WUBEN X5 was sent to me directly by WUBEN, whom I thank for the review.
For technical details and purchase: https://www.wubenlight.com/products/wub … flashlight
DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL DATA:
To celebrate its 10th anniversary, WUBEN has launched a new flagship model, the WUBEN X5, the first WUBEN flashlight with a flat design, a 3-in-1 design with three light sources that combines white light, green laser light, and UV light in a single compact flashlight. Like previous X-series products, this flashlight also features a sophisticated and original design.
The new WUBEN X5 is an ECL (Easy Carry Light) light with a slim body (21.2mm thick), weighing 102g, and a classic design for this type of flashlight, making it easy to carry and offering good light output. The WUBEN X5 has three light sources (white light, UV light, and green laser beam) with an intuitive user interface managed by two switches and a mode selector.
The maximum output reaches 1,300 lumens with a beam distance of up to 200 meters.
The WUBEN X5 is rechargeable via a USB-C port and comes with a 1200mAh Li-ion battery that offers up to 200 hours of battery life and can also be powered by four AAA batteries. It is IP65 certified (fully protected against dust and water jets from any direction) with a one-meter impact resistance.
The WUBEN X5, thanks to its features and portability, is recommended for all outdoor and everyday uses.
Key Features:
- 3-in-1 lighting system: 1300 lumen white light, 365 nm UV light, and green laser
- 1300 lumen white light with a beam range of up to 200 m, 365 nm UV light with 2W power
- Daylight-visible green laser: range 508–525 nm (available in regionally compliant laser versions for the US and Europe)
- Flexible power options: 1200 mAh lithium-ion battery or AAA battery backup
- Flat EDC design: Anti-roll body fits better in pockets and bags
- Easy controls: Rotary dial plus tail switch for quick operation
- Two-way clip: Flexible carrying for pocket, pack, or gear configuration
- 1 lumen moonlight mode with up to 200 hours of runtime
- Independent rear button: Instant access to the laser without having to change modes
- CNC-machined 6061 aluminum body with Type III anodized finish
- IP65 dust and water resistance
- Shock resistance up to 1 m
Specifications
Length: 137.05 mm / 1.38"
Width: 35.05 mm / 1.38"
Height: 21.2 mm / 0.84"
16 mm / 0.63" (Clip not included)
Weight: 102 g / 3.6 oz (without battery), 128 g / 4.52 oz (with battery)
Warranty:
- 15-day replacement: If the product develops a quality defect within 15 days of purchase, it can be replaced with the same model.
- 1-year warranty: Rechargeable batteries are covered by a 1-year warranty. (Accessories are not covered by this warranty.)
- 5-Year Warranty: If the product (excluding batteries and other accessories) has a quality defect within 5 years of purchase, WUBEN will provide free repair service.
Note: All specifications were measured by WUBEN laboratory to ANSI/NEMA FL1 standards using the WUBEN ABN1200 battery. Results may vary depending on environmental conditions and battery type.
*The green laser complies with 21 CFR 1040.10 and 1040.11, except for compliance with IEC 60825-1 Ed. 3, as described in Laser Notice No. 56, dated May 8, 2019. Use of controls, adjustments, or performance of procedures other than those specified in this manual may result in hazardous radiation exposure.
The WUBEN X5 arrived in a nice light-colored hard box protected by hard foam. The back of the box lists the main features of the three lighting modes. Inside the box, I found: the WUBEN X5 (CLASS 3R laser version) with Clip and Rechargeable Battery installed, Type-C zinc alloy charging cord, L-shaped hex wrench (H1.5) and user manual (multilingual).
The Pocket Clip allows for reversible installation and is held in place by two removable screws. The package includes a hex wrench to remove the screw and reinstall the clip in the desired direction. The clip has a slot for attaching a lanyard. The clip is very well made and sized for secure attachment.
The package also includes a USB-C to USB-C cable for charging the WUBEN X5. With the new positioning system of the terminals embedded inside a rigid plastic, the cable can act as a lanyard.
WUBEN X5 has a good build quality, with an ultra-thin design and a weight of 128gr (with battery) while the dimensions are compact with a length of 137.05mm. It fits well in the hand with a great layout of the two rear switches. One particular thing I noticed, on the body of the X5 that extends in length, are the numerous Torx screws (12).
On the top, near the WUBEN X5 logo, there is a Status LED and a Mode Selector: UV, Block, and White Light.
The selector must then be turned to the desired light type. To activate the green laser beam, simply turn the selector out of the Block position. If the WUBEN X5 is already on with white or UV light, the laser beam will overlap these lights.
The charging indicator LED lights up for 5 seconds each time one of the three available light modes is activated.
Battery Level Indicator:
- Constant Blue ≥ 90%
- Flashing Blue 90% - 40%
- Constant Red 40% - 15%
- Flashing Red 15% - 0%
The WUBEN X5 is equipped with 3 light sources: White light, UV light (365 nm with a power of 2 W), and a green laser (in my case, class 3R, range 508–525 nm).
Note: The green laser will have the permitted class in the country where it will be shipped.
On the back, there is a label with the green laser’s rating data.
The maximum output of the white light beam is 1,300 lumens with a maximum beam intensity, declared by the manufacturer, of 10,000cd and a maximum throw of 200 meters. The smooth reflectors offer good illumination with a good spill angle. The main white light LED is a Luminus SST36F with a neutral light around 5000K.
On the head we find four Torx screws to access the lighting system of the WUBEN X5.
Underneath the head are prominent warnings and symbols regarding the use of the green laser and the heat generated by the white LED.
On both sides are attractive vertical grooves to facilitate heat dissipation from the WUBEN X5 head.
An interesting feature is the possibility of having a UV light that can be used in a wide variety of situations, such as for verifying the authenticity of documents, for hygiene checks, or even to make fluorescent and mineral substances visible.
At the end of the WUBEN X5 we find the two rubber switches with which we will manage our EDC. The main switch, to turn on the flashlight and vary the available white light levels, is raised and placed on the right while the switch on the left, with the symbol of a crosshair, will activate the green laser. The two switches are very well positioned on the body of the WUBEN X5, so they feel natural when holding the flashlight in your hand. I had no trouble finding them in the dark at night.
The click of the white or UV light activation button is firm and loud while the activation of the green laser is softer and quieter.
Below the green laser activation button, on the side, is the battery compartment release button, with a small metal lock button above it and some easily readable symbols—a padlock and arrows—to help you remember how to proceed.
Opening the door is therefore simple and safe.
WUBEN X5 has two power supply options. In the sales package we find a Li-Ion 1200mAh (ABN1200) and 4.44 Wh battery with a maximum autonomy of 200 hours (Ultralow).
Contacts include a plated spring, a button (for AAA batteries), and four push-type contacts on both the top and bottom of the cap.
To recharge the battery, the WUBEN X5 features a retractable USB-C charging port protected by a slide-out cover on the top. A USB-C to USB-C cable is included for connecting to an external power source (e.g., a USB adapter, computer, or other USB charging devices) to begin charging.
As mentioned above, the WUBEN X5 can be powered, with lower performance, by four AAA batteries. A silkscreen located under the two buttons at the rear shows the correct direction to insert this type of battery.
The charging time, measured in my tests, is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes (1.2A max.) with fast charging (via a 5V/2A adapter).
During the charging process, the status LED is red, and when fully charged, it turns blue.
The WUBEN X5 can be turned on and operated while charging (excluding the HIGH and TURBO white light levels).
We see the WUBEN X5 next to other EDCs.
From left: WUBEN X-0, WUBEN G5, Speras E21, Nitecore EDC17 e WUBEN X5.
USER INTERFACE (UI):
The WUBEN X5 has 6 brightness levels (Eco, Low, Med, High, Turbo, and Strobe) for white light, a UV light level, and a green laser. The levels are well-spaced with a very simple user interface. The mode selector can be used to completely disable the flashlight. The WUBEN X5 has a level memory but no shortcuts (quick access) for the ECO or TURBO levels.
Below is a diagram from the online manual.
Instructions for use:
White Light Mode
- Press the light button to turn on the flashlight at the last saved brightness level.
- Press and hold to lock the brightness.
- When the brightness is locked, press the light button to cycle through the modes: Eco ⮕ Low ⮕ Medium ⮕ High ⮕ Turbo (with mode memory).
- Press it all the way down again to turn the flashlight off.
- When the flashlight is on, double-click the switch to activate strobe mode. Press the switch again to exit strobe mode.
UV Mode
- Press the light button to turn it on.
- Press and hold to lock the mode.
- Press and hold again to turn it off.
Laser Mode
- When the flashlight is unlocked, press the laser button to turn the laser on or off.
Lock Mode
- Rotate the mode dial to the lock position.
- When locked, all buttons are disabled and the flashlight cannot be used.
Charging
- Open the USB cover and connect a Type-C charging cable.
- Use a 5V/1.2A power adapter. Fully charging takes approximately 1.5 hours.
BEAM and RUNTIME
I would like to point out that the photos and values expressed in the graphs should be taken primarily as references because they were taken with hobbyist-level equipment and under different environmental conditions than those used in the laboratory.
In the wall test, the WUBEN X5 beam showed no particular artifacts but offered a good compromise between diffused light and deep light, with a yellowish hotspot (the central, most concentrated area).
Regarding the white light, the optics do a good job illuminating outdoors with a decent beam depth while the levels are well spaced. I didn’t notice any PWM at any brightness level. The distance from the start of the spill to the feet is about one meter. The light intensity (candela) of my unit, based on my tests with white light, is below the specifications declared by WUBEN, at about 4000cd (peak).
CRI, CCT and Duv
N.B. The Duv of a color point in a chromaticity coordinate system can be used to describe its distance from the blackbody curve. The Duv can be approximated using only a pair of xy coordinates from CIE 1931 (source www.waveformlighting.com). A positive Duv value indicates that the color is above the locus (greenish hue), a negative Duv value indicates that it is below (pinkish/magenta hue), and a Duv value of zero indicates that the color is perfectly on the locus.
The CRI (CRI or Ra) is a measure that evaluates the ability of an artificial light source to faithfully reproduce the colors of objects compared to a natural light source. Sunlight is considered the benchmark par excellence, with a CRI of 100, indicating the maximum ability to reproduce color.
The CRI index and the CCT value (color temperature), measured with the OPPLE Light Master, found in my tests are almost normal with a CRI index of around 65 with a beam color tending towards yellowish, around 4800K. Flicker is in the green band not at risk in all tests. The Duv value in Turbo mode was 0.0092.
Other values measured:
Low: CCT 4711 - Ra 64.2
Med: CCT 4719 - Ra 64.2
High: CCT 4747 - Ra 64.7
Turbo: CCT 4794 - Ra 65.2
Using a FLIR thermal imaging camera, I measured the heat distribution on the body of the WUBEN X5 in the most powerful mode (Turbo 1300 lumens) after 2 minutes, 3 minutes, and 5 minutes from startup. Heat distribution on the body of the flashlight was good. There were no heat issues when holding the WUBEN X5 in my hand.
The runtimes were performed indoors at a temperature of approximately 24°C using the fully charged 1200mAh internal battery.
The tests were performed in TURBO mode (1300lm) and HIGH mode (350lm).
In Turbo mode, at 1300 lumens, the brightness drops rapidly after starting. After 1 minute, the brightness stabilizes at approximately 400 lumens for approximately 100 minutes before shutting off due to battery depletion.
Setting the WUBEN X5 to HIGH at 350 lumens** immediately maintained constant brightness for almost the entire runtime. Shortly after 2 hours of use, the flashlight shut off due to battery depletion.
The runtimes I observed are the same as those stated by WUBEN.
VIDEO Unboxing and Use
CONCLUSIONS:
For its 10th anniversary, WUBEN has released a new product in the X Series, the WUBEN X5.
The X5 is WUBEN’s first flat-body flashlight that incorporates some of the features of the X Series with a refined and original 3-in-1 design, featuring three different light sources in a single compact flashlight: white light, UV light, and green laser.
The WUBEN X5 has a solid construction with a simple user interface managed by two switches at the rear and a mode selector.
During my two-week test, I particularly appreciated the WUBEN X5, not only for its well-made design, but also the attractive and effective clip and the easy-to-use and memorable controls.
Another notable positive aspect is the replaceable proprietary battery, although I would have preferred a larger battery capacity of 1200mAh. The WUBEN X5 can also be powered by four AAA primary batteries, thus increasing the product’s longevity.
In conclusion, the WUBEN X5 is a versatile EDC (or ECL) flashlight, easy to use, and easily portable; a pocket-sized, multifunctional product recommended for all outdoor activities and everyday use.
Thanks for reading the review.
Roberto
------ My Youtube Channel ------------------------------------------------