I'm looking for a new, small EDC light. I like both the PREON and the Maratac and I'm looking for opinions. I already own some 4sevens lights so I know them to be quality, don't know anything about Maratac (CountyComms house brand?) but the output and runtime of the AA are pretty impressive. Similar pricepoints, the preon is a tad more, and similar size, length is basically the same, the Maratac is a bit fatter (4mm).
I own both, but the one that gets carried is the Maratac. Had mine on my keychain for ages now (three years maybe?), I use it daily, and it's been bomb-proof. The knurling on the head makes it a lot easier to use with one hand than the Preon, too. Also, my Maratac has both a mini-lobster-claw on the lanyard attachment,
and the pocket clip, for extra carry flexibility; on the Preon, you can have one or the other.
I'm not sure where your getting your numbers, but the Maratac is noticeably shorter than the Preon, and the heads are the same diameter; SelfBuilt's Preon 1 & 2 review has a good side-by-side shot:
Don't get me wrong, I like the Preon, but I prefer it in 2xAAA configuration (I bought an extra body and clicky tailcap). The single-cell config is good, just not good enough to displace the Maratac off my keychain.
There are a number of lights that are very similar to the Maratac, with better output: the Illuminati Al, ITP A3 EOS, and a few others that have slipped my mind; again, good lights, but none good enough to justify replacing the Maratac. YMMV.