I upgraded my social content with this budget ring light — and now I can’t take a selfie without it

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Light it up

Godox 12-inch ring light photographed in front of a blue background with an iPhone on the phone mount.
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

When I was younger, I didn’t think "social media content creator" was a possible job title—but here we are in 2025 and it’s the job everybody wants.

Whether it’s beauty, lifestyle, or tech, there are influencers for everything. But you don’t need an expensive setup to achieve that same professional look with your content — one of the best ring lights is all you need.

The Godox LR120 ring light is an easy way to achieve that slick look when creating video content — and it doesn’t break the bank. It provides polished and consistent lighting to enhance content. Just improved lighting can make the overall quality you can achieve using just your phone so much better.

Godox LR120
Godox LR120: $59 at Amazon

The Godox LR120 12-inch ring light is ideal for anyone who needs a reliable lighting solution to make themselves appear clearer and polished for social media content or in video calls. After using the ring light, I don't think I can go back to producing videos in natural lighting. With seven levels of brightness to choose from and three different color settings, there is a lighting setup to suit every situation.

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Adjustable brightness and color temperature

The Godox LR120 is a dream when it comes to customization to achieve the best look wherever you are. Whether you are in a dark room or somewhere with natural lighting that you want to enhance, you can alter the brightness or lighting color to get the best look.

Godox 12-inch ring light photographed in front of a blue background with an iPhone on the phone mount.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

There are seven levels of brightness to choose from, ranging from 10% to 100%. This meant that I could turn down the light if I was looking washed out, and increase the brightness in darker situations.

The three different color temperatures also mean that there are lighting options to suit a variety of skin tones. Using the warmer-toned lighting settings made my face appear warmer and more lively, while the white light setting created a less vibrant look.

Built-in flexible phone holder

At the centre of the ring light is a tripod thread to attach the included flexible phone holder. This integrated feature makes it super easy to position your phone for filming without having to hold it.

Having the phone remain central to the ring light eliminates any shadows that might’ve been created by your arm holding the phone, allowing for even lighting around the frame. It also eliminates the need for a separate phone stand, having a secure and efficient setup ready to go.

Godox 12-inch ring light photographed in front of a blue background with an iPhone on the phone mount.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The phone holder also rotates on a 360º bevel, so I was able to easily switch between shooting video content in landscape and portrait. This is ideal if you need to make short-form content and long-form video at the same time.

Good color rendering

The Godox LR120 can replicate real-world color with ease thanks to a CRI rating of over 90. Thai is a rating of how well colors are represented on a scale of 1 to 100. The difference between these pictures taken in natural lighting and with the ring light speaks for itself. The color of my t-shirt is far more vibrant and true to life when using the ring light.

Image 1 of 2
Selfies taken using the Godox 12-inch ring light
Warm yellow lighting(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Portable power options

Since the Godox LR120 has a built-in USB-A cable, you are not limited to where you can use it. You don't need to be next to a power outlet to operate the light, as you can plug it into your laptop or use a portable power bank.

Godox 12-inch ring light photographed in front of a blue background with an iPhone on the phone mount.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

This is great if you need to shoot content outdoors but still want that polished, vibrant look that you can’t always get with natural lighting, depending on the time of day.

You can find out more about the ring light in my full Godox LR120 review.

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Ashley Thieme
Ashley Thieme
Staff writer, Reviews

Ashley is a staff writer on the the Reviews team at Tom’s Guide. She has a master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University and a BA in Journalism, Media and Sociology. She has written for titles including Women’s Health UK, writing health and wellness stories, and Virgin Radio UK, specializing in entertainment news and celebrity interviews. She has reported on a variety of topics including music, literature, motorsport, entertainment and health. She has previously reviewed live music events, books, and wellness products but discovering the top audio equipment on the market is what she does best. When she is not testing out the latest tech, you can find her either curled up with a cup of tea and a good fantasy novel or out hiking.

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