I just bought some $40 LEDs on Amazon and it looks just like you posted in these pictures. No need to spend a fortune

You can't base the look off pictures when it comes to lighting. So many components to the photo....lighting, shutter, etc. I doubt very much that the $40 Amazon specials look the same but I'd be willing to test if enough people were interested and you posted a link to what you purchased on Amazon.

^^^^^^^As would I.^^^^^^^^

These guys here. There are certain angles where yes, the outer ring looks dimmer, but most of the time, whenever I see them from outside the car or in a reflection off the bumper in front of me, they look perfect.

Amazon.com : 2×20W H8 CREE R4 LED Angel Eye Halo Bulb Light 6500K for BMW E92 E93 E90 X5 White Error Free about 1200Lm (each) : Automotive Electronic Security Products : Car Electronics

Reading reviews on xbimmers.com, many have said that the LUX H8 V3 were the best made so far only because somehow they spread the light most evenly between BOTH rings vs most sets nowadays where the inner is always the brightest...a design flaw that they fixed in 2011.

These have half the amount of LED's, but seeing everything nowadays is just relabeled stuff made in China, there's no guarantee that more bulbs will mean more light. Neverthless, you should try to post duplicate pics. I personally want them to be a little more blueish than what's been posted by either of you.

Odd Question with changing over to the LED's...Will they fade in and out like the halogen bulbs or are they like an instant on/off?

I'm sorry to be the asshole to tell you that looks nothing like the OE corona rings

I figured that with the cheapos but even with the LUX lights?

Yes, and it has nothing to do with the bulbs themselves, but more with the headlight design. The OE corona rings have two led drivers, one for each ring. The pre-LCI headlight has only one bulb on the inner ring, with a much longer distance for the light to travel to the outside ring. The result of this is the inside is always brighter than the outside. No bulb will change that.