Govee AI Gaming Sync Box and Strip Light for TVs Review

Jul 02, 2023

After using CogniGlow to respond to in-game events on monitors, the Govee AI Sync Box's reactive lighting now takes aim at big-screen TVs.

The thrill of smart lights was once limited to turning bulbs on and off from a wireless switch or mobile phone. Soon enough, colored LEDs found their way into light strips installed on the backs of TVs and monitors. Screen mirroring technology is gradually improving, enhancing movies and games with increased responsiveness. By connecting HDMI sources to the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box for TVs, an attached light strip produces effects that match content with near-perfect color accuracy.

RELATED: The Best Smart Home Gadgets in 2023

Several months ago, Game Rant reviewed the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box for monitors and discovered it was a step forward for reactive lighting. Recently, Govee unveiled new kits designed for TVs ranging from 55 to 85 inches. Among other improvements, Govee's AI CogniGlow now supports more games with customizable RGBIC lighting effects triggered by in-game achievements. Also, DreamView is a tempting way to coordinate TV backlighting with other Govee smart lights.

Thanks to Govee, Game Rant had an opportunity to see how the concept of the AI Sync Box could work on an 85-inch TV. The results were mostly unsurprising, but there are a few reasons why the device may be a better choice for a home theater than a gaming desk.

The Govee AI Gaming Sync Box offers the most intelligent way yet to fill gaming and living 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 The AI Gaming Sync Box is now available in several sizes for 55 to 85-inch TVs.

The Govee AI Gaming Sync Box and Light Strip for TVs ship in a rectangular black box which indicates what size displays the light strip is appropriate for.

The various parts are packed in several different smaller boxes, making for a neat and tidy presentation.

Inside the mostly black packaging are the sync box, light strip, a pair of HDMI cables, power adapter, mounting clips, and manual.

Any buyer familiar with installing Govee light strips won't find too many surprises during the setup process, but the sync box switches things up a bit. Even before connecting the HDMI sync box to the components, it's possible to test out the lights since the box has a few basic power and scene change buttons. Fortunately, the light strip and LEDs around the front panel of the sync box illuminated, so it was then time to install the system on a TV.

The targeted TV here was an 85-inch Sony Bravia 4K LED, and already wall-mounted, posed some difficulties when installing the light strip. Still, the strip was long enough to stretch around the edges of the TV with some flexible pieces of small rope separating the different segments. Govee suggests first cleaning the area with the included alcohol prep pads for the most permanent application. Then, it's just a matter of taking the protective material off of the back of the light strip and applying pressure to the lights.

The mounting clips are useful for making sure that the ends of each segment, as well as the leftover material in each corner, don't pop up. Fortunately, the strip was long enough for this large TV, but if it's placed it too close to the edges of a similar display, an installer may have to reattempt the setup.

With a USB Type-C port, the light strip connects to the backside of the sync box. Unfortunately, the USB cable on the end of the light strip wasn't long enough to reach the sync box without putting some stress on the port. This is likely only an issue with the kits for larger TV sizes. An extension cable came in handy to maintain the cable management in this setup, but not all buyers are going to have one of these at their disposal. The power cord only runs from the sync box to a wall outlet, so it's less of a chore to hide.

Normally with TV backlit kits, users will want to hide the control box behind a display. However, since the sync box has its own LED lights, it's appropriate to make it a centerpiece or at least a visible component on a TV stand.

RELATED: The Best OLED TVs for Gaming in 2023

In this setup, an NVIDIA Shield media player and PS5 console were the main sources used to test out Govee's backlighting system. For rooms with large OLED or LED TVs, it's also useful to know that there is no apparent RF or IR remote control functionality with this Govee kit. As a result, to switch sources, viewers will either have to press the button on the front of the box or use the Govee home app. In this case, that problem was solved by using an AV receiver to handle the HDMI source switching and sending the output from the receiver to a single input on the rear of the sync box. Using one of the included HDMI cables, the out port on the sync box was routed to an HDMI input on the left side of the Sony TV.

After the physical installation is complete, the rest of the setup happens in the Govee Home app.

The app will first scan the area for any new devices and then ask users to press a button on the front of the sync box to confirm pairing. A 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network is also a necessity for control of the lighting system outside the app. Unlike camera-based backlighting solutions such as the Govee Envisual TV T2, there are no sticking orange blocks on the corners of a TV for calibration. Instead, the app flashes some colors on segments of the lights in order to determine which direction a light strip was installed. The software setup was extremely quick and straightforward and then buyers are presented with a myriad of options and settings for the newly connected device.

In the Govee Home app, there is usually a lot to digest on the main screen for any of the brand's smart lights. The Govee AI Gaming Sync Box and Light Strip for TV are certainly no exception. Modes are what users will want to pay the most attention to, with options for Music, Video, Color, Scene, and DIY.

RELATED: What Gaming Mice Do The Pros Use?

Buyers can select from ready-made lighting scenes or design their own, but the main appeal of this backlighting kit is screen-mirroring sources in Video mode. In this mode, gamers can enable AI Identification for eight popular titles like League of Legends, Apex Legends, and Overwatch 2. When the first Govee AI Sync Box kits for monitors were released, there were only two games supported in the software, so the company has made good on its promise to gradually add more.

There is an extensive list of in-game events the sync box can respond to. Plus, users can customize the lighting effects generated by kills, victories, and defeats. Users who aren't gamers can simply leave the AI Identification option off; otherwise, they may see some random flashes of light while viewing TV and movies.

Other options in the Govee app include sliders for saturation and sensitivity and some more complex color calibration. Move Watching DreamView can sync with compatible Govee light strips and bulbs so that they respond in unison to changing images on a screen. One feature that may be overlooked is the Snapshot List, which saves settings for the app in case users want to experiment with the lights with a safety net.

While criticisms that the Govee Home app is cluttered are valid, finding the essential functions become second nature the more the software is used. However, the problem of short delays each time the app connects to a device with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi remains and is an annoyance shared by other smart home apps.

With the Govee AI Sync Box, its ability to react to scene changes nearly instantaneously and intelligently respond to what happens in games are its main selling points. Screen mirroring kits that rely on cameras can seem laggy in comparison, and a variety of factors like room lighting and glare affect their accuracy. Reading directly from an HDMI video signal improves the experience considerably but not without introducing some new drawbacks.

A few test patterns that are easily found on YouTube are an effective way to see how quick the AI Sync Box is and how accurately it interprets the colors from HDMI signals. With this rainbow color test, it was easy to recognize the subtle differences in each hue. The RGBIC light strip seamlessly shifted to project the changing colors on the wall behind the TV.

An all-white screen cast an all-white glow, though color saturation can have some effect on how warm or cold the effects are. It was nearly impossible to take a picture of how the sync box reacted to a black screen, meaning that the light strip was appropriately dark.

Animated movies are a delight to watch with the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box with purples and reds all amplified by the system. When taking note of the sync box itself, it did an admirable job of mirroring the lighting effects, though viewers' attention will undoubtedly be focused on screens.

Along the same lines, blue hues made the adjacent wall seem like an extension of the ocean on the screen.

Compared to backlighting solutions like the Nanoleaf 4D, the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box was able to handle the breaks in colors more effortlessly with complex images. On the other hand, the overall effects seemed a bit less vibrant even after upping brightness or color saturation.

RELATED: Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Lightstrip and Bulb Review

Of course, gaming is also a big test of the abilities of Govee's sync box. The system will mirror the lighting of any game in the same way as it does with TV shows and movies. Still, it's an entirely different experience when the device activates its CogniGlow algorithms to work with one of the games listed in the Govee Home app.

For any gamer who is too impatient to see all the possible lighting effects in a title like Apex Legends, watching highlight videos works just as well as playing the game on a PC or console. One of the most common effects happens when a player kills an enemy or is killed themselves.

In League of Legends, this AI-powered reactive lighting is so advanced that the sync box can recognize when a specific monster is eliminated like Cloud Drake.

When engrossed in other popular games like Overwatch 2, the number of different in-game triggers is more limited but can still ramp up their intensity as a player goes on a kill streak.

During competitive gaming action, it can be difficult to discern the differences between some of the lighting effects. At least until a player is accustomed to using the AI Sync Box, the flashing and cycling colors probably enhance the experience more for spectators. The ability to customize the effects has potential in regard to gear used in competitive tournaments, with teams and clans creating their own illuminated celebrations for victories.

RELATED: What Gaming Headset Does Ninja Use?

Many of the games supported by the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box are PC-centric, though several of them are available on consoles as well. This is not an issue with gaming monitors, but it complicates things for a kit designed for large-screen TVs in rooms where gamers may not have their rigs accessible.

One of the most recent additions to many of Govee's smart lights is enhanced DreamView functionality. This concept revolves around connecting different Govee lights, so an entire room can become a screen-mirrored funhouse. While evaluating the AI Gaming Sync Box, a compatible light strip was already conveniently below the TV along the floorboards.

DreamView requires users to assign segments of a connected light or light strip to a particular area of a room, with the sync box orchestrating the effects across the entire area. The setup is somewhat time-consuming, but the end result is worth the trouble, especially if brightness settings are tuned to avoid overwhelming spectators.

The AI Gaming Sync Box does suffer from some of the same connectivity limitations as when the device was first introduced to the market. While HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos are welcome, HDMI 2.1 is not supported, and along with it 4K signals at 120 Hz and VRR. On the other hand, in media and living rooms without the latest graphics cards, the lack of DisplayPort compatibility is not as major of a concern.

Using the NVIDIA Shield and PS5 with the AI Gaming Sync Box was generally a smooth experience, though it would sometimes take a few seconds longer than normal for an image to display. In these instances, the sync box actually mirrored the lighting of a new scene on its LEDs before it would appear on the TV.

The Govee AI Gaming Sync Box offers the most intelligent way yet to fill gaming and living 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 The AI Gaming Sync Box is now available in several sizes for 55 to 85-inch TVs.

With its promised 99 percent color accuracy delivering a more convincing screen mirroring experience, the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box for TVs largely does not disappoint. The HDMI sync box blends in with other components in a media room much more effectively than cameras mounted on TVs. Compared to previous AI Gaming Sync Box kits for monitors, the system works very similarly but in some ways thrives away from PCs. Without DisplayPort in the mix, HDMI-dominated home theater setups connect to the sync box without issues. However, some aspects of Govee's sync box could be improved when working with large TVs including a longer USB-C cable and universal remote support.

Installation of this screen-mirroring solution remains somewhat laborious but removes the frustration of calibrating a camera. Without variables like room lighting in the equation, it's easier for any buyer to have confidence that content is displaying on the attached light strip accurately.

To Govee's credit, the AI Sync Box continues to evolve for the better as the months go on. Support for popular games, which was once sparse, has now expanded to more of the most popular competitive FPS and MOBA titles. AI CogniGlow recognizes key in-game events and enhances the thrill of victory and agony of defeat with customizable RGBIC lighting effects. DreamView is also a major force in the Govee Home app, combining the colored illumination of multiple smart lights into a giant gaming room spectacle.

Even with the lack of support for HDMI 2.1 signals, the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box for TVs gives us a glimpse into the future of smarter reactive backlighting. While it's pricier than most camera-based alternatives, Govee's sync box enhances TV viewing and gaming experiences in ways that go beyond conventional screen mirroring.

There are few direct competitors to the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box for TVs, but the Philips Play HDMI Sync Box is one viable alternative. This box has 4 HDMI inputs but does not have any gaming-specific features. It requires the purchase of a hub and an expensive light strip separately. Although it's been requested by users for some time, the now-aging Play Sync Box has yet to receive an upgrade to meet HDMI 2.1 specifications. Regardless, fans of the Hue lighting ecosystem may gravitate toward the device which is part of a family of high-quality and durable smart lights.

Besides HDMI sync boxes, more affordable screen mirroring is possible with a growing selection of camera-powered kits. Govee's Envisual TV Backlight T2 is one such system that attempts to overcome the limitations of previous cameras by introducing a dual-lens configuration. Although it still can't quite match the responsiveness of the AI Gaming Sync Box, these improvements result in improved color accuracy and motion tracking.

Finally, Nanoleaf is the latest company to throw its hat into the ring of reactive backlighting. The Nanoleaf 4D offers a versatile camera that is easily mounted above or below a TV and is available for displays up to 85 inches. In a recent review, Game Rant found that it was easier to achieve accurate images with fewer settings tweaks, but the included light strip was on the short side for the largest screens.

Philips Play HDMI Sync Box

$237

Govee's Envisual TV Backlight T2

$160

Nanoleaf 4D

$120

MORE: The Best TVs in 2023

Instead of the camera typically placed above monitors or TVs to capture images on screens, the Govee AI Sync Box uses AI technology to analyze an HDMI video signal. The result is more responsive reactive lighting and patterns triggered by in-game events.

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.

We hope you like the items we recommend and discuss! Game Rant has affiliate and sponsored partnerships, so we receive a share of the revenue from some of your purchases. This won’t affect the price you pay and helps us offer the best product recommendations.

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.