$3 Xenon bulb or $18 3W LED for Maglite, which is brighter?

I need a new bulb in my Maglite 3D flashlight. I bought a $3 Xenon bulb and a $18 3W LED bulb, both made by Maglite. I dont use the flashlight much, my previous bulb lasted 3+ years.

I know that LED has longer power life and longer bulb life, but how does it compare in brightness? Neither bulb package states the Lumens.

Any suggestions/comments?

The OEM LED upgrade is rather pathetic and poorly designed. Better made and designed LED dropins can be MANY times brighter.

Mag's 3W LED is brighter. See the review here: http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/maglite_mag-led.htm

Marduke said:

The OEM LED upgrade is rather pathetic and poorly designed. Better made and designed LED dropins can be MANY times brighter.

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For how much?

Culhain said:

Mag's 3W LED is brighter. See the review here: http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/maglite_mag-led.htm

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Thanks Culhain for the link.

I'd suggest getting neither and saving up for a better drop-in or a new light.

The LED drop-in will give more runtime and more output. But the drop-in has essentually no heatsinking and the LED will overheat despite the driver lowering the current to the LED due to heat. Swapping in a current generation LED will give you double or more output(twice or more the efficiency of the Luxeon III), but the heatsinking problem will still be there.

:welcome:

Get a new MagLED 2D. You won't be disappointed. :twothumbs

american lockpicker said:

Get a new MagLED 2D. You won't be disappointed. :twothumbs

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+1. Make sure that you get the new ones with the Luxeon Rebel LED.

american lockpicker said:

Get a new MagLED 2D. You won't be disappointed. :twothumbs

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If you don't mind me asking, what do you mean a new "MagLED 2D"?

I thought the new Mag LED lights were exactly the same as if you purchased the $18 LED and installed it yourself, just as Techmonkey is suggesting??

Now I heard that Mag has finally come out with truely new 2AA lights that have adjustable light levels, but are there also new C and D MagLED lights??

Yes Mag has started using Rebel's. So far I've only seen the 2D Rebel.

It's a big improvement and mag even thought to include a little heatsinking this time.

Backpacker Light said:

If you don't mind me asking, what do you mean a new "MagLED 2D"?

I thought the new Mag LED lights were exactly the same as if you purchased the $18 LED and installed it yourself, just as Techmonkey is suggesting??

Now I heard that Mag has finally come out with truely new 2AA lights that have adjustable light levels, but are there also new C and D MagLED lights??

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The first gen was identical. The 2nd gen uses a Rebel.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/221231

Sgt. LED said:

Yes Mag has started using Rebel's. So far I've only seen the 2D Rebel.

It's a big improvement and mag even thought to include a little heatsinking this time.

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Lowes has 3D ones too.

Marduke said:

The first gen was identical. The 2nd gen uses a Rebel.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/221231

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Thanks for that link Marduke! I missed that one.

I am here at CPF at least once a day, sometimes more, and I still feel like I am missing alot of imformation. This proves it.

I definitely believe smaller is better in a flashlight, and just cannot justify carrying around a "huge" 3D Mag around.
But I still am interested in the new Mag lights (I mean they only happen once or twice in every generation :naughty: ), and I do admit to having one by my bedside for the unlikely chance of needing a light AND a weapon some night!

checkout terralux

Sounds like Mags new Rebel version of the modules has nothing to do with being better as far as new generation LED, was probably more about cost savings as one of the main reasons for the Rebel form factor was reduced per-unit costs. An 060 bin Rebel is no impressive upgrade over the old Lux III unit.

There is a significant difference in output/performance between the Rebel and Lux versions.

mdocod said:

Sounds like Mags new Rebel version of the modules has nothing to do with being better as far as new generation LED, was probably more about cost savings as one of the main reasons for the Rebel form factor was reduced per-unit costs. An 060 bin Rebel is no impressive upgrade over the old Lux III unit.

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It's a TFFC Rebel, so 060 is really 090 upside-down.

LukeA said:

It's a TFFC Rebel, so 060 is really 090 upside-down.

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Interesting. Didn't know they had a 090 rebel...