Cree

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Chromaticity chart with tint bins used by Cree

Cree is a LED manufacturing company based in Durham, North Carolina. They produce a number of different models of high output LEDs that are widely used in flashlights. They do not actually make flashlights, though some companies will describe their product as a "Cree flashlight." This refers to the LED inside the flashlight.

Cree bins individual models of LED on the basis of total flux or light output. Individual flux bins are about 7% apart taken at some reference current like 350mA or 750mA, but at higher currents the output goes up, up to some maximum current. Cree measures output at a reference temperature 85° Celsius, which is a more realistic operating temperature, but in the past they measured at 25°. Output is typically higher at a lower temperature.

Cree classifies tints of white LEDs as being warm, neutral, and cool, but also "outdoor white" in between and overlapping neutral and cool (4000-5300K). Tints are binned using a system based on the ANSI_White standard. Cree's tints subdivide and expand on the ANSI regions giving bins such as cool 1B, neutral 5B1, and warm 7D2, though many other tints and subdivisions are available. Click on the graphic at right to see all of the bins, though not all bins are available.

In addition, Cree produces High CRI LEDs, with CRI values of 80, 85, and 90 represented by bins H1, P1, and U1 respectively (separately, L1 represents normal CRI white LEDs, and O1 is outdoor white).

Below are output numbers for different currents for the various brightness bins of more current LED models. There is more information available with the Cree Product Characterization Tool, an online calculator that allows you to look up output based on more factors. The numbers on this page, like those given by the PCT, are based on charts in the LED datasheets.

Older models of Cree LEDs have been moved here. For bins at 25° see this page.

MT-G2

Large die high power LED has versions that run at 6, 9, or 36 volts with maximum power of 18 watts, first available around November 2012. The LED is 8.9mm x 8.9mm and the light will be floody compared to the smaller XM-L. The first production lights to use this LED were the Crelant 7G10 and Solarforce S200, introduced in May 2013. The LED is binned at 85°C. The bins shown below have been increased by 15% to give output at 25°C for easier comparison to other LEDs.

Brightness Bins for 6-volt Cree MT-G2 at 25° C
Bin 1100mA
100%
1500mA
172%
3000mA
230%
D0 460-506 598-658 1058-1164
E0 506-552 658-718 1164-1270
F0 552-598 718-777 1270-1375
G0 598-644 777-837 1375-1481
H0 644-690 837-897 1481-1587
J0 690-736 897-957 1587-1693
K0 736-782 957-1017 1693-1799
M0 782-828 1017-1076 1799-1904
N0 828-874 1076-1136 1904-2010
P0 874-920 1136-1196 2010-2116
Q0* 920-977 1196-1681 2116-2248

XHP70

A large multi-die emitter available in 6-volt and 12-volt versions. Available in a number of big lights by Nitecore and others.

Brightness Bins for Cree XP-H at 85°C
(max is N4 bin)
Bin 2100mA (6V)
1050mA (12V)
100%
3200mA (6V)
1600mA (12V)
142%
4800mA (6V)
2400mA (12V)
192%
H4 970-1040 1377-1477 1862-1997
J2 1040-1120 1477-1590 1997-2150
J4 1120-1200 1590-1704 2150-2304
K2 1200-1290 1704-1832 2304-2477
K4 1290-1380 1832-1960 2477-2650
M2 1380-1485 1960-2109 2650-2851
M4 1485-1590 2109-2258 2851-3053
N2 1590-1710 2258-2428 3053-3283
N4* 1710-1830 2428-2599 3283-3514
P2 1830-1965 2599-2790 3514-3773

XM-L2

Same 5mm x 5mm size as the original XM-L but with up to 20% more output. Introduced in December 2012. Like the XP-G2, the XM-L2 is silver on top, has two bonding wires, and the die has dots instead of lines. The XM-L2 is significantly larger than the XP-G2 and has a round hole at the upper left as opposed to the XP-G2's square hole. The first production lights to feature the XM-L2 were the ThruNite Catapult V3 and TN31 in January 2013, followed by a number of Xeno lights which also had options for neutral tints in Feburary. Press release.

Cree XM-L2 datasheet

Cree XM-L2 is the same size as the original XM-L, but a new design
Brightness Bins for Cree XM-L2 at 85°C
(max is U4 bin)
Bin 700mA
100%
1000mA
138%
1500mA
194%
3000mA
328%
S4 164-172 225-236 317-332 538-564
S5 172-182 236-249 332-351 564-597
S6 182-200 249-274 351-386 597-656
T2 200-220 274-301 386-425 656-722
T3 220-240 301-329 425-463 722-787
T4 240-260 329-356 463-502 787-853
T5 260-280 356-384 502-540 853-918
T6 280-300 384-411 540-579 918-984
U2 300-320 411-438 579-618 984-1050
U3 320-340 438-466 618-656 1050-1115
U4* 340-360 466-493 656-695 1115-1181

XP-E2

Introduced in September 2012, this redesign is similar to the XP-G2. Cree claims up to 20% more output than the original XP-E at half the cost in terms of lumens per dollar. Given the small die size, this LED throws well for the amount of output. It was used in some smaller Fenix flashlights. Press realease, datasheet.

Cree XP-E2 LED has a smaller die than the XP-G2
Brightness Bins for Cree XP-E2 at 85°C
(max bin is R4)
Bin 350mA
100%
700mA
171%
1000mA
218%
P2 67-74 115-127 147-161
P3 74-81 127-138 161-176
P4 81-87 138-150 176-191
Q2 87-94 150-161 191-205
Q3 94-100 161-171 205-218
Q4 100-107 171-183 218-233
Q5 107-114 183-195 233-249
R2 114-122 195-209 249-266
R3 122-130 209-222 266-283
R4* 130-138 223-236 284-301


XP-G2

Introduced in July 2012, the XP-G2 is an all new design with the same size as the earlier XP-G. In August 2012, Foursevens was the first company to adopt this LED, claiming up to 20% more output and a 5% smaller hotspot for greater throw compared to the same models using a XP-G. Press release, Datasheet

Cree XP-G2 LED is the same size as the XP-G, but a different design
Brightness Bins for Cree XP-G2 at 85°C
(max is S4 bin)
Bin 350mA
100%
700mA
183%
1000mA
243%
1500mA
329%
Q4 100-107 183-196 243-260 330-353
Q5 107-114 196-209 260-277 353-376
R2 114-122 209-223 277-297 376-402
R3 122-130 223-238 297-316 402-429
R4 130-139 238-255 316-338 429-458
R5 139-148 255-271 338-360 458-488
S2 148-156 271-286 360-379 488-514
S3 156-164 286-300 379-399 514-541
S4* 164-172 300-315 399-418 541-567

XP-G3

Announced in April 2016, the XP-G3 is completely covered in yellow phosphor and can be driven to higher currents than the XP-G2, with a maximum current of 2 amps instead of 1.5. High CRI versions of the LED appear to be available in all tints, even cool tints. Press release, Datasheet


Brightness Bins for Cree XP-G3 at 85°C
(max is S5 bin)
Bin 350mA
100%
1000mA
197%
1500mA
345%
2000mA
427%
R2 114-122 225-240 284-304 393-421
R3 122-130 240-256 304-324 421-449
R4 130-139 256-274 324-346 449-480
R5 139-148 274-292 346-369 480-511
S2 148-156 292-307 369-388 511-538
S3 156-164 307-323 388-408 538-566
S4 164-172 323-339 408-428 566-593
S5* 172-182 339-359 428-453 593-628


XP-L

Cree XP-L HD LED puts a large die in a XP-G size package under a frosted dome
Cree XP-L HI does away with the dome, allowing greater throw

Introduced in May 2014, the XP-L puts the same size die as the XM-L2 onto the smaller 3.5mm board of the XP-G (shaving off the edges of the dome to make it fit). Due to the larger die, it will not throw quite as well as the smaller die of the XP-G, but it puts out more light and can be driven at higher currents. Binned at a higher current than the XM-L2, higher bins are typical for the XP-L, but a V5 bin XP-L is roughly equivalent in output to a U2 bin XM-L2. In June 2015, Cree began shipping a "high intensity" or "HI" version of the LED with a flat coating instead of a dome that could offer the throw of a de-domed LED without the trouble. The original domed version is referred to as "high density" or "HD." The brightness bins for both are the same, but the highest bin on the HI is about V3.


Brightness Bins for Cree XP-L at 85°C
(max is V6 bin)
Bin 1050mA
100%
1500mA
135%
2000mA
169%
3000mA
225%
T6 280-300 377-404 472-506 629-674
U2 300-320 404-431 506-540 674-719
U3 320-340 431-458 540-573 719-764
U4 340-360 458-485 573-607 764-809
U5 360-380 485-512 607-641 809-854
U6 380-400 512-539 641-675 854-899
V2 400-420 539-566 675-708 899-944
V3 420-440 566-593 708-742 944-989
V4 440-460 593-620 742-776 989-1034
V5 460-480 620-647 776-810 1034-1079
V6 480-500 647-674 810-843 1079-1124