Utorch XPL V6 - Convoy S2+ (xml2), Photo Comparisons of Twin(?) lights, some beamshots in post #8

tatasal · 2018-11-15T10:42:49.000Z

Hello,

Today I received from Gearbest, gratis, these two supposedly ‘identical’ lights, the black Utorch XPL V6 ($8.27, product link ) and the pale blue Convoy S2+ ($11.99, flash sale price, product link ), both are direct dealer, non-affiliate links)

As we all know by now, the Utorch brand is a GB in-house brand (like the Zanflare), and is subcontracted to Convoy.

Is the $3.72 price difference justified? Take a look below:

They are the same in this first set of photos:

Side-by-side, without their tailcaps:

The BLF A6 thrown into the mix for perspective:

The tail-caps:

The tail-ends of the body tube:

The tail-caps:

…and at this point they differ in their front-ends: (Utorch, left)

Same orange peel reflectors: Convoy (top) XML2-U2 ; Utorch-XPL V6:

Brand-new Sanyo NCR18650-GA are being charged at the moment for some beam shots.

Edit: Comparative beamshots in post # 8.

Nooner · 2018-11-15T11:40:20.000Z

Thanks Tatasal.

This is what I’ve been waiting to see. Time to order a bunch of them.

d_t_a · 2018-11-15T11:45:27.000Z

the Utorch brand is a GB in-house brand (like the Zanflare), and is subcontracted to Convoy.

I see. subcontracted to Convoy, no wonder it looks exactly like the Convoy S2+…

a lot of flashlights look very similar to the Convoy S2+ too, notably the Eagle Eye X2R…

The LED and driver choice for the UTorch is different than from the S2+ though (XPL-HD and 5-modes-only driver)…

tatasal · 2018-11-15T11:45:50.000Z

Nooner:

Thanks Tatasal.

This is what I’ve been waiting to see. Time to order a bunch of them.

I’m quite surprised of their high value-for-money factor, inexpensive, not cheap kind of lights.

The Utorch for $ 8.27 and the Convoy for $ 11.99 currently? You’ve got to be kidding!

mk23 · 2018-11-15T11:51:38.000Z

Can you comment about the quality of the Utorch compare to Convoy S2+ (thread, machining, build quality, tint,etc). If you have to choose, which one would you rather have ? The Utorch quite intrigue me but i would spend a bit more if the S2+ is better in term of quality.

Kame_Sennin · 2018-11-15T12:18:47.000Z

Nice ! I intented to do something like that but was too lazy ;-) Thanks for doing it and i hope you will forgive my "piggy-backing"

The two heads look very similar from the outside but when dismantled one can see some differences (beside the leds and associated gaskets) :

Pills differences:

Utorch pill length 11.5mm (left), S2+ pill length 13mm (right)
Flat front end for the S2+

Reflector differences :

Utorch reflector length 12.0mm (left), S2+ reflector length 11.6mm (right)
Utorch led hole 6.5mm, S2+ led hole 7.2mm

One more minor difference : Front O-ring is black for Utorch and Glow-green for S2+

About Utorch quality :

This is very subjective and i don't have any left with the original Black anodization but i didn't like it like very much ... up to the point that i baked one and sanded the other for a "worn tool" finish.
An other thing is that one had very gritty threads (ok after several screw_unscrew with added silicon grease)
The weakest point of the Utorch imho is the driver (no way to remove blinkies)

MascaratumB · 2018-11-15T12:19:05.000Z

Thanks for the comparisons! I won’t probably get the Utorch, but is nice to see whats beyond the first look!

tatasal · 2018-11-15T12:20:06.000Z

Looks like the Utorch has the tighter hotspot and more neutral tint:
Control shot:

Convoy XML2-U2 6500k:

Utorch XPL, unknown led tint (looks more neutral on white wall, better color rendition on green leaves:

Convoy on the left:

tatasal · 2018-11-15T12:34:24.000Z

mk23:

Can you comment about the quality of the Utorch compare to Convoy S2+ (thread, machining, build quality, tint,etc). If you have to choose, which one would you rather have ? The Utorch quite intrigue me but i would spend a bit more if the S2+ is better in term of quality.

If you look closely at my photos, other than the driver in the head, you will notice it’s a toss-up between the two, as virtually they are twins, regardless of the $3+ price difference.

MascaratumB · 2018-11-15T12:38:15.000Z

tatasal:

Utorch XPL, unknown led tint (looks more neutral on white wall, better color rendition on green leaves:

Hum, that “rendition” don’t have something to do with some “yellowish” tint shift?

The XPL-HD seems to be Neutral White, but those Leds normally produce some shift even under an Orange Peel reflector (at least against a white wall).
If that is the case, the incidence of the corona on the green leaves makes them more “rendered” not so “white” !