Olight Baton 4 vs. Sofirn SC31 Pro: Which EDC Flashlight to Buy
Two very different answers to the same question. The Baton 4 is a thumb-sized, sealed, magnetic-charging light with a premium feel. The SC31 Pro is an 18650 tube around a third of the price with a replaceable battery. Which is right for you depends on your pockets and your definition of "carrying a flashlight."
The short version: Buy the Baton 4 if you want a small, polished daily-carry light with effortless magnetic charging and no maintenance — and you accept a proprietary sealed battery. Buy the SC31 Pro if you want a spare cell you can swap in ten seconds, USB-C charging, and double the output for a fraction of the price — and your pockets can handle an 18650 tube.
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The differences at a glance
| Feature | Olight Baton 4 | Sofirn SC31 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum output | 1,300 lumens (rated) | 2,000 lumens (rated) |
| Beam distance | 170 m | 226 m |
| Battery | Proprietary 650 mAh Li-ion, sealed | 1× 18650, replaceable |
| Charging | Magnetic tailcap dock | USB-C, in-light |
| Interface | Side e-switch, moonlight to turbo | Anduril 2 (fully configurable) |
| Size | Thumb-sized; disappears in a pocket | Marker-pen sized; for jacket/bag pockets |
| Water resistance | IPX8 | IPX8 |
| Typical price | ~$90–110 (premium) | ~$30 (budget) |
Both figures are manufacturer-rated ANSI FL1 numbers, not independent measurements — and both lights step down from their peak within the first minutes, which is expected behavior. The honest question is what each sustains and how you live with it, not the number printed on the box.
Olight Baton 4: the pocket-disappearing daily carrier
The Baton 4's whole argument is that it gets carried. It's genuinely smaller than your thumb, clipped inside a front jeans pocket it doesn't print, and the magnetic tailcap charging removes every excuse for finding it dead. You set it down near the dock and it's ready. That reliability beats raw specs for the person it's made for.
The trade-off is the battery. It's proprietary and sealed, so a dead Baton 4 means finding a charger, not swapping a cell. For daily urban carry that's a non-issue — you charge it at your desk. For a long trip away from power, or a three-day outage, it's disqualifying. If independence matters more than polish, that alone decides this comparison.
Pros
- Truly pocket-disappearing for the output
- Magnetic charging removes all friction
- Excellent fit, finish, and switch feel
- Two-way clip doubles as a cap-brim headlamp
- IPX8 and a magnetic tailcap
Cons
- Proprietary sealed cell — no field battery swap
- Costs 2–3× as much as the SC31 Pro
- Needs Olight's charger, not standard USB-C
- Steps down fast from 1,300 lumens
Buy the Baton 4 if: you want one light to live in your pocket every day, you value polish and zero maintenance, and you charge it where you sit. Read the full Baton 4 review, or check it on Amazon.
Sofirn SC31 Pro: the 18650 workhorse
The SC31 Pro is the reason it's hard to justify spending three times as much on a first flashlight. For about thirty dollars you get more output (2,000 rated lumens), more reach (226 m), a standard replaceable 18650, USB-C charging, and Anduril 2 — the same open-source firmware enthusiasts spend years configuring.
Its defining advantage is the battery. Run it flat and you unscrew the tail, drop in a fresh 18650, and carry on — a ten-second operation that turns a dead light into a working one. That's the difference between a light you rely on and one you simply own. An 18650 body also has real thermal mass, so it sustains output better than a thumb-sized tube.
The price of all that is size and fit. By 18650 standards it's standard, but compared to a Baton 4 it's a cylinder in your pocket. Clipped in a jacket or work trousers it's fine; in slim jeans it prints, and after a week you'll start leaving it home — which scores zero regardless of specs.
Pros
- Unbeatable output and reach per dollar
- Standard 18650 — replaceable anywhere
- Integrated USB-C charging
- Anduril 2 for full customization
- Sustains output better than pocket lights
Cons
- Too big for slim jeans pockets
- Anduril 2 has a real learning curve
- Standard SST40 tint is cool and slightly green
- Finish is functional, not premium
Buy the SC31 Pro if: your pockets fit it, you want a replaceable cell, and you'd rather put the saved money into spare batteries and a real charger. Check it on Amazon, and see our battery and charger advice before you order.
The winner
The Olight Baton 4 wins for most people. If the light lives in a front pocket and gets charged at a desk, the polish, size, and effortless charging make it the better daily tool. The proprietary battery only matters in situations most people rarely hit.
The SC31 Pro wins for most enthusiasts. If you want to spend under $40, swap cells in the dark, and get more output and reach for a third of the price, it's the better light — provided your pockets and patience for Anduril can take it.
There's a third answer worth naming: if you want the Baton 4's convenience but refuse a sealed battery, the best middle ground is a light that takes a standard 18650 and charges over USB-C — see our top picks for options that pair both.
Headed the enthusiast route? If the SC31 Pro's Anduril 2 has you curious about a smaller version of the same firmware, our TS10 vs. SC31 Pro comparison covers the watch-pocket alternative.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sofirn SC31 Pro better than the Olight Baton 4?
On paper, yes for output (2,000 vs 1,300 rated lumens) and price (~$30 vs ~$100), and its replaceable 18650 is a real advantage. But for daily pocket carry, the Baton 4's size and magnetic charging make it the more likely to actually be on you. "Better" depends on which of those you value.
Can the SC31 Pro charge with the same cable as my phone?
Yes — it charges over standard USB-C, so any cable you own works. The Olight Baton 4 uses a proprietary magnetic tailcap charger instead, which is an extra cable you have to keep track of.
Which light sustains output better?
The SC31 Pro, comfortably. An 18650 body has real thermal mass and Anduril 2's thermal regulation is gentle, so it holds a higher plateau longer. A thumb-sized light like the Baton 4 has almost no thermal mass and steps down from turbo very quickly — that's physics, and both brands handle it honestly.
Which is better for an emergency kit?
The SC31 Pro, definitively. You can carry two spare 18650s and swap them in seconds with no charger needed. The Baton 4 cannot run without its proprietary charger, which rules it out for any scenario where the power is the thing that's gone.