Olight PL X: A Dual Beam Pistol Light?

I’ve been a fan of Streamlight TLR-1 weapon-mounted lights for the longest time and have lived on my pistols for as long as I can remember. When I heard rumblings of the Olight PL X being released, I decided to give it a try.

I have yet to get my hands on the Osight SE, but every single review I’ve watched and read has said it’s better than the Holosun EPS Carry. That’s saying something, and I wondered if I wasn’t giving Olight a fair shake.

So, I got my hands on the new Olight PL X.

Weapon-mounted lights have come a long way over the years. We’ve seen brighter outputs, better mounting systems, and improved durability. But most pistol lights still force you to choose between flood or throw. And when you make the choice, the price tag is enough to give you chest pains.

That’s where the Olight PL X changes the conversation.

I’ve been running the Olight PL X on several pistols during training sessions, low-light drills, and around the house for defensive evaluation. After spending real time behind it, this isn’t just another WML with a higher lumen number slapped on the box.

It’s a genuinely different approach to what we’ve been used to seeing on the WML market.

What Makes the Olight PL X Different?

Again, I’ve run a TLR-1 or TLR-1 HL on my pistols ever since they came out. It’s what I’m familiar with. It’s what I’ve trained with for years.

Because I’ve only been married to one WML, I wanted to see what was out there that doesn’t break the bank (sorry Surefire, I know you’re one of the best in the game, but your stuff is too damn expensive).

But what piqued my interest in the Olight PL X are things that we aren’t used to seeing on the market. Let’s unpack these differences.

Dual Beam Design Explained

The defining feature of the Olight PL X is its dual beam system. You get both a floodlight and a spotlight in one compact pistol light.

With a simple switch, I can instantly toggle between a 1,200-lumen flood beam and a high-intensity spotlight pushing 22,500 candela. That spotlight reaches out to roughly 300 meters, which is wild for a pistol-mounted light.

Most WMLs force you to compromise. The Olight PL X doesn’t.

Why Dual Beam Actually Matters

Floodlights are ideal for close-range scanning. They fill a room with light and help you process what’s around you fast. Spotlights are better for distance and positive target identification.

During testing, I found myself switching modes more often than I expected. Indoors, flood mode felt natural and intuitive. Outside or down long hallways, spotlight mode gave me clarity without overwhelming splash.

This isn’t a gimmick. It’s practical.

Olight PL X Build Quality and Durability

For the price, I was a little worried about the Olight PL X. Could a budget-friendly weapon-mounted light hold up to abuse and still function? I was pleasantly surprised.

Full Metal Construction

The Olight PL X features a full metal housing made from high-strength aluminum. It’s finished with Type III hard anodizing, which held up well against banging up against things and even drop tests. That said, the finish did get dinged up after the drop tests, but that’s to be expected.

Being that the WML is so new, I didn’t have a holster to play around with. But I’m assuming holster work and general abuse will wear off the finish (just like every weapon-mounted light eventually does).

I deliberately knocked it around during range sessions. No rattles. No flickering. No loose components.

It feels solid, which is exactly what you want on a defensive pistol.

Waterproof and Impact Rated

This light carries an IPX7 waterproof rating and is tested to survive drops up to 1.5 meters. I didn’t baby it, and it never gave me a reason to worry.

I tossed it in the snowfall we had. No issues. Puddles from melting snow? Yup, it got tossed in them. Issues? None. I was surprised that these elements didn’t affect the performance at all.

Mounting the Olight PL X

There’s one thing that I hate, and that is when WMLs are a pain to take on and off. Personally, I take my Streamlight TLR-1 on and off my pistols based on what I’m doing and where I’m going.

So, let’s talk a little bit about how easy/difficult it is to put the Olight PL X is to put on and take off pistols.

Rail Compatibility

Mounting the Olight PL X was straightforward. The rail adapters feature a 180-degree reversible design, allowing compatibility with a wide range of pistols.

I ran it on both full-size (Glock 17) and compact frames (Glock 19) without issues. Alignment stayed consistent under recoil without anything loosening up or getting a wobble.

Anti-Loosening Screw Clamp

Olight added an anti-loosening screw-clamp system, and it works great. Once mounted, the Olight PL X stayed locked in place even after several hundred rounds.

No shifting. No retightening mid-session.

That matters more than people realize, because if you have a WML that loosens easily, it can make your range trips super annoying by having to constantly tighten loose lights. Or worse, having your light fall off in the middle of a string of fire.

Olight PL X Controls and Ergonomics

Now, for a part that can make or break any WML. How easy is it to actuate and use? Because we all know that if the controls suck, it’ll never see the light of day ever again and will end up in a box to live the rest of its life.

Ambidextrous Activation

The activation buttons are placed for true ambidextrous use. You can activate the light with either a forward push or a downward press.

Left-handed shooters won’t feel like an afterthought here. Right-handed shooters will find the controls intuitive right out of the box.

Under stress, simplicity wins.

Mode Switching Under Stress

Switching between flood and spotlight is quick and deliberate. I never accidentally hit the wrong mode during drills.

That’s important as complex controls fall apart under pressure. The Olight PL X keeps things simple, and I appreciate that.

Olight PL X Brightness and Beam Performance

On top of the controls being easy to use, you’re probably looking to see how the performance is. How’s the brightness and performance of the WML?

Floodlight Mode Performance

The 1,200-lumen flood beam delivers wide, even illumination. Indoors, it lights up entire rooms without harsh hotspots. My favorite Streamlight TLR-1 HL only has 1,000 lumens.

For home defense scenarios, this mode makes sense. You can see furniture, corners, and movement without losing peripheral awareness.

It’s a very usable light.

Spotlight Mode Performance

The spotlight is where the Olight PL X gets interesting. With 22,500 candela, this beam punches far beyond what most pistol lights can do.

As a comparison, my Streamlight TLR-1 HL, which I love, only has 20,000 candela. With 2,500 more candela, I’m liking the reach of the Olight PL X.

Outdoors, I was easily identifying objects well past normal handgun distances. Down long hallways, it provided clean, focused illumination without excessive spill.

Target identification is the name of the game here.

Olight PL X High and Low Brightness Options

One aspect of the Olight PL X that I wasn’t sure what to think about is with the high and low brightness modes. Was this really necessary?

Adjustable Output Levels

The Olight PL X offers both high and low brightness levels. This adds flexibility depending on the environment.

Low mode is useful for administrative tasks or situations where full power isn’t necessary. High mode is there when things get serious.

I appreciate having the option, but to be honest, I highly doubt I will ever really change the outputs. If I need a light, it’s going on high, and it’s staying on high (but your mileage with use may vary).

To me, this was a “what can we do differently” move by Olight. I don’t know a single person on the planet who has ever said, “You know what I need? A WML that has a high and a low brightness.”

When you pull out your pistol and need your light, you need ALL THE LIGHT. Not a low setting. I could do without this feature, as it’s just something that I can cause the lumen output to change when I don’t want it to change. But perhaps you’re the only person in existence who asked for this feature?

Olight PL X Strobe Mode

I’m going to give you an idea of where you would use strobe mode on the light, but I absolutely hate strobe mode. I think it’s the dumbest feature on all lights (WMLs and flashlights).

I hate strobe so much that when I have the ability to turn it off on lights, I do. But you may like the feature, so let’s talk about it.

Tactical Application

The strobe mode delivers a high-frequency output designed for threat suppression and signaling. While strobe isn’t for everyone (again, I hate it), it’s there if you want it.

I tested it briefly during movement drills. It’s aggressive and disorienting, especially in confined spaces.

And when I say disorienting, I was disoriented as well (which is a main reason why I always turn it off, I don’t need it activated by mistake, causing me to become disoriented when I need to be focused and dialed in).

Use it wisely.

Olight PL X Charging and Power

While I like the ability to change batteries if my light goes down, it’s not like I’m going to be in a gunfight where a light goes down, and there I am grabbing CR123s out of my ass to throw in my WML.

When a light goes down, you’re screwed. What I like about the Olight PL X is USB-C charging. This allows me to top off my light to ensure it never goes down when I need it.

Let’s unpack this further.

USB-C Charging Convenience

The Olight PL X charges via USB-C, which is a win. I charged it from wall adapters, power banks, and vehicle outlets without issue.

For high-frequency users, this is practical and modern.

No proprietary cables to lose like that stupid lightning cable that Apple pushed on all of us years ago (what a stupid concept).

Battery Life Observations

Battery life was solid during my testing. I ran multiple sessions without needing a recharge.

When it did need power, charging was fast and painless.

Olight PL X Holster Compatibility

As I mentioned earlier, when I got the Olight PL X, no one was making a holster for it.

So, I have zero experience with it. However, Olight has said that there are holsters already being produced that will work with the PL X.

Wide Holster Support

One concern with new WMLs is holster fit. The Olight PL X is going to be supported by multiple holster manufacturers (when you read this, holsters may already be available).

When I spoke with Olight, they told me that the current holster manufacturers that are working on specific holsters for the PL X are:

Crossbreed
Alien Gear
Werkz
And a handful more

Real-World Applications for the Olight PL X

It should go without saying how you would use the Olight PL X, but I guess I’ll touch on it in case you’re simply looking into getting yourself a firearm and are looking at what light to put on your pistol because someone told you lights are necessary to PID (positively identify) a threat.

Home Defense With the Olight PL X

For home defense, the dual beam setup is pretty slick. That said, in a home defense scenario, I’d probably just leave the light on flood mode.

Flood mode works perfectly for room clearing and close-range assessment.

If movement shifts to a hallway or stairwell, switching to spotlight can give you more reach and clarity. That said, most hallways in traditional homes really wouldn’t have a need for the spotlight, but you may prefer it for some reason.

Training and Range Use

During training drills, I appreciated the ability to adapt lighting to the scenario. Flood for movement and cover drills. Spotlight for distance identification.

It added realism to low-light training sessions. I like options, and the Olight PL X gives them to me.

The Olight PL X isn’t trying to be just another bright pistol light. It’s providing lighting options that are beyond your traditional lumen-heavy WML and candela-heavy WML. You essentially get the best of both worlds.

Is this something you need? I mean, I’ve been using the Streamlight TLR-1 and TLR-1 HL for years and have never really needed to look for anything else. That said, I like the little extra candela that the Olight PL X provides over the TLR-1.

But I’m not looking for something with a ton of candela in a pistol light, as I really don’t see myself ever needing to take a shot 50+ yards away and then try to justify that in front of the police or a jury.

If you don’t currently have a pistol light (or want to try something new with some pretty cool features), this could be a great option at a fair price.

After testing it across multiple scenarios, I can say this light makes sense. The build quality is there. The performance is there. The controls are intuitive.

Is it for everyone? No.

But if you want flexibility, adaptability, and serious output from a weapon-mounted light, the Olight PL X deserves a hard look.

You can pick one up at the following online stores:

Olight Store (this link provides you with a 10% discount)
Amazon

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Olight PL X: A Dual Beam Pistol Light?

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