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So, I bought a Wicked Lasers Spyder III Arctic 2000mW+ at the beginning of October. I'd like to detail some of the pros and cons of it, as I see them. A lot of this will probably be old news to some of you, but I haven't found a single review of the 2000mW+ version of this laser anywhere, so I'm writing one.
Pros:
1: This laser does live up to the specifications that Wicked Lasers advertises. I've had it independently tested for power output, and at the low power setting, it clocks at 1.4W, at high power it clocks at 2.375W, and, it peaks at 2.435W.
This is at least 375mW more power than I paid for, and I am happy with this.
2: Wicked Lasers delivered it to me within three weeks of ordering it. They told me it would likely be longer, on the order of one and one half months. Maybe they said that to cover their hides in case it DID take longer than the site said it should, but it took less time than was advertised.
3: The case feels sturdy and I rather like the phosphor coating on the inside of the full-power lens that comes standard with the Arctic. I like the construction, though it is a little bottom-heavy and therefore a bit unwieldy to use as a handheld laser, though from how the aluminium body gets warm (but not hot), I can only assume that this is necessary to ensure proper heat dissipation.
4: The battery is excellent; I can run this laser on full power for 45 minutes, non-stop before I have to switch to medium-power mode. I haven't seen the battery run out of enough juice for medium power mode yet.
5: The beam is sort of rectangular, which some people might find to be a nuisance, but when trying to cut a straight line through something, it actually works out to be useful, and with the focusing lens, it doesn't matter anyways.
Cons:
1: It's DAMNED expensive, probably way more expensive than it needs to be, at 700 dollars for it, Laser Shades and the lens kit.
2: The pin thingy at the back is pretty flimsy; I tried to remove it with a screwdriver as the included user manual instructed me to do, and I managed to remove a rubberized coating on the pin instead of the pin itself. I now have a pin which is completely functional, but does not look very polished at all.
3: While I understand the need for a smart switch, I wish I could change the code on it, as a cursory internet search will quickly reveal the sequence of button presses that enables the laser's operation.
4: Momentary mode should be available for Low, Medium and High power settings; this should not have been overlooked.
This is the first "real" laser I've ever bought, and I'm very happy with its performance and the rayleigh scattering the beam causes. I don't know if I'll buy another Wicked Lasers product, but I probably will in the future. The Evo looks nice, but I think I'd rather build my own lasers than buy them at a crazy markup.
Overall, I would recommend this laser if only because it's cool. I don't think it was a deal, but I also don't feel ripped off. I also want to say that Wicked Lasers has dealt with many of the problems I have read about from ~2010, and dealing with their staff was pleasant and efficient. I have no complaints about the people I spoke to when buying my laser.
I'll take pictures of it if people want, but I don't really have a camera that will properly do the thing justice.
EDIT: I am aware that this laser costs more than it is worth. My grandfather bought it for me as an early 22nd birthday gift. He believes more expensive = higher quality, and is from a time when that was true. I didn't want to say no to him. Either way, I like the thing.
Pros:
1: This laser does live up to the specifications that Wicked Lasers advertises. I've had it independently tested for power output, and at the low power setting, it clocks at 1.4W, at high power it clocks at 2.375W, and, it peaks at 2.435W.
This is at least 375mW more power than I paid for, and I am happy with this.
2: Wicked Lasers delivered it to me within three weeks of ordering it. They told me it would likely be longer, on the order of one and one half months. Maybe they said that to cover their hides in case it DID take longer than the site said it should, but it took less time than was advertised.
3: The case feels sturdy and I rather like the phosphor coating on the inside of the full-power lens that comes standard with the Arctic. I like the construction, though it is a little bottom-heavy and therefore a bit unwieldy to use as a handheld laser, though from how the aluminium body gets warm (but not hot), I can only assume that this is necessary to ensure proper heat dissipation.
4: The battery is excellent; I can run this laser on full power for 45 minutes, non-stop before I have to switch to medium-power mode. I haven't seen the battery run out of enough juice for medium power mode yet.
5: The beam is sort of rectangular, which some people might find to be a nuisance, but when trying to cut a straight line through something, it actually works out to be useful, and with the focusing lens, it doesn't matter anyways.
Cons:
1: It's DAMNED expensive, probably way more expensive than it needs to be, at 700 dollars for it, Laser Shades and the lens kit.
2: The pin thingy at the back is pretty flimsy; I tried to remove it with a screwdriver as the included user manual instructed me to do, and I managed to remove a rubberized coating on the pin instead of the pin itself. I now have a pin which is completely functional, but does not look very polished at all.
3: While I understand the need for a smart switch, I wish I could change the code on it, as a cursory internet search will quickly reveal the sequence of button presses that enables the laser's operation.
4: Momentary mode should be available for Low, Medium and High power settings; this should not have been overlooked.
This is the first "real" laser I've ever bought, and I'm very happy with its performance and the rayleigh scattering the beam causes. I don't know if I'll buy another Wicked Lasers product, but I probably will in the future. The Evo looks nice, but I think I'd rather build my own lasers than buy them at a crazy markup.
Overall, I would recommend this laser if only because it's cool. I don't think it was a deal, but I also don't feel ripped off. I also want to say that Wicked Lasers has dealt with many of the problems I have read about from ~2010, and dealing with their staff was pleasant and efficient. I have no complaints about the people I spoke to when buying my laser.
I'll take pictures of it if people want, but I don't really have a camera that will properly do the thing justice.
EDIT: I am aware that this laser costs more than it is worth. My grandfather bought it for me as an early 22nd birthday gift. He believes more expensive = higher quality, and is from a time when that was true. I didn't want to say no to him. Either way, I like the thing.
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