Skip to main content

I checked out Govee’s new AI smart lights and now I want them everywhere

The Govee AI Sync Box Kit 2 with a gaming monitor on display at CES 2024.
The Govee AI Sync Box Kit 2 and a gaming monitor is on display at CES 2024. Derek Malcolm / Digital Trends

Smart lights have been around for years, but with AI being the overarching theme of CES 2024, it’s no surprise that Hong Kong-based smart light maker Govee has developed some enhanced AI technology to improve some of its most popular products — the AI Sync Box Kit 2 and Rope Light 2. I stopped by its CES booth myself to check it all out, and now I want to put them all over my house.


CES
Digital Trends was compensated for consideration of coverage for this product. Govee did not receive copy approval and did not influence the coverage.

Govee AI Sync Box Kit 2

Govee is a smart lighting company that has been doing some fun and visually stunning things with TV and gaming experiences to add color and wow factor to your setup. At CES 2023 last year, the company grabbed the attention of gamers with its AI Gaming Sync Box, a device that lets them connect gaming consoles and PCs to it via HDMI, which is in turn connected to one or several of Govee’s lighting products, such as its strip lights or light bars. These can be placed around the TV or monitor or installed on its back to provide glowing, customizable lights that radiate off the wall.

Govee’s Futuristic AI LED Products Light Up CES

The direct HDMI connection, plus some pretty smart AI algorithms, allow the lights to sync up perfectly and react to whatever mayhem you have going on in your game, in concert with whatever lighting effects you choose or create with the Govee app. Want an explosion of orange and yellow light when you score a kill? You’ve got it.

New for 2024, the new Govee AI Sync Box Kit 2 has upped its game with support for up to 8K resolution, HDMI 2.1 for 120Hz VRR (variable refresh rate) support, and an update to its CogniGlow AI algorithm that now promises 99% accuracy and faster and more dynamic lighting synchronization with in-game content. The result is an eye-popping light show that’s as fast as you can play, with reaction times that makes it feel as though it’s part of the on-screen action. It’s an element you don’t know you need until you try it, and one of my favorite parts is that it has the ability to make your monitor seem much bigger and the gaming more immersive, especially if you have lights set up all around you.

A close-up of the Govee AI Sync Box Kit 2 on display at CES 2024.
A close-up of the Govee AI Sync Box Kit 2 on display at CES 2024. Derek Malcolm / Digital Trends

The combinations and configurations in the Govee app are almost endless, and you can also integrate it with the rest of your Govee Home lights, Alexa, and Google Assistant. And later this year an over-the-air Matter update will make it even more compatible with your smart home.

Govee also announced that it has forged a partnership with gaming gear and peripheral maker Corsair to integrate its lighting into its iCUE software so users can control and synchronize the lighting effects of both Corsair RGB peripherals and Govee light strips and bulbs.

The Govee Sync Box Kit 2 is available in a kit that features the connection box, two light towers, and a light strip. So far, there is no pricing information, but Govee says it will be available in the first half of 2024.

Neon Rope Light 2

Govee Neon Rope Light 2 on display at CES 2024.
The Govee Neon Rope Light 2 in a Poseidon design is on display at CES 2024. Derek Malcolm / Digital Trends

If you’re a fan of smart home wall lights such as Nanoleaf (Govee has its own, too, called Glide), as well as light strips, then you’ll no doubt be into what Govee has cooked up with its second-generation Neon Rope Light 2.

Sure, you could do something easy like run the Light Rope 2 around your room, behind your TV, or in similar straight, boring lines like that, but the fun comes when you use Light Ropes to create wall art and designs, much like the King Poseidon-like character Govee had displayed at its CES 2024 booth (pictured above).

Not only have the RGBIC (red green blue integrated circuit) lighting effects been upgraded to be smoother, but the material of the strip itself has been made more flexible to bend to your artistic will easier. And its new adhesive bend clips help you to better secure your creation to the wall or other surface of your choosing.

There’s also more control and customization through the Govee Home app. You can use your smartphone’s camera to take a picture of your design and map it so the app can use it to apply different lighting effects to specific parts of the rope. Want Poseidon’s trident to be gold and have a flaming tip? It’s possible.

The Neon Rope 2 is available it black and white colors to suit your décor and will be available, as will the Sync Box Kit 2, in the first half of 2024.

New AI innovations

In addition to Govee’s CogniGlow algorithm, the company shows no signs of slowing down on its AI-based strategy. Govee also announced at CES 2024 that it has also developed AI Lighting Bot, an Artificial Intelligence Generated Content (AIGC) that, the company says, “will be included in the brand’s lighting solutions to bring a new level of fun and interactivity,” according to a press release. “This technology adapts and responds to different scenarios, providing dynamic and responsive lighting effects. Whether for home entertainment, public venues, or special event.”

Editors' Recommendations

Derek Malcolm
Derek Malcolm is a Toronto-based technology journalist, editor, and content specialist whose work has appeared in…
Best Roomba deals: Top robot vacuums from as little as $160
iRobot Roomba 692 Robot Vacuum.

iRobot's Roomba is probably the most recognizable brand of robot vacuums in the market right now, and that's because it offers a wide range of models starting from budget-friendly devices to premium all-in-one machines. If you need one to help clean your home, you should take a look at the Roomba deals that we've gathered below. We're not sure how long these discounts will last though -- in fact, some may disappear at the very next moment -- so if any of these bargains catch your eye, you're going to have to push through with the purchase immediately.
iRobot Roomba 694 -- $160, was $275

The iRobot Roomba 694 is an entry-level model for the brand's robot vacuums, but it won't fall short in keeping your floors clean with its three-stage cleaning system that loosens, lifts, and suctions dirt and debris, and dual multi-surface brushes that work on all floor types. You can schedule when you want the robot vacuum to clean through the iRobot Home app or your preferred voice assistant, and once it's done, it will return to its charging station where it will wait for the next session.

Read more
The 8 best ergonomic office chairs for long hours in 2024
The Hforesty Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair in a relaxed, reclining position.

If you're a PC user, and especially a work-from-home PC user, you probably spend an excess amount of time sitting and might be considering an ergonomic office chair. While everyone should get up and move at least once an hour if able, these chairs are designed around longer overall working periods. Their construction helps the lumbar region of the spine in your back and offers neck support as well. To go even further however, the best ergonomic office chairs will support your whole body — adjustable arm rests exist for your arms and shoulders, for example — and will be made of premium materials for maximum comfort. Here, we collect the best ergonomic office chairs, split up into categories that make sense for different categories of consumers and bodies. Look below for a short summary of our favorites, then keep reading to see what the fuss is about each seat.
The best ergonomic office chairs in 2024

Buy the

Read more
Huge DeWalt sale discounts 1,000+ power tools and accessories
best circular saws dewalt dcs391b cordless circ saw

It’s important to know how to fix stuff around your home or simply work on home renovation and improvement. It can save you a lot of money while also making your home more how you like it. To do so, you need great power tools with things like jig saws and sanders proving helpful as well as powerful drills and impact drivers. DeWalt is one of the best brands around but they can be expensive. That’s why we’re delighted to see big discounts on much of the range at Amazon right now.

There are dozens of great deals going on encompassing power tools as well as accessories to enhance your time using your existing kit. Amazon has so many great DeWalt power tool deals that your best move is to hit the button below to see the full wealth of items on sale. However, if you could do with a little guidance on what the best deals are, we’re here to help. Check out what’s available below to tempt you into a new purchase. While you’re at it, don’t forget to check the cordless vacuum deals going on too. You’re bound to make a mess and one of these will make clean-up duty much simpler.

Read more