WL's 200 mW "Spyder I Pro" - the unbiased review!

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A few days ago, Wicked Lasers sent me a 200 mW "Spyder I Pro" to review. The following is my review for the laser. This review is unbiased for two reasons: 1) I did not sugarcoat the review in exchange for a free laser, 2) nor did I give the laser a lower rating than it deserves just because I have had gripes with Wicked Lasers in the past.

(To see the pictures and videos, skip to the end of this boring review.)

Enjoy!
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Product: 200 mW Spyder I Pro portable laser
Company: Wicked Lasers
Price: $997.97 + shipping
Recommended accessories: Safety goggles; carrying case

Since this is a "review" unit, Wicked Lasers most likely made sure I received a "good" unit. Although my review is based on this particular unit, I have spent every effort to ensure that it is unbiased.

Wicked Lasers' Spyder I series is back... with a vengeance!

Once in a while, we get a free sample in the mail. The samples, more often than not, are usually things like razors, jelly beans and pain relievers. However, things can get pretty extreme when said sample is a 200 mW green laser capable of cutting and burning things. To cut to the chase, Shanghai-based Wicked Lasers sent me its 200 mW Spyder I Pro laser to review.

Apparently, Steve Liu, the CEO of Wicked Lasers, had been choosing members from various laser forums and sending them lasers to review, and I happened to be one of the lucky few that were selected. This was something I was least expecting, especially since I have harshly criticized the company in the past.

For those wondering what my criticism was about, I'll be blunt: Wicked Lasers has received a somewhat poor reputation over the last two years due to numerous reports of people receiving defective lasers and users being banned from its forums without reason.

However, recent product reviews suggested that Wicked has been working very hard to improve its quality assurance and restore its reputation. Since I strongly believe in second chances, I gladly accepted Steve's offer for me to review this laser. After all, we're all human, and human beings tend to make mistakes.

As with all of Wicked Lasers' products, the shipping was extremely fast. Steve told me on Monday evening that the laser had been shipped, and after less than three days of anticipating the arrival of the UPS truck like a kid waiting for Santa Claus, the laser was delivered to my doorstep on Thursday afternoon.

The basics

The Spyder I Pro is a complete redesign of the original Spyder, which was discontinued when the Spyder II series was launched in December 2006. Due to popular demand, Wicked has resurrected the original Spyder and given it a new appearance. However, the Spyders are not the only lasers receiving a makeover; as part of Wicked Lasers' 2010 line-up, the other series will have upgraded versions as well!

The main differences between the original Spyder series and the upgraded Spyder I Pro series are switch location and the new safety interlock, which I will elaborate more on later. Despite these differences, the price has not changed much. The original 200 mW green Spyder cost $999.99 and this new version costs $997.97. However, what makes the new version a far better deal is that it comes with around 15,000 Wicked Bucks, which count as $150 towards your future purchases from Wicked Lasers. (Wicked Bucks are reward points given to users when they make purchases or refer customers. Each Wicked Buck is equivalent to one cent.) The Spyder I Pro has a three-month warranty, which can be extended to two years for an additional $197.97.

Aesthetics

The laser came in a large cardboard case, which is held shut by magnets embedded in the cardboard. Personally, I am not a fan of cardboard since it is relatively fragile and can easily be crushed during transportation. Given the price of this laser, a plastic or aluminum case would have been nice. Luckily, the case is lined with some padding, which offers at least some protection. However, if you want better protection for your laser, you may want to look into a company that specializes in carrying cases.

The laser itself is larger than an average laser pointer, so it may not be able to fit in every pocket. The Spyder I Pro weighs quite a bit due to its size, and you could probably knock someone out with this thing (although this is generally not recommended). The body of the laser has an anodized finish, making it much more resistant to scratches. It also has the Wicked Lasers logo engraved on it, which I think is a nice touch. Despite its size and weight, the laser feels pretty slick and fits comfortably in my hand.

However, there were a few things I was not too pleased about. The laser was covered in what appeared to be foam shavings and metallic powder when it arrived, and it took me several minutes to clean this gunk off. Fortunately, it came with a protective seal intended to prevent contaminants from entering the aperture.

There was also some sort of dried residue stuck in one of the joints. I was able to scrape some of this residue off before I stopped for fear of accidentally scratching the anodized finish. This is a minor cosmetic problem and does not affect the performance of the laser, but it is nevertheless something I could do without.

Despite these cosmetic issues, the Spyder I Pro gets high marks in the looks department.

Features and accessories

One of the nice things about the Spyder I Pro is its unlimited duty cycle, which allows the user to leave it on indefinitely without having to worry about it overheating. This laser uses a constant "on" switch; in other words, the laser stays on until the user presses the button a second time. This feature can be quite useful, especially when the user wants to gets close to the beam at a distance from the aperture.

The switch on the original Spyder is located on the center of the laser body, which made it feel like a flashlight. On the Spyder I Pro, the switch is located on the tail end. I find tail-cap switches to be less convenient, but since this is more of a personal preference, it will not figure into the final rating.

One important aspect of the Spyder I Pro series is that it is FDA compliant. Older regulations required lasers above class IIIa to have an indicator light, a safety interlock, an aperture shutter, an emission delay and a key switch, but the rules have been relaxed since. Currently, only the indicator light and the interlock are needed for FDA approval. The Spyder I Pro has both of these requirements, but none of the other features that are now optional. This means the long-hated emission delay is now gone, but some laser enthusiasts may grieve about the absence of an aperture shutter, which has the side benefit of keeping dust off the lens.

The indicator light is a small red LED that lights up when the laser is on. Although this feature is required on class IIIb lasers, the 200 mW of green goodness that blasts out of the aperture kind of makes it redundant, except when the user is wearing goggles. (For invisible lasers, though, indicator lights are absolutely essential.)

In order for the laser to work, the interlock (or dongle) must be inserted into the side of the laser. One thing I really like about this dongle is that, unlike other companies' dongles which resemble earphone jacks, it "goes with the flow" and does not get in the way. In fact, when the interlock is inserted into the laser, it is hard to tell that it is even there!

However, there is one frustration. For some reason, it is very hard to insert the interlock when the battery is inside the laser. In fact, I was afraid I would break something by trying to force the dongle into the socket. The easiest way to solve this problem is to remove the tail end, insert the dongle and then replace the tail end. For the purpose of preventing accidental activation, the interlock does its job pretty well.

The Spyder I Pro uses a single 3.7V lithium-ion (18650) battery, which provides power for about 90 minutes. These batteries are less common and can be difficult to find in stores, but fortunately, Wicked Lasers has kindly provided me with a fresh one, along with a charger. One thing I should note is that the charger is not made by Wicked, but by another company called DSD. I am not sure if the charger is covered by warranty.

However, what surprised me is that no protective goggles were included in the package. Since it has been proven that even a 15 mW laser can cause permanent eye damage, one can only imagine the potential dangers of a 200 mW one. For this reason, eye safety is of utmost importance. Given the power of this laser, I feel that goggles should have been included. Fortunately, this was not a problem for me since I already had a pair of LaserShades (goggles produced by Wicked Lasers).

Performance

According to the power graph that was included, the laser has an average output of 266.2 mW and peaks at 288.9 mW. Since I do not have a laser power meter, I cannot confirm these measurements. However, I have little doubt that this laser performs up to the specifications.

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The beam at the aperture is about 1 mm across. At a distance of 15 metres, the dot projected by the laser was around 28 mm across. This corresponds to a divergence of approximately 1.8 mrad, which is somewhat larger than the specified 1.5 mrad. Due to diffraction, lasers beams with a smaller diameter will have higher divergence (assuming the wavelength remains the same). Thus, the small beam diameter is a trade-off in this case.

Of course, this leaves a burning question: how well does this laser do when it comes to, um, burning things? The first thing I did was the classic match test: I colored a white match with a blue marker, and the laser effortlessly ignited it. Afterwards, I pointed the laser at a red balloon, which met its demise in less than two seconds (it would have popped even faster had I been holding the laser still). The laser can also cut a piece of black electrical tape in about 40 seconds. Finally, I decided to be stupid and put my finger in front of the laser, after which I promptly felt a sharp sting on my skin. The Spyder I Pro can definitely come in handy when you want to impress members of the opposite gender.

Conclusions

All in all, the Spyder I Pro is a good, solid laser. The price of this laser, though, is a major downside. Despite the features and the $150 credit towards future purchases, the $997.97 price tag is rather high. In comparison, some companies offer similar lasers for less than $650.

However, what makes the Spyder I Pro so unique is its slick, unique design. Compared to other companies, Wicked makes some of the most beautiful lasers. In a sense, the Spyder I Pro is a "luxury" laser. Although it is similar to other companies' lasers in terms of performance, its aesthetic design will certainly stand out.

In terms of look and performance, 200 mW Spyder I Pro is a great choice. This is a something every laser hobbyist would want to get their hands on. However, when it comes to price, there are better alternatives.

- Danny Chia

Final verdict: 71% / Good
Highs: Looks and feels awesome; performs above specifications in most aspects; burns stuff; constant "on" switch can be useful
Lows: Some cosmetic issues; dongle can be hard to insert; could use a better case; large divergence; price
Bottom line: Although the 200 mW "Spyder I Pro" is loads of fun, the price tag is somewhat discouraging.

Photos:

The UPS package and the attached invoice



Front and back of the charger box



The case



The output graph



The laser and accessories



The dot



Indoor, outdoor and sky shots



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All of the photos and videos can be viewed on my Flickr account. The videos can also be viewed on my YouTube channel.

I would also appreciate feedback on my review. Please let me know if you think my review is fair, too lenient or too harsh.