When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Since it seems most people on here get the OSRAM CBI bulbs I wanted to do a review of the OSRAM Night Breakers I installed this evening. I considered for awhile going with the CBI's, but the more research I did the more I found out the bluer light isnt the best in bad weather or on dark pavement, plus the OEM bulbs are white enough for me. A lot of newer cars are using the bluer light too so it looks more modern, another point that almost convinced me on the CBI's. However, when I learned about the Night Breakers and heard they performed really well I decided to go for it. I will say these bulbs are yellow, even compared to OEM bulbs. (I only have an hour on them) At first I wasnt sure if they were any brighter and was disappointed. However, as i drove around the places I usually drive I noticed they were quite a bit brighter. Dont believe the 70% OSRAM claims, no idea how they got that number, but they are brighter and they put more light in a wider pattern with forward light just as even as the OEM bulbs. As far as shining light farther, its hard to remember how the OEM bulbs were but it seems like these project light farther. (again dont believe the 20m OSRAM states) One thing I am not sure of is it seems like the bulbs shine light higher in the longer distances. So signs and buildings, etc. seem to be lit up where before I didnt notice it as much. Not sure if its just brighter so it appears that way or what. Its almost like my lights need to be aimed again?! But up against the wall they are the correct height.
I have read that the color will cool over time and I have an email out to OSRAM about that and about the actual color temp of these bulbs as I have seen different numbers. These have an yellow/orange color at the cutoff lines.
Are these worth the $95 I paid for them, I am still undecided. They are an upgrade, I am just not sure if its enough for that much money, a testament I guess to how good the original ones are and still were after 9 years. If they cool down and I drive more I may change my mind and I will update more here.
I will post some pics but the camera really doesnt pick up the light correctly and it was too cold for me to mess with the camera settings to get it right. Sorry.
You can see the orange on the drivers side cutoff. (Brand new OEM headlight and for some reason the cutoff does not match the passenger side and isnt as sharp. )
They look whiter in these pics. Of note the fogs are LED 4000K and match really well.
I have the night breakers as well. It's hard to directly compare, but I'd say that they definitely are not worse than OEM and quite likely are better than OEM.
One thing I did notice is that there seems to be very little difference when switching from "low beam" to "high beam". OP, have you noticed the same?
I have the night breakers as well. It's hard to directly compare, but I'd say that they definitely are not worse than OEM and quite likely are better than OEM.
I'm glad I'm not the only one, I agree not worse and better than OEM. Its just weird to have the OEM for so long and now have these and because they are different, not think that different is something wrong. Did you notice your cutoff change at all, or the height of the light at a distance. My cutoff doesnt seem as sharp and appears different in the distance.
One thing I noticed today during the day with them on is that they almost sparkle in reflections in other cars, looks kinda cool.
One thing I did notice is that there seems to be very little difference when switching from "low beam" to "high beam". OP, have you noticed the same?
What do you mean exactly? Sometimes depending on location I wouldnt notice a difference even with the OEM. But I think thats more because there was nothing in the distance to reflect and the light doesnt change on the road like typical low/high beams.
I can't really tell any difference in distance and total light output when switching between low and high.... I do not get flashed by other cars when in low beam (and I haven't really left them in high when oncoming traffic is approaching, maybe I should test that?).
Last edited by nfnsquared; 12-16-2016 at 02:52 PM.
I can't really tell any difference in distance and total light output when switching between low and high.... I do not get flashed by other cars when in low beam (and I haven't really left them in high when oncoming traffic is approaching, maybe I should test that?).
Have you tried high beams against a wall, maybe there is an issue with the high-beam actuator? I dont seem to have any issue with them on high-beam. I did get flashed once yesterday and that has never happened, so I'm curious if thats going to happen and if the height is now different in low beam.
The bluer lights you see on newer cars is because they use LED projector headlights.
If I had a extra pair of CBIs laying around I would send them to you to get a comparison review.
I had CBIs in my TL. I sold the car and took out the CBI and put it in my G37. My TL had ZKW clear lens (non-replica) in them and when I first installed them I didn't think they seemed that brighter. Than as I put a few hours on it I started to really notice the difference.
When I first got the G37 I rode with the factory osram bulbs it had in it for a couple weeks. When I finally swapped out the factory bulbs for my already broken-in CBIs it was a big difference in everything. This was before I got clear lenses installed. The light intensity was brighter. The color was alot whiter and made things more vivid. The light had a farther throw. Reached places the factory bulbs couldn't.
I've had my CBI for almost 3 years now and they are still very bright. My brother has Morimoto 3Five ballast & bulb HID kit with 5000K bulbs in his camry with projector headlights and they are not very bright at all compared to the CBIs.
actually the bluer you saw in the newer car because they use different gas type within the HID. For example Lexus/Toyota no longer use D2S, they are moving into D4S. D4S look more blue also its looks dimmer than my CBI D2S. I actually impress with Morimoto new elite bulb, I got them in the the lexus using factory Denso ballast and they come out pretty close to the CBI bulb in term of brightness.
Thanks guys for the info, some of that I did not know. Its hard to get my mind to remember that bluer isnt necessarily better now that I have the more yellowish Night Breakers.
HID bulbs usually go up the temperature scale with hours of use, any update on the color temperature of the Osrams after 7 months?
They may have changed a little going to a higher temp. but not a whole lot. Now all the newer cars are using such a high color temps I feel like I'm outdated with the Nightbreakers, I have to remind myself I went with them on purpose and they do put out a lot of light in all situations. Dont regret it at all!
They may have changed a little going to a higher temp. but not a whole lot. Now all the newer cars are using such a high color temps I feel like I'm outdated with the Nightbreakers, I have to remind myself I went with them on purpose and they do put out a lot of light in all situations. Dont regret it at all!
12-16-2016, 12:45 AM
)
?
