Many experienced car enthusiasts know that the use of high-brightness lamps in the car for main lighting, that is, xenon, leads to big trouble. Traffic police officers will not find fault with the standard lighting, but easily. That is why the question of which is better - xenon or halogen, is more relevant than ever.
The thing here is that such lamps are allowed exclusively on headlights with special markings like DCR, DC or DR. In other cases, the driver violates the rules of the road, where the plain text says that the use of lighting that does not meet Russian standards is prohibited.
The punishment for using such lamps is very severe. Not only will the driver pay a rather large fine, coupled with the confiscation of devices, it can also lose his rights for six months or more. One of the solutions to this problem is to equip the headlights with special lenses and an automatic tilt angle changing mechanism. But this option rests on a substantial financial outlay, so not everyone agrees to pay first for xenon, and then the same amount for technical damages to it.
Alternative
As a cheaper alternative, many motorists are switching to special xenon halogen lamps. By their characteristics, they almost came close to the capabilities of the understudy. As a result, we have a practically similar result with much lower financial costs. So many, on the question of which is better - xenon or halogen, do not hesitate to vote in favor of inexpensive halogen lamps.
We will try to identify the best representatives of this segment, which includes the most popular models, distinguished by a high-quality component and an attractive price tag. All of the manufacturers described below produce halogen lamps on H7 and H4 socles, so there should be no problems with installation.
EVO Formance Vistas
The assortment of this American brand is mainly budget models, but this does not mean at all that they are bad. Judging by the reviews, the most high-quality and popular series for domestic motorists is Vistas. H7 and H4 halogen lamps are produced in China, but the American quality control department carefully monitors the release, so the marriage is minimized.
Models come as a complete set of two pieces, and one lamp. Packaging may be unremarkable, but the content is fully consistent with the specifications specified in the specification. Lamps, of course, are inferior in terms of life and other indicators to more noble analogues, but they also have a corresponding price - about 100 rubles apiece. Therefore, you can stock up on them for the future. The luminous intensity of the products is approximately 30% higher than ordinary halogen lamps H4 or H7.
Philips ColorVision
If you want something noble, then Philips will be an excellent and high-quality option in many respects. The brand was one of the first to introduce halogen lamps for xenon into the automotive market, and its own innovative solutions made it possible to achieve a large and real increase in the intensity of the glow.
The ColorVision series has been specifically designed for those who lack the brightness of conventional lamps, but cannot install xenon lamps for the above reasons. Philips halogen lamps will not only noticeably better illuminate the road, but also emphasize your individual style with color design. Moreover, the coloring occurs not just by applying enamel, but due to the reflection of the rays of the selected spectrum in the inner faces of the lamp. As a result, you get not some kind of faded glow, but saturated colors with different shades (blue, green, purple, etc.). Only an experienced car enthusiast or a trained traffic police officer will be able to say that you have installed halogen lamps for xenon, and not the original prohibited products.
Series Features
The efficiency and reliability of the ColorVision series is also beyond doubt. Field tests showed that the visibility of the roadway at night increased by 25 meters (in good weather), and the total and real increase in luminous flux amounted to about 60% of that of ordinary halogen lamps.
Philips halogen lamps for sale are two in a pack. The average price for a set ranges from 1,100 rubles. It is also worth paying attention to the abundance of fakes in this series, especially in domestic car markets. Therefore, if you see a price clearly lower than that indicated, then this is an occasion to think about whether or not to visit a normal store that cares for its reputation.
Narva Range Rover
Xenon lamps from Narva can be called direct competitors of Philips products in the domestic market, although both brands belong to the same concern. The Range Rover series bypasses the previous respondent both in technical terms and in cost.
Field tests showed that the real increase in the glow of xenon lamps from Narva was about 90%. That is, the visibility of the road at night in good weather increased by about 40 meters. If the average review of the roadway for halogen lamps varies within 44 meters, then here we have more than 80 meters, which is very, very good.
As in the case of the Philips, the Range Rover series comes in a set of two lamps. The average cost of a pair does not exceed 1000 rubles. By the way, they fake Narva much less often, so there are few dissatisfied customers. Reviews about the series are mostly positive, users do not note any critical flaws.
Sho-Me Xenon White SVU
Koreans became famous not only for their navigators and detectors, but also for optics. The brand’s assortment has a lot of offers for “fake” xenon, but the most high-quality and popular series among Russian car enthusiasts is Xenon White SVU.
The word "xenon" in the name is indicated for a reason. Lamps really turn the night into a bright day. The indicated increase in luminosity of 120% is real, and the visibility of the roadway increases by more than 50 meters from standard halogens.
Distinctive features of the series
The company's engineers say that such an increase was achieved through the introduction of innovative technologies and other proprietary developments. One of these is the way to fill the cobla. In this case, it does not pour in ordinary halogen, but a whole mixture of inert gases. As a result, we get the standard power consumption of the product, but with an excellent increase in luminosity. Other analogues of such efficiency can not boast, alas.
The lamps are delivered in a nice blister pack of two. The cost of one set does not exceed the mark of 800 rubles. There are fakes, but not as many as in the case of the same Philips. As for the opinions of experts and user reviews, everything is also good here. Motorists are completely satisfied with this series, only these lamps attract the attention of traffic police more often than other analogues. Bright at night and so similar to real xenon light - like a magnet for police officers. So after installing these lamps, be prepared for frequent stops at stationary and exit traffic police posts.
Summarizing
Choosing such products, you need to understand that they fully reveal their potential only on the standard basement N7 and H4. There are lamps for other standards, but in most cases you simply throw money away, because there will be no tangible difference. It is these socles that can accept optics with a good technical component and a long service life.
Xenon halogens performed well both on snowy tracks and in rainy weather. But do not get carried away with white light, which almost ideally copies xenon. If there are frequent fogs in your region, then the best option would be yellow light, otherwise you will see a bright veil covering your eyes.