Ulanzi L023 Light Review and Comparison with the Ulanzi L024 RGB

After reviewing the Ulanzi L024 RGB, the logical decision would have been to avoid this product line altogether. Not because it is a bad series, but simply because it does not suit my needs particularly well. There was just one problem. By the time the L024 RGB arrived, I had already ordered the Ulanzi L023 on AliExpress.

Specifications

Ulanzi L023 Video Review

Market positioning

And that is where things get interesting. I paid around $45 for it. Sure, I caught it on sale and placed the order quickly, but even so, that was still less than half of what I had paid for the L024 RGB.

So the real question is this: how much has been stripped out of this COB light to justify keeping and using it in at least some situations? Because, spoiler alert, it is every bit as unnecessarily noisy as the RGB version, making it equally unsuitable for my typical shooting setup. On the other hand, it was inexpensive enough that I did not hesitate to take it apart. And what I found inside… I’ll get to that later.

Similarities

Moving on, let’s look at what the L023 and L024 have in common. The dimensions are virtually identical: both are compact, pocket-sized units weighing around half a kilogram. The enclosure is the same, as are the switches, with only minor differences in the labeling. Power options are also identical, with both supporting USB Type-C and a 19 V DC input. The tripod mounting point is unchanged as well.

Both lights offer a white-light mode with an adjustable color temperature ranging from 2500 K to 6500 K. They also share the same output range, from approximately 14 W up to 40 W, along with an Overdrive mode that boosts maximum output to around 50 W. Both models can operate while charging their identical 3400 mAh batteries. However, when running from external power, the Overdrive mode is disabled.

Both lights come with the same accessories: a reflector and a silicone diffuser. They also share the Mini Bowens mount, lack support for remote control or smartphone apps, and include the same selection of built-in lighting effects.

Differences

This brings us to the differences. The L023 includes eight built-in effects instead of twenty. More importantly, it has no RGB capability at all – it is a white-light fixture, and that is essentially the entire difference. Ironically, that difference is also what makes the L023 so compelling. At around UAH 2,000, you get a 50 W COB light with a CRI of 95+ and a TLCI of 96+, complete with an integrated battery. Honestly, it’s difficult to overstate how impressive that value is.

And you may not fully appreciate what 50 W of dedicated white light actually means. It delivers around 13,000 lux at a distance of 50 cm. To put that into perspective, the Wuben X1 – one of the company’s most powerful EDC flashlights – costs close to UAH 8,000 and produces a lower output of about 12,000 lumens, with no published high-CRI rating.

That is why I have mixed feelings about the L023. On the one hand, it is inexpensive enough that I had no reservations about taking it apart. Inside, I found an extremely cheap, tiny cooling fan that, at least in theory, should be easy for a technician to replace once it eventually fails. The fan, not the technician.

Without active cooling, the lifespan of this light is likely to be both short and unpleasant. Both models reach temperatures approaching 70 °C under load – even with the cooling fan running.

So I find myself torn about the L023. On the one hand, it is almost like an AK-47: an astonishing amount of capability for little more than the cost of sticks and mud. On the other hand, I simply do not have a shooting scenario that justifies using the L023 instead of my current silent light, the Yongnuo YN300 III. I rarely shoot outdoors at night, and for indoor work I need complete silence. Around 99% of the videos I produce require at least a few B-roll shots recorded with live audio, where fan noise is unacceptable.

Summary

In my opinion, the Ulanzi L023 offers significantly better value than the Ulanzi L024 RGB. It is certainly less versatile, but in practice, RGB lighting is far less essential than a powerful, high-quality white light – especially one that includes an integrated battery, a Mini Bowens mount, and such a compact form factor. For that reason, I consider the L023 the stronger product overall and, at the moment, one of the best budget COB continuous lights available. If fan noise is not a concern for your workflow, I can confidently recommend it. If quiet operation is important to you, however, I would recommend looking elsewhere.