[Tengocity]

I'll get my 330e with adaptive LEDs in a few months whilst still having my 335d with adaptive xenons, so will be able to side by side tests. How exciting!

[Mr NSB]

Originally Posted by xenon

The adaptive have the halos and eyebrows in DRL mode whereas the non-adaptive just have four lights?

The halogens have 4 LED DRL's and I believe the LED and LED adaptive have the same halo's.

[RobUK]

Am I missing something obvious here? With the pre-LCI Xenons I had TWO headlights, one either side - the 'inner' lights were just fakes - somewhere for BMW to put the second halo ring. On the LCI adaptive LEDs I now have FOUR headlights because the inner lights are actually functioning headlights as well. So even if the individual LED headlights may have a slightly lower LM rating (and a correspondingly lower LUX) compared with individual Xenon headlights, I now have double the amount of them

Personally I like the LEDs - they seem to give a much more even spread and the distance they throw down the road on main beam looks pretty good to me. The one thing I would agree with is that on dipped beam they do sometimes feel a little 'low'.

[NISFAN]

Light is very difficult to compare. As said, beam focus and penetration is more important than 'brightness' or light output.

I'm not sure if LED technology has improved, I'm sure it has, but an M6 F13 that I had with LED lights were not good. High beam was good in that it lit up the near world like a Castle Bravo, but didn't have good penetration at distance, which is what you want from a good headlight. Probably why they feel the need to supplement LED with Laser for long distance?

Regarding Lumens and the chart posted earlier, you need to take one thing into consideration, and that is that LED's flash, whereas Xenon pulse. So LED's go from full light output to zero light output repeatedly. Whereas Xenon produce waves of continuous light. That has an effect on measuring equipment, as it usually measures average light output. The human eye sees the light at it's peak value apparently and doesn't detect the flashing on off situation.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by xenon

The adaptive have the halos and eyebrows in DRL mode whereas the non-adaptive just have four lights?

No! The non adaptive have exactly the same new style DRL.

You're thinking of the halogens!

[teaston]

Originally Posted by RobUK

Am I missing something obvious here? With the pre-LCI Xenons I had TWO headlights, one either side - the 'inner' lights were just fakes - somewhere for BMW to put the second halo ring. On the LCI adaptive LEDs I now have FOUR headlights because the inner lights are actually functioning headlights as well. So even if the individual LED headlights may have a slightly lower LM rating (and a correspondingly lower LUX) compared with individual Xenon headlights, I now have double the amount of them

Personally I like the LEDs - they seem to give a much more even spread and the distance they throw down the road on main beam looks pretty good to me. The one thing I would agree with is that on dipped beam they do sometimes feel a little 'low'.

I think you might have hit the nail on the head there! Two lights in each headlight unit must be what makes the LED's brighter overall!

Re dipped beam too low, mine were also far too low from factory so I adjusted them up myself, just need a hex bit with preferably a cordless drill. They're bloody amazing now!

[xenon]

Ah, OK. I didn't even think you could get halogens any more: I thought - like the 1 series - basic LEDs were now the entry level.

What a load of shite, halogens in this day and age on a premium brand.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by xenon

Ah, OK. I didn't even think you could get halogens any more: I thought - like the 1 series - basic LEDs were now the entry level.

What a load of shite, halogens in this day and age on a premium brand.

LED's are only standard on M Sports, on both 3 & 1 series.

[xenon]

I thought on the 1-series it was across the range. What you say makes more sense.

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by xenon

Ah, OK. I didn't even think you could get halogens any more: I thought - like the 1 series - basic LEDs were now the entry level.

What a load of shite, halogens in this day and age on a premium brand.

xenon

When will you upgrade your name to LED or even better... LASER?!

[teaston]

Originally Posted by xenon

I thought on the 1-series it was across the range. What you say makes more sense.

No, definitely just M Sport

[xenon]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

xenon

When will you upgrade your name to LED or even better... LASER?!

When I get a car so-equipped!!

[Rich9600]

Our mini with the Cornering LED Lights uses additional LEDs to light up round corners. This could be the same on the new adaptive units and account for the max brightness being higher on the adaptive units than the standard ones.

Xenons use shutters to move the light.

[B33M3R]

I'm awaiting delivery of my F31 335d and haven't specc'd the adaptive option this time around, so standard LEDs for me!

I've had the E90 Xenon adaptives (left & right sweeping) and lastly the LCI Xenon adaptives (full split beam array etc) on the F10. Both were good but the F10 was massive leap in tech.

I was anticipating a bit of a step back on the new car, but reading this I'm thinking even if I'd gone for the adaptives it still may have been the case.

[Daftasabrush]

Originally Posted by RobUK

Am I missing something obvious here? With the pre-LCI Xenons I had TWO headlights, one either side - the 'inner' lights were just fakes - somewhere for BMW to put the second halo ring. On the LCI adaptive LEDs I now have FOUR headlights because the inner lights are actually functioning headlights as well. So even if the individual LED headlights may have a slightly lower LM rating (and a correspondingly lower LUX) compared with individual Xenon headlights, I now have double the amount of them

Personally I like the LEDs - they seem to give a much more even spread and the distance they throw down the road on main beam looks pretty good to me. The one thing I would agree with is that on dipped beam they do sometimes feel a little 'low'.

Yes you're missing something, the rating is per headlamp unit not per individual lighting section (LED/xenon bulb). The two lights on the LCI aren't as bright in total as the single xenon per side

[JOHNBMWM5]

I can only say the Adaptive LED's on my LCI M3 are very good all round and when using HBA brilliant , I hope the 435D XDrive M Sport comes with the same system.

[Rukka]

Originally Posted by JOHNBMWM5

I can only say the Adaptive LED's on my LCI M3 are very good all round and when using HBA brilliant , I hope the 435D XDrive M Sport comes with the same system.

I think you might be a bit disappointed there John. IMHO the xenon adaptive on the 435d are pants. Even now I've had mine set up properly I still don't think they light up enough of the road. When accelerating into darkness, the HBA is just not quick enough to turn on and light up the road ahead which I think is near on bloody dangerous at best.

I won't be speccing adaptive again based on my experiences


Rukka




.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by Rukka

I think you might be a bit disappointed there John. IMHO the xenon adaptive on the 435d are pants. Even now I've had mine set up properly I still don't think they light up enough of the road. When accelerating into darkness, the HBA is just not quick enough to turn on and light up the road ahead which I think is near on bloody dangerous at best.

I won't be speccing adaptive again based on my experiences


Rukka




.

But are they LED's, that's what I have gone for?.

[Englishbloke]

Hold on! I thought this was supposed to be definitive?

Ordered adaptive LED now so will see how they compare to my xenon adaptive soon.

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by Englishbloke

Hold on! I thought this was supposed to be definitive?
.

About as definitive as the debate over whether a 340i was faster than a 335d or not...

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

About as definitive as the debate over whether a 340i was faster than a 335d or not...

It is not.

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Englishbloke

Hold on! I thought this was supposed to be definitive?

Ordered adaptive LED now so will see how they compare to my xenon adaptive soon.

LED's are brighter than xenons, & that is definitive!

I don't know the reason, maybe because there's two lights in each headlamp, maybe because reflectors are better than projectors, but there is no doubt that they are brighter!