Systems and methods for low complexity forward transforms using zeroed-out coefficients are described herein. One aspect of the subject matter described in the disclosure provides a video encoder comprising a memory configured to store a video block. The video encoder further comprises a processor in communication with the memory. The processor is configured to determine a full power value of the video block. The processor is further configured to determine a reduced transform coefficient matrix, wherein the reduced transform coefficient matrix comprises an inner region of zero or non-zero values of the same inner region of a full transform coefficient matrix and an outer region of zero values, wherein the reduced transform coefficient matrix and the full transform coefficient matrix have the same size. The processor is further configured to determine a partial power value of the video block using the reduced transform coefficient matrix. The processor is further configured to transform the video block from a pixel domain to a coefficient domain using the reduced transform coefficient matrix based on the full power value and partial power value. The processor is further configured to encode the transformed video block.