The Wurkkos TS25 is a 21700 format flashlight/torch that ticks many boxes - quad high-CRI Nichia 519A LEDs, claimed 4000 lumen max output, Andurul 2 user interface (UI), USB-C charging, and powerbank functionality. This review takes a look at a prototype version of this flashlight.
Disclaimer
The Wurkkos TS25 was sent to me by Wurkkos for an impartial review. This review is of a prototype version, subsequent production versions may be different. My reviews are written from the perspective of a light painting/night photographer and flashlight enthusiast.
Construction
The Wurkkos TS25 is a 21700 format flashlight, with side switch, USB-C charging, and quad Nichia 5000k 519A LED emitters with TIR optics. There are also RGB auxiliary LEDs underneath the optic. These RGB auxiliary LEDs are for show, and not useful for illumination purposes. The light is 109.7mm in length, max diameter of 32mm, and head bezel diameter of 29.5mm. The light's waist is narrower than the head at approx. 25mm. Weight is 77g without the battery. The light has a tailcap magnet, which may be a good or bad thing. Retail price is US$42.
The light arrived in a Wurkkos branded box, with a lanyard, 21700 battery, spare O-rings, and USB-A to USB-C cable. There was no side clip or diffuser included. No instructions were included. However they can be found on Wurkkos's website.
The battery tube is designed for unprotected 21700 batteries, and un-screws at the both the head and tail end. The tail end (-ve) has a spring, and head end (+ve) has a post. A Wurkkos branded 5000mAh unprotected 21700 Li-ion battery is included. The OEM of this battery is unknown.
The side e-switch and USB-C charging port (with rubber plug) are on opposite sides of the head. The switch has an indicator light in the middle. Blue flashing for charging, solid blue for fully charged. When turned on the light green for >3.7V and red for <3.7V, and flashing red for almost discharged (not sure of the exact voltage). Charging was tested to terminate at 4.18V which is acceptable. USB-A to USB-C and USB-C to USB-C cables both work for charging. The light also functions on all stepped brightness levels whilst charging. Using a USB-C to USB-C cable, this light can also work as a powerbank.
With a side switch, this light isn't suitable for use with light painting systems. It is however a useful light for night photography illumination, and is reviewed as such. Wurkkos sell a compatible diffuser. The light fits in U-shaped tripod mounts from Kaidomain, or Small Rig clamps.
User Interface
The Wurkkos TS25 uses the open source Anduril 2 user interface (UI). Thus UI is extremely popular with flashlight enthusiasts, but non-flashlight enthusiasts often find it confusing to use. The light comes as default in Simple UI, which is fairly simple to use. This has a single click for on/off, hold to increase/decrease brightness, and triple click from on to change between ramped brightness and stepped brightness (5 levels). Double click jumps to Turbo mode, and double click jumps back to the previously used brightness. Hold from off accesses moonlight mode. The light has last mode memory, apart from Turbo.
10 clicks, with >0.5sec hold on the last click enters Advanced UI. This enables 7 brightness steps by default, as well as strobe modes, momentary modes, and UI customisation. Unfortunately thermal calibration is inaccurate, which means that a user has to master the complex Advanced UI if they want accurate thermal calibration, or increase the default step down temperature. A picture tells a thousand words, so here is an Anduril 2 UI diagram. There are some differences in the TS25 Anduril 2 implementation to this chart.
It should be noted that RGB aux LED configuration in the prototype version is slightly different to other Anduril configurations I've seen, requiring 7 clicks (and no hold) to change the setting between rainbow stepped mode> battery indicator mode> red> green> blue> off. The RGB Aux LEDs are relatively bright compared to Emisar/Noctigon lights, and resulting in parasitic drain that could empty a battery in less than 2 weeks. It is likely that the RGB aux LED implementation will be modified in the production version.
Beam, Output, and Runtime
The Wurkkos TS25 has quad Nichia 519A LEDs, with a CCT of 5000k, and a claimed maximum output of 4000 lumens. These are placed in a quad TIR optic, with a 25 degree hotspot, 125 degree spill beam, and 170 degree outer spill beam. I would call this beam profile "general purpose", with a bright wide hotspot, and very wide but dim spill beam.
The Nichia 519A LED has made a big impact in 2022, being a LED with >95CRI/R9080 for excellent colour rendering, decent brightness, and neutral tint. I now only recommend high CRI lights for floody illumination for night photography, with the only exceptions for when silly amounts of lumens are required. Low CRI "throwy" high output LEDs such as the SST40 and SFT40 are still useful for tactical and thrower category lights.
The Wurkkos TS25, as with the Acebeam E70 Mini, is only currently available with a neutral white 5000k colour temperature (CCT). If you require warmer or cooler 519A CCTs, then consider the Convoy S2+, S21E, S21D, and various Noctigon/Emisar lights instead which are available with CCTs from warm 2700k to cool 5700k.
Colour temperature (CCT), tint (DUV), and colour rendering index (CRI) were tested on brightness mode 7/7, hotspot measurement, with an Opple Light Master Pro 3.
CCT 4714k - nice neutral colour temperature, slightly yellow.
DUV +0.0036 - very slight green tint, perfectly acceptable.
CRI 95.8 - very high CRI as expected from the 519A.
Claimed brightness and runtimes (in Advanced UI) are:
1/7 - 1 lumen, runtime not stated.
2/7 - 18 lumens, 96hr
3/7 - 60 lumens, 27hr
4/7 - 130 lumens, 11hr
5/7 - 480 lumens, 4hr25mins
6/7 - 1050 lumens, 3hr50mins
7/7 - 1800 lumens, 2hr40mins
Turbo - 4000 lumens, 2hr30mins
I tested lumens to be within +/- 10% of claimed lumens for all steps. Runtimes for higher modes with the included 5000mAh battery were longer than stated, most likely due to relatively low sustained brightness (see below). Runtime on Turbo resulted in 4hr40mins of "useable" brightness until step down to less than 100 lumens occurred. The light will keep stepping down as battery voltage diminishes, meaning that you won't be suddenly left in the dark.
The first 20 minutes of runtime on Turbo mode resulted in the following measurements:
5 secs - 3870 lumens
30 secs - 851 lumens
1 min - 130 lumens
5 mins - 377 lumens
10 mins - 307 lumens
15 mins - 263 lumens
20 mins - 291 lumens - brightness stabilised from 18 minutes.
On brightness brightness step 5/7:
5 secs - 470 lumens
5 mins - 458 lumens
10 mins - 355 lumens
15 mins - 280 lumens
20 mins - 279 lumens
Testing was performed with 'out of the box' thermal calibration and settings. The maximum brightness of 3870 lumens is close to specification, however the brightness rapidly steps down within seconds to just 130 lumens at 1 minute. Sustained brightness on both Turbo and step 5/7 is just under 300 lumens. This sustained brightness is pretty mediocre compared to the light's peers. For example Wurkkos's own FC11 LH351D can sustain 300-350lm, the Emisar D4K 519A Boost, Convoy S21E 519A, and Acebeam E70 Mini 519A can sustain 500-600lm. Re-calibrating the TS25s thermal sensor, and increasing the step down temperature should improve performance, but won't work miracles. On the plus side, the out of a box thermal calibration and settings means that the light won't get too hot to handle.
Conclusion
Positives:
Reasonable value for money.
Excellent neutral CCT and tint.
Excellent colour rendering (>95CRI).
Anduril 2's Advanced UI popular with flashlight enthusiasts. Simple UI is OK for consumers.
Last mode memory.
Stepped or ramping brightness.
Moonlight mode with direct access from off.
Fast USB-C charging and included 21700 battery.
Powerbank functionality.
Tail cap magnet may be useful.
Negatives:
Very rapid brightness step down in Turbo mode.
Mediocre sustained brightness (out of the box settings).
Advanced UI is too confusing for non-flashlight enthusiasts.
Adjusting thermal calibration/step down settings requires mastering of Advanced UI to fix.
No side clip, diffuser, or instructions included.
Only one CCT available.
The Wurkkos TS25 is a great consumer grade flashlight for low to medium brightness general purpose illumination, offering a 95CRI neutral white beam, USB-C charging, powerbank, and magnetic tailcap functionality. It is the sort of flashlight that manufacturers such as Olight, Nitecore, Fenix, and Klarus should be producing if they weren't still stuck in the dark ages of low CRI LEDs. For the same $$$, it outperforms most hardware store flashlights. The Anduril Advanced UI may be too complex for many consumers, but the default Simple UI is easy to use.
Max brightness is a bit of a gimmick as brightness steps down very rapidly. Mediocre sustained brightness and lack of CCT options means that this light misses out on a place in my flashlight buying guide for light painting/night photographers. If I wrote a buying guide for best flashlights for taking the dog for a walk, it might make the cut.
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