Nanlite Forza 60B LED Light Review: Compact Bi-Color for Creators

The Nanlite Forza 60B has 2,900+ reviews on JD.com with a 4.5/5 rating at ¥1,699 ($235). Users love the compact size, smooth 2700K-6500K bi-color adjustment, and the quiet fan. The main complaints are the slightly dimmer output at 2700K and the lack of a built-in battery. Conclusion: ✅ Worth Buying — the best compact bi-color LED for content creators and videographers.

Introduction

Nanlite has built a strong reputation in the professional lighting world, offering products that bridge the gap between consumer and cinema-grade lighting. The Forza 60B is their compact bi-color LED, offering 60W of adjustable color temperature output in a body that fits in one hand. It targets content creators, videographers, and photographers who need flexible, compact lighting for interview, product, and fill light applications.

With nearly 3,000 reviews on JD.com, the Forza 60B competes with the Godox SL60W (daylight-only), Aputure Amaran 60c (full color), and various Neewer RGB panels. At ¥1,699, it’s priced for serious enthusiasts and professionals who value color quality and build reliability.

Specifications

Specification	Nanlite Forza 60B	Godox SL60W	Aputure Amaran 60c	Neewer RGB
Price	¥1,699 ($235)	¥899 ($124)	¥1,799 ($249)	¥1,299 ($180)
Power	60W	60W	60W	50W
Color Temp	2700K-6500K	5600K (fixed)	RGB + 2500K-7500K	RGB + 3200K-5600K
CRI/TLCI	96/97	95/96	95/96	90/92
Output	1,790 lux @ 1m (5600K)	1,850 lux @ 1m	1,950 lux @ 1m (5600K)	1,500 lux @ 1m (5600K)
Bowens Mount	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Fan	Yes (quiet mode)	Yes	Yes (passive)	Yes
App Control	Yes (Nanlink)	Yes (Godox Light)	Yes (Sidus Link)	Yes (Neewer)
Weight	710g	1,100g	720g	850g
JD Rating	4.5/5	4.4/5	4.6/5	4.2/5

Design and Build Quality

The Forza 60B is remarkably compact for a Bowens-mount LED. The head unit, weighing just 710g, is about the size of a standard coffee mug — genuinely palm-sized. The body is constructed from a combination of metal and high-quality polycarbonate, with a heat sink array on the back for passive cooling. The detachable control box attaches via a locking cable, keeping the head lightweight for boom arm or small light stand use.

The rear LCD panel is clear and shows brightness, color temperature, and effects mode information. Physical controls include a brightness dial, a color temp dial, and mode buttons — intuitive enough to operate without looking. The Bowens mount on the front accepts standard modifiers directly, including softboxes and reflectors up to moderate sizes. The included barn doors provide basic light shaping. The fan has a quiet mode that’s genuinely unobtrusive — barely audible in a quiet room, making it suitable for interview and dialogue-heavy video work.

“The size of this light is what sold me. It fits in my camera bag alongside lenses. The 2700K-6500K range covers almost every scenario from candlelight warmth to daylight matching. I use it as a key light for YouTube videos and it’s perfect.” — Ma Li, JD.com Verified Purchase, 5-star review

Performance

The 60W output delivers approximately 1,790 lux at 1 meter with the standard reflector at 5600K — sufficient for interview and talking-head video key lighting within 2-3 meters. At 2700K (warmest setting), the output drops to roughly 70% of the 5600K output due to the bi-color LED configuration — a common characteristic of bi-color lights. The 96/97 CRI/TLCI ratings indicate excellent color rendering accuracy.

The Nanlink app control works well for remote brightness and color temperature adjustment, though the range is limited to approximately 10 meters via Bluetooth. The built-in lighting effects (candle, fire, TV, flash, etc.) are useful for creative applications. The quiet fan mode maintains low noise levels while still providing adequate cooling for continuous operation. The Bowens mount compatibility means the Forza 60B pairs with most existing softboxes and modifiers.

“I upgraded from a Godox SL60W to the Forza 60B specifically for the bi-color capability. The 2700K setting is invaluable for mood lighting and matching practical sources. The output drop at 2700K is noticeable but acceptable. The build quality and fan noise are significantly better than the Godox.” — Liu Kai, JD.com Verified Purchase, 5-star review

What Chinese Users Say

On Size and Portability: “This light is ridiculously small for a Bowens mount LED. I can fit the head, barn doors, and a small softbox in my Think Tank bag. For travel vlogging and location interviews, nothing beats the portability.” — JD.com user, 5 stars 💡 Compact size with Bowens mount is a unique combination.

On Color Quality: “Color rendering is excellent — I tested it against my Sekonic color meter and CRI measured 97. Skin tones look natural across the temperature range. Worth the premium over the Godox SL60W.” — Taobao user, 5 stars 💡 Professional-grade color rendering justifies the price.

On Output at Warm Settings: “The output difference at 2700K vs 5600K is around 30%. At 2700K you need to be closer or use a faster aperture. Something to consider if you plan to use warm settings frequently.” — JD.com user, 4 stars 💡 Reduced output at warm settings is a bi-color trade-off.

On App Stability: “The Nanlink app occasionally disconnects and requires reconnection. Not a dealbreaker but annoying when you’re fine-tuning lighting mid-shot. The physical controls work perfectly regardless.” — JD.com user, 4 stars 💡 App connectivity has minor stability issues.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Ultra-compact for a Bowens-mount LED light
• Smooth 2700K-6500K bi-color adjustment
• Excellent color accuracy (CRI 96)
• Very quiet fan (quiet mode)
• Bowens mount for standard modifiers
• Detachable control box for flexible positioning
• Good app control (Nanlink)
• Built-in lighting effects

Cons

• Output drops ~30% at warm (2700K) end
• No built-in battery — requires AC or external V-mount
• 60W output limits size of modifier
• App connection sometimes unstable
• Price premium over fixed-temperature competitors

FAQ

Q1: Can the Forza 60B be powered by a V-mount battery?

Yes, with the separately available Nanlite Forza 60B V-mount battery adapter. This enables field use away from AC power.

Q2: What modifiers are recommended for the Forza 60B?

Small to medium softboxes (up to 60cm) work well. Larger modifiers like 90cm octaboxes reduce output significantly. Reflectors and diffusers are more practical than large softboxes.

Q3: Is the fan noise suitable for quiet video recording?

In quiet mode, the fan noise is approximately 20 dB — barely audible. This is suitable for dialogue recording and interviews when the light is within 2 meters of the subject.

Q4: What is the difference between the Forza 60B and the Forza 60C?

The Forza 60C adds full RGB color control (RGBWW) while the 60B is limited to 2700K-6500K bi-color. The 60C also has slightly higher output at the cost of a larger control box.

Q5: Can the Forza 60B be controlled from a video assistant?

No DMX input is available on the Forza 60B. Remote control is limited to the Nanlink Bluetooth app. For DMX-controlled setups, the larger Forza 150/300 series is required.

Verdict and Rating

The Nanlite Forza 60B is an excellent example of a product designed with a specific user in mind: the content creator who needs professional color quality and bi-color flexibility in a genuinely compact package. The Bowens mount compatibility at this size is the killer feature — it transforms a small, travel-friendly light into a versatile lighting tool with the right modifier.

The output reduction at warm color temperatures is the main technical compromise, and the lack of a built-in battery limits truly wireless use without additional accessories. But for studio, interview, and controlled location shooting, the Forza 60B delivers the color quality and build reliability that content professionals need.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

• Output & Quality: 4.5/5 — Excellent color rendering, sufficient power
• Build Quality: 4.5/5 — Compact, well-constructed
• Versatility: 4.5/5 — Bi-color + Bowens mount in small package
• Noise Level: 5/5 — Best-in-class quiet fan
• Value: 4.0/5 — Premium pricing for premium features