Acebeam W50 2.0: LEP flashlight with 3 miles of range and USB-C now available

Acebeam has introduced a new LEP flashlight called the W50 2.0. This is a bulky piece of equipment and therefore more suitable for carrying it in a shoulder bag, if at all. The new W50 weighs 1660 grams or about 3.7 lbs, so this flashlight is even heavier than many modern laptops.

This weight is mainly caused by the rugged design and internal components. Acebeam uses eight 18650 cells as the power source, but they cannot be replaced. Therefore, charging takes place via USB Type-C. Acebeam does not provide precise numbers in terms of battery capacity, but assuming a voltage of 3.7 volts, the flashlight should offer roughly 92Wh.

This raises the question of how fast the battery can be charged, as there are references to a fast charging mode. Whether this has been implemented via USB Power Delivery is not clearly stated in the spec sheet or manual. Anyhow, it is reasonable to assume that no proprietary charging technology such as Qualcomm Quick Charge is used. If only USB Type-C current is available, meaning 3A at 5V without the PD protocol, the charging time would be excessively long.

The large battery powers a high performance LEP light, which stands for laser excited phosphor. Lumen figures are rather insignificant here because they are relatively low and the beam is extremely focused. Accordingly, the W50 2.0 can cover an impressive distance of 5km or over 3 miles with 1,900 lumens, according to Acebeam.

As is typical for Acebeam flashlights, this mode does not last very long and ends after just 50 seconds. The flashlight then drops to 1,050 lumens for 2:40 hours, but no range is specified for this mode. However, since continuous operation allows 650 lumens with a range of roughly 2 miles, an effectively usable range of around 2.5 miles would be plausible. These values apply to the spotlight.

The flashlight can also zoom out. In this mode, the beam resembles that of a conventional LED flashlight. At the brightest setting, 2,200 lumens are available, illuminating an area up to 486 yards with a floodlight. This mode is available for 5 minutes before dropping to 1,250 lumens for another 2:40 hours.

A class 3B laser generates the light beam. Due to the extremely high output, there are various warnings. Even though it is not a classic laser, it should never be aimed at someone’s eyes. Caution is required even in search and rescue scenarios, which are one of the intended use cases, and it may be advisable to start off with a lower output level in many cases.

That said, this Acebeam flashlight is rugged and sports an IP68 rating. A removable carrying handle is intended to make it manageable despite the high weight. The gadget can further be mounted on a tripod. The W50 2.0 is about 8.6 inches long and has a head diameter of 3.3 inches.

The Acebeam W50 2.0 is listed on the manufacturer’s website for $2,999, but it doesn't appear to be available through regular retail channels.