Govee has exploded into the smart lighting scene in recent months with an array of relatively low-cost lamps and light strips, but their newest entry sets itself apart in several big ways. The rope seems a lot like par-cooked spaghetti noodles, if those noodles had a light-diffusing cover over LED lights. The strip itself is split into two sections: The bottom half, which hides all of the wiring and doesn’t light up, and the top section which houses the LEDs.

The Govee Neon Rope Lights are a lot like the Philips Hue Ambient light strip, but they’re significantly more affordable at $66 versus $180. They’re also more flexible and allow you to write out messages on the wall or make a variety of different patterns to suit your personality. Best of all, these lights work without the need for external accessories, and over both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Thanks to the huge number of colors, scenes, and features, the Neon Rope Lights are a great way to add a little bit of light-up art to your home.

At first glance, I expected the installation process to be far more laborious than it was. The mounting hardware includes metal brackets that slip over the back of the lights and snap into a groove along the bottom half of the rope. There are holes 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 route.) Thankfully, each bracket is also fitted with 3M adhesive on the back. All I had to do was peel and stick to get the lights to attach to the wall.

The brackets served as a guide for designing a shape. When I’m not writing, I have a small gaming-focused podcast, so positioned the strip so it would be in view of the camera when I record. I tried to write out DDG for the initials of the show, but trying to form legible text with the lights flashed me back to my elementary school cursive classes. It did not 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 kind of resembles the Dreamcast logo. That said, half the fun of setting this light up was testing all the potential patterns. The possible shapes are limitless.

Half the fun of setting this light up was testing all the potential patterns.

The box also includes a set of alcohol pads for wiping down the surface before you use the adhesive. The mounting process was easy; the only real downside came in trying to slip the strip into the mounting brackets. It’s a tight fit, and often I had to slide the bracket on where I could and then pull the strip through it until it reached the point where I needed it. Since the adhesive is a one-time use, the screws make it possible to re-use the mounting hardware and re-adjust as needed, albeit with a bit extra work.

The only headache came when adding the light strip to the Govee app. The app doesn’t automatically detect new devices. Instead, you have to scroll through a list of products until you find the one you’re trying to add. Govee doesn’t go out of its way with naming conventions, so it’s best to look at your box and search for the model number. It’s a minor inconvenience, but one that seems out of place with regard to modern smart home devices.

If you’ve ever used a Govee light before, then you already know the options available to you. The Neon Rope Light has the same features as other Govee strip lights, as well as the same color options.

The Neon Rope Light has more than 16 million colors available and 15 different light segments to choose from. Each segment can be individually controlled, from the color to the relative brightness. You can also choose whether the segments should be well-defined or transition between one another on a gradient. This level of customization means you can create a nearly endless number of scenes to fit the mood of your room.

The Govee app includes 64 dynamic scenes to choose from. These are broken down according to category, including Natural, Festival, Life, and Emotion. Personally, I found the Fall scene under the Natural category to be one of the best options. Again, if you have any other Govee lights, these are the same categories and scenes available to those.

The Govee Neon Rope Light adds a splash of style to your wall.

If you have multiple Govee lights in one room, you can use the app to select the Smarts tab and group multiple lights together. From one of these groups, you can set up specific schedules and “Plans” that let you choose what devices turn on, what color that specific device is, and more. Unfortunately, while the Smarts tab does provide access to some pre-made scenes, it doesn’t give access to all of them. It does, however, suggest plans and even allows Govee’s A.I. to suggest color patterns. You can even upload an image 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 to music. There are four different modes to choose from, but I found the sudden flickering to be more distracting than anything.

The Govee Neon Rope Light works with both Alexa and Google Assistant. Alexa automatically detected the light and added it to the network. With Google Assistant, I had to link my Govee account with my Google account. After that, it was as simple as selecting each light and choosing the room to add it to. From the assistants, 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 provides access to all of Govee’s built-in scenes from within the Alexa app, but Google Assistant does not.

Govee has made many inroads into the smart lighting space with everything from indoor strip lights to smart lamps, and more. The company even has other lesser-known smart devices to pick from. The Govee Neon Rope Light adds a splash of style to your wall in the shape of a word or a pattern.

While it doesn’t add much in the way of colors or features, its flexibility and potential applications are considerable. The marketing material makes it look like the strip is much longer than it is, but a kit is only 10 feet — and there doesn’t seem to be any way to add additional 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 requirement for a hub make it less appealing. You might also consider the Twinkly Flex for just $100. It serves a similar purpose, can be arranged into writing, and provides a slew of different color options to pick from. However, on the budget front, it’s hard to beat the $65 Govee Neon Rope Light.

How long will it last?

Govee’s products aren’t flimsy, but they also don’t feel like the most durable items on the market. I worried that I would scratch the lights while attaching the mounts. There isn’t a warranty, but Govee does promise to replace any defective devices . These lights aren’t likely to move around much, so they should last for quite a while provided you take care of them.

Yes. Govee is a quality budget brand. While there are a few hiccups here and there, the lights work well and integrate easily with smart assistants. It’s not going to revolutionize your smart home, but the Neon Rope Light is a good addition to add a bit of style to any room.

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