What do you think? Are listed performances real and reliable?...
Both companies are generally trusted by the community and don't lie. But...
Take a look at both the lasers, let's do a general comparison. In terms of power/price, we're talking a 100mW difference, for an extra $300 eh...
There's not many benefits to the Spyder Krypton over the PL-E Pro,,, it's got a 520nm diode which is a lot more durable and not as temperature sensitive as 532nm, and a lot of people say 520nm is a bit more of a true green (usually matters on opinion) but that's pretty much it. They've got some nice accessories too, if you want to dish out even more money.
Now let's talk about the advantages of the PL-E Pro. First is obvious, price. For 700$ it's still not the best deal, as I would definitely go with something 520nm as higher powers are often cheaper compared to higher powers of 532nm green, with the PL-E Pro taken as an example. It would probably cost you around $500 for a good +1W 520nm pointer, I'd recommend checking out Sanwu lasers I've ordered from them because I heard Podo sells some nice pointers. Jetlasers is usually well respected by the LPF community, with Wicked Lasers it's a bit of a different story... People with experience usually know Wicked Lasers are usually highly overpriced. The same laser you linked from Wicked Lasers can easily be built for a lot less than half the price, as long as you know how to.
Wicked Lasers do have high quality and some nice technology in them, but that's no reason for a massive price tag such as $999.99. This is usually to catch beginners, people who don't know too much about lasers yet. They see this as the first website that comes up when they search for lasers, and think to themselves that the prices are high, these must be some pretty nice lasers.
I'm actually working on a build for a 700mW 520nm pointer, still need the last thing ordered but my total is around $410, I could actually make it for $320 if I wanted to, but I decided to put a little bit of extras into it.
I'd read up on the forums what kind of lasers people have and where they get em' from, I can assure you it will be rare that people's signatures will contain an expensive Wicked Lasers pointer.
I think you should browse around more on Jet lasers to see if theres anything else you'd like that's a much better deal, and maybe take a look at laserbtb.com. When I asked the community what starter lasers they think would be good, I got pointed in that direction. I would suggest it as well, they've got some nice cheap but quality pointers over there.
Don't forget safety, as it's the most important precaution you need to pay attention to. These goggles are considered cheap for their range and ability, I recommend you get a pair especially for higher powered green, being most sensitive to the human eye;
Eagle Pair® 190-540nm Standard Laser Safety Goggles
Don't let money come before your sight, get a pair and protect yourself.
Final considerations, I've been making it seem like you should always look at the price but don't ignore the quality aspect. You should get a considerable amount of both price and quality, finding the right balance between the two is key.
Good luck!
-Sean
