I would be giving them away very soon to some friends….They will get a home where they will get some use.

Pros and cons:
Pros:
Cheap
Nice tint for the money
Works on AA.
Zoom in/out aka flood or throw.
Multi modes (low, high, strobe)

Cons:
Not a CREE led
Low output

Relative:
Not too mod friendly

As an owner of the “Digital Sand” camo pattern GB light, I have to say that I really do like the light…

The finish is actually quite nice and gives a surprisingly good feel to the light.

IF LatticeBright wasn’t such an obviously unethical attempt to copy the Cree emitters, and if the light wasn’t advertised as Cree, I would be much happier.

Yes, the tint is poor, and less than overwhelming brightness, but it’s a reasonably well-built device that magically makes light, and was only $1.99 shipped from the other side of the world!

The biggest single issue is with the annoying three-mode next-mode-memory junk driver. I bought two; one is the Digital Sand, and the second is the same Blue-Camo MK reviewed here. I gifted the blue one to a non-flashaholic friend, and he loves it! Great pocket-sized light that works well from Alkaline/NiMH for the non-initiated (or in this case, one who I absolutely would NOT trust with Lithium chemistry!!! :zipper_mouth_face: ).

Did you try running them on li-ion cells?

EDIT: This question is directed to the OP.

Are you sure you don’t have your pictures reversed?
As they are now the output of the GearBest looks like my own MECO

Are the lenses the same sizes between the two lights? I’ve seen some of the Sk-68 clones that seem to have a larger diameter lens/thinner bezel than others…

Did you try a nice thick lead pencil line across the capacitor(s)?

Not on this light… Yet… :stuck_out_tongue:

Of course the larger lens gives more throw, but the large lens ones I have don’t have correspondingly more head travel, so the flood suffers. The LED just sits farther back in the pill to make up the focal length.

Nopes. I am always on the lookout for these type of cheap, newb friendly flashlights that produce decent output with AA/AAA cells for gifters or non flashaholics.

No the gearbest output is quite purplish for me. The MECO one is whiter with no traces of purple.

I have another MECO to review a 3xAAA version and its not looking too bad. Got to compare it with other flashlights at similar price points. :slight_smile:

How do you determine if a LED is CREE as advertised?

Read this thread; lots of info here: