In the year 2022, can you even call yourself a real gamer if you don’t own some form of RGB light? Filling our rooms with our favourite neon shade has become the norm for many of us gamers, to the point where some of us really need to go outside and touch some grass (myself included). However, these RGB lights usually either arrive with awful build quality or a gargantuan price. The Govee Flow Plus Light Bars come with neither.
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Govee Flow Plus Light Bars – What are they?
The Govee Flow Plus Light Bars are exactly what they say on the tin: they’re a relatively small bar that emits a surprising amount of light. The package comes with two of them, and they’re intended to be used in an entertainment or office setup. Users can place these units wherever they like, but they’re best placed either side of a screen facing backwards towards a wall. This way, light is reflected back towards the user to create a substantial glow.
Included in the box are the two Flow Plus Light Bars, connected together with two wires. This then plugs into a Govee control box which in turn connects to a weighty power brick. Also included in the box are a selection of plastic mounts. The bars can be mounted vertically to create the setup described earlier. Alternatively, you can mount these bars flat against a surface, like the back of a monitor or TV. Double sided sticky pads are included to make this process easy.
If you don’t mind the semi-permanent solution of sticking these units to the back of a screen, I highly recommend doing so. While the vertical mounts do a good job of holding the lights in place, the black finish certainly makes them stand out in an entertainment setup. The unavoidable mess of wires is also difficult to cable manage, so mounting these devices behind something is certainly advisable for the cleanest setup.
Govee Flow Plus Light Bars – Setup and compatibility
Thankfully, setting up these lights is an absolute breeze. You’ll need to download the Govee app for the first time setup which links them to your local WiFi network. Once complete, you’re able to play around with a bunch of preset lighting configurations. Some are remarkably fun – I especially enjoyed the different music genres which light up the room to various music tempos. However, the Govee app also lets you be sensible, tuning the lights to any colour, warmth, and brightness you choose. It’s all incredibly intuitive and responsive.
If you don’t want to use the Govee app to turn on your lights all the time, then there are other options are your disposal. A physical on/off, mode switch, and brightness toggle are all located on the control hub that the bars connect to. You won’t have as much granular control over the lights by using this, but it’s a good alternative in a pinch.
My favourite way to control these lights is by using a smart system like Google Home or Amazon Alexa. The Govee Flow Plus Light Bars are smart enabled, meaning you can add them into a smart home configuration. I own several Google Nest speakers throughout my home and also use many Philips Hue smart lights. Adding the Govee lights to my Google Home means I can control them and my Philips Hue devices all at the same time with one command. The Govee lights don’t respond quite as quickly to voice commands as the Philips Hue, but it’s not something that overly bothered me.
Govee Flow Plus Light Bars – Light up the room
Regardless of the setup process and day to day use, you’re probably wondering how these lights actually look. In short? Pretty great, for the price. These lights get remarkably bright and easily make a massive difference to the aesthetic of a gaming setup. They’re not quite bright enough to light up a room by themselves, but they get pretty close.
The colours from these bars pop considerably – any streamer looking to use them to compliment their backdrop would love them. I especially enjoyed using these bars while settling in for a long gaming session late into the dark evenings. They really help to set the mood and keep you focused.
If you’re just using the Govee bars, or are using them in conjunction with other Govee products, then you’ll absolutely love these. While they can also work with Philips Hue products, the colour hue sometimes doesn’t match when controlled using Google Home. This isn’t a knock on the Govee product, but something to keep in mind if you want to use these products in conjunction with other smart light brands.
Govee Flow Plus Light Bars – Are they worth your money?
The direct competition for the Govee Flow Plus Light Bars are the Philips Hue Play Light Bars. The Philips variant retails for £119.99, whereas the Govee offering goes for £64.99. That’s almost half the price for a product that offers an incredibly similar experience.
Sure, the material quality is not quite as fine as the Philips, and they don’t get quite as bright. But functionally, they offer very similar capabilities. If you want to add a splash of colour to your setup on a budget, then the Govee Flow Plus Light Bars are the way to go.
A review sample of the Govee Flow Plus Light Bars was provided to FragHero by Govee for review purposes only.
Featured Image Credit: Govee