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The Fenix P1D and P1D-CE is the new generation of the venerable P1. These new lights run on a single 123A cell like the P1, but have multi-purpose circuitry inside allowing for three levels of output and two strobe modes (strobe and SOS). The P1D standard model uses a Luxeon III T-bin for light while the P1D-CE uses a Cree 7090 XR-E LED. The Cree LED model is almost twice as bright as the Luxeon model, but has, for all intents and purposes, the same runtime. This means that the Cree LED gives all appearances of being twice as efficient as the Luxeon LED. 
Body: The body of the Fenix P1D is machined aluminum with type III hard anodize finish and is available in black and natural. The outside of the body has six flat panels around the central area of the body for texture and display of the company logos. The head has a ring of knurling for grip (the head is the switch). The tailcap has an unusual raised 4 pointed star configuration. One of the "arms" of the star has a hole for attachment of the included small split ring and lobster-claw keychain attachment. The raised base is large enough to allow the light to stand on end. 
Bezel/Head: The head of the P1D and P1D-CE includes a coated glass lens, a metal reflector, a T-binned Luxeon 3 watt LED or Cree 7090 XR-E LED, and a regulator circuit, all permanently installed. The lens is slightly recessed which serves as some protection from impact and abrasion. The LED is perfectly centered in the reflector. 
Luxeon left, Cree right
 
Output: Output is very good. The white light produced by the LED in both lights produces good color rendition. No tint is detectable in either beam. The beam itself is a excellent multipurpose beam with a tight central spot surrounded by a wide corona and spillbeam. The P1D-CE has a slightly tighter beam with a few slightly noticeable rings in the beam. As noted before there are 5 output modes. When using the three different constant output modes, the light does not appear to use a PWM for dimming. Many LED lights use a PWM circuit for dimming which causes the light to flicker very rapidly. This fools the eye into thinking the light is dimmer, while allowing the light to conserve power since it is actually "off" part of the time (the space between the flickers). This flicker can often be seen by moving your eyes or the light very rapidly and some people find this flicker to be quite annoying, especially when reading. The output of the P1D is constant with no visible flicker, even while on the "Low" mode. Fenix P1D | Level | | | | Primary | 730 (27.02) | 2220 (22.20) | | Max | 1330 (34.47) | 4000 (40.00) | | Low | 200 (14.14) | 550 (5.50) |
All throw readings are in Lux at one meter. The numbers in parenthesis are for comparison in the Comparison Charts.
Fenix P1D-CE | Level | | | | Primary | 1400 (37.42) | 4200 (42.00) | | Max | 2700 (51.96) | 7850 (78.50) | | Low | 370 (19.23) | 1040 (10.40) |
All throw readings are in Lux at one meter. The numbers in parenthesis are for comparison in the Comparison Charts.
 
Beam at one meter at target center.
Runtime Plot: Runtime with a standard 123A cell shown below. Both lights were tested in "Primary" mode only. "Max" will give shorter runtime, while "Low" will provide longer runtime. Third party tests have shown that you should expect runtimes of about 45 minutes in "High" mode and a little over 10 hours in "Low" mode. 
Runtime completed with "Titanium" brand batteries. More information on runtime plots is available HERE.
Runtime completed with "Titanium" brand batteries. More information on runtime plots is available HERE.
It is interesting to note that the P1D-CE with the Cree LED uses the same power source, has almost the same runtime, but produces nearly double the light output of the Luxeon P1D. This equates to almost double the efficiency of the Luxeon LED. 
Runtime completed with "Titanium" brand batteries. More information on runtime plots is available HERE.
Switch: The head of the lights is the switch. Tighten for on, loosen for off. The P1D-CE has a slightly larger gap between the head and the body which is filled by an extra O-ring at the base of the head. When first turned on, both lights are in "Primary" mode. A quick off-on cycle switches the light to the next mode in the series. The modes are as follows: Primary, High, Low, Strobe, SOS, (repeat). 
Seals / Water Resistance: The lights are protected from the environment by an O-ring and a sealed bezel. Fenix advertises them as "waterproof" with no specific depth rating. I would call them "dunkable" but not "diveable". I would recommend lubricating the O-ring with a Teflon based lubricant. This may be found in many hardware stores (and Radio Shack) in a precision applicator and is often labeled as "Super Lube". I find it works extremely well. If either gets wet inside, just disassemble as much a possible without tools and let it dry before using again. Ergonomics: Nothing special to report here, except that they are very small and easy to carry in the pocket or on a keychain. 
Size compared to a common 2 AA aluminum light
Batteries: One 123A cell powers each light. I would recommend Titanium brand cells for $1.00 each (here's a review) or BatteryStation or Surefire brand cells for less than $2 each. I would not recommend purchasing these cells at retail stores since they cost $10 a pair or more in most retail stores! To change out the battery: unscrew the head, drop out the old cell, place in new cell observing proper polarity. Reattach the head and you're ready to go. Accessories: Several accessories are included with the light. Inside the box you will find a spare O-ring, key ring/lobster-claw type clip and belt sheath. 
What I Liked: Waterproof, Tough/impact resistant, Bright, Easy battery change, Lightweight, Stands up What I Didn't Like: None Picky Little Things: None Conclusions: Will the Cree LEDs be the new "Jack the giant killer?". I'm not sure, but with twice the output and same runtime as Luxeon LEDs using the same power source, it looks to me that the folks at Cree will soon need a lot of wheelbarrows - for carting their money to the bank! These new Cree LEDs display a wonderful step-up in efficiency and Lumileds is probably scrambling to catch up. After dominating the market for so long it looks like Lumileds may have fallen a little behind in innovation. The utility of these little 123A powered lights is great with the multiple output levels. Personally I think the SOS mode is completely useless, so I'm glad it's the last in the switching sequence. It'll never see any use from me. If you can, go with the Cree LED version for twice the efficiency for your buck. | 
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