AceBeam X75 Power Bank Flashlight review: destroyer of darkness

AceBeam X75 Power Bank Flashlight review in a sentence: banish darkness with a flick of a switch! Just make sure you don't point the flashlight at anyone and that you don't leave it on for too long.

Torches come in myriad shapes and sizes, with most designed with a fairly specific set of functions in mind. The AceBeam X75 is the burly boss of them all, elbowing past others to demand a podium place in any decent round-up of the best torches available today. Plus, it's a portable power bank – two in one!

This is an absolute beast of a flashlight-style torch that has the capacity to blast out an 80,000-lumen beam that feels like it could be used to perform cataract surgery on someone in a neighbouring field or signal to intelligent life forms in other galaxies.

There are many potential purposes for this quality torch – it’s absolutely superb for general use around the campsite/base camp after dark. The lower settings are ideal for all kinds of outdoor tasks, and if you need to illuminate a large area, this flashlight is more than capable of doing that. It’s also an excellent torch to keep fully charged in your vehicle if you regularly travel in remote areas. Other scenarios in which the AceBeam X75 excels include during security duties and while engaged in any kind of search and rescue operation. 

PLEASE NOTE: Although the lower settings are more gentle, on the higher settings, the AceBeam X75 is blindingly bright, and it runs pretty hot, even with the cooling fan on. It’s an adults-only device, and even then, you must be very mindful not to leave it on with the beaming face down; otherwise, the heat might cause serious damage, either to the torch itself or to whatever surface it’s left on. It might melt some materials (tent floors, for example) it could potentially even be incendiary.

AceBeam X75 Power Bank Flashlight review: price and availability

The AceBeam X75 Power Bank Flashlight is available to buy now directly from AceBeam for a recommended retail price of $419.90 (approx. £327/ AU$ 623). This certainly isn't your run-of-the-mill Maglite torch! The AceBeam X75 is also available at Amazon US. UK/AU price and availability TBC.

AceBeam X75 Power Bank Flashlight review: specifications

• RRP: $419.90 (US) / £465. 95 (UK) /  €419.90 (EU)
• Weight (including battery): 1,303g / 2lb 14oz
• Dimensions (Length x head diameter): 18cm x 10cm
• Power: Built-in 4 x Rechargeable Li-ion 21700 Battery Pack
• Brightness: Turbo: 80,000 lumens / High: 23,000 lumens / Mid2: 11,000 lumens / Mid1: 5,000 lumens / Low: 2,000 lumens / Ultra-low: 900 lumens / Strobe: 60,000 lumens
• Range: 1,150 metres / 3,773ft
• Modes: Four brightness settings, plus Turbo, Strobe and Ultra-low
• Run time: Turbo: 30-second bursts / High: 40 min / Mid2: 63 min / Mid1: 2h 23min / Low: 5.5h / Ultra-low 8h 20min / Strobe: 50min
• Ingress rating: IP68

AceBeam X75 Power Bank Flashlight review: design and features

The AceBeam X75 is a handheld flashlight with a large head and a handle that stands proud of the body of the torch – partly as a precaution to protect the holder from the heat that builds up when it’s in use.

As already noted, it’s best to keep the AceBeam X75 well out of the reach of young children, and it’s not the kind of torch that you would want to accidentally knock on – not least because it might get dangerously hot – but for both of these reasons, there is a secure lock system on the handle.

Also housed on the handle is the main button, which turns the light on and off and is also used to toggle up and down through four brightness levels: Low, Mid1, Mid2 and High. Double-clicking the main button triggers the Turbo function, activating an 80,000-lumen beam that pierces the night like some handheld lighthouse on steroids. It’s almost indescribably bright. Be careful.

Finally, triple-clicking the main switch sends the torch into strobe mode – which, tempting as it might be, is not intended for transforming your campsite into an alfresco nightclub but to signal for assistance in an emergency.  

Directly in front of the main switch is the auxiliary button (which, confusingly, is actually considerably bigger than the ‘main’ one), and pressing this also activates the Turbo boost feature, but only briefly (for 30 seconds). This button can also be used to control the fan, which is housed just beneath the head of the torch, and works to keep temperatures under control.

The fan is silent most of the time but changes to ‘Windy’ mode and becomes audible when you activate the Turbo light setting (which is quite reassuring, as I wasn’t convinced it was working until I could actually hear it). You can opt to turn the Windy mode off by long-pressing the auxiliary button, but I wouldn’t recommend doing that. You can also turn the torch on to eco mode by pressing the auxiliary button ten times.

Even with the fan on, inevitably, a torch this powerful will generate considerable heat when used on a high setting for extended periods, and this is accentuated by the use of the Turbo mode. Fortunately, AceBeam have built in a few safety features to deal with this. When the unit reaches a certain temperature, the light automatically reduces by a few lumens to reduce the heat, and only once the temperature drops below the cut-off will you be able to reselect a brighter mode.

One last smart heat-related feature is a rubber housing that sits on the head of the torch, which changes colour when the unit gets hot (transforming from dark grey to a sort of dusty blue), and acts both as protection and a bit of a warning.

AceBeam X75 Power Bank Flashlight review: performance

I have been using the AceBeam X75 for over a month in both camping and everyday scenarios and overall, I have been impressed. When you’re attempting to negotiate an inky black campsite at night, this flashlight is capable of illuminating half the site, so if you’re trying to locate something or keep an eye on a rowdy herd of free-range children, the X75 is perfect (just don’t shine it in their eyes!).

 Other people in tents might not be so over-the-moon about having the night split open in such dramatic fashion either, so please aim well and be considerate. It’s best to aim it at the floor in the first instance and select one of the Mid-strength settings (save the big guns for when you really need maximum illumination).

I’ve also been making the most of the X75’s power during night walks in my local woods too, where it reveals entirely new worlds to the curious. But again, you do need to be careful where you point it for the sake of your walking buddies and – very importantly – wildlife. The Mid settings are more than adequate for almost all scenarios, and obviously, the battery charge lasts an awful lot longer on these more sensible settings.

The X75 has an ingress rating of IP68, which makes it both dustproof and means you can completely submerge it in water to a depth of 2 metres. I tested its waterproof claims, and it passed with bright colours, but it’s worth noting that you mustn’t put the torch in cold water when it’s already hot (otherwise, it could sustain damage). It could be used to explore various damp and wet landscapes, such as caves, although it will, of course, occupy one of your hands, unlike the best head torches.  

 To charge the X75, you need to unscrew the base, below which you’ll find a PD60W–100W input and output valve. This can be used to recharge the unit or to transfer power to another device – such as a phone – using the X75 flashlight as a power bank. The battery can be recharged in 1.5 hours.

AceBeam X75 Power Bank Flashlight review: verdict

The AceBeam X75 is an indisputably impressive piece of kit. The build quality is near-enough bombproof, and if you’re prone to watching the news while making mental adjustments to the layout of your Armageddon shelter, then this is definitely the torch for you.

But it’s also a really useful – albeit expensive – tool for all sorts of other people, from outdoor enthusiasts, volunteers and professionals such as rangers, to regular outback travellers and security staff.

The super high-lumen beam settings are what grab people’s attention when looking at this torch, but actually, the vast majority of usage for everyone is likely to be with the mid-range settings on, and the brightness and battery life on these settings is good. Its alter ego as a portable power bank is also really useful, providing you have the right connections to take advantage of it.

AceBeam X75 Power Bank Flashlight review: also consider

If your budget doesn’t stretch to the price of this AceBeam unit – and it is a serious investment – there are many other large flashlights out there that offer a reasonably bright beam and impressive range, and most are a fraction of the price of the X75. These include the dynamic Duronic Camping Lantern LED Torch, which can recharge other devices and has an impressive range, and the AlFlash, a powerful rechargeable Torch Lantern with 8000 lumens and a range of 800 metres. None, however, can hold a candle to the X75 when it comes to super brightness – if that’s important to you.