Dewalt has come out with 4 new line lasers: 2 cross line lasers, and 2 360° line lasers. The cross line lasers emit intersecting horizontal and vertical laser lines in one direction, and the 360° line lasers have 3 separate lasers that emit laser lines full-circle along all three axes.
There are differences between the similar models.
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Mike wrote in, asking about the red vs. green laser aspect:
Dewalt has posted some new lasers on their web page; some “green” lasers, some red lasers.
What is the difference ?
Which laser type is better ?
What are the advantages ?
Generally, green lasers are brighter than red lasers, more easily visible, and also more powerful. If you’re shining a laser pointer at a screen or whiteboard, someone at the end of an auditorium will often have an easier time spotting and following a green laser than a red one.
With these new line lasers, the difference isn’t quite as simple.
Here are all 4 new models:
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- Dewalt DW088LR: Cross lines with red lasers
- Dewalt DW088LG: Cross lines with green lasers
- Dewalt DW089LR: 3x 360° lines with red lasers
- Dewalt DW089LG: 3x 360° lines with green lasers
The green line laser versions have longer indoor visibility ranges, 100 feet vs. 50 feet.
The green line laser versions come with 12V Max Li-ion battery packs, compared to the “AA starter pack” that comes with the red line laser tools.
There could be other differences, but none that I could find. Logically, the green line laser tools are going to be more expensive.
I don’t think that the greater range is solely due to the difference in emitter wavelengths. You can’t just swap a green laser in for a red one and double the range. The optics are probably going to be more expensive to manufacture, as greater distances call for higher accuracy and precision, and also reduced beam spread.
In addition, with the green line laser versions you’re also paying for the 12V Li-ion battery pack and charger, and not just an AA “starter pack.”
New Dewalt Cross Line Lasers
- Self-leveling
- Cross lines (horizontal and vertical)
- Built-in magnetic bracket with 1/4″ and 5/8″ threads
- Rear-mounted magnets allow for flush attachment to metal track and steel
- Full-time pulse mode for use with detector
- Overmolded housing
- IP65 water and dust resistance
- Locking pendulum prevents damage to internal components
- 50 foot range (red), 100 foot range (green)
- ± 0.125″ accuracy (1/8″)
- Comes with AA battery pack (red) or 12V Max Li-ion battery and charger (green)
- Includes blow molded case and extended ceiling bracket
New Dewalt 3x 360° Line Lasers
- 3x 360° line lasers for full-room layout
- Built-in magnetic bracket with 1/4″ and 5/8″ threads
- Rear-mounted magnets allow for flush attachment to metal track and steel
- Full-time pulse mode for use with detector
- Overmolded housing
- IP65 water and dust resistance
- Locking pendulum prevents damage to internal components
- 50 foot range (red), 100 foot range (green)
- ± 0.125″ accuracy (1/8″)
- Comes with AA battery pack (red) or 12V Max Li-ion battery and charger (green)
- Includes blow molded case and extended ceiling bracket
We’re checking with Dewalt to see if there’s anything else worth pointing out about these new line lasers. But for the most part, I’m fairly confident that the range and bundled battery options are the only differences between red and green lasers.
There are red line lasers with even greater range than these, and so the green lasers shouldn’t be essential to achieving the higher indoor ranges. Dewalt product managers probably figured that if you’re already paying more for greater range and a bundled 12V Max Li-ion battery, why not improve visibility a little further by swapping in a more premium green laser emitter.
mizzourob
Wait, you may have buried the lead. DeWalt came out with a AA battery powered battery pack for their 12volt line?! If this is compatible with other 12v tools then if your battery dies and you can’t recharge your li-ion battery then you could run to the corner store for AA batteries. If true, I see this as a big deal that could attract a mix of users to DeWalt’s sparse 12v lineup for this feature alone.
Stuart
I really don’t think that you can (or should if you can) use the AA starter pack in 12V Max tools. Alkaline batteries don’t handle high current draw very well.
mizzourob
Agreed, but it might be what someone needs to get out of a pickle.
Stuart
No, not really.
Let’s say there’s a voltage booster in the AA pack that doubles the voltage from 6V to 12V (or 10.8V). At the same power draw, the current is going to effectively be halved.
Alkaline batteries cannot deliver high current and perform better when current load is low and steady. Alkalines simply won’t hold up to high power demands.
On one of my flashlights, there’s a high power “turbo” mode. Use it with alkaline AAs, and it’ll flash to high for half a second before going dim. NiMH rechargeables or disposable lithiums can better handle the higher current draw.
Using AA alkalines in a regular 12V Max tool, such as a drill, impact driver, or saw, would not be a good idea.
There are reasons why you don’t see AA-powered cordless drills on the market. The most you’ll see are small and simple screwdrivers like this one – https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/black-decker-as6ng-cordless-screwdriver/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
S
The AA pack is NOT compatible with power tools, only the lasers
Paul
I have been saying for about 3 years now (to real life friends) that if I were a product manager I of one of these tool companies looking for the next new idea, it would be to use [fill in tool company’s name] battery packs to power a green laser level since green lasers have had the reputation for being power hungry and can go through AA batteries fairly quickly. The current generation of rechargeable batteries on the market not only have good life but are, well, rechargeable. I was personally betting that Bosch would be the first to do this, but happy that it has happened (have any of the major brands done this and I just missed it?).
I am an invested DeWalt user and personally, I would have used the 20V max platform but looking at the size, I can understand why they decided to use the 12V. Any idea on the run time?
Also, as some that has invested in it, it is also nice to see that DeWalt has not completely abandoned the 12 V max line. Another question would be can these AA packs be used with current 12V tools? Why you would want to is another question and I can’t think of an answer.
Lenny
Wow, this a nice surprise. Any idea if the green beam comes as a bare tool? Also, per the previous posts, I’m no electrical engineer but I don’t think a AA battery pack could power something as demanding as a drill but maybe I’m wrong.
Eric
I highly doubt the AA pack will run something like a drill. You would need 8AA batteries to get to 12v. And no way are 8AA batteries going to fit into something the size of a 12v max pack. Looking at the sticker on the pack it looks like it might take 4 AA battieries, only giving you 6v. I would guess there is auto sensing power supply that lets the red laser run on the 6v from AAs or 12v from the lithium ion pack.
Andy
Series vrs parallel circuit Technically one could fit 12v (no load charge) in a small watch or medical device battery, which are already available. Volts X Amps = total potential energy. “Size matters not”- Yoda
Eric
Sure, you could throw in a capacitor that would give you 1000v of current if you really wanted to. You could even throw in 4 of the 14500 (same size as a AA battery)lithium ion batteries and get 14.8 volts if you wanted to. Hell you could potentially get more power out of your tools with that setup, if the cells could put out the amperage needed without blowing up. But I have to think that Dewalt would have thought of this and taken steps to prevent such things from happening. With all of the battery meters built into everything if you plugged in the AA pack to a drill it would probably just think it had a bad battery and not do anything.
Nathan
well 8, AA’s together would probably be OK for a 12volt drill or something light.
meanwhile though.
Green vs red. Daylight visibility is the biggest thing in my book. we use some green lasers at work – I personally attest you can see them 300 yards in summer southern daylight. that would make me look at the green ones – use outside.
inside – they tend to be almost too bright. that said though I do have a green laser pointer I love.
Andy
Finally, an addition to the 12v line. More curious about the ‘dummy pack’ on the red laser. Can I fill it up with six rechargeable 2400 NiMH (2200 under load) miliamp batteries, slap a DCB091 on it and run my Dewalt heated jacket longer on the 12v size without having to switch to the bulk of a 20v battery?
Stuart
No, it only holds 4 cells.
There might be a handshake or similar electronic (or mechanical) safeguard in place to ensure that the AA pack isn’t used with other Dewalt 12V Max tools.
PE
please come out with a laser that has a plumb feature. I use the PLS4 and PLS5 now, and would love to add a dewalt green laser to my collection.
I feel the plumb dots are the most used feature of my lasers
Toolpig
These are going to take the market. I am NOT a DeWalt fan especially the 12v line but I WILL be buying these??????
reza
any idea about price of new cross line lasers?
Stuart
I’m still waiting on prices.
alex
Seen a price for 350
jerry kein
Everyone talking about battery life who cares i need to see the price first before i can talk about battery how much the lasers will cost $$$$
Auris
Price from 300 to 550 for the green dw089lg
jerry kein
Any web site where I can buy the DW089LG I need SAP
Stuart
Not that I know of. I just checked one listing retailer, and they don’t have any in stock yet. The best you could do is pre-order, but there’s no telling when you’ll get it.
Robert
The 12V AA starter pack will ONLY power DEWALT 12V Lasers. It will NOT fit and run 12V Drills etc.
Phil
You can get any of these on Amazon very quickly
Lee
Where can a person buy this dewalt pack that you use 4-AA batteries in ,I have searched everywhere for it can’t find a model number or anything about it with dewalt
Stuart
It’s only available with the red laser. You can’t otherwise buy that battery adapter. Maybe you could contact Dewalt about getting it as a spare or replacement part?
Clayton Fitchett
Aside from the difference between the Green and the Red lasers, can anyone tell me why I would want the Dewalt DW089LG/RG over the Bosch GLL3-80? All three are approaching $500, but I can get the accessories with the Bosch in that price range.
TJ
I’ve been doing some research and I found that Bosch does not offer the GLL 3-80 in the green laser….yet. I spoke with one of their customer service and he said that he hasn’t heard of they will have green but, I’m sure with others going “green” Bosch will eventually sell it.
I’m having trouble determining the accuracy. The DeWalt says 1/8″…in what distance? The online sites reference 100 ft. However, looking in the manual, it appears that calibration of 1/8″ is in 30 ft. I also assume the 100 ft is a diameter….where the 30 ft is a radius. Therefore, the 30 ft would read as 60 ft in the specs. This still does not compare to the 100 ft advertised.
Chris
TJ. You absolutely hit the nail on the head. Great question and I would love to know the clear definitive answer.
Bosch now has a green laser model GLL 100G. It advertises 3/8″ accuracy in 100′. Not ideal when laying out anchor bolts. Someone on the Bosch site posted they had a DeWalt that was accurate to 1/8″ in 100′. To your point, I cannot find that anywhere on the DeWalt sites.