Old Cree LEDs

Here is some information about older Cree LEDs.

MC-E

A 4-die LED available with four of the same color dies or the MC-E Color with four different color dies (white, red, green, blue). The maximum current is 700mA with a Vf of 3.4V, though this varies from one color to another. Bins run from G (240 lumens) to M (430 lumens) at 350 mA. The white quadrant of the MC-E Color is available in cool white (A5) or neutral white (A4).

Cree MC-E datasheet

The MC-E was widely used in high-power flashlights like the EagleTac M2SC4, Fenix TK40, iTP A6 Polestar, and JETBeam M1X with advertised output of up to 700 lumens. The color version is in the Quark RGB (with neutral white or cool white available) but although the LED allows mixing of colors, the Quark RGB is switched to one color at a time.

Cree MC-E multi-die LED

Brightness Bins for Cree MC-E
(max is N bin)

Bin	1400mA (350mA/die) 100%	2800mA (700mA/die) 175%
H	280-320	490-560
J	320-370	560-648
K	370-430	648-753
M	430-490	753-858
N*	490-550	858-962
P	550-620	962-1085

XB-D

Cree XB-D is similar to the XT-E but smaller.

Very compact LED (the die is mounted on a chip 2.45 mm square opposed to 3.45 mm square for XP series) introduced in February 2012, promising lower cost. Should provide similar brightness to XP-E LEDs. First available units were warm white with Q2 brightness bin (at 350mA). This LED is used in some budget Ozark Trail 3xAAA lights at Walmart. The XB-D is binned at an operating temperature of 85° C instead of 25°, so in order to directly compare its output to other LEDs that are typically binned at 25 degrees, the output numbers in the table below have been increased by 14% from what is shown in the datasheet (see XB-D output for the 85° numbers). Can be driven up to 1000mA. Datasheet, press release.

Brightness Bins for Cree XB-D at 25° C

Bin	350mA 100%	700mA 172%	1000mA 222%
Q2	100-107	172-184	222-238
Q3	107-114	184-196	238-253
Q4	114-122	196-210	253-271
Q5	122-130	210-224	271-289
R2	130-139	224-239	289-309
R3	139-148	239-255	309-329
R4*	148-158	255-272	329-351

XP-C

Cree XP-C LED has a smaller die than the XP-E

A lower current version of the XP-E with a smaller die. Maximum current 500mA and Vf of 3.5V. Bins up to Q4 (100 lumens) in cool white, Q2 in neutral white (84.7 lumens) and P3 in warm white (73.9 lumens). Looks like the XP-E, but the die has 2 yellow strips and 1 bonding wire instead of 3 strips and 2 bonding wires. The XP-C is used in the Streamlight Microstream and some Mini Maglites.

Cree XP-C datasheet

XP-E

Introduced in Fall of 2008, the XP-E shrunk the XR-E by 80% (though it uses the same die), now 3.45 mm square. It is available, in white (cool, neutral, and warm), blue, green, amber, red, and red-orange. For cool white, bins are Q3, Q4, Q5, R2 and R3 with output from 93.9 to 122 lumens. Neutral white bins are from P4 to Q4 (100 lumens min) and warm white bins range from P2 to Q2 (87.4 lumens min).

Cree XP-E datasheet

This LED is used in the NiteCore Defender Infinity, early Quarks (R2, neutral whites used a Q3), the iTP A series EOS and S series lights, EagleTac P100 and T100 series.

The XP-E has 3 strips on the die as opposed to 2 on the XP-C and 4 on the XP-G.

Cree XP-E LED

Brightness Bins for Cree XR-E, XP-E
(max bin for XP-E is R4, XR-E is R2)

Bin	350mA 100%	700mA 170%	1000mA 220%
P4	80.6-87.4	137-149	177-192
Q2	87.4-93.9	149-160	192-207
Q3	93.9-100	160-170	207-220
Q4	100-107	170-182	220-233
Q5	107-114	182-194	233-251
R2	114-122	194-207	251-268
R3	122-130	207-221	268-286
R4*	130-139	221-236	286-306

XP-G

Same size package as the XP-E, but with a larger die. Therefore the resulting beam has a little more flood. It is available in varying output bins from R2 to S3 (S2 and S3 are rare and not always the best tints). Maximum current is 1500mA and Vf of 3.3V with efficacy of 141 lumens per watt. Cree XP-G datasheet, press release.

The XP-G R5 began widespread use in 2010 after being adopted early by 4Sevens and EagleTac. The limited edition titanium Quarks were among the first to use the XP-G, with an R4 bin. S2 bins became available in November 2010 but only in Quark and iTP special edition lights. Special edition matte-finish titanium Quark Mini and Turbo models were the first to feature S3 bins, shipping in December 2010.

Cree XP-G R5 LED

Brightness Bins for Cree XP-G
(max is S3 bin)

Bin	350mA 100%	700mA 187%	1000mA 250%	1500mA 333%
R2	114-122	213-228	285-305	380-406
R3	122-130	228-243	305-325	406-433
R4	130-139	243-260	325-348	433-463
R5	139-148	260-277	348-370	463-493
S2	148-156	277-292	370-390	493-520
S3*	156-164	292-307	390-410	520-547
S4	164-172	307-322	410-430	547-573

XR-C

Same size as XR-E (7mm x 9mm) but is designed for less current (500mA max). The die itself is smaller than the XR-E (same as the one in the XP-C). The maximum bin is Q2 with 87.4 lumens for cool white. It is available in white (cool, neutral, and warm) as well as royal blue, blue, green, amber, red-orange, and red. Vf is 3.5 volts at 350mA. Identifiable by the metal ring around the dome and a LED die with only two yellow strips and one bonding wire.

Cree XR-C datasheet

The XR-C is used in retail lights made by Coleman, River Rock, and Energizer.

XR-E

Cree XR-E LED easily identified by the metal ring around the LED

Introduced in the Fall of 2006 the XR-E was widely used in a number of different flashlights, with cool white, neutral white, and warm white colors available in addition to blue, royal blue, and green. Common bin numbers are P4, Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5, and R2 with increasing output from 80 lumens to 122 lumens at 350 mA and a Vf of 3.3V, but with much greater output available with higher currents. The size is 7 mm x 9 mm and you will often see this referred to as a 7090 XR-E. The die itself was available as the EZ1000 at first and then the smaller EZ900. Because the EZ900 can have the same overall output as the larger EZ1000 but in a smaller form, it should provide 23% greater intensity and throw (the EZ1000 is 1 mm square and the EZ900 is 0.9 mm square).

Cree XR-E datasheet

This LED was very widely used, featured in flashlights by Fenix, JETBeam, NiteCore D10, and EagleTac P20 and T20 series, and is still available in some budget lights. The neutral white version was used in Nitecore EZ series. It is easily recognized by the metal ring around the die with 3 yellow strips and 2 bonding wires.

XT-E

Cree XT-E LED

Introduced in February 2012, the XT-E has the same size chip as the XP series but seems to have a wider viewing angle for more flood and less throw. Can be driven up to 1.5A and available in bins up to R5 (at 350mA). This LED is binned at an operating temperature of 85° C instead of 25°, so in order to directly compare its output to other LEDs that are typically binned at 25 degrees, the numbers in the table below have been increased by 14% (see XT-E output for the 85° numbers). Cree introduced the XT-E as a low-cost, high efficiency LED capable of 148 lumens per watt at 350mA, offering higher lumens per dollar. The LED is not a flat square, but has an X shaped hill on the surface. The beam is like a small XM-L with a large hotspot and some varying tint across the beam. EagleTac announced that the XT-E would be an option in its D25 clicky series in April 2012, but XT-E lights were never actually released, supposedly due to beam quality issues. At about the same time, KaiDomain offered P60 drop-ins and flashlights with the XT-E. Cree uses the XT-E LED in its line of household light bulbs, introduced in 2013. Datasheet, press release.

Brightness Bins for Cree XT-E at 25° C
(max is R5 bin)

Bin	350mA 100%	700mA 178%	1000mA 230%	1500mA 302%
Q5	122-130	217-231	280-299	369-404
R2	130-139	231-247	299-320	404-421
R3	139-148	247-263	320-341	421-448
R4	148-158	263-282	341-365	448-479
R5*	158-169	282-300	365-388	479-510
S2	169-178	282-316	388-409	510-537