Generally the Cree LED's are legit in those lights. The cost of them in bulk to the builders are cheap enough that it would be pointless to obtain fake ones. And the quality of those LED's are usually just as good as $200-$1000 lights. BUT the problem is usually the way the LED is used. A lot of those cheap lights have very poor drivers, heatsinking, etc. that can cause great loss in output and performance. But there are quite a few budget lights that are well worth the money. I have no issue owning my $12 Ultrafire C8, that I have sitting on a shelf beside my $395 Olight SR90. Those budget lights are nice to have around for "beaters" for working on a car, loaning to a neighbor, whatever. And at $12, my C8 will out perform just about any light owned by 99% of the population.