The Best Govee Smart Lights (2024): M1 Light Strip, Envisual T2, and More Tips | WIRED

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Smart lighting may be the quickest and easiest way to transform a space. It can spruce up your home decor and bring a futuristic feel, enhance your entertainment with synced lights, or change the mood of a room. Govee has quickly become one of our favorite brands in the smart lighting space, democratizing smart lighting with an incredibly versatile and surprisingly affordable range. But it's easy to get confused when you have so much choice. Seriously, Govee has too many products.

Fear not. In this guide, we will explain everything you need to know to find the best Govee smart lights. After extensive testing, we have singled out our top picks in different lighting categories. We also dip into prepping your space for installation, explore connectivity options, and decipher the somewhat cluttered Govee app. Want to explore other brands? You can find many alternatives in our Best Smart Lighting, Best Smart Bulbs, Best Philips Hue Smart Lights, and Best Nanoleaf Smart Lights guides.

Updated April 2024: We added the Neon Rope Light 2, Outdoor Neon Rope Light, TV Backlight 3 Lite, Galaxy Light Projector Pro, Permanent Outdoor Lights Pro, and honorable mentions and what to avoid sections with a couple of entries each, removed a discontinued light, and updated prices.

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Blazing bright, packed with vibrant color LEDs, and surprisingly affordable, the Govee M1 Light Strip is perfect for recessed areas in your home. The first Govee product to win me over was its economical light strips (we have several). At the cheapest end, there are single-color strips, but the best light strips have addressable zones, which means they can display multiple colors simultaneously for fancy effects. Like most Govee light strips, the M1 also supports music syncing. But the real reason to choose it is because it was the first Govee device to support Matter, meaning you can use it with Apple Homekit.

While you can change colors, brightness, or turn it off with your chosen smart home platform, you must dip into the Govee app if you want effects. Sadly, unlike some competitors, this light strip cannot be trimmed to fit your space, and it only comes in 6.5-feet (2-meter) or 16.4-feet (5-meter) lengths. If you don’t care about Matter, save some money with one of Govee’s RGBIC LED Light Strips.

Supports Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings

Most light strips need to be installed in a recessed spot so the LEDs don’t dazzle you, but Govee’s diffused Neon Rope Light 2 looks good enough to remain in full view. You can mount it and bend it into curved shapes. I have the original Neon Rope Light installed on my stairs, but the latest version is more flexible. It works great as a subtle night-light but can also cycle through colors and play animations. Adhesive-backed metal brackets keep it in place (you get 10 in the box), and you can fix them more securely with the provided screws if you want. The Neon Rope Light 2 also comes with longer bendable clips, making it easier to get creative with your design (Govee has a bunch of suggestions in the app).

Both models work with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, but the Neon Rope Light 2 boasts Matter support out of the box, so also works with Apple HomeKit or Samsung SmartThings. You can use voice controls to turn the light on and off, change brightness, and choose solid colors, but you need to load the app to change scenes or have the “AI” generate animations based on your design (this requires you to shoot a short video). There is also a control unit with physical buttons for power, music syncing, and color cycling. On the downside, transitions can appear blocky because the LEDs are segmented, and you can’t extend this strip. Minor quibbles aside, it looks great and works reliably.

I also tested the Govee Outdoor Neon Rope Light (H61A8) ($200). It is mostly identical to the original Neon Rope Light, except that it is 32.8 feet long and IP67-rated for outdoor use, whatever the weather.

Supports Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings

While you can get better smart bulbs, Govee’s Smart LED Bulbs are a solid choice if you already have Govee lights and want to put all your lighting under one umbrella. They boast tons of colors, scenes, and effects, and you can schedule them, change the color temperature, and dim them using the Govee app. Although they support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, your phone connects via Bluetooth, so expect a short delay every time you connect. I prefer to use voice controls through Google Assistant. You can create groups of up to 30 bulbs to share scenes.

There are a few different models, and Govee does not do a great job of differentiating, so to be clear, we’re talking about the H6008 bulb.

Supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant

For hypnotizing effects, nothing beats Govee’s Glide Hexa Pro 3D Panels. They light up all colors like most smart panels, but the animated effects are unique. You need to take your time with the fiddly installation, plan out your pattern in the app, and follow the linking instructions. You get 10 hexagonal panels that stick to the wall with strong adhesive and slot together with linking cables. They can also sync to music, or you can use Razer's Synapse 3 software to connect the panels to your existing RGB gaming setup.

While the 3D effect is undeniably cool, it might not be ideal for every setting. Thankfully, they don’t look as tacky as I thought they might. It’s a shame they lack touch controls (something Nanoleaf offers). Govee’s regular Hexa Glide panels are similar but without the 3D effect.

Supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant

These modular bars clip together, and you can use them to form a frame or a big lightning strike on the wall, like we did in our game room. They go impressively bright if you have enough sections (we combined a couple of kits). You can pick any colors and apply them to individual segments. There are also some lovely animated scenes (the rainbow effect is our favorite) and a reactive mode that syncs to music. There’s no physical control option here, so we use Google Assistant to turn the light bars on or off and dip into the app to change colors or scenes.

They are translucent white plastic bars with visible seams between sections, so they look a bit ugly when turned off. Like all wall-mounted smart lighting, you are stuck with a power cable running down the wall.

Supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant

Govee's AI Gaming Sync Box (8/10, WIRED recommends) is easily one of the best smart lighting options for gamers. Comprised of an RGB strip, two light towers, and an HDMI box capable of accurate color matching. Govee’s algorithms can recognize in-game actions and direct a light show to match. There are super-cool immersive effects for a handful of supported titles, including Apex Legends, Valorant, and Overwatch.

This system is pricey, takes up quite a bit of desk real estate, and requires a fiddly setup with lots of cabling. We’d also like to see Govee add support for more games, but the color-matching effects are solid, and this lighting is highly customizable.

Supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant

Lighting behind your TV helps the picture pop, and color syncing can add to your immersion for action movies and fast-paced games. Govee’s slightly flawed Flow Pro Light Bars were a decent first attempt, but the Envisual T2 turns everything up to 11. Sadly, it still requires a camera pointed at your screen—that's how it can understand what's happening on the screen and tune the lights to corresponding colors. The color matching and build quality are much improved over the Flow Pro. The light strip gets bright and works well in a dark room as a low-level light source that won’t cause reflections on the screen. The dual camera has a hinge design (no adhesive needed), and there’s a mic in the control box for music syncing.

The installation and configuration are a total pain in the rear, but once completed and tweaked to your liking, this is a great light syncing system. It can also be grouped with other Govee lights to sync them too. Consider the Nanoleaf 4D Kit if you're not tied to Govee.

I also tested the newer and cheaper Govee TV Backlight 3 Lite ($90). It’s an upgrade of Govee’s older TV backlighting and has a single camera, but Govee has added fish-eye correction, warmer whites, and a better clip design. As the price suggests, the 3 Lite is better than the original but not as good as the Envisual T2.

Does not support a voice assistant

With a tall, skinny design that feels modern without being an eyesore, the Lyra Floor Lamp blends in easily. The light strip on one side is designed to face toward the wall, so the colors bounce off it to create the vibe you want. It’s a non-intrusive way to add smart lighting to a room. With the Govee app and your phone’s microphone, it can sync to music, and you have the usual plethora of colors, gradients, and effects. The strip breaks into eight sections you can control separately or together. There's also a remote if you don't want to use your phone.

Supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant

If you want your house to stand out, these permanent color lights from Govee deliver. I installed them (with the help of my window cleaner) last November, and they appear in our Best Smart Christmas Lights guide. Each adhesive-backed spotlight can output up to 50 lumens in whatever color you want. They come in 16-foot strips with waterproof connectors and score an IP67 rating (the control box is IP65). Mine have been up through howling gales, snow, and torrential rain, and they are still securely fastened and working perfectly. Some overhang is required to get the best from them, as they ideally want to be at least 2 inches away from the wall (4 inches is better). Having an outdoor socket also makes life easier.

Govee’s app has a wide choice of animated scenes covering different holidays and all sorts of colorful styles. You can also highlight your home in white light for a classy look. These lights are pricey, so wait for a discount before you bite. Plan your setup before installation and thoroughly clean the surface you are sticking lights on to avoid problems. The sections make it reasonably easy to tailor, but you can’t cut these, and they are unlikely to be the perfect size for your roof. If visible bulbs and cables annoy you, these aren’t for you.

Supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant

Stargazing is a great way to relax. While there’s no substitute for the real night sky, a planetarium can project stars onto your bedroom ceiling that you can enjoy from your cozy bed. The Galaxy Light Projector Pro is a tangent for Govee, but it has several features that make it a good choice for bedtime. The projector comes with eight different discs to light up your ceiling with stars and planets. You can tweak the focus, and there are a couple of modes to give the illusion of movement. It can also double up as a colored light with animated scenes, but I don’t recommend you use it that way. To enhance the relaxing vibes, the built-in speaker offers a choice of more than 30 sleep sounds like rain, ocean, or cosmos-inspired lullabies.

We have tested a few different planetariums, and they are a great way to lull kids to sleep, but you need a dark room for them to work well. Sadly, Govee’s Galaxy Light Projector Pro is expensive and doesn’t show real constellations, but I like the inclusion of sounds, and it turns itself off after two hours, so you don’t have to worry about it being on all night and heating up too much. My daughter can also ask Alexa to turn it on if she wakes up at night. If you want a home planetarium with a wide disc selection showing real constellations, we recommend the Sega Toys Homestar Flux ($259).

Supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant

We tested some other Govee lights that didn't quite earn a full recommendation, but are still worth a look:

Govee Outdoor LED String Lights for $50: Festoon your backyard or balcony with these hanging bulbs to bring more atmosphere to BBQs and parties. You get 15 tough plastic bulbs on 48 feet of cable. The bulbs are IP65-rated and offer dimmable warm white or colored light. The control box is IPX5, but the power adapter is not waterproof, so you must run it inside or use a weatherproof box.

Govee Flood Lights for $100: Easy to mount and angle, this four-pack of flood lights offers a wide range of colors and scenes through the Govee app using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. You can also dim or tweak the temperature. Each light can put out up to 500 lumens. They are IP65-rated and connected on a single 40-foot cord, but the power adapter is not water-resistant.

They can't all be winners. Here are the lights we think are best avoided:

Govee Curtain Lights for $130: While many people seem to love the curtain lights from Govee, I found them to be a big garish disappointment. They look cheap and tacky (especially when off), are a total pain to fit, and the low resolution animations are barely recognizable. They also get tangled easily and proved impossibly tempting for our two cats. Even setting all that aside, you have to be quite far away from them before they begin to look anything approaching good.

Govee RGBIC Cube Wall Sconces for $130: These box-shaped wall sconces are so ugly. Govee has included cable management in each of the six lights, so you can adjust the length and hide excess cable, but you must still run the cable between them. They go up to 150 lumens apiece, and you get the usual array of colors and animated scenes, but unless you can install them out of view, perhaps behind the couch, I cannot recommend them, and even then, there are better options above.

There are a few things to consider before you buy any Govee lights.

Choose a spot. Think carefully about where you want to install your smart lighting and remember that you need a power outlet nearby (or the ability to run an extension cord). Most of Govee’s smart lights have reasonably long cables, but measure up to avoid errors.

Connectivity and controls. Most Govee lights have physical buttons, and many have a control box, but you can also connect them to your phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Bluetooth is slower and has limited range, so we recommend using Wi-Fi. Make sure your chosen spot has a reasonably strong Wi-Fi signal.

Govee has an app. Available features depend on your chosen lighting, but the Govee app enables you to turn lights on and off, change colors, select and create animated effects, schedule your lights, and lots more. We recommend installing it and creating an account before you install your new lighting, but beware: It is messy and confusing, and you will need time to get your head around it.

Discounts are common. Govee discounts its range of smart lights frequently, so do not pay full price. There are discounts and coupons offered on most devices every few weeks at retailers like Amazon.

Here are a few tips we have learned from using Govee smart lighting for the past few years.

Installation: Plan installations carefully, particularly with panels, by testing your intended layout before you stick anything to the wall. In particular, think about where the power cord will end up. Clean any surface you intend to stick smart lighting on thoroughly and bear in mind that the adhesive can damage paintwork or wallpaper if you ever remove it.

Connecting: Even after connecting Govee lights to Wi-Fi, your phone will connect via Bluetooth for direct control and firmware updates. If you’re having trouble connecting, get physically close to your lights (within 6 feet).

Calibration: Some Govee smart lighting, such as the TV or gaming syncing products, requires a calibration process to work properly. Take your time and follow the instructions precisely for the best results. You can always redo calibration in the Govee app.

Names: If you didn’t choose a descriptive name during setup or you want to change your light names, select the Device tab, choose a device, and tap the cog at the top right, then Device name to edit. Remember these names will also be used for Alexa and Google Assistant if you set up voice controls, so short and memorable is best.

Rooms: If you have multiple Govee lights, it is worth tapping the three dots at the top right on the Device tab in the app to select Room Management, create the rooms you want, and add your lights to them. This will make it easier to control groups of lights.

Voice controls: Since the Govee app is such a mess, for basic stuff day to day, you may prefer using a voice assistant to control your lights. You can link most Govee lights with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. You can find detailed instructions in the Govee app. Choose a light on the Device tab, tap the cog at the top right, and look under User Guide. If any other connections, such as Razer Chroma, are available for that device, you’ll find the instructions for them too. Sadly, the Matter-supporting M1 above is the only Govee option so far to work with Apple Homekit.

Automation: You can schedule lights to turn on and off by selecting them on the Device tab and choosing Timer. You can also create automations on the Automation tab. You can choose to turn all lights off at a certain time every night, but you can also set up triggers to change brightness, color, color temperature, mode, and more (available options depend on the device).

Colors and effects: Choose a light on the Device tab and tap Effects Lab to find all the available colors and effects to try. If you want to cycle through different effects, tap on Auto-Play, specify how it should change, and create a list of effects to cycle through.

Explore: You will find some suggestions on the Home tab in the app, but if you look at the bottom, there’s an Explore option (globe icon). The Explore section is a great place to learn more about what your lights can do. You can see group options or select individual devices at the top.

Discover: One last thing worth looking at on that bottom bar in the app is the Discover section (compass icon). You can find different hashtagged topics and loads of posts and videos made by Govee light owners. It can be a good place to find ideas, tips, and troubleshooting help for your Govee lighting.

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