I suggest you avoid completely the term neutral, because it is used in two different ways, and people mix them up
1. Neutral White is a reference to a range of Color Temperature (people disagree what that range is, some would say 4000-5000k, others will disagree). Instead I encourage you to use Color Temperature Numbers. Learn if you like 4000k, or 5000k, or something else.
Hint, the color temperature your brain is adapted to at the time, will bias how you see the color of a flashlight.
2. Neutral Tint is a reference to the color fidelity, compared to an ideal light source. Most LEDs fail to land exactly on the ideal BBL (Black Body Radiator Line). I suggest you look at maukka’s reviews, he has the most complete info, and charts, to show where an LED lands on the Color Temperature and Tint fidelity plots.
also, LEDs do not produce the same color spectrum as Sunlight. There is no single Pure White value for all color temperatures.
As far as beam shots being nonsense, not to me. I have a lot of practice taking photos and comparing different LED colors and tints. I can get a generally good idea how an LED will look in person, from looking at photos.
otoh, MOST people who buy flashlights buy for maximum brightness, and those are not high CRI and do not in any way have Tint on the BBL.
So it is possible that people that are interested in Maximum Lumens, will not be as interested in CRI or Tint as I am. I use my lights indoors, close range, after dark. I like warmer colors when my brain is adapted to full darkness, I like cooler colors when my brain is adapted to sunlight.
And, shining a flashlight on the palm of my hand is Hugely informing about CRI, and Tint.
Bottom line for me, I like N219b 4500k as a general multi purpose Color Temperature, and I prioritize Red Rendering (CRI). For me, the Cree LEDs all fail to deliver the kind of Tint I enjoy, they are too “Creen”
here is a typical Low CRI LED, with green Tint.
ERTD:
here is another example of a green tinted Cree LED, in the middle: (it still lets me see in the dark, but not with accurate colors)
ps, I do agree that beam shots of a single beam, can be pretty useless. I prefer to show 3 lights at a time, one of them being cool white (6000k), to provide relative color reference…