Govee Neon LED light strip review: Bringing retro neon lights into the future

LED light strips are a dime a dozen — well maybe not that cheap, but you get what I mean, right? There is no shortage of inexpensive LED light strips, but many lack useful features or even good color reproduction. Govee is not one of those brands. In fact, it makes some of the best LED light strips on the market. It pushes the boundaries of this technology, and the Govee Neon LED light strip is just another example of this.

Govee is known for taking the well-known LED light strip and expanding the possibilities of the technology in products like the Immersion TV LED Backlights and the Flow Pro light bars. With the Neon LED light strip, Govee wants to bring the old-school neon light fixture into the smart home realm. Let's dive into how well it accomplishes this goal.

Govee Neon LED light strip: Price and availability

The Govee released the Neon LED light strip in September 2021, with a launch price of $69.99. The smart light is available from Govee directly at the same price as launch or from Amazon for $71.99. The Neon LED light strip is only available in a single length of 3M (10FT).

Govee Neon LED light strip: What's good

My initial thought about reviewing another LED light strip was hesitancy; what could be so different about this strip that I hadn't seen before? Well, the Govee Neon LED light strip not only uses RGBIC technology to allow for multiple colors to be displayed in a single strip but also encases the LEDs in a light-diffusing silicone that provides a more evenly distributed light.

The physical light concept is similar to Govee's Lyra Corner Floor Lamp. However, instead of being installed in a lamp form, the light strip is intended to be mounted directly to a wall, ceiling, or anywhere else you want. It's like a combo of the Lyra and the Govee Glide Wall Lights. The box comes with ten aluminum clips for attaching the light onto a surface, or you can use the included 3M adhesive tape.

Source: Chris Wedel / Android Central

Also in the box is the wall adapter and the control box. This box allows you to change the light's status, like power, brightness, or scene, by pressing one of the three buttons. There's also a microphone built into the control box that the light strip uses to react to sound when in music mode. Or, because the Govee Neon LED can connect to your phone, you can use your phone's mic to control music mode instead.

Mounting the Neon LED light strip is a pretty straightforward process once you decide what method you want to use — screws, adhesive, or the overkill option of both. Perhaps the most difficult task is landing on a shape you want to form your light strip into using the available 10FT of LEDs. I decided to form it into a lightning bolt in my kids' playroom to spice up their gaming sessions.

Once I had the Neon LED light strip mounted and plugged in, I opened up the Govee companion app to pair the device. Pairing is an easy process over Wi-Fi, but it also can be controlled via Bluetooth. However, to take full advantage of the lights, you'll want to use Wi-Fi so that you can integrate controls with Google Assistant or Alexa.

Govee's app is overflowing with features. From the expected options of changing colors and picking from the 64 preset scenes, to creating your own designs in the DIY section or diving into the Effects Lab, there is no shortage of customization for the Neon LED light strip.

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Once I successfully paired the light, both my kids and I loved this thing. Firstly, this LED strip is bright, and the colors are very vibrant. Even at 50% brightness, the light easily fills the room. While I preferred some of the more subdued scenes with gradients that slowly transitioned and moved throughout the shape, my kids preferred the more energetic offerings.

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The Neon LED light strip has fit perfectly into the room, and my kids have a blast with it. It complements the energy of the room, and the reactivity of the lights to the sounds when playing the Nintendo Switch is a lot of fun. It's especially nice that a phone isn't required to change the lights thanks to the physical buttons on the control box.

Govee Neon LED light strip: What's not good

Govee has done a fantastic job with this product in many ways. But I think improvements are possible in a couple of key areas. Ultimately, my issue with what is shipping for the Neon LED light strip is that I want more.

I want more mounting hardware. The brackets themselves are of great quality and work very well, but there are only ten provided in the box, and they aren't available to purchase separately. This means that deciding on a shape for the light strip requires careful planning and strategic placement of the brackets to achieve the desired outcome.

Aside from getting more brackets in the box, I'd also like to see some pre-curved mounts included. These would help to ensure not only does the light strip does not get damaged by too extreme of a curve, but it would also allow for a cleaner form. Including a curved mounting bracket would also mean that the currently provided ten straight pieces could go further in creating the perfect shape.

The other thing I'd like more of is more LED length. Ten feet is a good distance, but you may need more depending on your desired shape. As it stands today, there is no way to expand the Neon LED light strip, and there's only one available length. Sure, you can buy more than one. But that gets expensive, and a single shape wouldn't look right when using scenes with movement.

Govee Neon LED light strip: Competition

There are plenty of options for lights strips, but none offer the same effect as the Govee Neon LED light strip, thanks to the light-diffusing silicone that covers the LEDs. But there are some pretty solid options out there if you are looking to get a similar look but stay in a particular smart home ecosystem.

One of the more well-known brands is Philips Hue, and it offers a few different light strip options, but only one provides the gradient effects like the Neon LED light strip — the Hue Play gradient lightstrip. While it does have a diffuser for the lights, it doesn't have the mounting hardware like Govee's option. Philips' offering is also shorter at six feet and significantly more expensive at $180 for the starter set. Oh, and you'll need to have a Philips Hue hub to use it. But it is expandable at least.

If you want to go with a light strip that offers excellent brightness and colors but avoid using a dedicated hub, priced similarly to Govee's offering, the light strip from LIFX could be the ticket for you. Available in either 6.6 or 3.3-foot options that are expandable, these light strips offer the fun gradients found on the Govee Neon LED light strip. LIFX doesn't provide mounting hardware aside from the double-sided tape, nor does it have any light-diffusing covering for the light strip.

Govee Neon LED light strip: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if ...

• You want a diffused light that is bright and vibrant.
• You want a flexible light strip that is shapeable in various ways.
• You want a smart light that can be controlled by voice, an app, or physical buttons.
• You want a smart light that doesn't need a dedicated hub.

You shouldn't buy this if...

• You want to create a large design with your light strip.
• You plan to make a complex shape with your light strip.

The Govee Neon LED light strip bends to your will and produces well-blended colors with excellent brightness. Controlling the smart light is easy, with multiple avenues from voice to physical buttons, and none of it requires a separate hub. The only real downside to the Neon LED light strip is that it isn't expandable; limited to ten mounting brackets, you'll need to keep your shape simple for it to work.

4 out of 5

Govee has another winner in its Neon LED light strip. It is not only easy to use thanks to the various ways of controlling it, but it also looks great. The frosted silicone coating over the LED lights helps the fixture avoid standing out too much when it's off but also diffuses the light for an even glow when it's on. Govee's companion app provides ample ways to customize the lighting effects to seemingly no end.

The available ten feet of light strip is longer than its competitors. However, Govee's offering cannot be expanded to allow for larger creations. The possible shapes could be greater should there be more than ten mounting brackets available and the option of a curved bracket. But these are nowhere near deal-breakers for an otherwise excellent LED light strip that does far more than others on the market with a much more appealing price tag.

Govee Neon LED light strip

Bottom line: The Govee Neon LED light strip is a wall-mountable smart light that diffuses vibrant colors into nearly any shape you want.

• $72 at Amazon
• $70 at Govee