Govee Outdoor String Lights 2 review: Unlimited customization

Key Takeaways

• Govee Outdoor String Lights 2 offers over 16 million colors and easy smart home integration.
• The lights are waterproof, can withstand harsh conditions, and can be controlled via an app or voice.
• Setup can be frustrating due to tangled wires, but the lights provide bright, customizable lighting.

Finding the right outdoor lighting for your home can be difficult. You need to decide what you want to light, what shape of light you want, how bright you want it to be, and where you want to put it. You can choose from floodlights or lights, as well as the way to walk and light the lamp post. Plus, you can do it all again come holiday season and be even bigger.

If you're looking for the ability to change the mood in your outdoor space, the Govee Outdoor String Lights 2 might be for you. Not only can you hang these at home or on your deck but it's also possible to change the bulbs to more than 16 million different colors. They can also withstand harsh conditions, making them the type of lighting you can keep all year round.

I've been trying to find good outdoor lighting for my deck and decided to try the Govee Outdoor String Lights 2. What I found impressed me, especially when I was able to integrate them with my smart home.

Pricing, specifications, and availability

The Govee Outdoor String Lights 2 retail for $80 for the 48-foot option, $130 for the 96-foot set, and $170 for the 144-foot package. The 96-foot and 144-foot sets are both discounted at Amazon. They are also available on the Govee website. It is rated at 36 volts, with a wattage of 54 watts. I was using a 144-foot set, which also comes with 51 cable clips, 51 zip ties, three wire light sets, and one control box.

The lights are waterproof, so you don't have to worry about leaving them outside in inclement weather. They can withstand temperatures as low as -4 degrees and up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Each light can produce up to 100 lumens with a color temperature of 2,700K. You can choose from 16 million colors and more than 47 scene modes. You can also sync the lights to your music.

What I liked about Govee Outdoor String Lights 2

Set any condition you want

I have a low deck that is off the ground, so I wanted lights to help lead to the lawn. I've tried solar lights (you can see them in the pictures), but they don't provide the amount of light my family needs at night. I have a Ring flood light that is very bright when I'm just trying to sit and enjoy some time outside at night on the deck. So ambient lighting is what I've been looking for.

After setting up the Govee Outdoor String Lights 2, I felt like I had just found what I was looking for. I decided not to hang them in my house under the roof and instead put them on the outside wall of the deck. Once I set up the lights, syncing them with the Govee app was easy. I have used Govee products in the past, so I already had an app. But if you're not, it just takes downloading and signing up for a free account to get started. The string lights are Bluetooth enabled, thus simplifying the setup process.

After setting up the Govee Outdoor String Lights 2, I felt like I had just found what I was looking for.

What I love about the Govee app is how easy it is to change the lights. You can adjust the color of the lights by selecting one from a large list. It is also possible to adjust the color of each bulb. Alternatively, there are plenty of options if you don't want to go deep into the app. It's been a lot of fun using them and putting them in different settings. I turned on an episode of Stranger Things in my living room and, for fun, turned the lights on red outside. I turned off the lights inside and enjoyed the eerie ambiance of the red light outside.

I also connected outdoor string lights to my Amazon Alexa smart home. It didn't take long to click a few buttons in the Alexa app and I was able to tell my Echo Show 8, “Alexa, turn on the outside lights.” Before I go outside, I can turn on the lights. Lights also works with Google Assistant. These have to be plugged in and can't be turned on with an attached remote, so you'll either have to have them near an outlet or use an extension cord. The ease of use of this is a huge selling point for using it in your home.

What I don't like about the Govee Outdoor String Lights 2

The setup is frustrating

The lights are larger, which means the strings need to be stronger than simple holiday lights. As a result, they come together surprisingly easily. I may have spent more time untangling the lights than it took to hang them. All three string lights were wrapped in a box that made it difficult to unpack. The bulbs are solid but also feel oddly cheap. Not that many people will touch the lights, but it's a strange feeling.

If you want to hang these lights or wire them up near the ceiling or canopy, Govee includes zip ties in the box to use the cable clips. This feels flimsy and very small, so it's very difficult to tie the lights to things using the provided zip ties. You will need to provide your own nails, hooks, and anything else you want to attach the lights to if you go this route. Also, the user manual suggests you can put a cable clip over the light part but I couldn't figure that out. Placing the clip on the part of the wire near the light was very easy.

Should you buy Govee Outdoor String Lights 2?

Govee Outdoor String Lights 2 offers many possibilities to set the mood you want. These are incredibly bright and can be changed to look just about anything. While they may not be the easiest lights to hang, they provide excellent lighting that you can control with an app or your voice. Govee continues to excel in customizing his lights and these are no different. If you are looking to enhance your outdoor lighting, the Govee Outdoor String Lights 2 may be the right choice for you.