Nitecore TM20K

Product Information

TM20K has a CNC Machined Unibody Design, is powered by 2 internal batteries in 4800mAh 21700 format, has 6 light levels over the Turbo and the Strobe with a maximum autonomy of 13 hours.

The integrated advance temperature regulation (ATR) technology regulates the output of the TM20K according to the working condition and ambient environment to maintain the optimal performance. It works and projects light with all the LEDs. It would be great if nitecore offered a 20k or 30k flashlight torch with focused beam. This one handed operational searchlight is perfect for outdoor searching, industrial searching, self-defense, rescue and indoor searching. Turbo mode can only be activated momentarily while the button is held, and will turn off when released, and it is advised to not continually access the turbo mode when the torch becomes hot to enable it to cool and protect the LEDs from overheating. Two 21700 lithium-ion batteries with a total capacity of 9600 mAh are built into the aluminium CNC machined unibody of the TM20K, which provides lightweight as well as excellent heat dissipition.In Tactical Mode we can choose the desired level by briefly pressing the Mode button while holding the Power button to scroll through the following brightness levels: ULTRALOW - LOW - MID - HIGH. When I look at the ever-growing Tiny Monster family I notice that almost all of them are super compact lights that produce a lot of light at a short distance. There is one outsider in the shape of the TM39: clearly no 'Tiny' Monster, but wow the reach. Last, but not least: the beamshots!

Most of the modes use the spot and flood LEDs, with ultralow and spotlight modes only using the center one and the floodlight mode only using the outer ones. The Nitecore TM20K Turbo Ready is a ultra high performance tactical torch, with an astonishing maximum output of 20,000 lumens in turbo mode using 19 x Cree XP L2 HD LEDs, which is absolutely amazing considering its size. The TM12K is operated by the dual side switches and tail switch, which has a built-in indicator. The multi-functional OLED display screen provides useful information including the current mode, battery voltage, power level, temperature and remaining runtime.The light is set up with 1 big reflector in the middle for throw, surrounded by 18 for flood. This flood and throw combo is similar to a few other lights, like the Acebeam X10, Olight Marauder 2 and upcoming lights from Intl-outdoor and Wurkkos.

The graphs in this gallery show a few different things. First is a trace of the charging current consumed when charging the TM20K. When the light is on, to go into the special Floodlight and Spotlight modes, you must press and hold the Mode button. Then release to select the desired special mode or briefly press the Mode button to return to the previously stored brightness level. Half the table is normal, then where it starts to list an ND filter, this is a ‘neutral density’ filter that simply cuts the light reaching the sensor by approximately 90%. Reference readings are taken to ensure the filter factor is correct, and a set of measurements were taken. With the short 8s burst of Turbo, several readings were taken and averaged. All of this is included in the table. Next up is the runtime trace for High output. Due to the Turbo output being a burst mode only, for the full runtime, the graph shows the output for the high output level. Turbo: 12,000 lumens - when activated, a countdown progress bar will be shown on the display and will be discharged while Turbo mode is selectedThese days NITECORE presented the new TM20K. As assumed by the initials, Nitecore's new powerful Tiny Monster can deliver up to 20,000 lumens with a maximum intensity of 22,200cd, through 19 CREE XP-L HD LEDs, and covers a maximum distance of 290 meters with its beam. TM20K has small and compact dimensions, enough to fit comfortably inside the palm of the hand and has an innovative simple and functional operating system. The construction materials and all the technology adopted for this new Nitecore are remarkable. This is a pretty exciting light. Nitecore have been known for making high-quality flashlights for over a decade and their “TM” range has been around for almost as long. In fact, I remember seeing their TM03 flashlight years ago and thinking how incredibly bright 3000 lumens in a handheld light would be. When the light is on or off, press and hold one of the tactical buttons to access TURBO or STROBE. Release to return to the previous state. My preference is always for removable/replaceable batteries, but the other side to this is the guaranteed performance of the cells chosen by Nitecore to power this Tiny Monster, and the simplification of the design as it doesn’t need a battery door. Being a super high performance light, the cell characteristics are critical, so we can take the built-in cells as a positive point. Whilst my lumen measurements were only 5-10% different to the specs I’ve been given, a couple of the throw numbers are way off. I re-did some of the tests and got similar numbers. It’s possible I’ve made a mistake but I’m guessing that Nitecore have tweaked the proportion of spot vs flood on some of the modes. Mode

TM20k is an ideal companion for night outings in particular for research, camping, use in industry and law enforcement. The TM20K is a member of the Nitecore T(iny) M(onster) collection and these lights were given their names for a reason because, despite their size, they excel in light intensity or reach. In terms of design I think the TM20K looks the best of all lights from the collection thanks to the balanced design that radiates power. The LED lights in the head immediately highlight that this light is one to take into account. Considering the size, that performance on High giving a hour of solid output, 45 minutes of which is over 3000lm, does make this a workhorse, even if you ignore the Turbo output. The TM20K is one solid chunk of metal. It’s fairly heavy and feels very well built. The rectangular shape means it’s easier to grip than a light with 3 cells.Turbo: 10,000 lumens (The Turbo mode will produce extreme heat during long time activation and is therefore preset to be limited to no more than 7 seconds per activation. Please note, the li-ion battery cannot work with full power in extremely cold environments - in this case, it is recommended to not use Turbo mode.) The Runtime were done in a closed environment with an ambient temperature of about 20 °C with the internal batteries of the TM20k fully charged. The numerical values in "Candela", taken with the aid of the LX1330B Luxmeter, are equal to or higher than those declared by the parent company. Please note, all quoted lumen figures are from a DIY integrating sphere, and according to ANSI standards. Although every effort is made to give as accurate a result as possible, they should be taken as an estimate only. The results can be used to compare outputs in this review and others I have published. In mode 1 press the circular power button to turn the torch on or off, and change the brightness level with the torch on by pressing the side mode button to cycle through ultralow, low, mid and high. To access the special modes press and hold the mode button with the light on to change between spotlight or floodlight and release on the desired mode. Press the mode button once to exit the special modes and return to the previously used brightness level. In mode 2 press and hold the power button for momentary illumination in the previously used brightness setting, and change the brightness level by pressing the mode button to cycle through ultralow, low, mid, high while still holding the power button.