Smart LED lighting offers so many advantages over traditional lights that they have begun to dominate households. With a simple tap in an app, lights across several floors of a home can change color and turn off and on with other smart devices. Voice commands rather than physical switches also provide the same functionality, preventing people from stumbling in a dark room.

  • Philips Hue LED Smart Bulb
    Phillips Hue
    Best Overall Smart Lights
    $200 at Best Buy
  • Govee Neon Rope Lights For Desks
    Govee RGBIC LED Neon Rope Lights for Desks
    Best Smart Lights for Gaming Rooms
    $55 at Govee
  • Kasa Smart LED Light Strip
    Kasa Smart LED Light Strip
    Best Budget Smart Lights
    $17 at B&H
  • Govee Glide Hexa Ultra Box Shot
    Govee Glide Hexagon Light Panels Ultra
    Best High-End Smart Lights
    $300 at Govee
  • Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Light Strip
    Nanoleaf Essentials Smart LED Lightstrip Matter Compatible
    Best LED Strip Smart Lights
    $40 at Best Buy
The Best Lighting for Your Gaming Room in 2023 ​​​​​​
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With bulbs, LED strips, and wall panels, these RGB lights can instantly transform a dull office into a gamer's paradise.

Although smart lights can take the form of a bulb and cast essential illumination in a room, this intelligent illumination can do much more. Unfortunately, features vary greatly among the best smart lights, and determining which options are ideal for a particular room is often confusing.

How to Choose the Best Smart Lights

  • Location: Some smart lights, like bulbs, are appropriate for almost any room with standard lighting fixtures. However, other lights call for more specific locations like gaming desks or the backs of monitors and TVs. Finally, there are smart lights intended for outdoor use that can withstand nature's wrath.
  • Application: The variety of smart lights available can serve very different purposes in a household. Light bulbs and even some LED strips provide critical illumination to climb steps and navigate around obstacles safely. Wall panel lights are more about setting a mood in a room or adding a finishing touch to a gaming rig. For TVs and monitors, screen-mirroring systems can enhance movie watching and gaming by replicating the colors viewers see on displays through attached LED light strips and towers.
  • Compatibility: Most smart lights are compatible with Google Home and Amazon Alexa, allowing grouping with many other lights and devices. Complicating matters, some lights may not support other platforms like Apple Home or Samsung SmartThings. Gamers may also look for lights that sync with RGB keyboards and mice or react to in-game events with customized effects.
  • Budget: One of the main reasons buyers avoid replacing traditional lights with LED smart lights is cost. While many products from brands like Nanoleaf are pricey, they are often more energy-efficient than existing lights. Also, some smart lights can automatically turn off or adjust brightness to suit room conditions.

Game ZXC's Picks for Best Smart Lights in 2024

While wall panel lights and LED strips are more popular than ever, light bulbs are the foundation of lighting in any gaming room or living room. The Philips Hue LED Smart bulb offers millions of colors and complete control with one standard light bulb. This smart light bulb can be changed to any one of 16 million colors, either one at a time, synced with music, or according to a custom program created in the app. What’s special about this smart light is its simplicity; it’s just like a regular light bulb, except that it works with Alexa and Google Home and fits into most modern light fixtures.

Although it’s quite expensive, it's one of the only smart light bulb options with the comprehensive functionality offered by the Phillips Hue smart bulb, let alone the ease of control. These premium lights are pricey but should last longer than budget smart devices and display superior color accuracy. For anyone looking to add a bit of futuristic prestige to their home, the Phillips Hue LED smart bulb is well worth the investment.

A bright and colorful strip of light, the Govee LED Neon rope lights are the best smart lights for PCs, thanks to a flexible and customizable design. Users can cut the rope at preset points to fit many desks and simply attach a power cap to one end. The rope's bendable nature means that it fits any desk shape, and there are often extra savings to be had when buying more than one rope at a time.

Once attached to whichever gaming desk a player has, the lights can be synced with games, music, and more through the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box and Razer Chroma, plus, of course, Alexa and Google Assistant. With 14 customizable lighting zones per meter and millions of colors to choose from, PC gamers can do basically anything with the style of their space using Govee’s Neon rope smart lights.

Read Game ZXC's Govee Neon Rope Lights for Desks Review to see why they are an essential accessory for any desk.

They aren’t the prettiest lights around, but the Kasa smart LED light strip is one of the most affordable options for smart lighting. Ideal for backlighting, lighting on the back or under gaming desks, or simply decoration, this smart light strip is easy to customize.

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Like the Govee Neon Rope Light for Desks, this light strip is flexible and can be cut to size without expertise. The trade-off that makes the Kasa smart lights so cheap is the fact that the lights aren’t as soft or finished-looking as higher-end options like Nanoleaf Essentials. Ultimately, sacrificing a polished look for a lower price pays off for the Kasa smart lights. Considering that the lights can be controlled through Alexa, Google, or the Kasa app at a fraction of the cost of other light strips, users looking to save will have much to love about the Kasa smart LED strip.

Govee keeps finding ways to add new dimensions to its existing smart lights. However, the Glide Hexagon Light Panels Ultra is a more significant advancement over previous wall panels than is usually seen with updated Govee lights. Building on the 3D cubes of the Glide Hexa Pro, the latest panels boast even more complex and stunning lighting effects. The Glide Hexagon Light Panels Ultra should be the first choice of buyers looking to impress friends and family with cutting-edge smart lighting.

Like most wall panel lights, the Glide Hexagon Light Panels Ultra are stackable in various configurations. To connect the line-based lighting of each Hexa light, the panels need to be oriented properly with plastic linkers. The Govee Home app guides installers along the way, and double-sided tape strips keep the lights securely on walls. Finding a way for buyers to remove wall panel lights without damaging surfaces has always been more challenging for manufacturers. Fortunately, Govee employed velcro-based strips in the Glide Hexagon Light Panels Ultra, which makes it easier to rearrange panels safely.

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With these Govee smart lights, a modest budget can spice up a gaming room with stunning LED panels, strips, and bulbs.

A dense layout of LED light bulbs and lines running through the Glide Hexagon Light Panels Ultra results in some stupendous displays. Each panel also contains multiple lighting zones, opening up a playground for RGB lighting artists. Sadly, it's difficult to click on small sectors and edit colors on a mobile phone, while the Govee Desktop app doesn't yet support advanced customization. Fortunately, there are always plenty of pre-made effects available for Govee users that maximize the potential of these panel lights.

The Glide Hexagon Light Panels Ultra is one of the most expensive high-end smart lights on the market. Still, it sports a shiny, premium-looking exterior and has the build quality a buyer would expect for a serious investment. Game ZXC's review of the Glide Hexagon Light Panels Ultra showed why gamers owe it to themselves to experience these innovative wall panel lights.

LED lightstrips are some of the most versatile smart lights a buyer can purchase to add to a room's ambiance. Homeowners can install these strips in many locations, like along baseboards, doorways, or on or underneath furniture. The Nanoleaf Essentials Smart LED Lightstrip tries to distinguish itself from the crowd of lightstrips with some unique innovations.

As a basic lightstrip, the 2000+ lumen Nanoleaf Essentials are especially bright, so looking directly at them is painful. While they lack RGBIC technology popular with Govee products and can only display one color at a time, these Essentials lights excel at displaying white hues. Buyers will be able to recognize the small differences between warm and cold white colors, although reds, greens, and blues are impressive in their own right.

Available in lengths of 2 or 5 meters, the Nanoleaf Essentials lightstrip matches the brightness and color accuracy of the most expensive lights. Although not all buyers will have a Matter controller, the Essentials line is a great peak into the future of smart home lighting. Nanoleaf also manufactures Essentials Light Bulbs, which benefit from Matter technology. You can learn more about Matter and Thread and how it's changing the smart home scene in Game ZXC's review of the Nanoleaf Essentials Lightstrip and Bulb.

Light bars are an attractive option for illuminating an otherwise bland wall. Since the light emanating from the Nanoleaf Lines is projected behind the bars rather than coming from its front, the effects are somewhat more subdued than those of other wall panels. Lines are available in several different kits, with a popular bundle including nine light bars. Buyers can connect the Lines lights in a variety of patterns, and they can be expanded to use as many as 18 bars with one power supply.

Backlit lighting facing walls needs to be bright to impress, and thanks to a slightly raised design, the Lines produce a surprisingly expansive field of light. The lines are lightweight, making them easier to install, but they are also durable enough to survive some falls to the ground potentially. These Nanoleaf lights are also a great alternative to screen mirroring kits with LED strips, especially when a monitor or TV is not close to a blank wall. Screen mirroring is still possible with the Lines since Nanoleaf's PC software has similar functionality in the app. Also, gamers with Razer peripherals can utilize Synapse to sync the Lines with RGB keyboards and mice or activate a screen visualizer module.

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Nanoleaf Lines packs most of the features of the company's other smart lights, including Rhythm Music Visualizer and voice commands, which are possible with Google Home or Amazon Alexa. The price of the Lines kits does seem high, considering the surface area of the lighting offered by the thin bars. Regardless, they are a tempting choice for intelligent accent lighting that impresses without hurting eyeballs. You can discover more about what makes the Nanoleaf Lines unique by reading Game ZXC's comprehensive review.

No part of a room has to be immune from experiencing the smart lighting craze. Govee Curtain Lights thrive on bland-looking curtains but ship with the proper hardware to install on most surfaces. Unlike cheap fairy lights, the Curtain Lights can display digital artwork and support Govee's latest gamer-oriented features.

The Govee Curtain Lights ship in kits with 5 x 6.6 feet of lights, but multiple lights can be synced in the Govee Home app. With the Curtain Lights, buyers receive a series of plastic pieces that run along the top of the lights and connect to hooks or double-sided tape strips. Consequently, installers can affix the indoor/outdoor lights to a curtain rod, gaming room wall, or garage door. The flexible setup process is only hampered by needing to attach each plastic bracket to the Curtain Lights with included small screws.

Compared to budget fairy lights, the Govee Curtain Lights have larger, brighter LED beads and thicker strands. These smart lights will last longer and are capable of displaying logos and other elaborate designs. The Govee Home app allows users to upload GIF files or choose from a wide array of pre-made designs. Still, buyers should keep their expectations in check since the more detailed patterns tend to lose definition when viewed at close range. Regardless, when glancing at the Curtain Lights from across a room, animated effects are fluid, and the display far exceeds what similar lights are capable of.

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Gamers will flock to the Curtain Lights to upgrade their gaming setups, especially since it embraces Razer Chroma, allowing it to react to in-game achievements. Non-gamers who own a collection of Govee lights can activate DreamView and use kits like the TV Backlight 3 Lite to program screen-mirrored effects.

In Game ZXC's review of the Govee Curtain Lights, the lights exceeded expectations for responsiveness and highly detailed scenes. Even with a somewhat tedious installation process, these lights can plaster large spaces with a jaw-dropping illuminated spectacle.

TV backlighting can enhance movie watching and gaming by casting screen-reactive lighting behind displays. Screen mirroring kits like the Nanoleaf 4D rely on cameras to monitor content and program lighting on back-facing LED strips that reflect changing scenes. While the setup of these systems is somewhat intensive, the 4D features a camera that can be mounted above or below TVs in inconspicuous locations.

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As Game ZXC discovered in its review of the Nanoleaf 4D, the bulbs on the light strip were especially bright and accurately mirrored content with subtle color differences. The Nanoleaf mobile app, which new users can find difficult to navigate, is refreshingly straightforward when making adjustments to the 4D. With a handful of different modes available, buyers can set the 4D to continuously screen-mirror movies and games or show an almost unlimited number of preset lighting patterns. Users can also set the 4D to sync with other Nanoleaf lights, allowing an entire living or media room to come alive with coordinated, reactive lighting.

If a buyer's focus when shopping for smart lights is on their gaming rigs, then the Govee AI Sync Box uses impressive technology to amplify gaming thrills. Although Govee manufactures a similar kit for larger TVs, this AI Gaming Sync Box is made for monitors from 27 to 34 inches in size. Like screen mirroring kits with cameras, the AI Sync Box connects to a lightstrip that changes colors with 99 percent accuracy according to what is showing on screens. However, this system connects HDMI cables from graphics cards, consoles, or media players to the three ports on the back of the Sync Box.

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The Govee AI Gaming Sync Box can more accurately mirror the lighting of a scene since it doesn't rely on a camera, which can make it slower to process changes. Also, the intelligence of the device really shines during gaming since it can recognize in-game events in popular competitive titles like Apex Legends, CS:GO, and Overwatch. When a player wins a match or is killed, specific lighting effects signal these achievements or defeats. In the Govee Home app, gamers can customize these effects with alternate color schemes or animations. Currently, the number of supported games is somewhat limited, but Govee continues adding more titles each month.

Despite some drawbacks, the AI Sync Box is a step forward in reactive lighting, which previously struggled to keep pace with fast-paced gaming action. Govee will soon address the product's shortcomings with a revamped HDMI 2.1 version. Until then, check out Game ZXC's complete review of the Govee AI Sync Box for Monitors.

To this point, ceilings have not been a popular destination for trendy smart lighting that entices gamers. With the Nanoleaf Skylight, buyers can finally look up and experience the same RGB splendor as seen with wall panel lights. Since overhead lighting is a great way to brighten up large spaces, the Skylights are also practical ways to replace traditional ceiling light fixtures.

Nanoleaf Skylights ship in various kits containing 3 to 12 panels, with expansion packs available in limited supplies. Unlike wall panels, the Skylights require the electrical wiring commonly found running on ceilings of hallways and other rooms. Undoubtedly, this makes some buyers hesitate to install them or pay extra for an electrician. However, with a lifespan of 25,000 hours, the Skylights are meant as permanent lights and have the build quality to survive constant use.

Once the main panel is up and running, additional Skylights connect to it through linker cables. Installers will need to affix the substantial panels with screws or wall anchors rather than double-sided tape. Setup is otherwise familiar, with the lights pairing in the Nanoleaf mobile app through 2.4 GHz Wifi. Unfortunately, Matter and Thread border functionality is not currently supported, but it's likely to see these implemented by future firmware updates. One advantage of Nanoleaf lights over its Govee rivals is their out-of-the-box compatibility with Apple Home.

The ample brightness of the Skylights is most apparent with its variety of cool and warm white hues. Still, it's capable of a wide range of colors, even if the large panels only display one hue at a time. Buyers can set the Skylights to turn on and off via schedules or program them with many of the same scenes available with Nanoleaf's other smart lights.

While not perfect, the Nanoleaf Skylights impress with outstanding brightness and an accurate, wide-ranging color palette. They are the best smart lights for replacing old-fashioned ceiling lights with expandable modular panels.

Most gamers associate Govee and Nanoleaf with indoor wall panels, light bulbs, and light strips, but these brands also manufacture outdoor solutions. The Govee Outdoor String Lights H1 contain a series of 15 bulbs over a 50-foot string and are designed to stay on homes, patios, and backyards year-round. Whether buyers desire powerful white lighting or a full range of RGBIC colors, the Outdoor String Lights H1 is up to the task.

Where the Outdoor String Lights H1 differentiates itself from other outdoor lights is with a more complicated bulb design. Each bulb contains a top and bottom section divided into two colored programmable sections with multi-faceted lighting effects. When hung on patio roofs, this can result in glowing illumination above the bulb and conventional light from below.

The Outdoor String Lights H1 doesn't ship with mounting hardware other than some organizing cable clips. Above each bulb is a hole for fastening the light strip to surfaces, but buyers will have to provide their screws or hooks. It's also important to remember that while the strip and bulbs are weatherproof, the power adapter and plug will need protection from moisture. Although there is no way to connect the Outdoor String Lights with additional string lights or expansion kits, buyers can group multiple devices in Govee, Google Home, and Alexa apps.

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Thanks to a maximum brightness of 200 lumens, these Govee string lights are suitable for more than just holiday decorating. Their power is more evident when warm white lighting scenes are active, which can be enough to navigate pathways or keep home invaders at bay. After pairing the lights in the Govee Home app with Bluetooth or WiFi, users can access over 60 scenes that celebrate holidays or react to the pulsating beats of music. The dual-layered construction of the bulbs also gives creative buyers more flexibility to develop more unique schemes in DIY mode.

With 50 feet of light to work with, alternative outdoor kits from Govee are over 90 feet long but lack the brightness and impact of the H1. For buyers looking to drape a still expansive outdoor area in top-tier Govee smart light technology, the Outdoor String Lights H1 is the answer.

The Future is Bright with Smart Lights

Gaming Room Lighting Options

Smart lights have progressed significantly from replacing incandescent bulbs with wired wall switches. Today, lights can take the form of slim wall-mounted panels that sync together to react to music or add to the atmosphere of a space. LED light strips are another popular type of smart lighting that trim doors and stairways to make moving around homes safer. If a buyer still can't decide which lights to purchase, remember to concentrate on these factors:

Location

The Philips Hue LED Smart Bulbs are Game ZXC's pick for the best overall smart lights because of their versatility to work in any room. These lights can replace traditional A19/E26 bulbs or overhead lights with devices compatible with nearly every smart home ecosystem, like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Apple Home. If a gaming room is a target, the Govee Neon Rope Lights for Desks can transform any dull-looking gaming desk into a more welcoming workplace. Even ceilings are fair game for innovative smart lighting, thanks to the seriously bright Nanoleaf Skylight modular panels.

Application

Smart lights can serve many roles in a home, whether helping buyers wind down after a stressful day or making watching TV and gaming more immersive. The Nanoleaf 4D includes a camera and LED lightstrip that work in conjunction with emanate lighting that continuously mirrors the content on a screen. For purely decorative purposes at any time of year, it's hard to match the Govee Curtain Lights, which turn curtains and walls into digital canvases.

Compatibility

One headache that buyers face is getting an entire household of smart lights to work in unison. Not every smart light brand is controllable in the same apps or can properly sync with other devices. Gamers have even more specific needs, such as integrating Razer Chroma to coordinate lights with keyboards, mice, and headsets. The Govee AI Gaming Sync Box fully supports Razer Chroma and many specific titles, allowing it to celebrate in-game achievements with spectacular light shows. New technology like the Matter support found in the Nanoleaf Essentials light strips and bulbs are further simplifying the task of syncing a house full of smart devices.

Budget

Defying the notion that smart lights are expensive, the Kasa Smart LED Light Strip is an affordable way to highlight baseboards and furniture. Its budget-friendly status doesn't prevent compatibility with Google Home and Alexa or impressive brightness levels. On the other hand, to experience the latest smart lighting advancements, buyers may need to save up before purchasing the Govee Glide Hexagons Light Panels Ultra. These stunning wall panels will instantly attract the attention of observers with clever 3D effects.

There is no reason a buyer must simultaneously renovate an entire home with smart lights. By focusing on one room at a time and considering what activities a purchase can enhance, anyone can gradually assemble a future-proof smart light ensemble.

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FAQ

Q: Are Philips Hue still the best?

Yes, Phillips has led the charge in modernizing light bulbs to be smart lights and they still hold the top spot for the best overall smart light. The versatility of Hue bulbs enables them to add vibrant illumination to any room.

Q: Is a smart lighting system worth it?

Depending on how smart the rest of your home is, a smart lighting system may be the smartest thing you could add. Regardless of existing devices, smart lights are extremely convenient, if expensive.

Q: What are the disadvantages of smart lights?

While smart lights are almost identical to regular lights, their ability to connect wirelessly to devices like Amazon Alexa, Google, and various apps often makes them prohibitively expensive. Budget options exist, but they have far fewer features than the average smart light.

Q: What are smart lights?

Smart lights are lights that can be controlled remotely through wireless devices such as a tablet. Some smart lights can work autonomously, adjusting their settings according to preset triggers like the sun going down or a movie playing.