DX 5 mW and 30 mW comparison.

What's the deal with Deal Extreme lasers?  I order a 5 mW and a 30 mW true green.  They look identical, except for the sticker on the barrel.  When I compare the spot on the wall, the 30 mW is slightly brighter, but not by much.  When I look at the beams in the night sky they look identical.  Not having a meter I can't really compare their actual output power, but shouldn't the 30 be at least visual twice as bright?  Neither beam really produces any noticeable heat, no way I could pop anything with either.  Is is just a pipe dream to believe that you are going to get a 30 for that price?  Should I just be happy they both work well?  It's not like I am going to send them back to Hong Kong, maybe they know that.  Thoughts?  Ideas?  Thanks.

Chris

DX5's are usually in the 10-15mW range or even more, i had one that went into the mid 20's when it was cool

so basically your true 30 isn't underpowered, the true 5 is overpowered

I own a DX5 and a DX10 and the 5 seems to be about right - barely visible in the night sky. The 10 is significantly brighter however. I recently ordered a 20 from then and it was actually a lot dimmer than my 10. However, I sent them a picture of it and in a day they agreed to replace it. You ship the defective item directly to their return center in Florida and send them the receipt and tracking number. I was already refunded the full cost of shipping it back to them and they shipped shipped a replacement right after they received the original unit.

Basically, their customer service is awesome despite their Hong Kong location. Try contacting them for a replacement.

usually lower powered lasers are actually just down tuned higher powered lasers. They dont make crystals and an IR diode for 5mW of green, they use a 20mW or 30mW and down tune it. So buying a 5mW and tuning it up to 30mW probably isnt risky at all, you wouldn't need to worry about a short lifespan or anything.