Option 3. No built in charging. Doesn’t have to be a triple, single would be fine. Anduril 2.
Either no aux leds, or RGB. I wouldn’t want a light with single color aux that I was stuck with. One of the things I really don’t like about the current Emisar lineup is the single color lighted switches.
Robust design if it uses an inner tube like the FW series. Mine never did work right, and it’s totally put me off of that design- even though I do find it aesthetically pleasing.
A good switching driver, Anduril2 and tail-switch will make this an absolute instant buy.
About option 2 vs 3… I don’t feel strongly either way. But for an efficient, 100% duty cycle boost driver: oh yes! make it as long as you need to! This will make the small battery last longer in lower modes.
About triple vs single LED, at 2A output there is over 20% gain in lumen from using 3 LEDs vs only 1,looking at some lm/A curves. Vf also stays a bit lower (good with a boost driver). But I would be happy with a single LED with a throwy TIR too.
Anduril is perfect for ramping, as well as managing heat and brightness (and everything else). Staying in simpleUI, or configuring it how you like and disable turbo (can now be done in the UI) for those that don’t want a hotrod or need to restrain themselves. 2A-3A should be fine with a 14500.
Beyond that the following would be nice to have: deep carry one way clip (two way clips are awful), flashing pads and a firm switch with sufficiently high activation force (to prevent accidental activation).
I typically use my lights at close range indoors. A tiny triple with a bright floody beam, like an FWAA, is vastly more useful for me than than a light with a relatively small but throwy hotspot.
And a bright Turbo allows for quick scans of a large area outdoors. I also don't use my compact EDCs on sustained High or Turbo for long, it's just not what they were designed for.
Please include a RGB auxiliary light please! This feature will set your little triple apart from all the rest. I will buy 1 maybe without, but with RGB’s I will buy many over time!!
I vote for #3. Make it long enough to accept a longer battery with a USB charge port built in to the battery. No charge port on the light. Anduril is a must for me. AA compatibility would make it versatile, but you can’t have it all apparently.
I’d favor #2, but no charging port and no aux lights. Please design with a straight tube. Efficiency is the main thing. Anduril is good, though I’d be fine with Narsil.
Option 3 with 14500 and RGB aux lights. Having onboard USBc charging would be nice to have as to differentiate from other 14500 lights on the market, but not if it makes it as long as the 18650 lights
Regulated and good efficiency is a must for me. That’s why I love the most recent series of Fireflies flashlights that use the LUME driver. I use them almost everyday for work and as ceiling bounce lights. But FF stopped producing the LUME driver due to chip shortage for over a year already. I also love Olight flashlights because they are soooo efficient and have the best regulation despite they only come in CW low CRI.
I have almost a dozen Lumintop FW flashlights but I hardly ever use them because of the poor regulation and poor efficiency. They are simply toys unlike the FF lights that are actually usable for work purposes.
USB-C would make the lights giftable.
Also please have a Nichia 519A 9080 option. These new emitters are brighter, more efficient, and better tint vs the SST-20 95CRI.