I really wish auto makers would use a more neutral color temp on their led designs, say 4500-5000K. I get that they want them to stand out by making them with higher temperatures (aka more blue). But in my mind 4300K of the HID headlights is a nice clean white light thats revealing, yet easy on the eyes. Not to mention now with high CRI led dies available they could really improve color rendition of road objects and rival natural sunlight.
Tim Fritz not to mention the warmer (more yellow) the light, the better visibility. My car came with those blue ass HIDs and it's damn near impossible to see during rain. I swapped the bulbs for 4300K. So much more output and visibility.
I agree that the Xenon headlights look more "classic". but the LED really looked cool to me. In addition, I did read about how much more closer to daylight LED is. Thing is, I didnt have a choice anyway because the 991.2 Turbo S comes with LED as standard. Loved this video. Thanks for taking the time out to do this. This is one of those videos many wanted to see but didnt have the time to ask for :) Congrats again on your 911 Nick!
Nick Murray exactly. If you look at the Garage door, the bottom of door was more dim on LED vs. Xenon. So Xenon while not as bright, does a better job distributing lights and that to me is more important.
That does not mean anything. Relevant is not the projection on your garage door, but how well the light cone illuminates the actual tarmac and sides of the road in the distance. And if you have ever seen graphical representations of what those are like, the newer ones have always been better. You can be sure that they have put the lens design of the LEDs through a computer for the best results on the road - not on your garage door...
Good video. I have a 2016 Turbo S and didn't know the LEDs were that much brighter than the Xenon. I bought them for the auto dimming and speed variable length. Not sure you mentioned but if you go over 80Mph the LED lights will raise to increase length of beam down the road. Also, I find this annoying, the auto High beam will not come on at speeds below 45Mph. The manual says this is a consideration for inter city driving whatever that is. You can manually override it.
Baerchenization actually it does matter. Not to you but everyone else on the road. If you have sloppy beak masking and brighter lights it blinds the hell out of the incoming traffic. That's one reason the EU cars have a higher power permitted and their inspections specs, driver discipline and roads result in less blinding of incoming traffic than in us conditions where folks routinely drive down city steers with hightbeams on and most states don't verify the beam shape settings regularly.
Actually I found the Xenon light more evenly distributed. So while LED measure brighter, the bottom of your garage door was a lot dimmer on LED than Xenon. Hence, I think Xenon should do a better general job illuminating the road than LED. That's actually the issue with LED lights in general. They're very directional and not as wide as halogens or Xenon. I'd still pick Xenon.
If you have a look at the freezeframe at about 2:25 , you can easily notice how much more glare (above the cutoff) the LEDs are producing in comparison to the xenons. It can be a good and bad thing. Good thing is it'll light up distant road signs much better than Xenons can; bad, it may cause irritating glare to other drivers, but I'm sure Porsche has engineered the glare to be "just right" in addition to the dipping feature. It's all about usable light so xenons, better colour temperature and light distribution, LEDS better road sign visibility and longevity (less light output loss over time).
@@stevenlam4802 LEDs are not long lasting. Most of my home LEDs have lost their brightness or died after 5 years. It’s a fallacy. Yes they may last long, but lose light output every year.
Its so simple and obvious: 1. Regardless of how good Xenons/HIDs are, their light output deteriorate relatively much faster vs LEDs. Hence, in any Xenon headlights, the brightness is noticeably much dimmer after 2yrs if used for 2-3hrs every week. And replacement bulbs are expensive. LEDs and Halogens do not hv this issue. LEDs can maintain the same light output for many years. 2. Reflector LED headlights are cheap to produce, enable slim designs to be achieved (current Honda Civic), but the distance penetration is dismal. If you want the brightness and dependability of LEDs, then choose projector LED headlights. 3. If you are pursuing distance penetration, and a wide even swath of bright light, with little emphasis on aesthetics and are prepared to replace bulbs every 2-3yrs to maintain optimal performance, any factory Xenon/HID with a big projector is my favourite choice. 4. The super white light from LEDs only look impressive when it falls onto light and medium grey tarmac or sandy paths or concrete highways. On a wet, black asphalt on a rainy night, your white LED light is not noticeable at all and it appears your headlights are not switched on.
JK Low to be honest with you bro... led could not last a weak in my country bcaue of its hot weather... led cannot be to hot thats why they have a fan...
Its amazing how controllable the more modern bulbs/projectors are. Such a level and even dispersal vs the conventional bulb spreading light everywhere.
I prefer xenon for the pattern, and there is something on the light that seems more comfortable and reliable on them (at least for me), plus LED is brighter on short distances i think, you could have done the video focusing the road instead of the sidewalk for a better comparison, after all you are ment to be looking forward most of time and there is where the beams should stand out, great vid anyways
I think Audi got them in North America on the 2017 R8 (at least in Canada I can confirm), but yeah like in this video they coded all the fun out of it. I think its only laser on high beam in certain situations. Its a damn shame, when all we want is to make driving safer and its illegal...
You should do a video on longevity and replacement costs. I think the LEDs look better here (it's the ones with the distinctive 4 little lights design, right?), but I wonder about those 2 factors. LED was crazy expensive to replace from personal experience vs xenons.
i like the fact that u love Porsche , and your very thorough with your video and explanation but not over thorough which is great. some people go into details and u spend a day watching to one or 2 useful info, thats called waste of time, your videos are so good, thanks buddy keep the good work.
The thing is, is it actually worth the extra money for the LED's when the difference isn't that big? Sure the LED's are slightly brighter but I'm not sure they're worth the money Porsche charges. Also, headlights are getting way too bright these days. I live in the UK and outside of London, the roads are very twisty so when you turn round a corner to find another car, when its headlights are n (and they're not even on full beams) and they often blind you for a few seconds which is quite scary sometimes.
i agree i drive a quite low car and when one of those suvs with led -light comes around i get severely blinded. these new lights creates more dangerous situation then safety to the one who owns the led car.
Videos like this are why you have a subscriber count in six figures, Quite a simple idea but we all appreciate the time and effort that went Into this 5:12 video.Another well deserved thumbs up from me.
Nick: thanks a bunch for following up and producing this video. I have bi-Xenon's, and have wondered about the difference between the LEDs and the Xenons. Good stuff. Cheers. -S
JP & Co. actually there not, the DOT sets the max brightness not the mfg. as in most high end cars the LED lights are set around 83% that’s so you don’t blind the driver in front of you.
Nick, You say it's not scientific but I say it is - your measurements were accurate enough compared to the light differences. You gave a very good picture for all of us - thanks! I also choose the regular lights for my 991.2, purely for the looks. Cheers!
I don't see any reason to do any coding on the Porsche. On the BMW there were a bunch of annoying features I wanted changed but I don't have that problem on this car
Nick Murray Nick, I have a 2016 VW TSI sport with adaptive Xenon headlights. I love them, I'm sure they're the same output as your Porsche's. But.... how could I code them if I wanted to see what they're really capable of? Thank you!
CCFerrariF1 not sure if you want to code your xenons to be honest. Unlike LEDs, they have a much shorter life span so increasing output and operating temperature will probably even shorten their life.
Thank you for making this informative video. The best part was driving with all three headlamps. Anytime I'm not sure what to order I simply scan for your videos on the subject and end up making the right decision. Thanks again.
I actually wish they would stop with this headlight brightness stuff. It's getting to the point where it's pretty ridiculous driving at night and being blinded by one of these new headlight things. Yes they are on low beam and they are legal, but they are still blinding at night.
The concern I have with coding the LED lights to be brighter (assuming that is possible) is the potential impact on long term reliability. My guess is pushing the LEDs that much harder with the same heatsinks would result in a significant increase in diode junction temperature and ultimately a lower MTBF. Probably not an issue if you trade cars every 3-4 years, but for those that prefer to own for longer periods, well, let's just say that the replacement cost will likely be significantly more than the option cost.
headlights are getting too bright - what used to be a bright is now a standard headlight - as someone who does extensive traveling - it is extremely annoying with these people behind you and creates a danger for the drivers in front of these cars. they either need to put some sort of sensors in that vary the light when behind other vehicles, or they need to bring the power down. you don't need a headlight that bright. people do run into deer and animals, yes, but reaction time is much more important and honestly a headlight may or may not save you. And while the mfg are making one driver safer, they are endangering others.
Johnny Knoxville I agree with you. Many newer and especially luxury vehicles have headlights that are crazy bright on low beams and are very hard on the eyes especially when driving in very dark unlit streets
This is only a problem if the person's headlights are misaligned or their high beams are on. Even if you don't have auto-dim mirrors, the headlights are designed to not illuminate above a certain height.
Johnny Knoxville it's not that they are getting too bright, it's that they aren't aimed properly. It's known that certain cars like the Corolla and Explorers are aimed too high and glare a lot... from experience (and info from owners of both) the lights don't even shine very well on the road, they just create a lot of glare. A poorly controlled halogen will appear worse than a correctly controlled HID (ignoring cresting hills and hitting bumps)
Another issue is that OEM headlights have softer cutoffs.... which increases the amount of light shone above the true cutoff. this is to allow illumination of road signs, but is also a form of glare. Car companies are moving towards the 6000k-6500k range for headlight color, which is that cool white look. Cooler color temps are harsher to our eyes than a warmer color (such as warm white to halogenish yellow). Cooler color temps cause eye strain after long periods of driving, and also perform worse in bad weather. You can even see in this video how the LEDs have more blue in them than even the HIDs, which will contribute to the bright appearance when driving past you
Nick, Thanks for the objective testing. The real question is how much lux is enough? Unless one is doing high speed runs, guess either is fine. Keep up the good work.
Very interesting video , congrats about the idea . Very nice results , we learned something today. The other thing i noticed is that xenon lights keep the same intese light everywhere . The projector just does an excellent job. On the other hand , halogens and leds (that are not projector lights) tend to have brighter and darker spots . So the result with xenons is much more uniform , and that's what i want from the lights . Even light everywhere , whether is bright or not. It makes driving more relaxed. So that's another unmentioned aspect of the results! Do you agree? Thanks Nick.
Damn fine video, Sir. A regular Consumer Reports, you are. The noting the readings on the screen was very nice. The video side by side by side was especially impressive.
Great vid again, educating too. The choice is ours, now. And that's a good thing. Porsche itself presents graphics on its website to mark the differences. They could do however, with a video like yours. Some things you really need to see with your own eyes. This is one of them. Thumbs up, Nick!
Great video. Excellent comparison.I have PDLS plus , I am used to xenons in my BMW & Audi since 2009, but I can see clear difference when I drive with PDLS plus.
Nice practical comparison Nick Murray. I prefer the distribution of my Porsche Xenon's over my wife's BMW LEDs and since the high beams are about equal I would opt for the Xenon again.
Hi Nick, if you have a chance to re-visit this, maybe lining up all three against a wall from a greater distance and shooting a picture - with the same settings - one-by-one would show off the differences nicely.
I, like many others, am obsessed with the way the Xenons look with the 4 bulb look on the DRLs. I can't tell by looking at your friend's car if LEDs provide that same look. Enlighten me?
Nick, I have been informed that the standard HID system on the Porsche is a 25 watt system. If it was the typical 35 watt it would definitely be brighter. A lot of manufacturers seem to be putting out 25 watt systems for some reason (my TL has a 35 watt system)
My ND Miata has LED lights. They are honestly amazing! They light up the road and swivel around corners. One thing is most people think you have your brights on in certain situations even if they auto level.
only reason why i would replace my xenon bulbs with Led is that Led has no start up time like the xenons. Otherwise the xenons are bright enough for me.
Well done... especially with the light meter. A head on comparison shot of both Carrera's with the lights on would've been nice though. I'm a biased Xenon fan myself.
Living in Finland, I do know about driving in the dark, for 39 years now. Modern lights are great, no doubt of that. I don't see much significant difference in brightness between xenon/led, but led is more versatile when you need to switch between low/high beams. But it is a double edged sword. I am getting older and my night vision is not what it used to be, thus getting blinded by oncoming traffic is more likely when everyone is driving with modern led light. And worse, when they do not know when to lower your high beam. Certainly, automated light systems are a short term answer, but in a long term, we just let cars drive by themselves. That will be much safer.
I don't know if they are worth the extra money but in the side by side comparison part of the video you can see that the LEDS are definitely much brighter then the Xenons, the difference is very noticeable. In terms of looks I agree the Xenons look better in the Porsche which I think is opposite of BMWs where their LED headlight look much better then xenons.
Very well done. I really appreciate it. I have read quite a few articles that the insurance folks are now rating headlight system effectiveness and Xenon and LED systems are really the only systems that meet their standards, I think there are maybe two cars with halogens that can meet the standard so I think halogen's days are numbered. I am hoping that the insurance folks will push the Feds to allow European levels of headlight performance and laser technology used at its full potential because from what I have seen of the BMW laser system that is the best of all worlds, shapes the light to protect oncoming drivers and lights much further than any system before it.
Xenons are already bright enough. LED's ( and new-tech Lasers ) are really bad with oncoming traffic. I get blind spots for a couple of seconds when they hit my eyes even for a few moments. So dangerous and annoying when someone's still have them on even when parked. Besides Porsche, some top of the line Audis' also have electronic sensors that re-directs them but not all. Brighter doesn't necessarily mean better.
Nick, you mentioned how the Porsche with the LEDs had PDLS+ and would automatically dim upon detecting an oncoming automobile. When you were testing with the lights projected onto the garage door, would there have been any attenuation with the LEDs because of detecting light reflecting back at the mirror bouncing off the garage? From what I recall, the PDLS+ uses a sensor in the mirror. I'm just wondering if the attenuation if discrete (switch strictly to low beam) or if it's a gradual analog roll back on brightness depending on how close the oncoming car would be. Probably not that technical by design but I wondered for moment about the possibility.
Quite interesting, I just had to change a single xenon bulb on an Audi Q5, $404 with labor, and only 5 years old. I appreciate the test showing the brightness but it would be interesting to know which has the longer life and which costs more to replace.
Nick, thanks for the comparison, well done. You should consider a RaceDeck floor for your garage, it would be a huge improvement. I am not affiliated with RaceDeck. 😉
I’m with you Nick I opt. For the Xenon on my M5. There just the better looking light and I do like how they follow the road. You should have demo’ed that in your video, in park just turn your wheels the light follow in that direction.
Cool video! Anything is better than halogens. My car has Xenons and I'm happy with that. Bright, lights up very well. I think the xenon light covers slightly more area then LEDs imo.
thanks for the video nice! surprised at the results. I never would have considered the LED until now. I'm with you the styling on the HID does look better but you can't deny the light output on the LED.
The LED’s are almost too bright when you’re looking at a lighter colored surface the LED beams are reflecting off of. But I would say they tend to do a better job of covering the frontal area. I don’t think they require ballasts either so maybe they’re more reliable long term?
Interesting comparison! Certainly if it were a $2K bump from halogen to LED I would consider it, but I don't think I'd spend that to go from Xenon to LED. I have always been delighted with the Xenon lights on my BMWs.
You came to the same conclusion as me, while using different methods. Drove a Volvo with LEDs (they call them "Thor's Hammer":)))))) two weeks ago and to my surprise, the light was "whiter" than Audi's or Mercedes' Xenon lights...which were looking quite yellowish in comparison (same for Porsches, 3:28). Oh men, are the LEDs bright! It was the same feeling I had when I drove my first car with Xenons after cars with H4/H7 headlights. Now, if Porsche would pack them like the Xenons...you are right, the former looks better.
Interesting video Nick ! It's quite cool seeing the LED beams in my Audi in action as they constantly change their beam. The xenons look great and your car is tastefully specced as well ! Enjoy
You came to the same conclusion as me, while using different methods. Drove a Volvo with LEDs (they call them "Thor's Hammer":)))))) two weeks ago and to my surprise, the light was "whiter" than Audi's or Mercedes' Xenon lights...which were looking quite yellowish in comparison. Oh men, are the LEDs bright! It was the same feeling I had when I drove my first car with Xenons after cars with H4/H7 headlights. Now, if Porsche would pack them like the Xenons...you are right, the former looks better.
Hey Nick based on my knowledge, you can't increase the brightness of headlights on f80, the only thing you could do is increasing the angel eye brightness on cars.
I would let it all come down to the kind of 911 I was going for. Yours is incredibly stylish and elegant and somewhat classic looking, so the round-eye classic looking xenons fit the car tremendously. Also on a focused car like a GT3, I would go for those. On a Turbo or an all-out bold looking version like a GTS, the LED's give the car a great look. I just wish you could have the Xenons be adaptive without having to paint them black.. I want the lights to swivel but not allways have them i black.
The thing about LED in North America is you need to code the anti-dazzle function back! I coded my f32 4 series with 1500 dollar optional LED, huge difference
Nick, very nice comparison but your outcome is allready well known... Laser matrix lights, Audi lights, versus Porsche leds will be an interesting comparison...
Another factor to consider is the long-term cost. LEDs will likely last the life of the car, without the lamp failing. HID xenons have much shorter lifespans. And both the lamp and the ignitor are expensive to replace. It's hard to put solid numbers on this but my sense is that you will recoup the upcharge for the LEDs if you're a long-term owner.
Great comparison, Nick! I have High density light on my 2011 GT3RS, the beam turn as turn of the steering wheel.(now i got 7,500 miles) As I know you're a respectable car guy! Could you tell me when would be a good time to sell the car?(RS market). What would you consider to purchase to replace the GT3RS?! So far, I couldn't find a similar price range car to be comparable to the RS driving sensation and involvement. I drove a Huracan, it looks amazing w/ jet fighter interior but the steering feel a bit remote. The only car I found that I feel the driving sensation and perhaps as exciting to drive would be 430 or 458. But i know the repair and maintenance is outrageous to me. I really like the headlight technology, I noticed the 2017 LED headlight is whiter and brighter beam on my niece Rav 4 than my business delivery fleet 2013 Prius V (whiter light than Porsche HID but not as white as new 2017 Rav 4). How is the headlight tech on Porsche vs,. BMW laser headlight? I saw Merc offer intelligent LED headlights. Audi got their own headlight tech too.. have you get a chance to check them out yet? Please let me know... cheers 🍻 🦅🦅🇺🇸
Very interesting video mate. My previous car had xenons and my current car has LEDs although they're early, entry-level LEDs and not as advanced as those found in more expensive cars. I must admit the xenons were a little brighter in main beam and a lot brighter in high beam. I'm still happy with the LEDs though overall.
I think there is one main reason next to LED what is the HB/LB assistant that is one of the best option in the car industry. Makes you free to switch on/of HB/LB thousands of times, letting you enjoy the car and concentrate on driving. It is a shame Porsche does not offer this option for Xenon (for 1 series BMW you can order it next to Halogen for EUR150). In other words Porsche drives customers with it to this expensive option while LED become standard in the premium segment from mid class.
Another brilliant video Nick. We are missing all of your regular video updates! Do you know if it's a straight in/out replacement if you wanted to replace a 991.1 Xenon headlights with LED headlights?
I agree with restricting the strength of headlights, it can be quite dangerous for other road users making it harder to see cyclists or other vehicles nearby.
That would be for the 911 series of sports cars. The 718 Boxster and Cayman have single unit LEDs when you get that option. I too prefer the look of the Bi-Xenons on a 911 over LED, but if you're considering a 718, the LEDs look fantastic.
I have kerosene headlights that I light with a flint.
This is the only way to go
kicking it old school! :)
is that a Amish horse and buggy lol.
azaz911c I don’t have a car
@@jameswilkinson150 That is strange. Just have a thing for headlights ?
I really wish auto makers would use a more neutral color temp on their led designs, say 4500-5000K. I get that they want them to stand out by making them with higher temperatures (aka more blue). But in my mind 4300K of the HID headlights is a nice clean white light thats revealing, yet easy on the eyes. Not to mention now with high CRI led dies available they could really improve color rendition of road objects and rival natural sunlight.
Tim Fritz not to mention the warmer (more yellow) the light, the better visibility. My car came with those blue ass HIDs and it's damn near impossible to see during rain. I swapped the bulbs for 4300K. So much more output and visibility.
Nicholas Smith: I've heard of blue balls but never "blue ass."
I agree that the Xenon headlights look more "classic". but the LED really looked cool to me. In addition, I did read about how much more closer to daylight LED is. Thing is, I didnt have a choice anyway because the 991.2 Turbo S comes with LED as standard.
Loved this video. Thanks for taking the time out to do this. This is one of those videos many wanted to see but didnt have the time to ask for :)
Congrats again on your 911 Nick!
I did not mention but you can see on the garage that the Xenons on low beam, have a more even throw of light over a wider area.
very inerteresting viedo thank you so much for this presentation
Nick Murray exactly. If you look at the Garage door, the bottom of door was more dim on LED vs. Xenon. So Xenon while not as bright, does a better job distributing lights and that to me is more important.
That does not mean anything. Relevant is not the projection on your garage door, but how well the light cone illuminates the actual tarmac and sides of the road in the distance. And if you have ever seen graphical representations of what those are like, the newer ones have always been better. You can be sure that they have put the lens design of the LEDs through a computer for the best results on the road - not on your garage door...
Good video. I have a 2016 Turbo S and didn't know the LEDs were that much brighter than the Xenon. I bought them for the auto dimming and speed variable length. Not sure you mentioned but if you go over 80Mph the LED lights will raise to increase length of beam down the road. Also, I find this annoying, the auto High beam will not come on at speeds below 45Mph. The manual says this is a consideration for inter city driving whatever that is. You can manually override it.
Baerchenization actually it does matter. Not to you but everyone else on the road. If you have sloppy beak masking and brighter lights it blinds the hell out of the incoming traffic.
That's one reason the EU cars have a higher power permitted and their inspections specs, driver discipline and roads result in less blinding of incoming traffic than in us conditions where folks routinely drive down city steers with hightbeams on and most states don't verify the beam shape settings regularly.
Actually I found the Xenon light more evenly distributed. So while LED measure brighter, the bottom of your garage door was a lot dimmer on LED than Xenon. Hence, I think Xenon should do a better general job illuminating the road than LED. That's actually the issue with LED lights in general. They're very directional and not as wide as halogens or Xenon. I'd still pick Xenon.
You can pick led lights and high beams xenon or HID
Those are the best lights to choose
If you have a look at the freezeframe at about 2:25 , you can easily notice how much more glare (above the cutoff) the LEDs are producing in comparison to the xenons. It can be a good and bad thing. Good thing is it'll light up distant road signs much better than Xenons can; bad, it may cause irritating glare to other drivers, but I'm sure Porsche has engineered the glare to be "just right" in addition to the dipping feature. It's all about usable light so xenons, better colour temperature and light distribution, LEDS better road sign visibility and longevity (less light output loss over time).
@@stevenlam4802 LEDs are not long lasting. Most of my home LEDs have lost their brightness or died after 5 years. It’s a fallacy. Yes they may last long, but lose light output every year.
Its so simple and obvious:
1. Regardless of how good Xenons/HIDs are, their light output deteriorate relatively much faster vs LEDs. Hence, in any Xenon headlights, the brightness is noticeably much dimmer after 2yrs if used for 2-3hrs every week. And replacement bulbs are expensive. LEDs and Halogens do not hv this issue. LEDs can maintain the same light output for many years.
2. Reflector LED headlights are cheap to produce, enable slim designs to be achieved (current Honda Civic), but the distance penetration is dismal. If you want the brightness and dependability of LEDs, then choose projector LED headlights.
3. If you are pursuing distance penetration, and a wide even swath of bright light, with little emphasis on aesthetics and are prepared to replace bulbs every 2-3yrs to maintain optimal performance, any factory Xenon/HID with a big projector is my favourite choice.
4. The super white light from LEDs only look impressive when it falls onto light and medium grey tarmac or sandy paths or concrete highways. On a wet, black asphalt on a rainy night, your white LED light is not noticeable at all and it appears your headlights are not switched on.
JK Low to be honest with you bro... led could not last a weak in my country bcaue of its hot weather... led cannot be to hot thats why they have a fan...
I recently changed my HID bulbs. It cost a arm and a leg each.
2:18 So beautiful to see two 911 like that :O
SylDreams that mid light is gorgeous
I also see the car only, so beautiful!
I just gave a thumbs up to a light bulb comparison.
watching Nick Flirt with the hair stylist was pretty bad
Actually it was a lightbulb and LED comparison. Pft. Get it right. LOL.
Nothing's better than the timeless lines of a 911...looks great!
DriveBMC And those Carrera 4Ss from behind in the video. Cool taillights.
yup love the new taillights
DriveBMC you mean a VW Beetle?
+Abhimanyu Singh No. VW Beetle is ugly IMO. Cannot compare to a Carrera .
Its amazing how controllable the more modern bulbs/projectors are. Such a level and even dispersal vs the conventional bulb spreading light everywhere.
I prefer xenon for the pattern, and there is something on the light that seems more comfortable and reliable on them (at least for me), plus LED is brighter on short distances i think, you could have done the video focusing the road instead of the sidewalk for a better comparison, after all you are ment to be looking forward most of time and there is where the beams should stand out, great vid anyways
Vs Laser Headlights...
Laser headlights are illegal in the country of the free ...
I think Audi got them in North America on the 2017 R8 (at least in Canada I can confirm), but yeah like in this video they coded all the fun out of it. I think its only laser on high beam in certain situations. Its a damn shame, when all we want is to make driving safer and its illegal...
Not anymore. You can order an i8 with them.
kinds sorta not true LOL
I think it actually is available now ... just checked ...
Thing i hate about LED's on other cars is they are freaking blinding, even on low beam.
lyianx not in projectors. Yes they are in reflectors.
If they are blinding there is an issue with them. Most likely a bad aftermarket kit in a headlight made for halogen, or a badly aimed headlight.
Johannes Mittendrin where did u get ur info at?😂 led is so much better
My moms Altima has the led lights it’s 2017 and it has a clean cutoff line
You should do a video on longevity and replacement costs. I think the LEDs look better here (it's the ones with the distinctive 4 little lights design, right?), but I wonder about those 2 factors. LED was crazy expensive to replace from personal experience vs xenons.
i like the fact that u love Porsche , and your very thorough with your video and explanation but not over thorough which is great. some people go into details and u spend a day watching to one or 2 useful info, thats called waste of time, your videos are so good, thanks buddy keep the good work.
The thing is, is it actually worth the extra money for the LED's when the difference isn't that big? Sure the LED's are slightly brighter but I'm not sure they're worth the money Porsche charges.
Also, headlights are getting way too bright these days. I live in the UK and outside of London, the roads are very twisty so when you turn round a corner to find another car, when its headlights are n (and they're not even on full beams) and they often blind you for a few seconds which is quite scary sometimes.
W-James Check out the new MINI leds at night & you'll see why it's worth while.
just buy some Led's with a litle bit more lumens than a halogen bulb and you are ok
i agree i drive a quite low car and when one of those suvs with led -light comes around i get severely blinded. these new lights creates more dangerous situation then safety to the one who owns the led car.
Videos like this are why you have a subscriber count in six figures, Quite a simple idea but we all appreciate the time and effort that went Into this 5:12 video.Another well deserved thumbs up from me.
THANK god you made this video, I've been wondering about the differences between the Standard and LED headlights for a while. Thanks Nick
Great test Nick! Kudos to your friend for letting him borrow you his ride.
Nick, you just brightened up my day! Or would that be night...
You are my first subscribed to channel. Keep up the first class videos!
Nick: thanks a bunch for following up and producing this video. I have bi-Xenon's, and have wondered about the difference between the LEDs and the Xenons. Good stuff. Cheers. -S
The LEDs in our C300 coupe are maybe marginally brighter than our 911s HIDs. They do tend to fill out the space a bit better tho.
I'd like to acknowledge my two most popular Porsche/car channels: Nick Murray and JP & Co!
ten2055 haha thanks man. Always nice to hear stuff like this!
JP & Co.
actually there not, the DOT sets the max brightness not the mfg. as in most high end cars the LED lights are set around 83% that’s so you don’t blind the driver in front of you.
Nick,
You say it's not scientific but I say it is - your measurements were accurate enough compared to the light differences. You gave a very good picture for all of us - thanks!
I also choose the regular lights for my 991.2, purely for the looks.
Cheers!
Good move!
Very interesting. Are you planning on doing any coding on the Porsche?
Joshua Sonnichsen he probably prefers to do his coding on the computer because it has a keyboard and he can sit in a comfy chair while debugging
I don't see any reason to do any coding on the Porsche. On the BMW there were a bunch of annoying features I wanted changed but I don't have that problem on this car
Nick Murray Nick, I have a 2016 VW TSI sport with adaptive Xenon headlights. I love them, I'm sure they're the same output as your Porsche's. But.... how could I code them if I wanted to see what they're really capable of? Thank you!
CCFerrariF1 not sure if you want to code your xenons to be honest. Unlike LEDs, they have a much shorter life span so increasing output and operating temperature will probably even shorten their life.
Thank you for making this informative video. The best part was driving with all three headlamps. Anytime I'm not sure what to order I simply scan for your videos on the subject and end up making the right decision. Thanks again.
I actually wish they would stop with this headlight brightness stuff. It's getting to the point where it's pretty ridiculous driving at night and being blinded by one of these new headlight things. Yes they are on low beam and they are legal, but they are still blinding at night.
op3l it’s the position the beams are aimed. Most drivers do no know that they can actually be adjusted.
The concern I have with coding the LED lights to be brighter (assuming that is possible) is the potential impact on long term reliability. My guess is pushing the LEDs that much harder with the same heatsinks would result in a significant increase in diode junction temperature and ultimately a lower MTBF. Probably not an issue if you trade cars every 3-4 years, but for those that prefer to own for longer periods, well, let's just say that the replacement cost will likely be significantly more than the option cost.
They do it in Europe and it still under warranty there. Its literally coded lower here for laws.
I agree.
How exactly would you push LEDs more? It’s just 12v is it not?
Does anyone really want to know what the 8 thumbs downers were thinking?
Nick, I appreciate the time and effort that you put into this vlog!
headlights are getting too bright - what used to be a bright is now a standard headlight - as someone who does extensive traveling - it is extremely annoying with these people behind you and creates a danger for the drivers in front of these cars. they either need to put some sort of sensors in that vary the light when behind other vehicles, or they need to bring the power down. you don't need a headlight that bright. people do run into deer and animals, yes, but reaction time is much more important and honestly a headlight may or may not save you. And while the mfg are making one driver safer, they are endangering others.
Johnny Knoxville I agree with you. Many newer and especially luxury vehicles have headlights that are crazy bright on low beams and are very hard on the eyes especially when driving in very dark unlit streets
Most mirrors auto dim now adays so you dont notice when someone has super bright lights when they are driving behind you.
This is only a problem if the person's headlights are misaligned or their high beams are on. Even if you don't have auto-dim mirrors, the headlights are designed to not illuminate above a certain height.
Johnny Knoxville it's not that they are getting too bright, it's that they aren't aimed properly. It's known that certain cars like the Corolla and Explorers are aimed too high and glare a lot... from experience (and info from owners of both) the lights don't even shine very well on the road, they just create a lot of glare. A poorly controlled halogen will appear worse than a correctly controlled HID (ignoring cresting hills and hitting bumps)
Another issue is that OEM headlights have softer cutoffs.... which increases the amount of light shone above the true cutoff. this is to allow illumination of road signs, but is also a form of glare. Car companies are moving towards the 6000k-6500k range for headlight color, which is that cool white look. Cooler color temps are harsher to our eyes than a warmer color (such as warm white to halogenish yellow). Cooler color temps cause eye strain after long periods of driving, and also perform worse in bad weather. You can even see in this video how the LEDs have more blue in them than even the HIDs, which will contribute to the bright appearance when driving past you
Nick,
Thanks for the objective testing. The real question is how much lux is enough? Unless one is doing high speed runs, guess either is fine. Keep up the good work.
Super helpful comparison. Thank you. Was very surprised that the xenon high beams were brighter than the LED.
Yours are the best choice Nick. They suit the car stylistically and are plenty bright enough unless you are driving into a black hole.
Very interesting video , congrats about the idea .
Very nice results , we learned something today.
The other thing i noticed is that xenon lights keep the same intese light everywhere . The projector just does an excellent job. On the other hand , halogens and leds (that are not projector lights) tend to have brighter and darker spots . So the result with xenons is much more uniform , and that's what i want from the lights . Even light everywhere , whether is bright or not. It makes driving more relaxed.
So that's another unmentioned aspect of the results! Do you agree?
Thanks Nick.
Damn fine video, Sir. A regular Consumer Reports, you are.
The noting the readings on the screen was very nice. The video side by side by side was especially impressive.
Great vid again, educating too. The choice is ours, now. And that's a good thing. Porsche itself presents graphics on its website to mark the differences. They could do however, with a video like yours. Some things you really need to see with your own eyes. This is one of them. Thumbs up, Nick!
Best Porsche vids online. Honest and true
Great video. Excellent comparison.I have PDLS plus , I am used to xenons in my BMW & Audi since 2009, but I can see clear difference when I drive with PDLS plus.
Finally, somebody who is comparing FACTORY headlamps, instead of aftermarket bulbs...!
I really like those three Porsche posters in your garage Nick!
Cool test! I like the look of the xenons, but like the performance of the LEDs. I didn’t realize their would be such a difference between the two
Interesting! I was/had been curious regarding the headlights of the L.E.D.s V. Xeon lights!
The more I blind incoming cars the better I feel
Idiot
If you adjusted it in the right way. I don’t think it would blind them.
As long as you use light upgrades the right way it wont blind anyone
@@kappuccino693 well roads aren't always flat really.
That's why I only drive with high beam, fuck xenon lights!
Thanks for delivering on a video you promised a while back. Was looking forward to this.
Nice practical comparison Nick Murray. I prefer the distribution of my Porsche Xenon's over my wife's BMW LEDs and since the high beams are about equal I would opt for the Xenon again.
Hi Nick, if you have a chance to re-visit this, maybe lining up all three against a wall from a greater distance and shooting a picture - with the same settings - one-by-one would show off the differences nicely.
Great video Nick!! I was always curious about the difference and this is the perfect video that no one has ever made!
I, like many others, am obsessed with the way the Xenons look with the 4 bulb look on the DRLs. I can't tell by looking at your friend's car if LEDs provide that same look. Enlighten me?
Wow great test Nick
Nick, I have been informed that the standard HID system on the Porsche is a 25 watt system. If it was the typical 35 watt it would definitely be brighter. A lot of manufacturers seem to be putting out 25 watt systems for some reason (my TL has a 35 watt system)
wow Nick, I think that You did very good job with that video. Measuring, driving, editing video, chasing Tui..that's a loot. Good job
My ND Miata has LED lights. They are honestly amazing! They light up the road and swivel around corners. One thing is most people think you have your brights on in certain situations even if they auto level.
That was really interesting. I love xenon from the driver seat but seeing them coming at you is so blinding
only reason why i would replace my xenon bulbs with Led is that Led has no start up time like the xenons. Otherwise the xenons are bright enough for me.
Well done... especially with the light meter. A head on comparison shot of both Carrera's with the lights on would've been nice though. I'm a biased Xenon fan myself.
I can not explain why the hell I like your videos but I do and maybe like is not a strong enough a word. Thank from NYC and Kent CT on the weekends.
Thanks Pete
Thank you Nick for another informative and well done Porsche video!
Living in Finland, I do know about driving in the dark, for 39 years now.
Modern lights are great, no doubt of that. I don't see much significant difference in brightness between xenon/led, but led is more versatile when you need to switch between low/high beams.
But it is a double edged sword. I am getting older and my night vision is not what it used to be, thus getting blinded by oncoming traffic is more likely when everyone is driving with modern led light. And worse, when they do not know when to lower your high beam.
Certainly, automated light systems are a short term answer, but in a long term, we just let cars drive by themselves. That will be much safer.
I don't know if they are worth the extra money but in the side by side comparison part of the video you can see that the LEDS are definitely much brighter then the Xenons, the difference is very noticeable. In terms of looks I agree the Xenons look better in the Porsche which I think is opposite of BMWs where their LED headlight look much better then xenons.
Very well done. I really appreciate it. I have read quite a few articles that the insurance folks are now rating headlight system effectiveness and Xenon and LED systems are really the only systems that meet their standards, I think there are maybe two cars with halogens that can meet the standard so I think halogen's days are numbered. I am hoping that the insurance folks will push the Feds to allow European levels of headlight performance and laser technology used at its full potential because from what I have seen of the BMW laser system that is the best of all worlds, shapes the light to protect oncoming drivers and lights much further than any system before it.
Great to see vid with a high end car comparison, great job
Xenons are already bright enough. LED's ( and new-tech Lasers ) are really bad with oncoming traffic. I get blind spots for a couple of seconds when they hit my eyes even for a few moments. So dangerous and annoying when someone's still have them on even when parked.
Besides Porsche, some top of the line Audis' also have electronic sensors that re-directs them but not all.
Brighter doesn't necessarily mean better.
Nick, you mentioned how the Porsche with the LEDs had PDLS+ and would automatically dim upon detecting an oncoming automobile. When you were testing with the lights projected onto the garage door, would there have been any attenuation with the LEDs because of detecting light reflecting back at the mirror bouncing off the garage? From what I recall, the PDLS+ uses a sensor in the mirror. I'm just wondering if the attenuation if discrete (switch strictly to low beam) or if it's a gradual analog roll back on brightness depending on how close the oncoming car would be. Probably not that technical by design but I wondered for moment about the possibility.
I had the feature turned off.
Quite interesting, I just had to change a single xenon bulb on an Audi Q5, $404 with labor, and only 5 years old. I appreciate the test showing the brightness but it would be interesting to know which has the longer life and which costs more to replace.
Nick, thanks for the comparison, well done. You should consider a RaceDeck floor for your garage, it would be a huge improvement. I am not affiliated with RaceDeck. 😉
I’m with you Nick I opt. For the Xenon on my M5. There just the better looking light and I do like how they follow the road.
You should have demo’ed that in your video, in park just turn your wheels the light follow in that direction.
Love this video! Thanks again Nick You've been answering all the nuanced questions I have about Porsche
Have to watch it yet... but I can already tell you that I love this new video log. Thanks mate
Nice, concise, informative and well produced vid. Good job!
I subscribed cuz you brought a light meter to the question! Good job big!
Cool video! Anything is better than halogens. My car has Xenons and I'm happy with that. Bright, lights up very well. I think the xenon light covers slightly more area then LEDs imo.
Well lights very useful, especially at night when natural ambiant light decreases significantly..
thanks for the video nice! surprised at the results. I never would have considered the LED until now. I'm with you the styling on the HID does look better but you can't deny the light output on the LED.
The LED’s are almost too bright when you’re looking at a lighter colored surface the LED beams are reflecting off of. But I would say they tend to do a better job of covering the frontal area. I don’t think they require ballasts either so maybe they’re more reliable long term?
Interesting comparison! Certainly if it were a $2K bump from halogen to LED I would consider it, but I don't think I'd spend that to go from Xenon to LED. I have always been delighted with the Xenon lights on my BMWs.
Thanks for doing this. Most of the videos I found of these comparisons were aftermarket. Currently thinking of a new car so it would be OEM
You came to the same conclusion as me, while using different methods.
Drove a Volvo with LEDs (they call them "Thor's Hammer":)))))) two weeks ago and to my surprise, the light was "whiter" than Audi's or Mercedes' Xenon lights...which were looking quite yellowish in comparison (same for Porsches, 3:28). Oh men, are the LEDs bright! It was the same feeling I had when I drove my first car with Xenons after cars with H4/H7 headlights.
Now, if Porsche would pack them like the Xenons...you are right, the former looks better.
Interesting video Nick !
It's quite cool seeing the LED beams in my Audi in action as they constantly change their beam. The xenons look great and your car is tastefully specced as well ! Enjoy
I would also add, in my experience I find that cars oncoming with LEDs don't glare the driver as much compared to Xenons!
Nick did you notice that the LEDs had a much dimmer light level low down, the xenons seemed to illuminate the lower area much better.
The xenons do have a better spread
You came to the same conclusion as me, while using different methods.
Drove a Volvo with LEDs (they call them "Thor's Hammer":)))))) two weeks ago and to my surprise, the light was "whiter" than Audi's or Mercedes' Xenon lights...which were looking quite yellowish in comparison. Oh men, are the LEDs bright! It was the same feeling I had when I drove my first car with Xenons after cars with H4/H7 headlights.
Now, if Porsche would pack them like the Xenons...you are right, the former looks better.
This is excellent, I guess the only way to go for the 992 is the LED Matrix PDLS+ lights
Nicely done.can you do a video on the difference between a (green) light saber and a phaser (set to stun).
Hey Nick based on my knowledge, you can't increase the brightness of headlights on f80, the only thing you could do is increasing the angel eye brightness on cars.
wzj519 no after coding it was like night and day. The LEDs were about 2x as bright
I would let it all come down to the kind of 911 I was going for. Yours is incredibly stylish and elegant and somewhat classic looking, so the round-eye classic looking xenons fit the car tremendously. Also on a focused car like a GT3, I would go for those. On a Turbo or an all-out bold looking version like a GTS, the LED's give the car a great look. I just wish you could have the Xenons be adaptive without having to paint them black.. I want the lights to swivel but not allways have them i black.
The thing about LED in North America is you need to code the anti-dazzle function back! I coded my f32 4 series with 1500 dollar optional LED, huge difference
Nick, very nice comparison but your outcome is allready well known... Laser matrix lights, Audi lights, versus Porsche leds will be an interesting comparison...
Interesting video. My C450 seems to illuminate better than my 981 Cayman S at night which has the Xenon lights.
Another factor to consider is the long-term cost. LEDs will likely last the life of the car, without the lamp failing. HID xenons have much shorter lifespans. And both the lamp and the ignitor are expensive to replace. It's hard to put solid numbers on this but my sense is that you will recoup the upcharge for the LEDs if you're a long-term owner.
Actually the Xenon lamps are only $80 to replace
well that certainly brightened up my day Nick!, see what i did there?!
Nice work...
Finally some decent comparison. Thank you!
Great comparison, Nick! I have High density light on my 2011 GT3RS, the beam turn as turn of the steering wheel.(now i got 7,500 miles) As I know you're a respectable car guy! Could you tell me when would be a good time to sell the car?(RS market). What would you consider to purchase to replace the GT3RS?! So far, I couldn't find a similar price range car to be comparable to the RS driving sensation and involvement. I drove a Huracan, it looks amazing w/ jet fighter interior but the steering feel a bit remote. The only car I found that I feel the driving sensation and perhaps as exciting to drive would be 430 or 458. But i know the repair and maintenance is outrageous to me.
I really like the headlight technology, I noticed the 2017 LED headlight is whiter and brighter beam on my niece Rav 4 than my business delivery fleet 2013 Prius V (whiter light than Porsche HID but not as white as new 2017 Rav 4).
How is the headlight tech on Porsche vs,. BMW laser headlight? I saw Merc offer intelligent LED headlights. Audi got their own headlight tech too.. have you get a chance to check them out yet? Please let me know... cheers 🍻
🦅🦅🇺🇸
I did not think the LED's made that much of a difference. THNX
Very interesting video mate. My previous car had xenons and my current car has LEDs although they're early, entry-level LEDs and not as advanced as those found in more expensive cars. I must admit the xenons were a little brighter in main beam and a lot brighter in high beam. I'm still happy with the LEDs though overall.
Which shines farther down the road on low beam? LED or Xenon? Distance is more important to me in a fast car than how much brighter near me is.
Nick, this was very helpful!
Could you please make a video comparing the new Bose system with the Burmester sound system?
Many thanks!
Nick, do you know which xenon lamps porsche delivers in the cars. maybe you get better result with some different lamps.
I think there is one main reason next to LED what is the HB/LB assistant that is one of the best option in the car industry. Makes you free to switch on/of HB/LB thousands of times, letting you enjoy the car and concentrate on driving. It is a shame Porsche does not offer this option for Xenon (for 1 series BMW you can order it next to Halogen for EUR150). In other words Porsche drives customers with it to this expensive option while LED become standard in the premium segment from mid class.
Another brilliant video Nick. We are missing all of your regular video updates! Do you know if it's a straight in/out replacement if you wanted to replace a 991.1 Xenon headlights with LED headlights?
Great comparison Nick. Very interesting. Thanks for posting.
I agree with restricting the strength of headlights, it can be quite dangerous for other road users making it harder to see cyclists or other vehicles nearby.
Actually when buying a Porsche Xenon is more than enough with such high quality standards, and Xenon looks better with that classic round shape
That would be for the 911 series of sports cars. The 718 Boxster and Cayman have single unit LEDs when you get that option. I too prefer the look of the Bi-Xenons on a 911 over LED, but if you're considering a 718, the LEDs look fantastic.