Belstaff1464
Enlightened
Hello All,
I've recently acquired the Boruit V20 and the Wuben X3 and I thought I'd contribute to the forum and compare the two, because from a distance, these two lights looks to be brothers separated at birth. The V20 is so new, there's very little info about it on the interweb. It was only a handful of days ago that Boruit listed it on their own website. When I bought mine, I had to get it from AliExpress because it was not listed in Boruit's site at all.
This won't be an in-depth review as such, more of a comparison from a flashlight nerd.
First up, a few group shot with the RovyVon E7 for a size comparison:
The E7 is the smallest of the three, but that, and the fact that you can use a AAA battery when the built-in rechargeable goes flat, is pretty much all it has going for it. There is a point where a flashlight can be too small, and I would put the E7 in that category. The V20 and X3 are similarly sized, and is the size and form factor I prefer for an EDC light. The X3 feels to me to be of a slightly higher quality in terms of materials used, overall design, and manufacturing execution. It's not that the V20 is bad (I rate it higher than the E7), it's just not as good as the X3, IMHO.
Here are a few photos of the Black V20's packaging and what it comes with:
And here's the X3.....
Sorry, the Otacle Knife shouldn't have been in the photo!!! Just to clarify, it did not come with the X3. It's what I used to open the box.
Here is a group shot. From left to right, GITD V20, Black V20, GITD X3.
I actually have another GITD V20 not pictured, and a Black X3 on its way.
What I like about the V20:
- 180 degree swivel head. Further down below is a photo showing how the light can be carried inside your shirt/jacket pocket and still have the main lights facing outwards.
- IP67 rated
- Has several light modes including on the side blue, red, white, green, UV, flash red, flashing red/blue
- Loud panic siren that is accessed quickly via a long press of the left button (good for discouraging aggressive dogs on my evening walks)
- Magnetic base
- 2-way pocket clip
- Up to 1000 lumens
- USB C rechargeable directly
- High Red on the swivel head
- Has a "throwier" beam but can be converted to flood with the included diffusers.
- Memory function
- Quick access to Turbo
What I don't like so much about the V20:
- A bit too gimmicky with the different light modes. The low red and the flashing red are probably the only one I will use as a rear light clipped on to my bag/back for when I'm on my nightly stroll. I don't mind having the other modes, but they should be harder to access.
- The Low Red is still too high. I wished it was much lower so that I can use it for the mid-night toilet trips.
- The pocket clip is good functionally, but I just wish it was less obtrusive. I prefer the clip of the X3, but I don't usually clip the light onto a bill of a hat (which both lights can accommodate).
- I wish the circuitry and innards weren't so visible. The X3 is more opaque than the V20, and what can be seen (e.g. the wireless charging coil) front and centre making it a design "feature" and the X3 the charming "looker" of the two.
- The asymmetric magnetic base can make the light less stable in some (rare) scenarios and limit its usage. More on this later.
- The USB-C charging port is deeply recessed and the hole to access it is quite narrow. What this means is not all USB-C cables will fit. The one that comes with the light naturally does, but the lanyard cable from the X3 does not. I tried another cable, which was braided and not cheap, and it only fitted in with some modification (filing down the plastic on the plug ends). This is a real shame because I'm unwilling to modify the X3's lanyard cable because doing so will nullify the lanyard aspect.
The offending USB-C port of the V20.
to be cont....
I've recently acquired the Boruit V20 and the Wuben X3 and I thought I'd contribute to the forum and compare the two, because from a distance, these two lights looks to be brothers separated at birth. The V20 is so new, there's very little info about it on the interweb. It was only a handful of days ago that Boruit listed it on their own website. When I bought mine, I had to get it from AliExpress because it was not listed in Boruit's site at all.
This won't be an in-depth review as such, more of a comparison from a flashlight nerd.
First up, a few group shot with the RovyVon E7 for a size comparison:
The E7 is the smallest of the three, but that, and the fact that you can use a AAA battery when the built-in rechargeable goes flat, is pretty much all it has going for it. There is a point where a flashlight can be too small, and I would put the E7 in that category. The V20 and X3 are similarly sized, and is the size and form factor I prefer for an EDC light. The X3 feels to me to be of a slightly higher quality in terms of materials used, overall design, and manufacturing execution. It's not that the V20 is bad (I rate it higher than the E7), it's just not as good as the X3, IMHO.
Here are a few photos of the Black V20's packaging and what it comes with:
And here's the X3.....
Sorry, the Otacle Knife shouldn't have been in the photo!!! Just to clarify, it did not come with the X3. It's what I used to open the box.
Here is a group shot. From left to right, GITD V20, Black V20, GITD X3.
I actually have another GITD V20 not pictured, and a Black X3 on its way.
What I like about the V20:
- 180 degree swivel head. Further down below is a photo showing how the light can be carried inside your shirt/jacket pocket and still have the main lights facing outwards.
- IP67 rated
- Has several light modes including on the side blue, red, white, green, UV, flash red, flashing red/blue
- Loud panic siren that is accessed quickly via a long press of the left button (good for discouraging aggressive dogs on my evening walks)
- Magnetic base
- 2-way pocket clip
- Up to 1000 lumens
- USB C rechargeable directly
- High Red on the swivel head
- Has a "throwier" beam but can be converted to flood with the included diffusers.
- Memory function
- Quick access to Turbo
What I don't like so much about the V20:
- A bit too gimmicky with the different light modes. The low red and the flashing red are probably the only one I will use as a rear light clipped on to my bag/back for when I'm on my nightly stroll. I don't mind having the other modes, but they should be harder to access.
- The Low Red is still too high. I wished it was much lower so that I can use it for the mid-night toilet trips.
- The pocket clip is good functionally, but I just wish it was less obtrusive. I prefer the clip of the X3, but I don't usually clip the light onto a bill of a hat (which both lights can accommodate).
- I wish the circuitry and innards weren't so visible. The X3 is more opaque than the V20, and what can be seen (e.g. the wireless charging coil) front and centre making it a design "feature" and the X3 the charming "looker" of the two.
- The asymmetric magnetic base can make the light less stable in some (rare) scenarios and limit its usage. More on this later.
- The USB-C charging port is deeply recessed and the hole to access it is quite narrow. What this means is not all USB-C cables will fit. The one that comes with the light naturally does, but the lanyard cable from the X3 does not. I tried another cable, which was braided and not cheap, and it only fitted in with some modification (filing down the plastic on the plug ends). This is a real shame because I'm unwilling to modify the X3's lanyard cable because doing so will nullify the lanyard aspect.
The offending USB-C port of the V20.
to be cont....
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