Nitecore TINI3 Review
The best EDC flashlight for most people is a hard thing to pin down. But after two months of carry I think the TINI3 deserves to be ranked up there with both the 47s Mini Turbo Mark III and the Reylight Mini Pineapple v3. All three represent something truly special for an everyday carry and each brings something to the table the others lack. I will break this down more in the competition section below, but suffice to say that inclusion in this lofty group is a great sign. The Nitecore TINI3 is unquestionably a great light. It is also the first light I have used that makes the tradeoff for built in batteries worthwhile.
The TINI3 is also the first light with a full smart display that I think works well as an EDC flashlight. Until now the smart display has been either too gimmicky or too large to make sense. Most have been either uselessly tiny or another smartphone in your pocket, which you really don’t want. This display light strikes the balance perfectly and the result is a truly innovative EDC torch that absolutely disappears in the pocket. In fact, we have now reached a point there EDC torches can be TOO light. How weird of a world do we live in when our fully functional gear might be TOO light? Its delightful.
But make no mistake, we get there through som real innovation—built-in batteries, a smart display, and a high impact plastic body. Oh, and 600 lumens in a package that is the size and weight of three quarters. Did I forget to mention you can change the color temp on the fly? Yep, cool, neutral, or warm are available with a touch of a button (or two). This is a truly groundbreaking light at this size and price and a worthy contender for best EDC for most people (the Top Tens are still planned for their annual March update). How does all of this innovation score? Let’s see.
Here is the product page. Here is a review from Zero Air. Here is a video review. Here is an Amazon link. Here is the review sample:
TDLR: Amazingly innovative and a damn good light.
Design: 2
It is hard to show just how small this light really is. I have medium sized hands and it basically disappears. There have been small lights before, the LRI Photon being one of them, but this is the first small light that I feel like represents zero compromise. Not just that, this is the first small light that feels like it is the right size, not a miniaturized version of a bigger light shrunk down for an intended use. This is precisely the right size for this light. Without a built-in battery this light would be pretty hard to make work and so it represents something new for me—a light where a non-removeable battery doesn’t just work but is required. The TINI3 is categorically different from what came before in terms of technology and unlike something like the hunk-o-trash that was the Wuben G5, all of the gee whiz stuff bows down to and serves the design. This is a chef’s kiss in terms of design.
Fit and Finish: 2
Its molded plastic. But there are no errors, rough seams, or off centered marks. This is not an engraved bolster on a mirror polished blade. Instead this is about as low a difficulty as it gets, but what is here is well done.
Grip: 2
If you have ever used one of the LRI Photons you get how this thing works in the hand. Its light, easy to orient in the dark, and thanks to a good set of switches easy to use will still holding fast.
Carry: 2
Carry is unquestionably the most underrated aspect of gear. You carry something probably 99.995% of the time and yet it is often an afterthought for both designers and consumers. Carry matters a lot. Ignoring how something intended as EDC gear carries is like evaluating mattresses based on looks. And, in this regard you will have a hard time finding something that more elegantly drops into a coin pocket than the TINI3. As its name indicates it’s tiny. There is some danger of hot pocketing, but the lock out feature (hold both buttons for five seconds) is dead simple to activate and deactivate (also hold both buttons for five seconds—there is even a charge meter shown on the screen during unlock). This is a gem in the pocket.
Output: 2
With a whisper bright low at 1% and a 600 lumen high on turbo (or 200 lumens on high) the TINI3 is so bright for its size, you’ll love it. But that’s not all in terms of output. The light can also alternate color temp output. The ability to swap, while kind of like adjustable shelves in a bookcase (you never change them once you sent them to what you want), gives you the ability to buy one light for any preference. No light this size and do this and for that reason the TINI3 really stands out in terms of output. Also, how cool are modern LEDs?
Runtime: 2
With 85 hours on the 1 lumen low and 20 minutes at 600 lumens, the TINI3 has great runtimes, but even better than lasting a long time, is knowing EXACTLY how long you have left down to the minute. Over the past few months I have kept track and these times are pretty accurate. It doesn’t get better than that and, again, no other light this size can do what the TINI3 can.
Beam Type: 1
Thrower this is not. Its basically just a squashed beam with nothing AT ALL like throw. Its the oLight Baton with even worse optics. In a house or around the interior of car, the TINI3 works well. On a driveway it is okay. Beyond that, in a parking garage or the woods at night, and the TINI3 is basically useless.
Beam Quality: 2
With user selectable color temp and a very diffuse lens, there is a lot of tech designed to make the beam both pleasing in color rendering AND artifact free. The drawback, of course, is the terrible throw, but at least it was a trade off with real upside.
UI: 2
Two buttons near each other, both recessed but still accessible is a great set up. When you add a basically flawless display screen, the TINI3 makes mincemeat of other UIs. It is not as a good something like the HDS Rotary, but it is still very, very good.
Hands Free: 2
There are few things as appealing about good design when something works exactly like you expect it to. Here, the removal of the lanyard tab worked just as I hoped it would and the result is a light that is even more pocketable than it was before (by a smidge) AND it can tail stand. Of course the TINI3 is a dream when you have to bite it and it can’t roll away. This might be as good as a light can be hands-free.
Other Considerations
Fidget Factor: Low
Not much to do here, but it is a perfect size.
Fett Effect: Very Low
This thing will show no wear until it looks and is about to go kaput.
Value: Very High
For $40 this is a great buy and the cheapest of the peak three EDC lights.
Overall Score: 19 out of 20
Well, the tides of time wash over all of us and even I can see that built-in batteries are the future. This light is a glorious example of what happens when you really harness the benefits of built-ins. The light is so small and so capable. The ability to shift color temperature is not that big a deal, but it is a nice freebie on a light that does everything but throw well. I do think that these mega-squashy beams need to go away, but alas, very few things are perfect, even cutting edge EDC gear.
Competition
There are three premiere EDC torches, the 47s Mini Turbo Mk. 3, the Reylight Mini Pineapple v3, and the Nitecore TINI3. Each brings something different to your pocket. If you want the absolutely smallest light, this is it. The Mini Pineapple is super slim and easy to use, and the Mini Turbo is actually a good thrower. I could pick any of the three and since I have had the TINI3, it has been in my pocket the most often. There is recency bias for sure, but it is a damn good light. I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that this light is the cheapest of the three by at least $30. Now if you have a bit more room in your pocket, I think the Zebralight SC65 is a step up from all three of these tiny torches, but the battery hassle makes it more of an enthusiast choice. If we are talking the best light for most people, it’s one of the three smaller lights and I think that the TINI3 is probably the winner.
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