Olight ArkPro vs Olight Baton Ultra
Quick take: The Olight Baton Ultra is brighter (1,800 vs 1,500 lm); the Olight Baton Ultra throws farther (300m vs 205m); the Olight Baton Ultra runs longer on high (2400 vs 336 hrs).
Which one to buy
Four light sources against one good one. These $100 Olights share USB-C and magnetic charging, a lifetime warranty and the same 4.1-ounce weight, so the choice is shape and job. The ArkPro is a flat slab with four sources: a 1,500-lumen flood, an 800-lumen spot reaching 205 meters, a 365nm UV emitter and a green laser on its own switch. The Baton Ultra is a single-purpose tube with the stronger white beam: 1,800 lumens through a TIR lens, 22,500 candela and 300 meters.
Batteries split them more than anything. The ArkPro's 2000mAh cell is sealed in, so when it wears out, the light does too. The Baton Ultra uses a replaceable 18650, but it's Olight's own dual-terminal cell and standard 18650s won't work. Owners point out that Olight has made that cell for years, so spares aren't a worry.
ArkPro owners call its build exquisite and like the flat wedge, which carries far better than a tube. They dislike that turbo locks out below roughly two-thirds charge, and say the edges beside the rotary selector are sharp. Baton Ultra owners praise the OAL body, the strong metal clip with a magnetic tail, the 2-meter drop rating and over three hours at the brightest setting. Their complaints: the front gets hot on that setting, the tint isn't accurate by enthusiast standards, and the interface comes nowhere near Anduril's flexibility. Both run cool, low-CRI emitters.
The ArkPro is the only one of the two with UV and a laser, and that's its whole argument. At everything a flashlight is mainly for, the Baton Ultra does better: it reaches farther, adds a tail switch for quick use, and takes a cell you can replace when it wears out.
Olight ArkPro
Only if you'll use UV or the green laser often enough to give up reach and a replaceable battery for them.
Olight Baton Ultra
For most people who want one $100 Olight for general use: the stronger beam, a tail switch and a cell you can replace.
| Spec | Olight ArkPro | Olight Baton Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | $99.99 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | EDC | EDC |
| Lumens | 1,500 lm | 1,800 lm |
| Candela | 10,640 cd | 22,500 cd |
| Beam distance | 205m | 300m |
| Runtime | 336 hrs (moonlight) | 2400 hrs (moonlight) |
| Battery | Built-in | 18650 |
| LED | SFT-40 Flood + SFT-25 Spot + UV + Green Laser | Olight EIP 1 + TIR |
| Beam type | Balanced | Balanced |
| Modes | 5 Stepped + UV | 5 Stepped + Strobe |
| UI | Dual Switch | Dual Switch |
| IP rating | IPX7 | IPX8 |
| CRI | 70 | 70 |
| Weight | 4.1 oz | 4.1 oz |
| Dimensions | 4.9 x 1.1 in | 4.5 x 0.9 in |
| Warranty | Lifetime | Lifetime |
What owners report
Olight ArkPro
- ✓USB-C charging — you use a cable you already have
- ✓Flat wedge shape carries far better than a tube
- ✓Superalloy unibody construction, claimed 1.73x harder than 6061
- ✓Exquisite build quality with no fit or finish issues out of the box
- ✓1,500 lumens plus UV and a laser pointer in a remote-sized body
- ✗Turbo becomes inaccessible below roughly two-thirds charge
- ✗The edges beside the rotary selector are sharp and should be chamfered
- ✗One reviewer's unit had a small factory finishing blemish
- ✗Around $100 is expensive for the size
- ✗Low-CRI emitter, as with most Olights
Olight Baton Ultra
- ✓Over 1,600 lumens with a beam reviewers rate above the Baton 4 Pro's
- ✓Both MCC magnetic charging and a hidden USB-C port in the tailcap
- ✓OAL aluminium — sturdy and scratch-resistant for the weight
- ✓Strong metal clip plus magnetic tail, and drop-rated to two metres
- ✓Over three hours of runtime at the brightest setting
- ✗The front gets hot on the brightest setting
- ✗Emitters aren't tint-accurate by enthusiast standards
- ✗Interface nowhere near Anduril's flexibility
- ✗Proprietary protected 18650 — standard cells won't work
- ✗Closed ecosystem tying you to Olight's accessories
Olight ArkPro vs Olight Baton Ultra: common questions
Can I replace the battery in the ArkPro like I can in the Baton Ultra?▾
No. The ArkPro's 2000mAh cell is built in. The Baton Ultra's 18650 is replaceable, though only with Olight's proprietary dual-terminal cell, and owners say Olight has produced it for years, so spares are easy to find.
Does the Baton Ultra get hot compared with the ArkPro?▾
Owners say the Baton Ultra's front gets hot on the brightest setting, which they also say runs for over three hours. The ArkPro's limit is a different one: its turbo locks out below roughly two-thirds charge.
Which charges more conveniently, the ArkPro or the Baton Ultra?▾
Both take USB-C and Olight's magnetic charger, so either works with a cable you already own. The ArkPro refills in 1.5 hours, and the Baton Ultra hides its USB-C port under the tailcap, which owners call a substantial improvement for the line.