C12 XM-L2 U3 from Aliexpress (Nutshell Review)

I ordered two of these buggers and one of them flickered before finally dying four days ago when they both arrived. The one that works is bright and almost the beginnings of throwy, but throwy it really is not. It is perhaps 50 or 75 lumens brighter than my Tom E-modded UF-V3 with XM-L U3 driven to 3.8 amps, but the V3 throws much better still and with a cleaner beam. The hotspot on the V3 is also less ringy (only a super mild issue with the C12 though. I counted just one easy-to-spot ring).

Beam tint is very blue, but not quite too blue. The bodies of both were flawless and well-machined for budget lights. Emitters were almost perfectly centered, but one was off enough to cause a tiny wave distortion in the beam up close. There is PWM in the lower modes noticeable only in a fan, but not in high mode.

I think I’m ready to put this form-factor “out to pasture.” I’ve just tired of anything “C”-ish, I see now. But it’s a lot of bang for the budget buck, I’ll say, and the brightest single emitter light I currently have (before my K40 gets here).

It tail-stands perfectly, has a decent rear switch, no battery rattle, is not as weighty or front-heavy as it looks, but still seems to not be driven to its true potential. Also, the grip is not bad at all like you’d suppose, coming from a standard C8. The light went for one 20-minute walk around the block with the dog. It got fairly warm, as warm as the ever-throwy STL-V2 on the same walk.

I tried tailcap readings and got 3.4 amps, but the meter was not consistent. I’d guess just over 1,000 lumens at start-up. As you can see below, this thing is really impressive up close! It also doesn’t get too hot, which makes me tend to doubt the 3.4 amps reading. But I see no advantage in this form-factor over the standard C8 from Lightmalls. It was, however, brighter than the KD C8 XM-L2 U2. That one was driven at 2.8 amps. Overall, ok value, just still not driven to where we’d want it to really utilize that nice, big head. I give it a Rusty Recommend Lite.


From a distance of about 8 ft to a beige-painted wall


About 6 ft to curtain

I got the same light and all I can say is…I apparently like mine more than you do. I would call it throwy, mine is hitting ~300yds (estimated). Compared to an EA4, it’s a little brighter and throws a little farther (I was guessing about 900 lumens & 24K lux). The beam looks good, it is what I call neutral white, but everyone else calls ‘cool white’. The emitter wasn’t centered when it arrived, but that’s easy enough to do. It doesn’t overheat, I’ll bet it COULD be driven a little harder if you wanted to! :wink:

Thanks for the review, awesome beamshots!! I was wondering if anyone else got one of these!

Thanks.

It’s bright alright, but there just isn’t enough payoff with this new emitter is why I’m not more excited about it—not with it being driven less than 4 amps. This will reach close to 300 yards, but then the modded V3 I have from Tom E must outclass it by at least 75 more yards and it’s a first-gen XM-L.

I’d say it’s about average for a C-style’s throw, but it’s only impressing you because it is brighter, and therefore, lights up a bit further out, I think. Either that or yours has a different reflector or something.

Naw, same reflector I’m sure….just a matter of expectations, me thinks. (the fact that it beats an EA4 for a mere $18.50 amazes me for some reason) This is my first ‘real’ C-style light. (had a cheap T6 C8 for a bit and wasn’t impressed) I know there’s more potential in this one, if you wanted to drive it harder and go through it, I’m ok with mine as is for now. Someone like Tom E. could have this thing screamin’ for very little more $$.

Spot-on. I guess I expected it to be driven harder stock is all. Still, it is very impressive.

Thanks for the review. I love the C12. Mine all have 4.5amp drivers and don’t have issues shedding the heat. Bull dog of a light. Nice big hot spot. Great for mid-range lighting.

And a generation behind you all I just got the Lightmalls C12XML2-U2 A cooler tint I guess about 5500-6500k any how it blows the KDC8XML2-U2 out of the water in throw ,I haven't taken any tail readings yet and I only have a cheap harbor freight multi meter but ill get what Ican this week I can say as far as spill it rival's my Darth and definitely outhrows it which should be expected as the Darth is a flooder any how are there any mods on these C12 forms ? Are they not the C8 with just more heat sinking? Any how I love mine and it is now my secondary edc after my solarforce L2N

That’s what I’m thinking, great idea though, a C8 that can shed heat better so they can be driven harder. Anyone know if the pills are the same between the C8 and C12?

The C12 pill has a much larger diameter and longer threaded area but a thinner flange. Overall, I’d say it has about twice the contact area.

Cool, thanks!

I’m currently looking for something like this and was wondering if you guys know whether it would accept 2 cells with an expansion tube (if an expansion tube from a 3 x cree xm-l t6 would work)?? How was shipping from aliexpress? (I’m in Canada—so same side of the planet at least :bigsmile: )

Also, since I’m a newb what is the “C” class based on? (c8, c12 etc…) just curious…

I really gotta get one of these C12's. Main advantage sounds like the heat sinking over a C8, but that's a big issue with a over-driven C8.