Olight i3T EOS vs Olight i1R 2 EOS
Quick take: The Olight i1R 2 EOS costs $3 less; the Olight i3T EOS is brighter (180 vs 150 lm); the Olight i3T EOS throws farther (60m vs 40m); the Olight i3T EOS runs longer on high (40 vs 15 hrs).
Which one to buy
Leftover stock is the only way to get an i1R 2 EOS now that Olight has replaced it with the i1R 2 Pro in the US. Against that, the i3T EOS is the easy recommendation.
The two answer the keychain question differently. The i1R 2 EOS is smaller than an AA battery and weighs 0.4 ounces, and you twist the head a little for low, further for high, back for off. Owners like that there's nothing to learn and no switch to press by accident, and they're surprised it puts out enough light for a small room. Its aluminum body has survived repeated drop tests, and a charge lasts a month or more in short-burst keychain use. The limits come from a sealed 70mAh cell: high runs only briefly, charging is slow micro-USB, the end cap feels loose while the port is open, and once the cell wears out the light is finished.
The i3T EOS is a slim AAA tail-switch light at 1.1 ounces, rated at 180 lumens and 900 candela for 60 meters, with 40 minutes on high. Owners praise the clean tail switch, a moonlight mode low enough to keep your night vision, and cells you can buy anywhere. Their gripes are specific. There's no keyring attachment on the body, so it goes on a ring by the clip; the protruding switch means it can't tailstand; and there's no lockout at all, so it can switch on in a bag. AAA cells don't last long, and it's cool white with no high-CRI option.
Both are IPX8 with lifetime warranties, about $3 apart. The i3T EOS will outlive any battery you put in it; the i1R 2 EOS can't, and it's no longer made.
Olight i3T EOS
Best for nearly everyone: a slim AAA light with a good tail switch and a battery you can replace, as long as no lockout doesn't bother you.
Olight i1R 2 EOS
Only if you find one cheaply and want the smallest twist light going, knowing it's discontinued and its sealed cell can't be replaced.
| Spec | Olight i3T EOS | Olight i1R 2 EOS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $18 | $15 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Keychain | Keychain |
| Lumens | 180 lm | 150 lm |
| Candela | 900 cd | 400 cd |
| Beam distance | 60m | 40m |
| Runtime | 40 min (high) | 15 min (high) |
| Battery | AAA | Built-in |
| LED | Philips Luxeon TX | CREE XP-G3 |
| Beam type | Balanced | Flood |
| Modes | 2 Stepped | 2 Stepped |
| UI | Simple | Twist |
| IP rating | IPX8 | IPX8 |
| CRI | 70 | 70 |
| Weight | 1.1 oz | 0.4 oz |
| Dimensions | 3.5 x 0.6 in | 2.0 x 0.6 in |
| Warranty | Lifetime | Lifetime |
What owners report
Olight i3T EOS
- ✓Genuinely disappears in a pocket — light enough to forget
- ✓Runs on AAA cells you can buy anywhere
- ✓Excellent tail switch with a clean action
- ✓Moonlight mode low enough to preserve dark adaptation
- ✓Among the brightest dedicated AAA lights, with a durable aluminium body
- ✗Cool white with no high-CRI option
- ✗No lithium-ion support and AAA cells don't last long
- ✗No keyring attachment on the light — you have to use the clip
- ✗Can't tailstand because the switch protrudes
- ✗No lockout at all; unscrewing the tailcap doesn't disable it
Olight i1R 2 EOS
- ✓Smaller than an AA cell and genuinely unnoticeable on a keyring
- ✓Surprisingly bright for the size — enough to light a small room
- ✓Aluminium body has survived repeated drop tests
- ✓A month or more per charge in normal keychain use
- ✓Dead-simple twist interface with nothing to learn
- ✗About twenty minutes of runtime on high
- ✗Sealed 70mAh cell means the light is disposable once it degrades
- ✗Micro-USB charging at roughly 0.06A
- ✗The end cap feels loose while the charging port is open
- ✗Discontinued in the US in favour of the i1R 2 Pro
Olight i3T EOS vs Olight i1R 2 EOS: common questions
Should I buy the i1R 2 EOS now that it's discontinued?▾
Only at a clear discount. Owners note it has been replaced in the US by the i1R 2 Pro, and its sealed 70mAh cell means the light is finished once the battery degrades. The i3T EOS runs on replaceable AAA cells instead.
Which is easier to keep on a keyring, the i3T EOS or the i1R 2 EOS?▾
The i1R 2 EOS. Owners say its keyring attachment feels secure, while the i3T EOS has no attachment point on the body and goes on a ring through its pocket clip, which owners find less secure.
Will the i3T EOS turn on by accident in a bag?▾
It can. Owners say it has no lockout and loosening the tailcap doesn't disable it, so clipping it tip-down in a pocket is the usual workaround. The i1R 2 EOS's twist head avoids accidental presses.