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, typically measured at 350mA. Bin numbers might be P4, Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5, R2, R3, R4, and R5 with each bin being about 5% additional flux. The P4 is 80 lumens, a Q5 would be 107 lumens, and the R5 bins are 137 lumens. At higher amperage than 350mA, the brightness goes way up, with the XP-G producing 3 times as many lumens at a maximum current of 1500mA.

Cree classifies tints of white LEDs as being warm, neutral, and cool, but has recently added "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 (see Old Cree LEDs for past 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.

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&deg;C. The bins shown below have been increased by 15% to give output at 25&deg;C for easier comparison to other LEDs.

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 LEDs are binned at 85&deg;C, so the values shown below have been increased by 13.7% to make comparisons with other LEDs binned at 25&deg;C easier. 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



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. Press realease, datasheet. The XP-E2 is binned at 85&deg;C, but for ease of comparison, the output numbers below are increased by 16% to get 25&deg; values.

XP-G2
Introduced in July 2012, the XP-G2 is an all new design with the same size as the earlier XP-G. Like Cree's other 2012 offerings, the XP-G2 is binned at 85&deg;C, but for ease of comparison, output shown on this page is increased by 13% to get 25&deg; values. 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



XP-L
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.