A fairly new flashlight caught my eye the other day, the JETBeam PC20 rechargeable flashlight. This is a neat compact flashlight that has a lot of features while still being simple to operate. Many flashlights that I review have very robust features so it can be a breath of fresh air to see a flashlight that doesn’t require a lot of fuss to operate it. In this review, I’ll be going over the features of the JETBeam PC20 flashlight and detailing my thoughts on the light in general.
Summary of Contents
1800 Lumen Tactical Flashlight
For how compact this flashlight is – a little over five and a half inches in length – it really has an impressive output of 1800 lumens! I also reviewed the Olight M2R Pro Warrior the other day which also has 1800 lumen output, but both flashlights are extremely different from one another. If you’re wanting a more robust user interface, check out the Olight M2R Pro Warrior.
As I was saying, the JETBeam PC20 features a CREE XHP35 LED and has a maximum beam distance of 280 meters. So with this light, you’ll be seeing a nice balance between a hot spot and a spill. The overall look of the flashlight is extremely sleek and very nice. It does come with a removable pocket clip which makes it easy for everyday carry and you can remove the pocket clip if you don’t want it. It has a crenelated bezel that’s really quite small and works better as extra protection for the lens and LED rather than actual self-defense.
21700 Flashlight
Another 21700 flashlight! I’m so glad to see more and more flashlights use this battery. On top of that, the PC20 flashlight is actually compatible with multiple batteries. So you can equip this light with a 21700 battery, a 20700 battery, or an 18650 battery. JETBeam includes a 21700 battery with a 5100mAh capacity with PC20 flashlight. So if you want the runtimes and the brightness levels that you see on the specs, you’re probably going to need to use that specific battery. Regardless, it’s really exciting to see a 21700 flashlight that’s compatible with more batteries than just 21700 batteries.
Rechargeable Tactical Flashlight
The JETBeam PC20 is also USB rechargeable with USB Type-C charging. More and more flashlights are coming out with the USB Type-C charging which is really exciting. You’ll get a faster charge using it so that you can use your flashlight more rather than having it sit on the charger so often. With the PC20 you do have a charging indicator and a power indicator so you can know what the battery status is at any time. It also comes with over discharge protection which is absolutely something you want. Putting your batteries into deep discharge is never a good thing.
So already I’m really stoked about this LED flashlight. With its compatibility with multiple batteries and the USB Type-C charging, It may become one of the best rechargeable tactical flashlights.
Simple and Tactical User Interface
As I mentioned before, the user interface on this light is extremely simple. It has dual switches, a tail switch and a side switch. The tail switch is going to give you a momentary on and allow you to turn the flashlight on and off while the side switch will let you cycle through the different outputs and access the strobe mode. It does feature a memory function which is always positive. So you can see, the the user interface is extremely easy to learn and will become second nature quickly.
Versatile Multiple Brightness Levels
The PC20 tactical flashlight features five brightness levels and a strobe mode. The five brightness levels are: turbo at 1800 lumens, high at 1060 lumens, middle at 360 lumens, low at 80 lumens, and eco at 12 lumens. In the eco mode, the maximum runtime is 140 hours which is a really good run time! You have a lot of options when it comes to which brightness level you’d like to pick and the spacing between brightness levels is really nice. I know I may be a little picky about this, but I do really like the spacing on this JETBeam flashlight.
This torch is also extremely durable which is absolutely what you want in any everyday carry tactical flashlight. It’s constructed from an aero-grade aluminum alloy and has a military-grade hard anodized finish. You have a tough and ultra-clear mineral glass lens with an anti-reflective coating. The lens is not only tough but extremely clear so that you get the best beam possible. It does have an intelligent temperature control system and this is going to drop the output of the flashlight down if the flashlight is getting too hot. It is IPX8 waterproof and impact resistant up to 1 meter. So if you’re planning on taking this flashlight on the go, it’s prepared for anything.
Final Thoughts
Pros: My favorite things about this LED flashlight include the simple user interface, the USB Type-C charging, the spacing between the brightness levels, and the fact that it’s compatible with multiple batteries. It’s a user-friendly flashlight which means that anyone can quickly pick it up and use it from beginning tactical flashlight users to season tactical flashlight users. The fact that it can take multiple batteries is extremely convenient as well. And, the Type-C charging is always awesome. Did I already mention that?
Cons: One pretty big con about this flashlight is that it gets really hot to the touch very quickly. It’s only going to be lasting a few minutes in that 1800 lumen maximum output before dropping in brightness. So if having a flashlight that gets extremely hot in your hands isn’t something you want to deal with, I wouldn’t recommend this one.
Also, JETBeam does have a warranty of two years where they’ll replace the parts for free. They also have a limited lifetime warranty, but they’ll charge you for parts after the two years is up. While this is still a good warranty, you can find other flashlight brands out there that provide longer warranties. So if warranty is important to you, it’s definitely something to consider before purchasing this light.
Conclusion: This JETBeam flashlight is amazing. It’s compact, rechargeable, and simple to use. It can become your go-to tactical flashlight, everyday carry flashlight, or professional flashlight. It’s really up to you how you would like to use it. It has enough features that it’s still a versatile flashlight while not being oversaturated with features. If you’re looking for a simple tactical light, check out the JETBeam PC20 rechargeable flashlight.