Best Lighting for Your Gaming Room in 2023

Jun 20, 2024

With bulbs, LED strips, and wall panels, these RGB lights can instantly transform a dull office into a gamer's paradise.

Gaming room lighting has evolved from RGB-enabled keyboards and mice to more vibrant LED lamps, monitor backlighting, and panels mounted on walls. Today, there are countless types of smart lighting solutions that turn previously drab gaming rooms into spaces that come alive with millions of pulsating colors and patterns. The challenge with RGB lighting configurations is syncing together the many different types of devices from dozens of manufacturers so that they work in unison. Once these lights are properly coordinated, they can enhance any gaming experience with effects that reflect the visuals in cutting-edge PC titles.

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The best gaming room lights are often more expensive than traditional bulbs and lamps. When assembling an entire space full of RGB lights, the costs can quickly become overwhelming. To prioritize which lights will transform a gaming space, focus on these considerations:

The following lights are from proven manufacturers, produce spectacular RGB effects, and are the easiest to integrate with existing smart devices and PC components.

The Nanoleaf Lines Smarter Kit includes 9 LED light bars which can be configured in a variety of different patterns and shapes. The Lines lights easily affix to most walls with the included mounts and project stunning 16+ million color backlit effects onto surfaces. Nanoleaf Lines work with most smart home systems like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Apple Home, as well as Razer Chroma.

The best gaming room lighting needs to not only impress visually but also integrate with other smart devices and peripherals. Since its origins in 2012, Nanoleaf has had more than a decade to develop its smart lights which have become increasingly popular in gaming and streaming setups. Nanoleaf Lines follow the release of the company's other wall panel lights including its Canvas and Shapes kits. Lines takes a slightly different approach to illuminating gaming rooms, utilizing a backlit approach to coloring walls. Despite light emanating from the back of the light bars, thanks to their raised position, the effects are still stunning.

Nanoleaf Lines ships in several different configurations such as the Smarter Kit, with nine sections that attach at 60-degree angles. The Nanoleaf mobile app presents users with plenty of possible designs. Using a phone camera, it can even preview what the lights will look like in a space. As with most wall lights, Nanoleaf Lines affix to bare walls using double-sided tape on the back of connector caps. Buyers with rough-textured or brick walls may need an available screw mounting kit to properly secure the lights.

Along with many scenes included in Nanoleaf apps, buyers have access to infinitely more patterns created and shared by other users. Gamers can also connect Nanoleaf Lines to a wide range of smart home ecosystems including Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Apple Home. Even more exciting is the ability to use the lights with Razer Synapse software which allows gamers to coordinate their lighting effects with Chroma RGB-enabled peripherals. As a single massive smart lighting unit, entire gaming rooms can shine with lighting that reacts to gameplay imagery or music.

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The most common complaint with Nanoleaf lights like Lines is price. However, their bright and vivid output along with their compatibility with other gaming room gear help to justify the investment. Also, Nanoleaf has a long history of supporting its products even as they introduce newer lights, so buyers won't damage paint jobs by constantly replacing bars and panels.

Make sure to read our full review of Nanoleaf Lines to find out more about their extensive capabilities. For a cheaper alternative compatible with Lines, gamers should consider Nanoleaf Lines Squared which includes four light sections that attach at 90-degree angles.

Nanoleaf offers a flexible solution to RGB home decor lighting with its Shapes wall lights. Using Connect+ technology, shapes can be interconnected using triangles, mini triangles, and hexagon panels for a completely customizable design. Shapes can sync with moving images on PC monitors, using the Nanoleaf app. Host a concert at home with Shapes lights reacting to pulsating music. Nanoleaf lights are easily mounted on smooth surfaces with included double-sided mounting tape.

Starting with Smart LED light bulbs like Philips Hue, gamers had a new visually impactful way to decorate their rooms. Eventually though, sticking colorful bulbs into traditional lamps wasn't enough and Nanoleaf stepped in with its LED wall decor. While light bulbs are still functional, smart wall decor like Nanoleaf Shapes is more about style and ambiance. Also, Shapes allows gamers to express their creativity since the available triangles, mini-triangles, and hexagons are all compatible with Nanoleaf's Connect+ technology. This connectivity makes it possible to create wall light patterns in many different configurations, so no gaming room lighting has to look the same as another's.

Nanoleaf Shapes require a relatively pain-free installation process with some seriously strong double-sided tape on the back of each panel and mounting bracket. In order to place the linkers in the correct place to connect the panels and decide on a desired pattern, these LED panels do call for some planning before setting up. Once everything is ready to go, the setup becomes more familiar for users of other smart home lights and devices. Nanoleaf recommends using their mobile app to connect the Shapes lights to Wi-Fi networks, but there is also a Windows program available.

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Recent Nanoleaf products like Shapes allow integration with the most popular smart home ecosystems such as Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Apple HomeKit. PC gamers will especially enjoy the Shapes lights compatibility with Razer Chroma and the brand's numerous mice, keyboards, and headsets. Setup with the Razer Synapse software is often a bit finicky and requires toggling a setting in the Nanoleaf PC app as well. Still, the results are something special with the RGB effects of PC peripherals finally expanding to the walls near gaming desks.

Like Nanoleaf Lines, Shapes demand a high cost per light. There are other far more affordable wall lights on the market, but they usually pale in comparison to the solidly-constructed Nanoleaf Shapes when it comes to build quality. It also remains a bit of a headache trying to coordinate Nanoleaf lights with the other smart lighting systems a gamer may have around their room. Many lights work with Google Home or Amazon Alexa, but achieving functionality beyond turning them on and off together is another story. Still, with the modern and vibrant 16 million color light show that they provide, it's worth the effort to integrate the Nanoleaf Shapes into any gaming rig.

The Govee RGBIC LED Neon Rope Lights for Desks is the easiest way yet to add spectacular lighting to gaming desks. Featuring 42 customizable segments, the 84 RGBIC light beads produce a never-ending variety of patterns and colors. The 10-foot neon rope light strip has 12 cutting points allowing users to create a strip from 7 to 10 feet long. Constructed with a soft silicone material, the light strip resists inevitable bumps and bruises near a gaming desk. The neon rope lights are compatible with Google Home, Amazon Alexa, as well as Govee's AI Dreamview Sync, and Razer Synapse software.

LED light strips are a popular way to add light around gaming rooms with more spectacular lighting than is possible from ordinary lamps. The downside of typical LED strips is the fact that they look rather ugly in the daytime. As a result, gamers often hide them under desktops for a muted under-glow effect instead of making them featured attractions. The Govee Neon Rope Lights for Desks aims to change that, with lights that are meant for positioning where they are truly appreciated.

Most LED light strips have bumpy components visible on their surfaces, but the Neon Rope Lights employ a silicone material that is much softer to the touch. They are durable enough to withstand heavy gaming chairs colliding with them and the exterior shields viewers from the harshness of direct light, without muting their overall impact. The flexible Neon Rope Lights are also a cinch to install, with the default 10-foot kit providing 12 cutting points in order to fit desk edges perfectly. Govee also provides a corner routing piece if gaming desks are curved or L-shaped.

In the Govee mobile app, users have plenty of premade scenes to select from, with other users constantly sharing their latest creations. Each of the 42 segments in the rope light can display different colors for a never-ending variety of effects.

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As with other Govee lights, the Neon Rope Lights are compatible with most major smart home systems except for Apple Homekit. Through Govee's Dreamview protocol, gamers can use PC software to capture what is showing on monitors and then see the same colors represented on the rope lights. The same software can also incorporate the Neon Rope Light into Razer Synapse so that they become part of the RGB lighting of any gaming setup. Govee mobile and desktop apps can also sync the light strip with other Govee light bulbs and wall panel lights for coordinated patterns.

The Govee Desktop program is still in its early stages of development, and functionality is limited compared to the mobile app. Even so, there are numerous ways to integrate the Neon Rope Lights for Desks into any existing gaming room lighting. The light strip is impressive enough on its own to make it a relatively affordable way to add personality to a drab desk.

Make certain you check out Game Rant's full review of the Govee Neon Rope Lights for Desks.

The LIFX Beam Smart Light Bar provides intelligent and modern LED accent lighting to any gaming room. With 16 million colors and 61 dynamic light zones in each set of 6 beams and corner pieces, the possibilities are endless. The configuration and dimensions of the light bar patterns on walls are customizable to suit any surrounding decor. Through mobile apps and a Windows program, LIFX Polychrome Technology makes the number of potential color patterns endless.

The LIFX Beam Smart Light Bar is the perfect high-tech accent to add to any existing gaming room lights. Each kit contains six smart beams plus a connecting corner piece and the dimensions of the assembled light bar are adjustable. Not to say that the LIFX Beam Smart Light Bar fails to impress on its own, but unlike Nanoleaf panels, it serves best as trim or framing near gaming desks, rather than affixed in the middle of walls. Nevertheless, these light bars can bring an otherwise boring gaming rig to life with 16 million colors and 61 dynamic light zones. Leaving the LIFX Beam lights on a static color almost seems criminal once a gamer realizes how many different colors and patterns the bars are capable of displaying simultaneously.

The setup for the LIFX Beam Smart Light Bar kit is very similar to any other LED wall lighting product. Gamers will want to choose their layout beforehand, though it's not as complicated as arranging panels of various shapes and sizes. Each beam locks together with magnets, and the light bar mounts to surfaces with double-sided tape that is connected to a controller and power source. From there, most of the rest of the setup takes place in the LIFX mobile app, which is pleasantly simple to use. The real power of the Beam system is then on display with an almost infinite number of potential color schemes programmable using the LIFX Polychrome Technology.

The LIFX Beam Smart Light Bar benefits from some slick integration into smart home systems like Google Home and Amazon Alexa. The light bars respond promptly to voice commands and colors are changeable through most of the popular smart home ecosystems. Gamers can set up triggers with IFTTT and Nest so that the lights react accordingly to events and conditions around a home. The LIFX Beam is also compatible with Razer Chroma, making it the perfect accent near brightly lit PC cases and peripherals.

Like with other premium smart lighting solutions, the LIFX Beam is a considerable investment to make. The LIFX company also went bankrupt in 2022 before acquisition by another major lighting enterprise. Since then, some products have become difficult to find in stock, but hopefully, their newfound financial security keeps LIFX going strong in the marketplace. The LIFX Beam Smart Light Bar is an effective addition to any game room lighting setup, even if it's more of a finishing piece than a main attraction.

The Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 LED Smart Bulb continues to be the industry's most popular and trusted smart light bulb. Using Bluetooth connectivity, the Hue Smart Bulb no longer requires a Hue Bridge, but the Bridge enables more functionality like whole-home control. The estimated lifetime of the Hue A19 LED Smart Bulb is 22 years or 25,000 hours, so these bulbs are not just for occasional use. Hue bulbs enjoy widespread compatibility with smart home platforms like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Apple Homekit.

Some gaming room lighting is nice to show off or enjoy for a few hours a night, while other RGB LED lights prevent gamers from tripping and falling in the dark. As a more functional type of lighting, Philips Hue remains an extremely popular choice for smart home configurations since first appearing in 2012. Hue was one of the first color-changing smart bulbs to develop a reputation for easy installation and connectivity as well as offering a simple-to-use mobile app. In recent years, Hue bulbs have become even brighter while the Philips family of products has grown to include more LED light strips and lamps. However, when designing a room, it's the Hue White and Color Ambiance smart bulbs that many gamers will purchase first to properly illuminate a space.

Installation of Philips Hue bulbs is about as simple as any smart home product can get. A19 is the most popular type of bulb Philips sells, but other sizes are available in a range of brightness from 60 to 100 watts. After screwing a Hue bulb into a standard light socket, it's just a matter of using the official mobile app to connect to the bulbs. More recent versions of Hue bulbs do not require a separate Bridge with a wired network connection and are controllable with just Bluetooth. There are some serious compromises with Bluetooth-only Hue control, especially the fact that the range of the signal is far less than when connected to the Zigbee-powered Bridge. For gamers who want to connect their bulbs to an existing smart home system or control them remotely when away from home, the Bridge is almost an essential purchase.

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As far as how Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance bulbs perform, there isn't much to complain about. Having many years to accumulate, the number of different color patterns and effects available in Hue apps fully take advantage of these lights' potential. The bulbs respond to on/off and dimming commands nearly as fast as with standard wired switches. With a 25,000-hour lifespan and the ability to serve as basic white-colored lights, they can easily take the place of traditional lighting. For gamer room lights, buyers will want to think about what floor and desk lamps they use with Hue bulbs. Lamps with clear shades that allow the colored lights to disperse the most effectively are ideal.

As with other gaming room lighting solutions, the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance smart bulbs sync with RGB PC peripherals like Corsair iCUE-enabled keyboards and mice. There are cheaper smart bulbs for sale, but for integration with existing lights, Hue can reduce some of the frustration of getting everything to work well together.

The Corsair iCUE LT100 Smart Lighting Tower is the ultimate lighting accessory for any gaming desk. 11 preset lighting profiles are available, but the full potential of the LT100 unlocks with Corsair's iCUE software. These smart lighting towers integrate flawlessly with Corsair iCUE-supported PC peripherals and can react to the visual action in games. Each thin tower in the 2-light starter kit stands over 16 inches tall, with 46 dynamic LEDs on each light.

Many of the gaming room lighting products popular today are designed to work with existing smart home ecosystems and are not explicitly marketed to gamers. On the other hand, the Corsair iCUE LT100 Smart Lighting Tower is the perfect complement to RGB keyboards, mice, and headsets. The LT100 Smart Lighting Towers are essentially another PC peripheral, and it's Corsair's popular iCUE PC software that controls their patterns and colors. For the most simple setup, the LT100 towers have a push-button control for 11 preset profiles, but the capabilities of the lights only really shine with Corsair's software.

Since they are usually positioned close to where a gamer is sitting and have the potential of falling over regularly, the Corsair iCUE LT100 lighting towers thankfully have a sturdy bottom. The base of the lights also illuminates like the towers above them which each have 46 dynamic LEDs. To set up the LT100 starter kit with two towers, gamers use the included RGB cable to connect the towers together and then connect the main tower to a power adapter.

For optional (but highly recommended) iCUE compatibility, a micro USB cable connects to standard USB ports on PCs. Corsair also includes a stick-on headset holder, but heavier devices like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro may test the limits of this screwless accessory. The basic LT100 configuration is also expandable with up to two more smart lighting towers.

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The Corsair iCUE LT100 lights are more versatile than they initially look. As showpieces on a gaming desk, the towers can face forward but also work extremely well turned around or behind monitors to disperse light on walls. Measuring 16 inches tall, the LT100 towers are sizable enough for most setups but may look dwarfed by larger monitors and desktop towers. With Corsair's iCUE software, the towers can match the colors of whatever scenes appears during gaming or movies. When combined with RGB lighting from keyboards, mice, and case fans, the overall effects are impressive. The lighting from the LT100 towers can even reflect the changing temperatures of specific PC components, provided they are also compatible with the iCUE software.

With its focus on desks, the Corsair iCUE LT100 tower lights have obvious appeal when looking to add gamer room lights. Gamers will have to turn to unofficial 3rd party apps to try to integrate these lighting towers into Google Home or Alexa. They are primarily PC accessories and struggle to coexist with popular smart home systems. Even so, the LT100 towers are exceptionally well-made, with some intelligent design choices that allow them to excel in several different positions on a desk.

The Govee AI Gaming Sync Box offers the most intelligent way yet to fill gaming rooms with RGBIC lighting. Govee uses its CogniGLow algorithm on select PC titles to generate customized lighting effects based on in-game content and events. The sync box connects to 3 HDMI 2.0 sources to eliminate the delayed reactive lighting of camera-based lighting systems. DreamView 360 syncing coordinates lighting across many existing Govee light strips, panels, and bulbs. The Govee AI Gaming Sync Box includes 2 smart tower lights and LED lights for monitors 27 to 34 inches.

The Govee AI Gaming Sync Box will draw some direct comparisons to the Philips Hue Play Sync Box, with both using a similar method of generating HDMI signal-based reactive lighting. However, the Govee AI Sync Box is a product marketed more aggressively toward gamers rather than home cinema enthusiasts. Also, the title doesn't really do Govee's latest invention much justice, as the Sync Box ships with an LED light strip and standing light bars that the Hue Sync Box lacks.

Using a direct connection with an HDMI cable from the best graphics cards or gaming consoles, the AI Sync Box is able to analyze a video signal and program appropriate lighting effects with the lights in the kit. Similar to the Govee DreamView G1 Pro system, a light strip is installed on the back of monitors that are 27 to 34 inches in size. However, instead of a camera peeking down at a monitor, the Sync Box does all the work. There are also several games like Apex Legends and League of Legends that trigger lighting effects when any number of key gameplay events occur. Support for specific titles is sparse at this point, but Govee promises additional game support in the near future.

Some of the advantages of the Govee AI Sync Box compared to camera-based solutions are obvious, including its ability to rapidly respond to changing scenes. Gamers no longer have to devote space on the top of their monitors to a camera, and the color matching provided by the Sync Box is far more accurate. Regardless, a hefty number of cables are required to use the system, especially with the two freestanding light towers. Although the sync box is compatible with HDR and Dolby Vision, the sync box cannot process 4K 120 hz signals or any format requiring the HDMI 2.1 specification.

The AI Sync Box is another Govee offering that fits in seamlessly with a network of existing popular smart home devices and also sports Razer Chroma support. With the combination of backlighting from the LED strip and light towers, the amount of light projected onto walls is considerable. Considering its steep asking price and limited game support, the AI Sync Box will undoubtedly scare away some potential buyers. However, even with some flaws, Govee has innovated reactive lighting for gamers with more intelligent responses to kills, deaths, and victories.

For more details on what makes the system an important leap in smart lighting technology, refer to Game Rant's review of the Govee AI Sync Box.

The Govee Gaming Light Strip G1 is the perfect affordable solution to experience monitor backlighting. Taking advantage of VibraMatch technology, the G1 light strip can mirror what's happening in even the fastest-paced games. Govee's RGBIC lighting has also never looked better with an extremely dense configuration of LED beads. Easily installed on the back of monitors from 27 to 34 inches or 24 to 26 inches, the setup of the Gaming Light Strip G1 can be completed in minutes. Gamers can use the Govee mobile app and desktop software to implement DreamView and coordinate the lighting of the G1 light strip with many other compatible smart lights.

Govee has numerous options for monitor backlighting, so it's understandable that some buyers find the choices confusing. The Gaming Light Strip G1 is one of the simplest and most affordable ways to screen mirror gaming content with reactive lighting. Unlike HDMI sync box or camera-based solutions, the G1 relies primarily on software to translate what it sees on monitors to dynamic lighting effects on the included light strip. The G1 is available in two sizes for monitors from 27 to 34 inches or 24 to 25 inches.

Without additional hardware in the mix, the Gaming Light Strip G1 is extremely straightforward to install on the back of monitors. The strip comes with a control box that allows users to power it on and off as well as toggle between some preset scenes. Once set up, the G1 outputs a tremendous amount of light on walls directly behind monitors, thanks in large part to a more dense configuration of LED bulbs on the strip.

The G1 is able to mirror gaming experiences in extreme detail because of VibraMatch technology which is able to process changing scenery in real time. Dividing screens into 10 sections, the G1 is able to effectively pick up on even the most subtle transitions in virtual gaming environments.

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There are 123 preset lighting scenes available in the mobile app for the G1, but gamers will need to use the Govee Desktop software for screen-mirroring functionality. This makes using the G1 with consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S tricky, but with DreamView that coordinates the lighting between many Govee devices, room-wide synchronized lighting is possible. As with many Govee gaming lights, the G1 can also work with Razer Chroma to add mice, keyboards, and headsets to make an entire gaming desk come alive.

The Gaming Light Strip G1 has some limitations compared to more pricey Govee lights since it is software dependent for its screen-mirroring features. Even so, the G1 is an affordable way to introduce a gamer to the exciting way of reactive lighting.

The Nanoleaf 4D will enhance movie viewing and playing games with bright, vibrant, and fast-reacting light shows. Using a screen mirroring system powered by the included camera, the Nanoleaf 4D system constantly scans the scenes on TV screens and programs lighting inspired by on-screen content. Buyers have the option of 1D, 2D, 3D, and 4D settings in the Nanoleaf app that provide immersive backlighting with various levels of dynamic effects and intensity. The Nanoleaf 4D is available in configurations for TVs up to 65 inches or displays on a maximum size of 85 inches.

Monitors aren't the only screens some gamers have in their gaming rooms. For anyone who is fortunate enough to use an OLED TV as a monitor, a backlighting kit designed for displays of this size is necessary. The Nanoleaf 4D isn't groundbreaking in its concept but does offer some alternatives to the screen-mirroring experience provided by the Govee Envisual TV Backlight T2.

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The Nanoleaf 4D works by utilizing a camera mounted above or below TVs either up to 65 inches or between 65 and 85 inches. Compared to other screen-mirroring kits, the 4D has an advantage of a very compact camera that is removable from its stand and easily hidden behind a soundbar. Also, the strip can be snipped at predefined points for a more exact fit or for use on larger monitors. Still, installation does require some thinking in advance, and gamers will have to maneuver the 4D light strip around some curved corner brackets.

Even though the Nanoleaf 4D can't meet the color accuracy standards of the Govee AI Sync Box, the system requires minimal calibration to achieve more than acceptable performance. The Nanoleaf mobile app is refreshingly simple to navigate when it comes to the 4D, with only a handful of modes and settings that progressively step up the lighting from 1D to 4D. The LED lights on the included RGBIC light strip are also exceptionally bright and cast a vivid halo of light around large TVs.

Nanoleaf doesn't sell the sheer volume of different lights and LED light strips that Govee offers. Regardless, sync functionality in the Nanoleaf app enables gamers to extend the 4D's screen mirroring effects to compatible smart lights like Nanoleaf Shapes. The result is a combination of gamer room lights that make gaming or watching movies far more immersive.

Despite many Nanoleaf lights carrying a premium price tag, the Nanoleaf 4D is a surprisingly strong value at its current asking price. The 4D also is an attractive option for gamers searching for TV backlighting with a more versatile camera and an app that makes it simple to enjoy bright and accurate lighting effects.

Please read Game Rant's full review of the Nanoleaf 4D for more on what makes it a unique screen-mirroring system.

The Nanoleaf Essentials Smart Lightstrip is the best solution to trim gaming rooms with bright and colorful illumination. 16+ million colors provided by the lightstrip's RGBW technology and hundreds of available scenes will never bore friends and family. Users can connect the Essentials Lightstrip to their expanding network of Matter devices running on Thread networks.

Nanoleaf Essentials Smart Bulbs are exceedingly bright and vivid both with tunable white lighting and patterns with 16+ million colors. These bulbs can be controlled over Bluetooth in the Nanoleaf app with an almost endless number of preset and user-created scenes. New to Nanoleaf bulbs is Matter compatibility with the ability to communicate with other Matter smart devices from many brands over blazingly fast Thread networks.

The smart light world is constantly evolving with manufacturers searching for ways to make syncing an entire household of lights less frustrating. Matter devices and Thread networks promise increased responsiveness and wider compatibility among different smart home ecosystems and apps. Two of the first Matter-compatible smart lights to hit the market are the Nanoleaf Essentials Smart LED Lightstrip and Smart Bulb.

The Essentials Smart LED Lightstrip is very much a conventional strip that can be installed along floorboards, doorways, or underneath desks in a gaming room. These trimmable lightstrips are available in 2 or 5-meter lengths with 1-meter expansion packs also for sale. Blindingly bright with a maximum 2200 lumen brightness, the Essentials Smart LED Lightstrip also excels at white lighting, with subtle differences between warmer and colder hues. However, unlike with RGBIC technology, only one color can display on the strip at a time.

Since bulbs are a critical piece of any gaming room lighting setup, the appropriately named Essentials Smart Bulbs also take advantage of the new Matter and Thread protocols. Even as standard smart light bulbs, they provide ample illumination and a wide range of presets and customizable lighting scenes. Also, the Essentials Smart Bulbs are far more affordable than competitors like Philips Hue while achieving comparable if not superior performance.

As a new way to connect smart lights from various manufacturers, working with Matter devices can cause some frustrations during the setup process. With the Essentials lights, it's advisable to first pair them in the Nanoleaf app and then add them to other software like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Apple Home. Still, buyers should be aware that a Matter controller is required to coordinate these devices which include Google Nest and Echo hubs. Also, Matter lights work best on Thread which is a fast mesh network that can function even without an internet connection. A Thread border router is necessary, but gamers may already have existing compatible hardware or take advantage of this functionality included with Nanoleaf Shapes.

While the new Matter smart home standard has some limitations, the reaction time of the Nanoleaf Essentials Smart Lightstrip and Bulbs are unmatched by any Wi-Fi or Bluetooth smart lights. As a result, they are ideal for integration into gaming setups where in-game events can trigger lag-free lighting effects. Using the Razer Chroma and Overwolf features in the Nanoleaf desktop app, users can further enhance game-specific effects and sync them with RGB keyboards and mice.

You can learn more about how Matter and Thread are revolutionizing gaming rooms by reading Game Rant's review of the Nanoleaf Essentials Smart Lightstrip and Bulbs.

With the smart light industry continuing to expand, there are more ways than ever before to illuminate a gaming room. To narrow down the possibilities, it's helpful to concentrate on the type of light, compatibility with smart home platforms, and what options can react to in-game events.

Even with a variety of fancy LED strips and wall panel lights available, the foundation of any gaming room lighting is still lamps and light bulbs. Most other types of illumination are ambient, meaning they enhance gaming or general PC usage, but they don't provide the same expansive field of light possible with standard fixtures. Philips Hue Smart Bulbs are an obvious choice, whether a gamer is looking for plain white or RGB colors, but these lights are on the pricey side. However, Nanoleaf Essentials Smart Light Bulbs are considerably cheaper, even brighter, and compatible with the new Matter/Thread smart home ecosystem.

Once there is enough light in a gaming room to move around safely, the focus should then shift to the area where a gamer spends the most time. Usually, this is in front of a gaming monitor on a desk with a wall nearby. For smaller screens, the Govee Gaming Lightstrip G1 is an affordable introduction to the wonderful world of monitor backlighting. To further spruce up blank walls behind monitors, gamers can turn to wall panels or light bars like Nanoleaf Lines.

The final step in assembling a complete gaming room lighting setup is coordinating all the smart lights together. Most of the products discussed in this guide can all work in popular smart home ecosystems or with Razer Synapse software. Although lighting effects and patterns are often not uniform among various devices, the end result is usually spectacular nonetheless.

MORE: Govee AI Gaming Sync Box and Strip Light for TVs Review

Colored LED light bulbs can act as a primary source of lighting in a room and install in seconds using pre-existing light sockets. There are also a variety of RGB lamps and lighting fixtures that require minimal setup to enjoy.

Many gaming keyboards, mice, and headsets are RGB enabled with color-changing effects. To enhance the lighting from these peripherals, gamers often install RGB cooling fans and LED strips in PC cases. In recent years, other types of smart LED lighting like wall panel lights are common additions near PC desks.

Although it's usually simpler if all the RGB lights in a gaming room are made by the same manufacturer, there are smart home platforms and software solutions that can integrate many different types of devices into one ecosystem.

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An avid gamer since childhood, Adam Corsetti became hooked on video games after using the original Nintendo console. During college, he created a site aggregating gaming review scores and wrote features about the industry. Adam has since witnessed the popularity of video games rise further and become part of mainstream culture. Adam's video game interests include simulation, strategy, and sports titles on PC and consoles, as well as peripherals and hardware. As a seasoned freelance writer, he recently joined the Game Rant team and is excited to share his experiences and insights with readers.