CREE LEDs vs Chinese LEDs - A close look at the differences

In this video I use my macro lense and look at the details inside each LED.

[@skip741x3]

really cool comparison bro...very informative!

[@MrPounal]

Did you use a driver or straight voltage

[@peterco3018]

All Nitecore flashlight used Cree and Osram LED, they're super bright.

[@de-bodgery]

Agreed...much better than the cheap chinese stuff!

[@Random_4400]

i agree, I've ran a cree xpe at 4.2v over 10w and it took it just fine, however from my experience some Chinese copies actually take overvolting just as good as a real cree and some not as much.

[@de-bodgery]

I have not experienced this. I have yet to find a chinese LED hold up to what I consider normal over watting like I do with a CREE.

[@dirisalaharibabu7214]

Bro i want 10w led light for torchs please guide me which company and where available

[@terrafirma9328]

A youtube add that keeps poping up on me is the EliteTac flashlight you can start fires and cook food with. I wondered if it was a scam.

[@de-bodgery]

Amazon says it has a CREE T6 LED...this is an XML or XML2 LED and they max out at about 230 lumens for a legit CREE. 2000 lumens for this LED is an egregious lie even for a legit XML! Also, look at the price for it...$45. Go look at anything that advertises a real CREE LED. They cost much more than this. The ad is pure hype. No LED in that form factor could do what they claim. A laser...sure...an LED...not a chance!

[@EJEuth]

Apart of the LED constructive difference - CREE vs NoBrand, surely important, I share a note of caution of how to operate them:
All these LEDs (element alone) shall be driven with controlled current - constant current driver type. I heard you did it adjusting/ controlling the Power supply Voltage (not current), which makes any conclusion mixed up.
LEDs have a NEGATIVE thermal Coeff., so the heater they are, the lower “back-voltage” they offer.
And for a good Constant voltage power supply, a poor-man solution is to use a current-limiting power resistor, as you mentioned by the end of your post.

[@de-bodgery]

V=IR...It's easy enough to deal with not having current drive by limiting voltage so that current can't go above some amount. Thermal control deals with the resistance changes. After that the lack of a current drive becomes of little importance. I've been doing it this way for many years now and have yet to burn out an LED without doing so deliberately.

[@GeorgeGraves]

So where does one find legit cree leds now-a-days?

[@de-bodgery]

Any legit source: Mouser, Digikey, Newark, etc.

[@DANIEL-gl1tr]

I have 9VDC. Can I use 12V led

[@de-bodgery]

What do you think?

[@ForestCounter]

You would have to use a driver that can boost the voltage. I don't know if that is a common thing. Or get a 6V led. You should be able ro drive it through a large 1 ohm resistor or something similar...