A more affordable LED floodlight from Cree (pictures)

North Carolina lighting-manufacturer Cree has a new-and-improved LED floodlight for sale -- and it costs half of what the original cost. Click through to take a look.

The Cree BR30 LED puts out a claimed 650 lumens from a power draw of just 9 watts, costing a little over a dollar per year to use. A comparably bright incandescent floodlight consumes 65 watts, and costs almost 8 dollars a year to use.

The form factor isn't much different from last year's bulb. It's still a white plastic body and a glass bulb. The specs are similar, too.

One change: the old bulb offered a ten-year warranty, but the new version only offers 5 years of protection.

Cree's floodlight is dimmable, so you'll be able to dial the light down if you use dimmer switches in your home.

You might detect a small amount of flicker when the light is dimmed down low.

All LEDs will see a slight dip in brightness after you first turn them on before leveling off. This is due to heat buildup. In the Cree bulb's case, heat affects it a little more than the competition -- that means it might not b e the best choice for an enclosed fixture, where the heat can't escape.

Cree's new floodlight costs just $10 per bulb -- less expensive than all of the major competitors. Read our full review to see if it's the right light for you.