The Neon Rope Lights come in three sizes: 2-meter (6.56ft), 3-meter (10ft), and 5-meter (16.4ft). They run for $59.99, $79.99, and $119.99 respectively—if that sounds a little pricey for RGB lights to you, you haven’t used Govee lights yet.
Craftsmanship: Not Your Average RGB
The 5-meter Neon Rope Lights are the first Govee product I’ve had the pleasure of using. I’ve lit up my desk and shelves with several different RGB light strip options over the years, but they all pale in comparison to the quality of this RGBIC (Red, Green, Blue Independent Control) rope light.
For quick context, the Neon Rope Lights are IP67 resistant—meaning they can take up to a 30-minute swim in 1-meter of water and come out functioning as intended. I wouldn’t test this intentionally, of course, but your rope lights will be safe in rain, puddles, or a quick dip in the sink or tub. Exceedingly few other similarly-priced RGB options that look this good offer you that kind of protection.
Something you’re liable to see on other light strips is a scarce number of LEDs and sizable gaps in between them. This makes one long strip of solid color easy enough, but blending colors and creating gradients is often impossible or unsightly.
420 LED beads illuminate the 5m Neon Rope Light, on the other hand, making gradients as easy as a tick of the “Gradient” toggle in Govee Home (more on this later).
The LEDs are encased in a silicone tube exterior, which feels infinitely more durable than the plastic strips of flimsy RGB lights you can find for $10 or less at the grocery store. The wires connecting the control box and power brick to the lights and wall aren’t braided, but they’re clearly quality and in no danger of fraying anytime soon.
Any time someone walked into my apartment, they immediately asked something along the lines of, “Whoa, what kind of lights are those?” So if you’re looking for a conversation starter, the Neon Rope Lights are a solid, high-quality option.
Setup and Installation: Plan Ahead to Make it Simple
The setup is nice and simple. Take the lights out of the box and plan out what shape you’re going to create. Then adhere the lights to your surface of choice using the included adhesive (or screw-in) buckles.
Next, plug the power brick into a compatible outlet or surge protector and have the control box within reach. Connect the lights via Bluetooth to the Govee Home app for customization, smart home integration, and remote operation and you’re good to go.
Something you’ll probably notice as you design and test different shapes is the inability to make sharp corners with the Govee Neon Rope Lights. Take a look at the “v” in “love.” It’s clear with context, but it could easily serve as a “u” in another word. Aside from that, the rope lights are generally malleable and easy to work with.
Once you have a design in mind and you’re ready to mount the lights, I recommend clipping the buckles onto the lights without removing the cover on the adhesive at first. This way you can hold it up to get an idea of how many buckles you’ll need to hang the rope lights up, give or take a few.
Screw them into your wall with the included anchors, peel off the cover and stick them to the underside of your desk, leave them lying on a table—you have more than one option for displaying the Neon Rope Lights, and you can always branch into DIY solutions like velcro pads or adhesive hooks.
Keep this in mind, though: once you stick the adhesive side to another surface, you’ll only get about one adjustment before it loses its stickiness or pries off of the buckle.
That’s all there is to it. Now it’s time to sync your lights with Govee Home.
Govee Home: Colorful Customization
Govee’s device customization app, Govee Home (available for iPhone and Android) is extremely comprehensive, especially if you’re used to RGB that comes with a remote control and 16 or so colors to choose from. You may expect that to make the app complex, but it’s fairly straightforward after a minute or so of exploring.
Starting at the Home page (bottom navbar) on the Devices tab (top tab selection), you’ll see any other Govee products you may have in the middle section labeled All.
If you’re adding your first Govee device, tap the plus icon in the top-right corner of the page. Now, search for your device as it’s labeled on the box and select it from the list. Govee Home will search for nearby powered Govee devices to connect to. Follow the on-screen instructions to pair your device—for Neon Rope Lights, quick-press the power button on the control block.
When your device connects, rename it as you see fit and connect to your Wi-Fi network.
You now have the entire Govee arsenal of control and customization at your fingertips; tap on your added device to begin.
Using the power button icon at the top of the page to turn your lights on or off is convenient when you don’t want to call out to your Google Nest or walk over to the control box. Make sure your lights are on or you won’t be able to proceed with customization.
Explore the Effects Lab, where Govee has designed pages of presets for you to apply to your own lights. Shift the brightness by individual percentage points from 1 to 100%. Choose from Music, Color, Scene, and DIY modes to let your creative side wander or apply one of many available preset lighting configurations. How your lights look at any given moment is entirely up to you.
Color mode lets you select individual segments of the Neon Rope Lights and change their colors, adjust their brightness, and change between warm and cool tones. You can also select the “Gradient” option to blend lights together where their segments meet.
100% brightness is almost blindingly bright at night time, so I recommend starting out at around 25 to 50% and adjusting from there. In the mornings I usually have white or dark red light set to around 10% brightness for a little office aesthetics boost.
This is where the “IC” (Independent Control) in “RGBIC” works its magic; one light strip is capable of displaying multiple colors, ebbing and flowing with different hues, effects, and brightness levels. Once you’re done designing, save it to “My colors” and pull it up another day exactly as it was created.
Moving to the Govee Light Studio tab, you’ll find user- and AI-generated lighting effects to instantly apply. The next tab, the Govee Home Community, is a social media network centered around Govee products—sharing design ideas with other users, giving feedback to the company, or simply showing off your new lights.
The Savvy User Store tab aggregates deals for Govee products. Lastly, the My Profile tab is where you can edit your personal information, change the app theme, ask Govee questions before you make a purchase, and adjust other similar settings.
Should You Buy Govee Neon Rope Lights?
I absolutely recommend Govee Neon Rope Lights to anyone looking for an RGB addition to their home. Top-quality craftsmanship, a comprehensive app, and RGBIC that gives the Aurora Borealis a run for its money make the Neon Rope Lights truly shine.
There are only a few minor downsides to a myriad of major wins—grab the size you need and upgrade the ambiance of your gaming station or home movie nights starting at $59.99.
