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H7 bulbs tested - Osram wins, Phillips a let down

amullo

Ready to race!
Hey guys!
The local auto magazine ViBilägare (Most known for first rolling the MB A-Classe back in the day) has testet a myriad of H7 bulbs in laboratory conditions.
The test plattform was a KIA CEE´d with a projector type lowbeam and the test was to try and show what bulbs are best for people who dont have the luxury of Xenons mounted.

The test was what range and width the beam had at 3 lux.
Here are the results in meters (ft) range/width - Kelvins at 17meters/55ft
1:st Osram Nightbreaker unlimited = 101.25m/26M (332/85ft) - 3260K
2:nd Osram Ultralife = 97,75/25,25m (320/82ft)- 3080K
3:rd Phillips standard, box marked as +30% = 97/25m (318/82ft) - 3120K
4:th Osram Standard, The bulb fitted OEM to VW = 95,25/25,25m (312/83ft) - 3050K
5:th Phillips Xtreme vision +130% = 95/25,75m (311/84ft)- 3220K
6:th GE Standard (any autostore standard) = 95/25,5m (311/83ft)- 3250K
7:th Phillips Bluevision Ultra = 92,5/25,5m (303/83ft) - 3220K

The worst bulb was something called Eagleeye Plasma Xenon 6000K. It got a measly 81 Meters/18,5m (265ft/60ft) and only managed 3300K on the road anyway. The styling bulb has a full blue glas, which kind of made it obvious that the film would steal light.

So basically the Osrams killed it and Phillips "xtreme" bulbs are worse then their own stock bulb in everything but Kelvins.
If you want a whiter light, be aware that no tested bulb including the eagle eye full blue glass model, got close to 4000k let alone the claimed 6K. Meassured at the bulb, where the light should be the bluest, the eagle eye managed 3700K. The report should hit the net in a few days. As a subscriber, I get the magazine a few days before it hits the shelf. The tested bulbs where ONLY in H7, not H8, HB4 or anything else.

Its intresting to see that the diffrence between a stock bulb like the OSRAM standard and the best like Osram Nightbreaker is 20ft better lowbeam.. Thats pretty much if your travelling along a badly lit road with oncoming traffic and Bambi decides to take a walk out on the street! The diffrence between a racing heart and a racing ambulance.
 

the bruce

Go Kart Champion
Location
land
Car(s)
Golf GTI Mk.V 2008

GolfMNE

Ready to race!
Location
Montenegro
I have Osram Nightbreakers on mine Golf (H7 and H15), and they are big improvement over stock bulbs. I think you can't have better light than this with halogen units, they are great at night driving.
 

amullo

Ready to race!
I have Osram Nightbreakers on mine Golf (H7 and H15), and they are big improvement over stock bulbs. I think you can't have better light than this with halogen units, they are great at night driving.

Where did you get H15 Osram Nightbreaker? I thought they didnt make Nightbreakers in H15, Ive been searching for them.
 

milesjazz

New member
I've replaced my H7 and H15 today for:

H7 - Osram Night Breaker Unlimited.
H15 - Osram Cool Blue Hyper 5K Special Edition.

I am posting two pics comparing the H15 only. Will post more pics comparing the H7 in the next few days.

Before (Stock H15 from Osram):




After (H15 Osram Cool Blue Hyper 5K Special Edition:



So far great improvement on appearance and performance.
 
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VW Villan

Passed Driver's Ed
Looks awesome! However...are they road legal? Where did you buy them from?

*UPDATE*
To answer my own question, it would appear that the H15 Osram Cool Blue Intense 4200k will be available in Feb/Mar. Now not sure if I should buy the H7 and H11 Nightbreakers I was planning...
 
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VipAlexS

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Montreal,Qc
I've replaced my H7 and H15 today for:

H7 - Osram Night Breaker Unlimited.
H15 - Osram Cool Blue Hyper 5K Special Edition.

I am posting two pics comparing the H15 only. Will post more pics comparing the H7 in the next few days.

Before (Stock H15 from Osram):




After (H15 Osram Cool Blue Hyper 5K Special Edition:



So far great improvement on appearance and performance.
Nice Pics, quick question! How did you get the bulb to fit on the Driver Side? (Front of the windshield washer) Did you remove the stock air box to have easy access?
 
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