Summary
- An integrated speaker and 8-bit options aid retro immersion.
- Govee’s AI Lighting Bot extends new content creation and allows for easier DIY learning.
- The Govee pixel light offers smooth pixel animations at 30fps.
In an expansion of its gaming lights, the Govee Gaming Pixel Light provides two different-sized portable LED lights that can display both static and animations at 30fps. While wrapped in its cyber-mechanical aesthetic shell, either display can be tailored to any space, choosing from its 150+ scene modes and dashboard displays. Alongside its integration with Govee’s self-trained AI bot, the potential for content generation makes it easier to extend the freshness of its use.
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Price and Availability
The Govee Gaming Pixel light is available on Govee’s website and Amazon. The smaller 1024 LED (32 x 32 pixel) light is $119.99, and the larger 1664 LED (52 x 32 pixel) option is $139.99.
Brand
Govee
Integrations
Alexa, Google Home
Music Reactive
Yes
Working Temperature
14°F to 104°F (-10°C to 40°C)
Brightness
1024 / 1664 LED
Quick Set Up That Skips Lighting Woes
James Hirtz / MakeUseOf
One of the immediate compelling points about this pixel light is that it features one of Govee’s easiest device lighting setups. Rather than untangling string lights or worrying about connecting different light panels, the decision boils down to whether to wall mount or use the desktop stand. Once chosen, the power adapter is connected to the back of the device with easy cord rotation and a decent length to help keep everything tidy.
James Hirtz / MakeUseOf
There are screw holes at the rear of the device, along with a well-hidden reset button near the speaker. The rear is kept smooth for placement and handling, so the user can opt between a rugged portable console feel at the front or a more standard display feel from the back.
Using the Govee Home App
As with all Govee products, the Govee Home app (available for Android and iPhone) controls the vast majority of the pixel light’s features. Whether diving into the 150+ scenes, 10 music modes, or generating via the AI lighting bot, this all begins from the control layout page within the app. For veteran Govee users, this continues the standard layout for tweaking Govee lighting products on a day-to-day basis.
However, for new users, investigation can begin quickly with Govee’s in-app explanations as you tap through the different icons. As is typical with pixel delays, you may notice small pauses as you hop between selections, but the overall process feels very fluid. Regardless of where you’re browsing, Govee keeps all the customization options under general thematic categories for easy identification.
For any add-ons using outside data, Govee also clarifies where your weather, stock, and sports data will be pulled from. Similarly, under the sound library, you can click to note where the music is being originally derived from before adding your own options in .wav, .mpg, or .ogg format. Sound offerings are a bit more limited on the 8-bit side, so the option to expand them proves quite welcome after you’ve found your favorites from the default batch.
James Hirtz / MakeUseOf
While the Govee Home app offers the majority of controls, the pixel light also has its own volume button, a scene carousel mode button, and a shortcut button to enter a preset mode from the Govee Home app. These are still a bit limited in extended usefulness, but they do provide a quick swap to alternative content without having to connect to the device within the Govee app. In addition, integrating with Alexa or Google Home via the app will also provide a hands-free option for anyone mounting the device.
Integrating the Pixel Light Into Your Space
James Hirtz / MakeUseOf
For the most part, Govee is happy to fully embrace the gaming part of the Pixel Light’s name. The lighting of the power button along with the front graphical styling of the device proves that, but the device itself does its best to showcase customization foremost beyond any gimmicky retro feel. Animations are played at a smooth 30fps, the matte mecha graphic fades away in darker lighting to draw more attention to the display, and the desktop stand allows either device size to fit compactly in most spaces.
While in the past, storage limits and limited preloaded scenes would diminish long-term interest in such a device, the blend of DIY creation, music modes, dashboard displays, and the AI lighting bot makes it easier to find a subject that suits its placement.
James Hirtz / MakeUseOf
Having already mounted a frame-type pixel light, I opted to move this desktop light around different spaces in my home to see if it could fit both an engaging and more subdued backdrop situation. The device definitely thrives more in an active use area with features like its reactionary music mode, which features both graphical and abstract displays, and the AI lighting bot for split-moment content swapping. With that said, it’s still perfectly suited to be used in more peaceful environments, especially when you’d rather not strain your eyes.
Taking in Scene Mode and the Gallery
James HIrtz / MakeUseOf
Different preset scenes are a big selling point of every Govee release, and the pixel light’s mixture of static and animated pixel options provides over 150 to choose from. When combined with the flicker-free focus (TÜV Rheinland flicker-free certification) and uniformity of each of the over one thousand LEDs, the image is crisp, smooth, and pleasant to the eye in the long term.
Some content categories have a higher set of options to pick from than others, but there’s a decent amount under each to the point that it never felt like it was too little. When creating a playlist from a mixture of sources, it was easy to stay thematically on-point and offer variety without anything being too repetitive during normal use.
James Hirtz / MakeUseOf
While precise placement and the number of tandem units can often play a major role in producing larger, showier scenes across Govee’s lighting line-up, there’s no forced optimization to worry about with the pixel light as everything is catered to its set screen size. Users are welcome to purchase multiple devices and create a wall of moving animations, but the device is perfectly showy on its own.
All of this, combined with the smoothness of the delivered 30fps pixel animations, makes it easy to simply watch and glance at the screen over the course of the day.
Conversations With the AI Lighting Bot
James Hirtz / MakeUseOf
As someone who has worked with Govee’s AI quite a bit previously with Govee’s Curtain Lights 2, I have found thatthe overall experience is much the same when used with the Pixel Light. Most prompts generate a simple pixel graphic with a static color background. For more niche prompts, you’ll typically get very similar results based on what the AI expects for its term. While you can slightly guide the results away from the typical, you may notice a repetition in the styling regardless.
James Hirtz / MakeUseOf
At this stage, I’d still suggest its use primarily as a way to more easily get involved with the DIY portion of the app without finger sketching a whole design from scratch. It can be used to get a specific result as needed, but you’ll likely want to clean it up more or use something else to capitalize on the pixel screen quality.
Exploring Customization and Community
James Hirtz / MakeUseOf
While customization remains the Pixel Light’s primary focus, Govee has made sure to balance carefully between those ready to do DIY and those who just want access to the results. For instance, between weather and time, there are fourteen presets to choose from before dipping into DIY to tweak the dial. While not endless, it gives a good assortment before you can choose how much further you want to tweak your display.
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Similarly, the DIY section of the Share Space provides an ample scroll portion of community items to pick from. While flicking through within the Govee Home app, you’ll also see if the item will become editable after being added to favorites. The welcome inclusion of more on-hand customization is there, but it’s nice that Govee has made it relatively unobtrusive for those that just want to cycle display options.
Should You Buy the Govee Gaming Pixel Light?
James Hirtz / MakeUseOf
Whether choosing the square or rectangle Govee Gaming Pixel Light, customization and flexible integration are the biggest reasons to buy. It won’t change your mind for those staunchly against some of its gaming-flavored design elements or the retro features, but it’s not meant to.
If you’re feeling creative and want to have a fun little graphical add-on to various everyday tasks, the Pixel Light shines. Even if you’re busy, there’s plenty of content to cycle through, discover, or modify at your own pace.
James HIrtz / MakeUseOf
Furthermore, as one of Govee’s easiest lights to use, it’s a great introduction to their overall system without having to worry about more advanced smart home lighting set-up. It’s an excellent option to have fun with if you’ve been on the fence for smart lighting and want a pixel-based LED option.
