Wuben X0 Flashlight Review: Unique, Compact and Bright

The Wuben X0 is one of the first super compact flashlights from the Lightok series and the developers clearly gave their best at keeping the device as small as possible, while also aiming at a very bright light output.

Yes, there are brighter flashlights even from Wuben, but all the other models are larger, some twice the size of the X0. It’s interesting to see the advancements that have been made in the LED industry. Another cool thing about this small flashlight is that it’s made of metal (seems to be brass) and you can magnetically attach the device to metallic surfaces. Furthermore, Wuben says that the X0 is IP68-rated which means that water won’t damage the flashlight.

But, after testing the X3, I became a bit skeptical of these claims, especially since on the Wuben X0, we do get an exposed USB-C port. Well, there is a cover that’s magnetically held into place, but water still can get at the charging port – we’ll see how efficient everything is in a minute.
So yes, you can recharge the inner battery and what’s very interesting and a rarity on electronic devices nowadays is that you can replace the battery at any time. The last highlighted feature is the Tritium slots which I suppose does offer some degree of customization if you’re into that sort of thing. That being said, let’s put the Wuben X0 to the test and see how well it performs.

Design and Build Quality

I was very impressed by how small the Wuben X3 was, but the Wuben X0 is even smaller, measuring only 2.24 x 1.1 x 0.96 inches (5.7 x 2.8 x 2.4cm) so it’s more compact than a lighter and you should have no trouble carrying it around in your pocket. Or you can just attach it to any piece of clothing (or bag) with the help of the rear-placed clip. And I am pretty sure that with the exception of the lens, everything is made of metal (some retail stores swear that it’s brass). Does that make it heavier?

It’s not lightweight, but at 2.89 ounces (82g), it’s definitely going to ‘feel’ that it’s premium built. There are various colors combinations available and I got the black and blue version (it’s a matte finish that covers the case) which I think looks nice. The metallic case is rectangular and there are lots of angles and shapes all around, including the aforementioned Tritium slots, but I didn’t see any openings or ventilation holes. There is one though at the top which magnetically attaches to the main body of the Wuben X0.

Underneath it, there is a USB-C port and I did like that they didn’t go with a narrow tunnel, forcing the user to get very specific USB-C cables (you can use whichever you like). This detachable piece is also the button that turns on the flashlight, and I did like the simplicity of this concept a lot (this is the team that also developed the USB-C lanyard seen on the X3, which I though was very cool).

The idea behind the button is pretty much the same as on the X3: press it once to turn on the light at its lowest intensity, then long press it to switch to any brightness level you wish (there are four available). There are two extra strobe light modes, one with the brightness set to max and the other low simulating the SOS pattern. This can be very useful if you ever get lost in the wilderness. I do admit I miss “>the small screen on the X3, but I suppose the simpler system behind the Wuben X0 also works well enough.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that there is an LED at the top next to the button which will turn blue when the light is turned on, regardless of the mode. If you look at the bottom of the flashlight, there is a sort of lid which can be rotated anti-clockwise, thus revealing the inner battery. It’s not easy to open at all and I had to rely on a tool that opens watches to rotate the cover. The inner battery is proprietary from Wuben, but I am sure any battery the same size that’s rechargeable will work just as well.

I already mentioned it, but I will say it again, the bottom piece (the cover) is magnetic and it’s the piece which will help attach the Wuben X0 to metallic surfaces. And it’s a strong magnet, so it works extremely well for repairs in narrow spaces where it’s difficult to use a large flashlight.

How rugged is the Wuben X0?

It does seem like it can take a beating. The case is metallic and there is a slightly elevated ring surrounding the lens which offers extra protection against mechanical shocks. I am not into upgrading flashlights, but I am sure you can rotate the ring, allowing you to remove the glass, so you do get the possibility to change the LED. There is also the IP68-rating aspect which means that the Wuben X0 should be dust proof and water should not be able to damage the device.

I didn’t find any openings, with the exception of the USB-C port – if it’s water protected, then yes, the device should survive harsher conditions. Due to its size, I am sure it will be a favorite for plumbers, a work type were water and dust are common.

The Wuben X0 flashlight in action

The Wuben X3 uses an Osram P9 LED which seems to be properly centered and it’s capable of producing a neutral light, perhaps a bit towards the cooler side. The hotspot of the flashlight is very clear and it seems to be slightly squared, while the spill can be divided into two sections, the clearer and more defined inner ring and the outer ring. I should mention that the light seems more focused throughout all the rings and doesn’t just fade off as you can see on other flashlights.

I saw that the model can also come with the Samsung LH351D LED, the same as the Wuben X3. That being said, the Wuben X0 can reach up to 1,100 ANSI lumen which isn’t half bad for an EDC flashlight and there are various modes with a lower light intensity available. The lowest light intensity mode (called Moon), is one lumen and then you can cycle through the 15, 50 and 250 lumens (tap and hold the button). I used the same app as I did when I tested the X3, so no actual fancy measurement tool, just an iPhone.

This way, the app measured approximately 34K Lux in the Turbo mode (max brightness), while the Moon mode (1 Lumen), it showed 87 Lux – kind of similar to the Wuben X3. Then, moving through the modes in between, the app showed 1,2K Lux, 3.7K Lux and 20K Lux (so I have a bit of doubts about the accuracy of the app especially at higher Lumen). I decided to also add a few photos of the Wuben X0 flashlight in action.

And, as you can see, the device is more than capable of lighting up the area, allowing you to clearly see what’s going on in front of you. I also took a few shots of the beam on the wall to get an idea about how the beam is projected at different brightness intensities. I know that the X3 had a flashing red light, but the Wuben X0 decided to just keep it at the SOS signal – high and low brightness.

The Battery Life

While there is no display to let you know about the exact remaining battery life, the LED indicator at the top of the case will vaguely show you the amount. I say vaguely because the blue light will stay on for about 5 seconds if the battery is equal or above 90%, it will stay on for less than 5 seconds if the battery is between 90 and 40% and it will get red for 5 seconds if the battery level is between 40 and 15%. You will be able to keep the flashlight in Turbo mode for about a minute and, if you’re fine with a less bright light (the High mode), then the runtime can get better, reaching up to 3 hours.

Does it get hot?

The reason why I knew that the Wuben X0 uses an Osram P9 LED was because unlike the X3, the flashlight did not quickly get hot to the touch. It doesn’t get hot at all actually even after prolonged use. I have attached a thermal photo to get a better idea of what to expect.

The photo was captured after about half an hour on the High mode setting (after close to a minute on Turbo mode) – it barely raised it a few degrees above the room temperature (it’s summer here). So you don’t have to worry about burning your hands when using the Wuben X0.

The Conclusion

Just like the X3, the Wuben X0 is a very unique EDC flashlight. It’s incredibly compact, but capable of producing a bright light. And the build quality is excellent, the button is easy to press, but perhaps the battery indicator is a bit vague, although just a minor inconvenience. The battery can be replaced at some point, so the Wuben X0 doesn’t really become e-waste, so yes, for its price tag, it’s most likely the best flashlight that you can get right now.