Left to right: Nitecore Tube v1, Nitecore Tip v1, Fenix E03R V2.0, Tunenge S15, my life savings
For my preferences and what I’m used to carrying, I prefer the form factor of the Fenix. But the Tunenge is still very much appropriate for keychain duty, being about the same length as the Nitecore Tip, which I’ve been EDCing for years. The Tunenge manual says its dimensions are 60x16.5mm.
Both have very good build quality, and no annoyances or damaging elements for constant pocket carrying. Most importantly, no magnets!
Of the two UIs I definitely prefer the more straightforward operation of the Tunenge. It doesn’t have or require a specific lock-out mode; it’s simply hold to activate turbo mode while pressed, or a double-click to activate the 4 constant modes, and a click to cycle through them. Then a long press to turn off. This seems effective for preventing sustained accidental pocket activation while also giving useful momentary turbo access. The Fenix’s UI is considerably more fiddly and complex, in fact it’s easier to just show the manual:
Both appear to have approximately the same brightness in all 4 modes, and maximum brightness is extremely impressive for their diminutive size. The Tunenge is somewhat more throwy and concentrated, and the Fenix is obviously quite floody with its dual emitters/reflectors. The tint of both lights is better than expected but not perfect, the Tunenge has a slightly more greenish tinge especially in the lower modes, and both tend toward a neutral tint although I would prefer slightly more warmth.
Overall they both offer an incredible amount of light in a small package at an affordable price, the Fenix goes for around $30, whereas the Tunenge is a truly exceptional deal especially if you can find it on sale for around $15.
Thanks for the mini-review!
I’m glad you like your two choices.
I was thinking about getting a Fenix E03R v2.0, but now I think I’ll wait and see if the Tunenge S15 goes on sale again.
(I got my Tunenge S15 for about $10, and it might go on sale again via Vipon.
If it does, I’ll post the deal in the Amazon deal thread.)
Just an update on these two keychain lights: Since October of last year I’ve been EDCing the Fenix on my keychain. It’s plenty bright and has been reliable, but honestly the button design and UI pretty much ruins it. I constantly find it turned on by accident in my pocket, either the “breathing” button ring light or the main white light. To make matters worse, I have to think for a long hard second about how the UI works every time I try to turn it off from an accidental activation, and I invariably end up changing the light output mode or entering the useless red LED mode.
So as of this week I swapped out the Fenix on my keychain for the Tunenge S15, and I’m cautiously optimistic that it will be much simpler and unlikely to get accidentally activated. It’s a fantastic little light by any respect, and even more so with its attractive price.
My RovyVon Aurora A23 sometimes turns on (and stays on) in my pocket, but my Tunenge S15 doesn’t.
Both keychain flashlights have similar lockout methods, but the power buttons of each light are not similar, which makes all the difference.
