If you like the looks of the C8, you might like the JAX mini C8. The quality is up there with Convoy.
Out is more lagely dictated by the Led type and how hard it’s driven. Of course OTF (out the front) lumens will then be dictated by the reflector/optics. But I really wouldn’t worry too much about it.
In terms of beam, it depends what you want.
Throw comes from larger reflectors and a large reflector in combination to a small Led.
So the same led in a large reflector will have a tighter more intense hot spot and duller spill beam.
Reflector depth will also have a bearing as will it’s texture.
Afraid I don’t have a C8 with an XM-L2 in, but here are some comparison shots of an XM-L2 tube light (so similar to the TN12/PD35), an Eagle Eye X6 with an XM-L2, not as big as a C8, but bigger than a tube light. And an XP-G2 C8.
Brass pill? Really? According to Engineering Toolbox, brass has a lower thermal conductivity than Aluminum, which, in turn, has about half the thermal conductivity of copper. I would not consider a brass pill to be a positive feature for a flashlight, except maybe compared to steel or plastic. I haven’t ever seen or held a XinTD C8, but I consider the Convoy C8 to be of decent quality for the price. And, it is simple to change mode groups to enable/disable blinky modes.
The XinTD from MTN comes with a 3.04A driver(380*8 7135 resistors) I would highly recommend buying the xpg2 version with whatever your preferred mode groups are, And if you wish to mod it order 4 380mA 7135's to stack on the existing ones. I did it last night and output jumped a full amp! I don't know where the >10$ drivers are hiding but you will end up with more money and hassle invested than it's worth if you try to piece it together yourself. Braid the springs and enjoy it!
also, I think you heard wrong. I've been a PayPal user since I was 16 (almost 30 now) and I've never had a problem. The only thing they freeze is your PayPal account IF THERE is a dispute between you and a buyer. I've bought and sold several thousand dollars worth of goods through PayPal, and never had a Major issue. The few problems have all been resolved satisfactorily on both sides. I don't know how anybody can live without it. Link to your bank account and get the PayPal debit card so you can spend money you make automatically without the fees and hassles of the prepaid debit card world. It will draw straight from your bank account, and will also prove useful for doing business with Chinese sellers that don't accept PayPal because it is essentially a debit card!
If you don’t plan to mod your light later the latest XinTD C8 V5 is the way to go. But it has Noctigon reflowed onto the pill directly so it would be a PITA to swap the emitter later.
The new version of Convoy C8 is a better choice for modding. I have one of these and I really love the new version. It has better retaining ring to hold the driver and there are screws to hold down the MCPCB as well. It also has anodized squared threads.
EDIT: Corrected my own spelling… I was on my phone when I typed this, ouch!
It’s not just about conductivity within a material. Getting the heat from the star to the sink is the first hurdle and that’s where the specific heat numbers come in. Brass is about the same as copper in that respect and aluminum doesn’t even come close. The heat transfer rate to brass is higher than to aluminum so aluminum needs much more surface area at the bond line to match the transfer ability of brass and brass needs more mass to match the ability of aluminum to transfer heat within itself. A thin aluminum pill is worse than a thick brass one.
Thanks for the help everyone, it helped me make a decision.
I just put in my order for:
Solarforce L2P
2 X Panasonic NCR18650PF 2900mAh
XinTD C8 V5 XM-L2 U3 1A
CREE XM-L2 T6 4C LED on Noctigon 16mm MCPCB
P60 LED/Reflector: XM-L2 U2 3C - OP
28mm AR Coated Glass Lens
Later I want to try the Eagletac Sportac P60 Dropin Triple XP-G2 for flood.
I hope I made a wise decision (in general and) getting these lights instead of a PD35 or TN12.
Where did you order from?
Personally i think you absolutely did.
Everything from http://www.mtnelectronics.com except the L2P which I got from http://www.lighthound.com/
just be aware of what bibihang said in post #26
Chicken Drumstick, do you know what kind of car that is in your bottom pic on the street with the two racing stripes?
Looks cool and I’ve never seen one.
What does than mean exactly?
I assume the entire board is soldered to the pill and if I change it I will have to desolder and resolder the replacement board?
Is it really that difficult to not attempt it at all?
Correct. It’s not all that difficult as long as you have a good enough soldering iron. Its a copper board soldered to a decent chunk of brass, so it tends to suck the heat away before it can get hot enough to melt the solder. And you want to do it pretty quickly so you don’t get the emitter too hot for too long.
Hmmm, I have a Weller Wes51 but from the sound of it that may not be enough…
I forgot about that ring. And the tail cap holes make tail standing with a lanyard more stable than the XinTD’s single hole. There’s a lot to like about the Convoy. 
Is this how to replace the MCPCB?
Yeah that’s one way to do it
Yeah man, like the others have said it takes a lot of heat to melt the solder and remove the Noctigon because you are dealing with a big mass there, and you need to overcome the high heat capacity that comes with it… Probably a good soldering station alone is not enough, but you actually need a butane torch to heat the whole pill in this case.
And there is still another thing. Since the reflector of the XinTD C8 V5 is screwing into the pill you may also have a hard time centering the emitter while heating and reflowing everything back together. I still remember there was once Hank sold a couple of the ‘Grade B’ XinTD C8 V5 for cheap due to the off-centered emitter. Guess they have figured out how to solve this issue already though.
That said, an easier solution would be using conventional thermal compound to attach the Noctigon onto the pill, instead of reflowing the Noctigon again.
I should be able to handle that. It might take some time and be more involved than the simple assembly the Convoy offers but IMO for one swap worth the hassle for the extra thermal transfer the XinTD offers.
PS: Richard from mtnelectronics told me I ordered the wrong MCPCB size. He is shipping the 20mm that is the correct size (for the Convoy C8 as well)
Im sure everyone knows but Richard has been great with answering questions and offering advice and fixing my order. Im glad I ordered through him and will do business with him in the future.
Also thank you to everyone who offered your input.
Ill report back with failure or success and impressions after I receive the goodies 
Hello Yeeeeeehaw .The car you asked about is a Smart Roadster, I was intrigued by it as well. Enjoy your XinTD C8, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed