Full disclosure: Tolifo sent me this PL-100 RGB Light for free to test out. But trust me, if something sucks, I’m going to say it sucks. Freebie or not, you’re getting the unfiltered truth here.
Alright, picture this.
You buy a brand-new light for your studio. It’s got all the bells and whistles—RGB, app control, crazy brightness, a sleek design. The marketing makes it sound like the best portable light ever. You turn it on, it looks amazing… and then, 20 minutes later, it dies. Just shuts off like a toddler who missed nap time.
Sound ridiculous?
Well, welcome to my experience with the Tolifo PL-100 RGB Light.
Let’s break this thing down and figure out if it’s worth your money—or if you’re better off lighting your setup with, I don’t know, a flashlight taped to the wall.
Unboxing: First Impressions Were Too Good
Right out of the gate, this light looks premium. It comes in a semi-hard carrying case, which made me think, Alright, they actually care about presentation. Inside, we’ve got:
- The Tolifo PL-100 RGB Light – Has this fancy fake brown leather trim, trying to look all boujee.
- A Mini Reflector & Diffuser – Cool, useful, nice touch.
- A Handle / Stand Adapter – Basically a tiny grip if you want to hold it like a mini spotlight.
- USB-C Charging Cable – Expected, but here’s where problems start (we’ll get to that soon).
- A Bowens Mount Adapter – Honestly a nice bonus.
- Some paperwork – We all know I didn’t read it.
At first glance, everything feels high quality. The metal body is solid, the design is clean, and I was genuinely excited to start using it.
But then, I turned it on…
Features – On Paper, This Light Is a Beast
According to Tolifo, this thing is stacked with features:
- RGB & Bi-Color Modes – Warm to cool whites (2700K to 6500K) and full-on color mode.
- App Control – You can adjust settings via Bluetooth (when the app actually works).
- 20 Lighting Effects – Includes fire, lightning, TV flicker, and other fun stuff.
- 100W COB LED – Claims to hit 12,400 lux at 1m (translation: really bright).
- High CRI (97+) – Supposed to give accurate colors on camera.
- Built-in 4500mAh Battery – And this is where the problems begin.
Everything sounded awesome. But specs don’t mean anything if the product can’t actually deliver.
So I put it to the test.
Performance: The Battery Life is a Joke
This light is bright. No complaints there. At full power, it easily lights up a small room. The RGB colors are strong, and the effects actually look good. I was thinking, Yo, this might actually be a winner.
And then, 20 minutes later, it died.
Wait, what?
Tolifo claims 45-66 minutes of battery life. I don’t know what fantasy land they’re living in, but here’s what I actually got:
- 100% brightness – 40 minutes, max.
- 50% brightness – Around an hour.
- 25% brightness – Sure, it lasts longer, but at that point, why am I even using it?
If you’re doing short shoots, maybe that’s fine. But if you need a light that lasts through an entire recording session? This ain’t it.
But wait—it gets worse.
Overheating: The Ultimate Dealbreaker
Even if the battery lasted longer, it still wouldn’t matter. Why? Because this thing overheats like crazy.
- At full power? It dimmed itself after 25-30 minutes.
- At 50%? It completely shut off mid-recording.
- At 25%? It still ran hot. Like, how?!
I was using it in a climate-controlled room (it was literally 68°F in here), and it still couldn’t handle itself. Imagine using this outside or in a warm studio—I’d have better luck using a candle.
Oh, and once it shuts off to cool down, you just have to sit there and wait. Because there’s nothing like pausing your workflow while your light takes a little nap.
“Just Plug It In” – Except That’s Also a Problem
Okay, so maybe the battery sucks. No big deal, right? Just plug it in and keep rolling.
Nope.
You CAN use it while plugged in, but here’s the catch:
- USB-C alone isn’t enough to power it at 100%. The battery will still drain over time.
- You need the separate DC adapter to get full power, but guess what? It’s not included.
So now you’re either stuck with a dying light or forced to spend extra money on an adapter they should’ve included in the first place.
At this point, I started wondering—why even call it “portable” if you have to keep it plugged in?
The Verdict – Should You Buy It?
Look, I wanted to love this light. It looks awesome, has great color and cool effects, and is actually well-built. But the battery life and overheating completely ruin it.
✅ Buy it if:
- You need a small, portable RGB light for very short shoots.
- You’re okay with plugging it in most of the time.
- You like cool lighting effects and just need something for accent lighting.
❌ Skip it if:
- You need long-lasting battery power.
- You shoot long-form content and can’t deal with sudden shut-offs.
- You want a fully wireless experience—because that’s not what this is.
Final Rating: 6/10 – Awesome in theory, frustrating in practice.
If you’re doing quick, short videos, this might be a fun little light. But if you need something dependable for real work? Look elsewhere.
🔗 Check current pricing here: [Affiliate Link Placeholder]
📺 Watch my full hands-on video review here: [Embedded YouTube Video Placeholder]
What Do You Think?
Would you still grab this light for its cool features and portability, or is the bad battery and overheating a dealbreaker for you? Let me know in the comments! And if you liked this review, don’t forget to check out the full video breakdown! 🎬
Until next time, stay lit (but not overheated)! 🔥