FXLION has launched its new NANO PRO 14.4V/98Wh V-mount Battery, which is part of the company’s NANO series.
It features a built-in SMBus, with a maximum power of 156W, and a brand new design that can show battery information, like cycles, temperature, remaining charging time, running time, output voltages, and power.
It is equipped with 1x USB-C PD power 100W input/output, 2x USB-C PD power 18W outputs, 1x USB-A output, and 2x D-tap input/outputs.
Key features
- 14.4V/98Wh V-Mount Battery
- 2x D-Tap
- 1x USB-C PD power 100W input/output
- 2x USB-C PD power 18W outputs
- 1x USB-A
- Supports PD Fast Charging
- Built-in SMBus
- Built-in Display
Batteries may not be the most exciting pieces of kit, but they are essential to just about everything we do. There are so many battery options available, and given the fact that there is actually only a handful of companies that make the cells that are inside lithium-ion batteries, it can be a tough choice deciding what to buy.
The FXLION NANO PRO 14.4V/98Wh V-mount battery is being targeted at anyone who is looking for a flight-safe professional battery solution.
Size & Weight
The FXLION NANO PRO 98Wh weighs 612g / 1.34 lb, and it has physical dimensions of (L) 108.7mm x (W) 74mm x (H) 54.4mm.
So how does the size and weight of the FXLION compare to some other similar-capacity V-mount batteries? Well, below I will list some of the competition.
| WEIGHT | SIZE | |
| FXLION NANO PRO 98Wh | 612g / 1.34 lb | 10.9 x 7.4 x 5.4cm |
| SWIT OMNI-99S 99Wh | 553g / 1.21 lb | 10.2 x 7.4 x 5.2cm |
| Neewer PS099E | 590g / 1.3 lb | 11.1 x 7.3 x 5.7 cm |
| Core SWX NANO X V98 Micro | 590g / 1.3 lb | 9.9 x 7.2 x 5.6 cm |
| Core SWX XCell | 590g / 1.3 lb | 9.9 x 7.2 x 5.6 cm |
| FXLION Nano TWO | 520g / 1.14 lb | 10 x 7.2 x 5.4 cm |
| Anton/Bauer Dionic XT 90Wh | 820g / 1.8 lb | 12.9 x 9.6 x 5.1 cm |
| Hawk-Woods Mini V-Lok Data | 500g / 1.1 lb | 10 x 7 x 5 cm |
| IDX Imicro-98P | 380g / 0.83 lb | 10 x 7.3 x 3.9 cm |
| IDX CUE-J98 | 630g / 1.38 lb | 14.6 x 9.7 x 3.9 cm |
| ZGCINE S95 | 399g / 0.88 lb | 11 x 7.5 x 5.5 cm |
| bebob V98MICRO | 600g / 1.32 lb | 7.5 x 10.1 x 6.5 cm |
| SmallRig X-Touch Smart X99 | 880g / 1.94 lb | 12.5 x 7.9 x 6.8 cm |
| SmallRig VB99 Pro | 570g / 1.25 oz | 10.7 x 7.3 x 5.5 cm |
| CAME-TV Mini 99C | 567g / 1.25 lb | 10.7 x 7.5 x 5.5 cm |
As you can see, the batteries have a wide range of different weights and physical dimensions.
The battery is nice height, which means that on certain cameras, it will follow the contour and shape. This is a purely cosmetic thing, but I prefer batteries that are the same height as the camera I am using.
Build Quality
The housing combines metal and V0 flame-retardant plastic. The build quality of the battery is pretty good. The casing is solidly made, but the material used over the top of the casing is quite slippery.
The battery has a minimal amount of branding on it, but the design is pretty understated.
The battery display button is nice and tactile, and easy to use.
The FXLION NANO PRO 98Wh does have a small gripping area on both sides of the battery; however, these aren’t recessed. I would have preferred to have seen a longer and larger gripping material on the sides of the battery because the casing is quite slippery, and this can make it a little difficult to hold onto. In inclement weather conditions, this could potentially be a problem. I also found it a little hard to hold onto when wearing gloves.
The battery does have covers over all the input and output ports, which is nice to see, especially if you are using it in inclement weather conditions.
The batteries attach nicely to V-lock plates, and there is no wobble or gaps between the plate and the batteries.
I haven’t used the battery for long enough to know how well it would stand up to continued use in the field, but the slippery surface doesn’t fill me with confidence because the batteries can easily be dropped if you are not careful.
What cells are being used?
FXLION doesn’t publicly disclose what cells are being used in their batteries. All they state is that they are high-rate lithium cells. A lot of the cells are manufactured by companies such as Sony, Samsung, and Sanyo. You also have manufacturers such as ANSMANN AG, who make the cells for bebob. Regardless of who makes the cells, all cells are divided into three levels: A, B, and C. The lower the rating, the cheaper the price, and of course, the worse the performance.
Very few companies selling batteries actually disclose what cells are being used in their batteries.
Safety
All FXLION batteries come equipped with a built-in protection circuit, guarding against over-current, over-charge, over-discharge, and over-heat situations. They can function reliably in a wide range of environmental temperatures, spanning from -20°C up to 55°C.
Inputs & Outputs
As I mentioned earlier, the FXLION NANO Pro has a very good array of inputs and outputs, especially for a battery that is under 100Wh.
There is one 1x USB-C PD100W input and output port, enabling ultra-fast charging and 100W high-power discharge for devices. Smart thermal management for the 100W PD output ensures stable operation and safety
2x USB-C 18W outputs provide a simultaneous power supply for multiple devices.
There is also a USB-A fast charging output for universal device compatibility.
The 2x D-Tap outputs support up to 10~16.8V/13A (Max) total output for powering professional-grade equipment concurrently.
Unfortunately you don’t get any output data display for the D-tap ports.
The only thing I didn’t like was that the D-tap protective covers were difficult to remove and I couldn’t do it when the battery was mounted on a camera.
Multiple outputs can operate simultaneously without interference.
The three USB-C ports and the USB-A port are located on top of the battery.
The USB-C (PD 2.0 & PD 3.0 Bi-directional) port allows users to either charge the battery via a compatible USB-C PD device or to power or charge other devices, such as a laptop or phone. It also delivers 100W bidirectional PD fast charging. The 2x USB-C ports have a maximum output of 18W (5V/3A, 9V/2A, 12V/1.5A).
I loaded the battery up and used all of its outputs at the same time and I had no problems powering a wireless focus motor, wireless TX, as well as charging a Macbook Pro, another V-mount battery, and a battery in a USB-A charger.
It was nice to be able to see what the individual power draw on all of the outputs (apart from the D-tap) was.
It is really handy to have batteries with this capability because it allows you to charge crucial equipment such as phones and laptops in the field.
You can charge the battery using a PD 120W wall charger and a USB-C cable in around 3 hours. You can also charge the batteries on any V-lock charger.
We are starting to see quite a few batteries coming to market that now feature Bi-directional USB-C PD ports.
Display
The battery has a smart LCD screen and an intelligent display that can show battery capacity, input/output voltage, input/output power, charge/discharge time, cycle count, and internal temperature.
The NANO Pro also supports communication with cameras to display battery info directly on the camera.
The display is clear and concise, and it shows the voltage that is being drawn on the outputs. The battery displays the remaining run time in percentage as well as volts.
There are three different screens you can access. You can move between the screens by double-clicking the button.
If you long-press the button for 4-5 seconds, you will see the information screen that shows you the battery’s temperature, health, firmware version, and how many cycles it has had.
1/4-20″ and 3/8″ threaded holes
The battery also includes both 1/4-20″ and 3/8″ threaded holes to meet various mounting and rigging requirements for professional accessories
Price & Availability
The retail price of the FXLION NANO PRO 14.4V/98Wh V-mount Battery is $199 USD. The battery is now available to purchase.
Competition
There are a ton of 95-100Wh V-mount batteries on the market. All of the available options have different feature sets, so you need to look clearly at which battery works well for you.
Below, you can see how some of the competition stacks up when it comes to price:
| PRICE | |
| FXLION NANO PRO 98Wh | $199 USD |
| SWIT OMNI-99S 99Wh | $179 USD |
| Neewer PS099E | $99.99 USD |
| Core SWX NANO X V98 Micro | $199 USD |
| Core SWX XCell | $179 USD |
| FXLION Nano TWO | $139 USD |
| Anton/Bauer Dionic XT 90Wh | $370.50 USD |
| Hawk-Woods Mini V-Lok Data | $314.90 USD |
| IDX Imicro-98P | $252 USD |
| IDX CUE-J98 | $167 USD |
| ZGCINE S95 | $120.54 USD |
| bebob V98MICRO | $329 USD |
| SmallRig X-Touch Smart X99 | $254.99 USD |
| SmallRig VB99 Pro | $199.99 USD |
| CAME-TV Mini 99C | $178 USD |
As you can see, the price of 95-100Wh batteries varies dramatically. You can pay as little as $99.99 USD all the way up to well over $300 USD.
The FXLION NANO Pro is reasonably well priced given its feature set.
Specifications
- Capacity: 6.8Ah / 98Wh
- Voltage: 14.4V
- Mount: V-Mount
- Working Current: 13A(Max)
- Working Power: 156W(Max)
- D-Tap Output x2: 10~16.8V/13A(Max)
- USB-A Output: 5V/3A 9V/2A 12V/1.5A Supports fast charging protocols including QC2.0, QC3.0, FCP, and BC1.2.
- USB-C1 Input/Output: 5V/3A 9V/3A 12V/3A 15V/3A 20V/5A 100W(Max)
- USB-C2 & C3 Output: 5V/3A 9V/2A 12V/1.5A 18W(Max)
- Operating Temperature: -20°C to +55°C
- Charging Temperature: 0°C to +40°C
- Storage Temperature: -20°C to +45°C
- Dimensions: 108.7(L)mm×74(W)mm×54.4(H)mm
- Weight: 612g
Optional Chargers: Compatible with professional V-mount battery chargers and USB-C chargers that support the PD protocol for smartphones and laptops.
Note: PD100W charging requires an E-mark certified USB-C cable.
Conclusion
As I have previously said in a lot of battery reviews, a lot of potential buyers of V-lock batteries are probably going to have a pre-conceived bias that will direct them toward a brand that they know. However, a lot of the cells being used in these batteries all come from the same select group of lithium-ion battery manufacturers.
A battery is just a battery, right? If the same cells are being used in a more expensive battery, are you simply just paying for the name on the casing? Maybe, but there is usually a lot more to a battery than meets the eye.
The FXLION NANO Pro is a very solid offering offering and it features a comprehensive array of inputs and outputs. I like how you can charge the battery either via USB-C PD or on a traditional V-mount charger.
Being 98Wh also makes it a good option for anyone who travels a lot and uses cameras, accessories, or lights that can be powered via flight-safe batteries. Having the added ability to power laptops and other equipment via USB-C PD is also very useful, as is the ability to charge it without needing a large and bulky V-Mount charger.
