December 6th, 2024 Quick Update: These lights have been installed for over a year now and I have had ZERO issues and am super happy with them.
Check out the demo video at the bottom of the page.
When my wife and I first moved into our current home I envied outdoor lighting of some of the others houses in the neighborhood. I put up some basic garden walk lights, but always wanted to put spotlights up, however the exterior needed a makeover. Spotlights on our home would have definitely make our house stick out, but not in a good way.
Flash-forward over 5 years and many projects later (reframed garage, siding, roof, front door, trees removed, landscaping ) and I started to get the bug again. Recently I painted the front entrance of the house and with the holidays coming I wanted to show it off a bit.
As with most purchases I make I started exploring my options and did a fair amount of research. As the title states I landed on the Govee lights. I looked at a lot of other options, mostly cheaper, but also some more expensive (VOLT from Costco for example). Since I already have several other Govee products and I have been happy with them I figured I would give them a try. Here is a summary of my findings / research.
Pros:
- Vibrant Color Options: The Govee RGBIC outdoor spotlights offer a wide array of colors, with 35 scene modes to illuminate your garden or outdoor space. The color-changing feature allows for versatile and dynamic lighting effects. I was actually surprised how much they aluminate the house.
- Sturdy Build Quality: These lights are compact yet robust, demonstrating excellent durability. They are designed to withstand the elements, making them suitable for outdoor use. The stakes are nice quality compared to other landscape lighting I have used over the years. I also like that you put the stakes in and then attach the light with a thumb screw which makes rotating them easy.
- Easy Assembly: Setting up the spotlights is a breeze, requiring less than 10 minutes for installation (after some time planning and laying things out). The straightforward assembly process ensures a quick and hassle-free experience. Based on my research I was concerned about the need for longer wires between lights, however as you can see from the photos above, even though I wasn’t able to spread the lights out as far as I would have liked the coverage is perfect.
- Smart App Control: The Govee Home App provides convenient control over the lights, allowing users to customize colors and scenes effortlessly. Integration with voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant adds an extra layer of convenience. I use Alexa and it works REALLY well. The Govee Hope App isn’t the most user friendly, but I am used to it from other Govee devices as mentioned above.
- Weather Resistance: The IP65 waterproof rating ensures year-round functionality, making these spotlights a reliable choice regardless of weather conditions. Users in the PNW fall weather reported effective water resistance. I haven’t had any issues here, but see the first con below.
Cons:
- Condensation Issue: Some users have reported an issue with water or condensation forming on the inside of the lights after exposure to mild rain. This concern raises questions about the product’s overall weather resistance and quality control. So far so good for me. I have read where some users have proactively sealed their lights silicone products from Gorilla or other manufacturers. https://amzn.to/3GfgnTL
- Limited Animation Options: While the lights offer dynamic animations suitable for holidays and events, there is a desire for more subtle, less flashy options for day-to-day use. The current animations may be too intense for regular ambiance, prompting users to seek more varied options. I tend the like just the regular soft white lights for non-holiday use.
- App Ease of Use: The Govee Home App, while functional, could benefit from streamlining and improved organization. Users have expressed a desire for a more user-friendly experience and better navigation within the app.
Overall Assessment: The Govee RGBIC outdoor spotlights impress with their vibrant colors, sturdy build, and easy assembly. Longer wires for installation would be nice, concerns about water-related issues and the need for more varied animation options suggest room for improvement.
As I noted above though, the wire length turned out not to be a problem, I haven’t had any condensation issues and the app works just fine for my needs. Overall I am happy with my purchase and have already recommended the Govee RBIC outdoor spotlights to several friends as an easy option for decorating the outside of the house for the holiday season and beyond.
I like the way this product performs and will be purchasing.