“REVIEW”: RovyVon Aurora A23 Black – EDC – 1000 Lumens - Rechargeable [Beamshots Post #17]

EDIT: 11th August > BEAMSHOTS ADDED Post #17
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Hi BLF!

This is my review of the RovyVon Aurora A23, black version.

I bought this light from RovyVon store (non-affiliated).

This is a flashlight I wanted to have since its release, and I finally managed to buy one in June (got it in July). :partying_face:

I couldn’t find any review of this light/series on BLF, but there are many reviews of this light online.

zeroair: RovyVon A23 Flashlight Review - ZeroAir Reviews

Youtube search: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query="rovyvon+a23"

For those interested in dismantling the light, even for battery replacement purposes, here’s an official video from RovyVon:


GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
Body Colour: Black (there are other versions available)
Material: Aerospace grade aluminium alloy, hard anodization
Emitter: XP-L2 (Cool White) (also available in Nichia 219C 4500-5000K) ( * * * )
Lens: TIR
Battery: Built-in module, replaceable (600mAh)
Switch: Side e-switch
Low Voltage Warning: Yes
Max runtime: 72 hours
Max beam distance: 150m
Max output: 1000 lumens
Candela: 5800 candela
Waterproofness: IP68 (under water 2m)
Impact resistance: 1.5m

( * * * ) According to specs, the light should bring a XP-L 6500-7000K


+PACKAGE & FLASHLIGHT

The RovyVon Aurora A23 comes in a RovyVon branded box that contains some general information outside.
Inside we find: RovyVon Aurora A23, 1 RV branded lanyard, 1 paracord lanyard, 1 split ring, 1 spare o-ring, 1user manual, 1 USB to micro USB charging cable, 1 warranty card.

About the A23, it is a small light, good for EDC: it reaches low levels but also high levels, being good both for close and medium distance range.

It is bigger than he previous Aurora A series. The construction is flawless on the outside. There are no machining marks. The host has few knurling, but its shape and the pocket clip help to get a better grip.

If the A23 is shaked, you can hear some rattling inside, that is due to the replaceable battery/circuitry module. However, this doesn’t affect the contacts when the light is ON.

Some details of this flashlight are:

- it has 2 grooves for tritium vials on the tail

- the stainless steel pocket clip is screwed from the “top of the tail”, and it contains the Serial Number of the flashlight

- the USB charging port is on the “top of the tail”; it is covered by a rubber cover to prevent water /dust from entering

- the tail has a lanyard hole, but it shape is flat, allowing tailstanding

- on the front there is an engraving of the flashlight model

- it can be dismantled in 3 parts: head, battery/circuitry module, and tail (there is an o-ring between head and tube)

- the head part has 2 contact “pins” that touch the battery module

- the side switch frame is slightly raised, while the switch itself is slightly depressed to avoid accidental activation

- there is no glass lens on the front, just the TIR surface, what can be a bad point due to eventual scratches

  • this flashlight is probably not lighter as other RV lights but it is aluminium, so I don’t consider it to be “heavy”

The charging process is made through the tail. The port cover must be lifted up but not detached from the tail.
Also, please note that cables with large micro USB heads will not fit!
The included cable fits well. It is a 30cm white cable and probably has the ideal specs for charging this light in the due time.

According to specs, charging process is made in 1 hour (5V/1A). When charging, there will be a red led lit up in the tail, and when charged, that led will be blue.

Also related with charging, there is a cutoff voltage at 2.4V, and when the battery is lower than 2.6V the led indicator will stay ON.


The User Manual is written in 3 languages: Chinese, Japanese and English. In English it is well written and goes straight to the point, being well organized.
It provides the general information for the flashlight operation: Features, Parameters (Material, Operation/User Interface), Charging, Warning , Warranty.

Here you can see the relation between Led vs Output vs Runtime:

As for the other accessories, there are 2 lanyards, one RovyVon branded, a paracord cord to make a lanyard, and a split ring to use the light as on a keychain. There is also a spare o-ring to put between the tube and the head.


About the User Interface, this is how the RovyVon A23 operates!
From RV website:

It has 7 modes:

  1. Low > Medium > High > Turbo regular levels
  2. SOS > Strobe
  3. Moonlight
  4. Momentary Turbo

VVVVVVVVV

1. From OFF, double click to turn the flashlight ON in Low or in the last used regular level (the flashlight has memory if turned ON in a regular level for more than 3minutes)
1.1 After turning the flashlight ON:

- single click to advance in levels (Low > Medium > High > Turbo > Low…)

  • press the switch 0.3s to turn OFF

2. From OFF, triple click to access SOS.
2.1 After being on SOS:

- single click to access Strobe (single click goes back to SOS)

  • press the switch 0.3s to turn OFF

3. From OFF, quad click to access Moonlight.
3.1 After being on Moonlight :

  • single click to turn OFF

4. From OFF, press and hold to access Momentary Turbo.
4.1 After being on Momentary Turbo:

  • release the switch to turn OFF

NOTE: This is a curiosity but it can be pertinent. If the flashlight is turned ON and then the head is unscrewed at least around 1 turn, it will turn OFF. BUT, when screwing it back in place, the flashlight will turn ON again. So, the e-switch seems to act as a reverse switch, that keeps the position locked (ON, in this case).


Here’s a small comparison between the RovyVon Aurora A23 and some other lights in my collection:

Vs: On the Road 311 & Acebeam TK16

Vs: Olight SIR Baton & On The Road M3 Pro

Vs Lumintop Tool AA V2.0 & Convoy S2+ (18350)

Vs RovyVon Family (Aurora A8U, Angel Eyes E200u, Angel Eyes E300s, A5R)

One of the critiques addressed to RovyVon in some of their lights is the existence of PWM in some or all modes. In this light they corrected that and there is no PWM!!

To let you know how the beam of this light looks like and how is the light progression, here are some images.
Please note that the luxmeter was at 1m, hence the reason to get 0 lux in the lowest level.

What can I say about the beam? It is not the nicest one I’ve seen. It is a Cool White XP-L2 led under a clear TIR optic, so it originates some yellow shifts and other artifacts, which can be a little distracting and annoying.
Besides this, in the center there is as stronger and more defined white hotspot. Corona is yellowish in this version and then, on the spill, there is an apparent white or blueish area that surround the corona.

In summary, this is not as pleasant as it could be, but I believe that the Nichia version will be better looking. I may try to dismantle the head to replace the led :wink:



And now some tint comparison! (white balance at 5000K)
Vs XML2 U1 1A 6500K

Vs Luxeon V2 4000K

Vs Luxeon V2 3000K

Vs Nichia NVSW219BT ~5000K

Vs Nichia 219C 4500K-5000K

Vs Samsung LH351D 5000K

I will present some outdoor beamshots and “glamour” beamshots later on.


But I will give my overall appreciation right away.
What I like in this flashlight is:

- Compactness, ergonomics and “carriability”. Being small and relatively lightweight, the Aurora A23 is good for EDC. The pocket clip allows good retention and carry - deep way -, and the possibility to use a lanyard allows quick “draw” from a pocket. Also, for my hand size (small-medium), this is a light that can be held particularly well!

- USB rechargeability. It is nice to have a light that can always be charged and doesn’t need “extra batteries”

- Shortcut to Moonlight mode. This is almost a “must-have” in an EDC flashlight, specially a small one like this. If on the one side I like that we have this mode “alone”, on the other I would also like to have the possibility to advance in levels from ML on.

- Brightness. I like the overall brightness of this flashlight, on Turbo. It is sure that after 1m30s it falls down to lower levels, but that is understandable due to the size and difficulty to dissipate heat.

- Access to Momentary Turbo. For a prompt illumination, I like this quick access to Turbo.

- Accessories. Despite I have dozens of lanyards, o-rings, split rings, and even USB cables, it is a nice package for someone that doesn’t have these spare resources and wants a RovyVon flashlight!

- Battery replaceable module. Even if it is not include, nor necessarily cheap, it is good to have the possibility to replace the battery and circuitry of this flashlight, once it may get some heavy use as EDC, and because charging-discharging may provoke some wear in the battery.


What I would improve in this flashlight is:

  • XP-L2 LED. Even if I chose the brightest LED, and there is a Nichia option, I would not use XP-L2 in under a clear optic as this one, because it originates many annoying shifts and artifacts in the beam

- Charging port and Charging type. Although it is preferable to have a smaller charging port, like the one in the A23, having to use a specific cable due to that port size, may imply carrying multiple cables. Also, I would probably implement USB-C type, specially due to the growing number of devices (including flashlights) that use that type of charging (cables).

- Aspects of the User Interface. As I mentioned above, I like some things about the UI, but I also would change parts of them, such as:

1. Access to Moonlight with 3 clicks (instead of 4), and also the possibility to advance in the levels from ML (through single or double click, as example)

2. Access to blinking modes (SOS > Strobe) with 4 clicks (instead of 3), and also reverse the order, putting Strobe > SOS.

3. Enable access to Constant Turbo, by adding the possibility to lock that mode after pressing the switch and staying on Momentary Turbo for more than X seconds, as example.

- Rattling. I would eventually add something to hinder the battery module from rattling. (I can do it on my own, but…)

- Add a glass lens. The TIR will probably get scratched along the way, so it would be nice to have glass lens above it to prevent it from scratching :stuck_out_tongue:


Despite these points, I am very pleased with this flashlight and I don’t regret at all buying it!
It will soon enter my EDC rotation :slight_smile:
I will also try to mod the LED adding something in the Neutral or Warm side, specially to avoid artifacts and shifts. This will depend on the head structure!

Stay tunned for the Outdoor Beamshots, to be added maybe in the weekend :+1:

Any comments or questions, let them come.
:beer:

Thank MascaratumB for the detailed review and great pictures. :smiley: Rovyvon sadly not very popular on BLF. :person_facepalming:
I got A23 Nichia for a month now and really like it. I bought on Amz during their Father’s day sale. Very compact and great carry EDC light.
My Nichia is around 4500k, a little bit cooler than my other 4000k Nichia 219 but I ok with it.
To me, one other great things about it are the small size, great deep carry clip, and momentary turbo.
As you correctly pointed out, there are artifacts in the beam but only noticeable with close distance. Another cons is that light is very prone/easy to get scratch. Also, I feel like the bigger ones (A23, A25, A28 etc. ) are not as durable as their smaller light. I have A3x, A4x, and A8, they feel more solid in my hand
I am tempting to get the new A23 Pro which builds better and more scratch-resistant.

PS: I did not have the gut to pull apart the battery from the body :D. May do a quick review on my light. :smiley:

Thanks for your words Anthony Nguyenn :slight_smile:
Seems like you are a fan too !!!

Hum, for your words, does the Nichia version also has artifacts too? Weird, I thought it was the XP-L2 the major causer of it, but perhpas the clear TIR has a role on that too :zipper_mouth_face:

I wonder if other type of leds will work better under it !

I didn’t use it yet on the pockets, so I couldn’t test it for scratches. As for the smaller ones, I only carry/have the A5R and A8U that are the Polycarbonate ones, so they don’t “scratch”. I offered the A2 (blue) to my dad. It seems though, and isn’t much scratched, it is true!

I’ll have to carry this to see how it gets.

Do you mean the A3 Pro? It is still with a good price! I will probably get (laaaaater) the copper (A9) :heart_eyes:

It is not difficult, you just need to be gentle…or not :smiley: I had to beat with the tube in the hand. To put it back in place, it just needs to be pushed a little bit :wink:

I’ll be looking for your review in case you do it :wink:

Hmm. While very bright for its size, I feel like this Rovyvon is finally too large for the magic to hold up. Compared to the TK16 (18350, more battery capacity and greater brightness) it seems to lose on all counts. The Thrunite T1 is probably a similar story. And even the OTR 311/Olight S1® which are 16340 lights, have comparable brightness and runtime abilities. For me, Rovyvon’s advantage was using super high output LiPoly and tiny lights to still achieve high burst outputs. Now the A23 is limited by the XP-L like other lights in that size. I’m also very much not a fan of the UI on this one.

What I do like: They’ve finally made lights you can take apart. Their catalog has expanded quite a bit since I first bought a few muggles some Rovyvon lights. They are fantastic gift lights for non-flashaholics because they’ll get clipped on a keychain and are easily charged. So now I have muggles I know carrying fantastic EDC lights on their person. And the A1 was cheap, too.

I’m not sure how appropriate I find their lights for flashaholics. Better, now, I guess, if they’re able to be opened. But the UI… Well, it will be interesting to see how their higher-priced options fare.

Well, you have some points on that, specially for the relation size/output/capacity !

The 16340 lights you mentioned are pretty well capable of being better in that relation ^ but this light has a market for itself!
The one of people that doesn’t want to carry spare batteries nor extra proprietary cables, for those that prefer a different design, and for those that want a light with quick access to some levels (specially turbo, as I do :partying_face: ) :wink:

As I mentioned, and as you also mentioned, there are some things in the UI that could be improved, but it is not the most terrible one :wink:
I’ve seen more expensive lights and more acknowledged brands making lights with worse UIs. But it has a margin to improve and I hope RovyVon can keep on considering the community suggestions !!!

I guess many of us here would like to have an Olight type of UI in this flashlight and it would be great. :wink: But I don’t find it that bad in the end.

And while you say this may not be a light for flashaholics (specially people who mod and want different tints and CRI), I am not sure if this is a straightforward option for “muggles” too (unless they don’t need ML that much :stuck_out_tongue: ).

As for the ability to open it, it is a plus, although RovyVon structure can sometimes be intricate, as zeroair shows on his review!

If I open mine, I will post it here to let you know what can be done on this :+1:

Wow, looks impressive.

I'm not too keen on the XP-L2 tint, or the high price tag, but otherwise it looks amazing!

...

EDIT:

There's one that is much cheaper on Amazon.com:

https://www.amazon.com/keychain-rechargeable-flashlight-emergency-gift-giving/dp/B07ZHDW76C

Wow, nice find :wink:
I guess it is only for US customers (at least it cannot be shipped to my country), but it is a really nice price, almost half the value!!!
Great :wink:

Maybe the Nichia version can look a little better than the XP-L2 in case you wanna try one !! :wink:

For this reason especially, I like your comparison to the OTR 311, which has built-in USB-C charging. And for modders, the driver is independent of the charge circuit (the charger is in the body tube, in fact) so you don’t have to put up with their UI either!

That one’s definitely on my list for a future build - maybe even a gift build.

Oh, yeah, the 311 :wink: I was thinking only on the Olight and Acebeam. :person_facepalming:

The OTR 311 is probably one of the most verstile to be modded, and being charged by a USB-C cable, no extra cables are needed :wink:
Led is an easy mod, the driver is yet to be known. I have it on my to-do list (probably a 17mm single sided driver from Lexel, with short and very flexible spring) for contact on the charging platform!

I don’t completely dislike the UI (and the possibility to configure it) although Bistro will be better on that one!

If you’re on the fence to get one, I would say BUY IT :smiling_imp:

Good review. I enjoy my RovyVon *x lights despite the proprietary battery and gift them out to people. They are high quality, I just wish they came in more CCT like 3000 and 4000k.

Thanks lazerEagle :+1:
Seems like the Auroras are really popular as gift lights! Nice :wink:

I too wish there were more warm white leds on these flashlights, but maybe the “non-flashaholics” were not so interested then, they wouldn’t be “so briiiight!!!” :stuck_out_tongue:

I carry the A8U and A5R on my neck and keychain. The A23 will go to my pocket :wink:

The bargain is now gone.

Maybe it was a pricing error?

:zipper_mouth_face: Maybe it was a bad pricing indeed, or a “flash” price drop sale?
Sorry you and others couldn’t get it for the price, in case it was the intention :zipper_mouth_face:

I was messing around with one of my 10180 lights a few months back (I think my DQG Hobi+), and my sister-in-law (who is currently the tenant of my basement) pulled out the Aurora A1 I’d forgotten I got her and said “Mine’s brighter!”

Indeed it was, though it was marginally larger. Had to grab the D4 to assuage my wounded pride…

I’ve got both the A4 and A24 in titanium, both are fantastic lights.

Ahahah :smiling_imp: That is evil :stuck_out_tongue:
It is so funny when “they” think they have bright lights :smiley:
The A8 packs a punch if you judge it by the size, but so does a D4.

This weekend when I was taking the outdoor beamshots at night my dad was outside and asked me what was “all that light”! I guess he was impressed when I showed him the A23, so small if compared to the other lights I have at home :smiley:

It is probable that you made me feel a bit jealous :stuck_out_tongue:
I would love that the A23 black had the logo engraved on the head as your does :blush:

As promised on the review, and as habit on my reviews, here are some outdoor beamshots! :sunglasses:




For a small flashlight, it has a strong beam as you can see on the photos. I also think that it has a good level spacing!
It was definitely a good buy I did, I like it :wink:
Stay safe folks! Day and night :+1:

That’s actually pretty funny because I wish the A24 had some milling or anything on the head like the A23 does. It can get REALLY slippery with the smooth head.

Well, I can tell you that this anodizing is also slippery :stuck_out_tongue:
The thing that helps me grabbing it in a better way is the pocket clip!
I believe that these versions below (A23 pro, A25 and A28) are probably better in terms of grip, as both yours and mine needed some thing to help on that!

I would love if the head of my A24 had the same milling lines as those.