Govee Neon Rope Light Review: Colorful Spaghetti Noodles
Govee neon fairy lights
RRP $ 66.00
“Half the fun of setting up this light was testing all kinds of patterns. The possible forms are limitless. "
advantages
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Bright, flexible light
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Simple intelligent control via Alexa and Google Assistant
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Strong glue and easy assembly
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Thousands of different color configurations
disadvantage
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The installation process might take some work
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Not long enough to spell longer words
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No possibility to extend the length
Govee has exploded into the smart lighting scene in recent months with a range of relatively inexpensive lamps and light strips, but their newest product stands out in several big ways. The rope looks like pre-cooked spaghetti noodles if these noodles had a light-diffusing cover over LED lights. The strip itself is divided into two sections: the lower half that hides all of the wiring and does not light up, and the upper section that houses the LEDs.
The Govee Neon Rope Lights are very similar to the Philips Hue Ambient Light Strip, but they are significantly cheaper at $ 66 compared to $ 180. They're also more flexible, allowing you to write messages on the wall or create a variety of different patterns to suit your personality. Best of all, these lights work without any external accessories and work over both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Thanks to the variety of colors, scenes and functions, the Neon Rope Lights are a great way to add a little light art to your home.
Assembly and installation
At first glance, I expected the installation process to be a lot more tedious than it was. The mounting hardware includes metal brackets that slide over the back of the lights and snap into a groove along the lower half of the rope. Holes are drilled through the bottom of each bracket that allow it to be screwed into the wall (and the drywall screws are included if you choose to go that way) luckily, each bracket comes with 3M glue on the back too . All I had to do was peel and glue to attach the lights to the wall.
The brackets served as a guide for creating a shape. When I'm not writing, I have a small, gaming-focused podcast, so I positioned the strip so that it is in the camera's field of view when recording. I tried spelling out DDG for the show's initials, but trying to make legible text with the lights brought me back to my italic courses in elementary school. It didn't go well. Someone with more artistic talent might be able to form words, but I found it easier to just make a swirl pattern on the wall that resembles the Dreamcast logo. That said, half the fun of setting up this light was testing all of the potential patterns. The possible shapes are limitless.
Half the fun of setting up this light was testing all possible patterns.
The box also includes a set of alcohol swabs to wipe the surface before using the glue. The assembly process was easy; The only real downside was sliding the strip into the mounts. It fits tight and often I had to slide the bracket open anywhere and then pull the strip through until it reached the point where I needed it. Since the adhesive is a one-time use, the screws make it possible to reuse the fastening material and readjust it if necessary, albeit with a little extra effort.
The only headache came with adding the strip of light to the Govee app. The app does not automatically recognize new devices. Instead, you'll have to scroll through a list of products until you find the product you want to add. Govee goes out of their way with naming conventions, so your best bet is to look in your box and look for the model number. It's a minor inconvenience, but it seems out of place when it comes to modern smart home devices.
App and functions
If you've used a Govee light before, you already know the options available. The Neon Rope Light has the same functions as other Govee light bands and the same color options.
The Neon Rope Light offers more than 16 million colors and 15 different light segments to choose from. Each segment can be controlled individually, from color to relative brightness. You can also choose whether the segments should be well defined or should blend in between each other on a gradient. With this level of customization, you can create a nearly endless number of scenes that adapt to the mood of your room.
The Govee app contains 64 dynamic scenes to choose from. These are broken down into categories, including Natural, Festival, Life, and Emotion. Personally, I found the fall scene under the Of course category to be one of the best options. Even if you have other govee lights, these are the same categories and scenes available for them.
The Govee Neon Rope Light gives your wall a touch of style.
If you have multiple Govee lights in a room, you can use the app to select the Smarts tab and group multiple lights together. In one of these groups, you can set up specific schedules and "plans" that allow you to choose which devices to turn on, what color that particular device is, and much more. Unfortunately, while the Smarts tab gives access to a few pre-made scenes, it does not provide access to all of them. However, it suggests plans and even allows Govee's AI. Suggest color samples. You can even upload a picture and it will try to match the general color of the room to that photo.
In addition to these features, you can sync the lights with music. There are four different modes to choose from, but I found the sudden flicker more distracting than anything else.
Intelligent control
The Govee Neon Rope Light works with both Alexa and Google Assistant. Alexa automatically recognized the light and added it to the network. With the Google Assistant, I had to link my Govee account to my Google account. After that, it was so easy to pick each light and choose the room to add it to. From the wizards I can set up schedules, timers, and more. I can also ask Alexa or Google Assistant to change the colors, modes, and more. Alexa even offers access to all of Govee's built-in scenes from the Alexa app, but the Google Assistant does not.
Our opinion
Govee has made many trails in the smart lighting space, with everything from indoor strips to smart lights and more. The company even has other lesser-known smart devices to choose from. The Govee Neon Rope Light will add a touch of style to your wall in the form of a word or a pattern.
While it doesn't add much in terms of colors or features, its flexibility and potential uses are considerable. The marketing material makes it seem like the strip is much longer than it is, but a kit is only 3 feet long – and there doesn't seem to be any way to add any extra length to the strip.
Is there a better alternative?
The Philips Hue Ambient Light Strip is a similar product, but its higher cost and the need for a hub make it less attractive. You could also consider the Twinkly Flex for just $ 100. It serves a similar purpose, can be arranged in writing, and has a number of different color options to choose from. On the budget front, however, it's tough to beat the $ 65 Govee Neon Rope Light.
How long it will take?
Govee's products aren't thin, but neither do they feel like the most durable items on the market. I was worried that if I put the brackets in place, I would scratch the lights. There is no guarantee, but Govee promises to replace defective devices. These lights probably don't move a lot so they should last quite a while provided you take care of them.
Should you buy it?
Yes sir. Govee is a high quality budget brand. Although there are a few hiccups here and there, the lights work well and are easy to integrate with smart assistants. It won't revolutionize your smart home, but the Neon Rope Light is a great addition to add a bit of style to any room.
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