Adding the best LED strip lights to your gaming setup is a real mood-setter. You can create special effects and a lighting environment that reacts to events as you play. With RGB strip lighting, you can thematically thread your entire setup together with your favorite colors and animations.
And with options tailored to gamers from the likes of Govee, it’s easier than ever to link the best LED strip lights up to ecosystems like Razer Chroma or your other smart home devices. As these strip lights use light-emitting diodes (LEDs), they consume tiny amounts of electricity compared to standard bulbs, and won’t add anything noticeable to your bill.
Stepping up from synchronizing your keyboard and mouse, you can line the inside of your rig with lighting strips, attach them to your gaming desk, and stick them to the back of your gaming monitor for a healthy glow. There are even panels and wall lights you can use to brighten up the rest of your room.
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Best LED strip lights:
Govee Smart LED Strip Lights
Best RGB strip lights for most
Govee Smart LED Strip Lights specifications:| Lengths available | 16.4ft, 32.8ft, 65.6ft, 100ft / 5m, 10m (UK) |
| Works With | Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Control Method | Voice, App, Remote Control |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi |
| Music Sync Mode | Yes |
| Expandable | No |
Reasons to buy- Brilliant price
- Easy Alexa setup
Reasons to avoid- Adhesive could be stronger
The Govee Alexa LED strip lights are a plug-and-play solution that will give you great results from the onset. I’ve put them in the top spot because they’re easy to install, easy to control (with smart home devices or Wi-Fi), and most importantly, look great. They come with an excellent adhesive backing that will stay put wherever you put them.
The Govee App gives you a huge amount of control so that you can get the look you want dialed in perfectly and as they support the whole RGB spectrum, you can find a hue to match your home decor or mood. The power usage is low at 18W. I particularly like that with the Govee App, you can group other Govee lights to turn your home into a light show.
If you don’t want the hassle of cutting LED strips to size, connecting them, and controlling them with a fiddly remote, the Govee Alexa LED strip light is a perfect choice for those wanting to elevate the ambiance with ease.
Philips Hue Play Gradient PC Lightstrip
Best RGB strip lights for gaming
Philips Hue Play Gradient PC Lightstrip specifications:| Lengths available | 24-27-inch / 32-34-inch monitors |
| Works With | Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Control Method | Voice, Philips Hue Sync App, Remote Control |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth |
| Music Sync Mode | Yes |
| Expandable | No |
Reasons to buy- Color gradient is gorgeous
- Dedicated app control
- Easy installation
Philips is well known for its comprehensive Hue range and the Play Gradient Lightstrip is specifically designed with PC monitors in mind – there are two size options for a 24-27-inch monitor or a 32-34-incher.
The strip itself is very pliable, allowing you to accommodate monitors with different aspect ratios such as ultrawide monitors. It connects to clips that stick to your monitor for a secure fit. You can control the lights via the free Philips Hue Sync PC app and get even more granularity when paired with a Hue Bridge which also allows it to sync with other Hue products.
The Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip is perfect if you’re a PC gamer wanting a premium ambient lighting solution. If you already own Philips Hue lighting it’ll connect up to those seamlessly.
Best LED strips for ambient lighting
Nanoleaf Shapes Ultra Black Hexagons specifications:| Lengths available | N/A (comprised of individual hexagons) |
| Works with | Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT, Nanoleaf Remote, SmartThings, Razer Chroma |
| Control method | Nanoleaf App (Android/iOS), Desktop App (Windows/Mac) |
| Connectivity | WiFi (2.4GHz) |
| Music Sync Mode | Yes |
| Expandable | Yes |
Reasons to buy- Vibrant light colors
- Magic Scene program is great
- Black panels great even when off
Reasons to avoid- Power cord kind of ugly
- Connection not perfect
The Nanoleaf Shapes Ultra Black Hexagons are a fantastic modular set of LED strip lights. Their unique shape makes them easier to configure in fun and creative ways – especially if you have a black wall that the cable can blend into. They’re not quite powerful enough to fully light a room on their own, but they can do a fantastic job of providing ambient lighting to your room or a bit of flourish to your gaming space.
Unfortunately, they don’t look quite as good on lightly colored walls, so think carefully about how black hexagons connected with a black cable will look when contrasted against your wall. It might be a bit too stark against white, but taste is subjective and there’s quite a wide spectrum of colors it will look fantastic on.
It’s super easy to set up and you don’t even need any tools. It’s a simple matter of using sticky strips, which they come bundled with. Hexagons might not feel as intuitive to place as regular LED strips, and if you’re a bit daunted by the prospect of setting them up, you may be pleased to learn that it comes with a layout assistant and also offers several preset designs that you may wish to follow.
Other than the occasional dodgy connection (which to be honest, is a common problem), we’re pretty darn pleased with the Nanoleaf Shapes Ultra Black Hexagons. We get that some people are just going to prefer a more traditional LED strip, and that’s completely understandable, but there’s still a lot to admire here.
Read our Nanoleaf Shapes Ultra Black Hexagons review.
Govee RGBIC LED Strip Lights
Best value LED strip lights
Govee RGBIC LED Strip Lights specifications:| Lengths available | 16.4ft, 32.8ft, 65.6ft, 100ft |
| Works With | N/A |
| Control Method | Govee App |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth |
| Music Sync Mode | Yes |
| Expandable | No |
Reasons to buy- Great affordability
- Different lengths available
Reasons to avoid- No Wi-Fi or smart control
- Cheaper build quality
For those who don’t like Voice Assistants – the cheap and cheerful Govee RGBIC LED Strip Lights are a perfect pick that does exactly what they say on the can and offers affordable controllable per-LED lighting. Like other Govee products, these strip lights come with a very secure adhesive on the back that stays put wherever you place them.
Although basic in price, there are still 11 different music modes and over 64 presets to choose from in the Govee App, making great lighting just a few taps away at all times. In the app, you can place them in a group to control multiple Govee lights at once. The RGBIC (Red, Blue, Green, Independent Control) technology lets every LED display a different color allowing for some extremely smooth gradients.
Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror Lightstrip Kit
Best strip lights for PC monitors
Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror Lightstrip Kit specifications:| Lengths available | 13.12ft (4m) |
| Works With | Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, Razer Chroma |
| Control Method | Nanoleaf App, Voice, Controller |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi |
| Music Sync Mode | Yes |
| Expandable | No |
Reasons to buy- Rich, vibrant color
- Works with all major apps
Reasons to avoid- Reasonably priced
- Doesn’t work over 5Ghz Wi-Fi
One issue with many RGB lights is that it can be tricky to get the lights to quickly match up closely with what’s being shown on screen. The Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror and Lightstrip kit (which can be bought separately or together) answers the call by synchronizing what’s on-screen with the same color.
It works with gaming monitors and TVs up to 65 inches, working off a camera that looks at the screen to match the colors displayed. The responsive times are speedy the colors accurate.
Optional brackets help line it up and keep the strips taught, and the lights themselves have an adhesive backing to keep them in place. Once in place, the real star of the show is the Screen Mirror which makes the light output the colors shown on your display for an extremely immersive experience. The 4D Lightstrip Kit works with basically every lighting app out there – including Razer Chroma for those who have bought into the ecosystem.
If you want to enhance your gaming (or TV viewing) experience, the Nanoleaf 4D is a terrific solution that works effectively with any voice assistants or apps you use and it brings cinema-like immersion to your home.
Govee RGBIC Neon Rope Light
Best for gaming desks and shapes
Govee RGBIC Neon Rope Light specifications:| Lengths available | 6.5ft (3m, 5m) |
| Works With | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Control Method | Voice, Govee App |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi |
| Music Sync Mode | Yes |
| Expandable | No |
Reasons to buy- Syncs to Razer devices
- Easy to apply to desks
If you want your lighting strip to be visible, strips with individual LEDs can look a bit unsightly. Enter the Govee Neon Rope Light, which looks as cool as the light it emits owing to the silicone shroud that covers the lights beneath.
As the name suggests, it’s a neon tube. This doesn’t come at the cost of pliability or ease of use as the light strips are as easy as any other to bend and apply. And can be cut to size at 12 different spots so that it snugly fits your desk. Once fitted, you can easily control the lights by either the Govee app or by voice with Alexa or Google Assistant.
For those who want to have their desk lighting out and proud and without the hassle of meticulous planning, the Govee Neon Rope Light is a great choice.
Govee Outdoor LED Strip Lights
Best RGB strip lights for outside
Govee Outdoor LED Strip Lights specifications:| Lengths available | 65.6 ft, 32.8ft (20m, 10m) |
| Works With | Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Control Method | Voice, Govee App |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Music Sync Mode | Yes |
| Expandable | No |
Reasons to buy- Clever light effects
- App control is easy
Reasons to avoid- Adapter not waterproof
- Adhesive could be better
Why keep the RGB goodness relegated to the inside? With an IP65 rating, the Govee Outdoor LED lightstrip can withstand the elements, and the adapter is IP44 waterproof.
While requiring more power than indoor lights, they still only draw 60W from the wall and are far more efficient than traditional outdoor lights. Better still, if you have Govee lights inside, you can sync these up too which is great if you’re throwing a party (or gigantic LAN tournament) and want the vibes to extend everywhere.
The provided cable ties, clamps, and adhesive backing means that they really can be put anywhere too. Adjustments are easy with the Govee Hone App, and this allows you to set lighting effects or timers with a tap.
For those who want an affordable outdoor lighting solution that matches what’s going on inside, the Govee Outdoor LED lightstrip is ideal.
Govee LED TV Backlights
Best RGB strip lights for TVS
Govee LED TV Backlights specifications:| Lengths available | 9.84ft (3m) |
| Works With | Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Control Method | Voice, Govee App |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Music Sync Mode | Yes |
| Expandable | No |
Reasons to buy- RGBIC allows light displays
- Smart home integration
It’s about time we address the elephant in the room – some of us PC gamers do use TVs as our main display. The Govee LED TV backlights offer a solution to light your TV in a compelling and affordable package.
This LED strip will fit televisions between 40-60 inches in size, and they’re significantly cheaper than the Philips Hue Play Gradient. If you need cheap and high-quality backlighting for your TV and have other Govee products to sync with, the Govee LED Backlights are a stellar choice that leaves you budget to spare.
Are there different quality LED strip lights?
LED strip lights vary in quality depending on how much you spend – but all of the products featured here are from reputable brands. We’ve tried them to see how they work, feel, and look in real life.
Which LED strip is the brightest?
The Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip is the brightest LED strip light here, with a luminosity of 1230 Lumens at a color temperature of 4500K. When paired with high-end gaming monitors and TVs, this is a great feature to have as these displays can wash out the appearance of less powerful LEDs as your eyes will adjust to how bright the TV is in brighter scenes.
How to choose LED strip lights
Length, brightness, mounting options, controls, and the colors on offer are the biggest factors to consider before purchasing a strip light. You might also want to consider the type of LED, as the two Ws in RGBWW indicate that it offers warmer whites than your usual light.
Before you buy an LED strip, it’s best to look at what features you want and where you will be placing it. If you’re using it in your home (or gaming room) you might not need to opt for the brightest lights as they may be too intense for indoor use. If outdoors, a higher luminosity – measured in Lumens – rating is ideal.
There’s also the question of how you want to control the lights. Cheaper options will only be controlled with a remote or specific app. More expensive models can integrate into any existing smart lighting setups you have, or work with voice assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant.
Many apps also have pre-programmed or programmable functions such as music sync or replicating the colors on a monitor or screen. High-end solutions like Philips Hue lights allow users to create custom programs to get gradients and lighting perfectly dialed in.
Color temperature with LEDs is also important to consider – but seeing as all the lights displayed here are RGB (Red, Blue, Green), you have over 16 million colors to choose from to get essentially any color temperature you want. As an example, however, pure white is rated between 5000-6500 Kelvin, with lower values being warmer in tone.
If you’re running a lighting system outdoors you may want to pair it with a solar solution which will require a close eye on how much power the lights will draw. Power usage is also important for home as who doesn’t want to keep their bills low?
Can you bend LED strip lights?
Most LED strips are flexible enough to withstand soft curves, so they often come in a roll. If your bend requires you almost to fold the tape, you’ll need to be careful not to sever the connection. LED strip lights with an IP rating are much harder to bend without breaking because their coating often makes them more rigid.
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