It's either a halogen projector or a HID projector, full stop.
Since you're comparing a Philips XtremeVision to something from Xenon Depot, I'm going to guess that it's a halogen projector, meaning you use halogen lamps in it. HID 'kits' using halogen bases don't produce a compliant pattern, typically flood the foreground with unwanted light, have a tendency to cook reflector bowls not designed to handle their UV leakage, and can cause electrical problems. They're also illegal and demonstrably more dangerous than stock lights.
Thanks! Is there anything close to the XtremeVision that I should consider?
Osram Nightbreaker Laser and GE Nighthawk Xenon vs Philips XtremeVision is what I would like to compare if possible.As I understand it, the general hierarchy is as follows with preferences in each tier presented in descending order. Note that at each tier performance improves, cost increases, and lifespan is cut markedly.
- Basic Tier Philips / Osram "standard" or "original"
- Tier 3 Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited, GE Nighthawk Platinum
- Tier 2 Philips XtremeVision, Osram Night Breaker Laser, GE Nighthawk Xenon
- Tier 1 Philips Racing Vision
I'd personally be leery of the single Tier 1 suggestion. I gather they're branded as racing bulbs for a reason: tens of hours lifespan, reflector-melting wattages, and exceptionally high price points.
Other members or the mods may come along with more specific suggestions.
I've personally used Philips XtremeVision in two vehicles and the jump from stock was a significant improvement. However, my daily driver was new at the time and in the other vehicle this was concurrent with a headlamp assembly replacement. Of course, there were no revolutionary increases in perceptible output nor miracles of pattern change.
Depending on each specific application, H9 can be possibly be used as an upgrade. But as far as I know only the moderators here know for sure which applications are safe to do so, usually projector beam lamps, not reflector.
As I understand it, the general hierarchy is as follows with preferences in each tier presented in descending order. Note that at each tier performance improves, cost increases, and lifespan is cut markedly.
- Basic Tier Philips / Osram "standard" or "original"
- Tier 3 Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited, GE Nighthawk Platinum
- Tier 2 Philips XtremeVision, Osram Night Breaker Laser, GE Nighthawk Xenon
- Tier 1 Philips Racing Vision
I'd personally be leery of the single Tier 1 suggestion. I gather they're branded as racing bulbs for a reason: tens of hours lifespan, reflector-melting wattages, and exceptionally high price points.
Other members or the mods may come along with more specific suggestions.
I've personally used Philips XtremeVision in two vehicles and the jump from stock was a significant improvement. However, my daily driver was new at the time and in the other vehicle this was concurrent with a headlamp assembly replacement. Of course, there were no revolutionary increases in perceptible output nor miracles of pattern change.
I'd personally be leery of the single Tier 1 suggestion. I gather they're branded as racing bulbs for a reason: tens of hours lifespan, reflector-melting wattages, and exceptionally high price points.
I'd personally be leery of the single Tier 1 suggestion. I gather they're branded as racing bulbs for a reason: tens of hours lifespan, reflector-melting wattages, and exceptionally high price points.
White light is white. When a bulb is described by the marketer as "whiter" that usually means a blue coating has been applied, stripping useful light from the bulb.I'm actually leaning towards the Osram NightBreaker Unlimited vs the XtremeVision's. Someone correct this website if they are wrong, but the Osram's seem whiter and stronger no?
If I need an optimal H11, this GE NHX is the one I'm reaching for. Unlike the Philips and Osram product, it has only a tiny, thin band of blue tint right at the tip where it makes no difference. The Osram and Philips bulbs do have a clear band around the filament, but they also have bigger blue areas on the glass, which can only reduce the amount of light reaching the road. All of these bulbs are going to have short lifespan relative to a standard or LL bulb, but that doesn't matter much because (1) the LL bulbs start out dim and they live long enough to become really dim, whereas the high-perf bulbs burn out before they can dim significantly, and (2) even expensive bulbs are cheap compared to a crash.
Why would you choose this bulb over the GE Nighthawk Xenon?
Oh wait that's the same one actually. I can find one for $35 on eBay.
eBay seller has very high ratings. Package looks exactly the same on amazon as it does on eBay. What do you mean."This bulb" is the GE Night Hawk Xenon.
If you're a gambling man, sure.
Like, EXACTLY the same, in that they used the same stock photo? Because OBVS....eBay seller has very high ratings. Package looks exactly the same on amazon as it does on eBay.
He means what he means. eBay and Amazon can be rife with counterfeit products, and many people never know what they have purchased is a counterfeit. Examples include the HIR1 and HIR2 bulbs that people claim fit their HB3 or HB4 headlamps without any base modification at all, which is quite impossible-- the base of the HIRx is keyed such that no HBx lamp can accept one without the bulb being modified.What do you mean.(sic)
They don't even have to be counterfeit. They could be from a pallet of bulbs that was supposed to go to scrap because it fell off a lift truck, or a loading dock or a warehouse shelf or whatever, but got "creatively redirected out of the waste stream" (snuck off the premises by an employee and what do you know, now there's a super deal on Ebay...)
So how do we know where to buy these bulbs since not too many places have them available even??? We're told to stay away from hid and led, but to go on a wild goose chase to find halogens.
It's not a "wild goose chase" to find good halogen bulbs, especially not when you're given a reliable link. I think this thread's done now; the questions are getting thoughtless and silly.crvrav said:We're told to stay away from hid and led, but to go on a wild goose chase to find halogens.