Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights review: ‘Tis the season to make life easy

Hanging Christmas lights is a chore I do not look forward to every year, and I like removing them even less. I once left our Christmas lights up all year but found out quickly that it’s not a very good look and light clips have a limited life span. The Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights look to eliminate all of that and make your life easier.

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

The Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights are a set of LED outdoor lights made to be mounted and left up all year round with little to no noticeability. Before getting our review units in, I wasn’t sure this product would be anything different from an LED light strip; boy, I was wrong.

These are the first outdoor LED lights I have seen or used that are genuinely multi-use and multi-seasonal. These are unlike anything I’ve used and can be used for the 4th of July, Halloween, Christmas, or whatever you want. Read on to learn more about the Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights and why they are an Editor’s Choice for 2022!

Specifications

The Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights have the following features and specifications:

• Model: H705A
• Color: RGBIC
• Control Methods: Smart App, Voice Control
• Length: 30m(100ft)
• Light Quantity: 72
• Voltage: 36V 2A
• Water Resistant: Light Stripe–IP67 Control Box & Adapter–IP65
• Working Temperature: -4°F to 140°F/-20°C to 60°C

What’s In The Box

• Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights
• Mounting clips and screws
• Control Box
• Power Supply and Cable
• Extra 3M adhesive backs
• Manuals and Documentation

Design

When I was first pitched the Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights, I thought these were likely another LED strip light. However, when I opened the box, I saw something very different.

The Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights have a unique square puck design that houses an RGBIC LED amplified by a dome that produces a pleasing triangular light when appropriately installed.

Each puck is IP67 weather-sealed and comes with strong 3M adhesives on the back. The wire between the pucks is also weather-sealed, and there is about 16″ between light pucks.

The control box has three buttons, so you can adjust the lights from that if you wish. I preferred using the WiFi-connected app for controlling the lights. The box and power supply are also weather-proof making it possible to honestly use these outdoors.

The overall design is straightforward and hardly complicated. Our review units came in the 50-foot length, which gave us three strands in each box. We had two boxes giving us 100 feet of reach. I don’t see the 50-foot version on either Amazon or Govee, so this option may be available later. We did find that the 100 feet was not enough for our home, so be sure to measure before ordering.

Installation

Before I opened the box, I feared the installation would become a problem. Why? My initial thought was that this was a giant LED strip with 3M backing all the way across. I shudder at the thought of climbing up and down a ladder with a 50-foot LED strip hanging down.

I was relieved when I opened the box and found the square puck design. This design makes the installation easy and gives the lights a unique and pleasing appearance.

It’s essential to start your first strand near an outlet. You can use an extension cord, but in my case, I did not need to. Once you have unpacked the Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights, plug them all in and make sure they work. Better to know now than later when they are installed.

Place your control box somewhere accessible and near the outlet. Make sure the end of your first strand can reach the power supply.

When you’re ready, you peel off the 3M backings and start placing the pucks into place. Govee says for the best performance of the Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights; you should put them about 2 to 4 inches away from the wall.

I installed mine under my eaves about 2 inches from the wall/siding. Doing it this way produced the same effect in Govee’s marketing material. You are free to install them however you wish, but installing them in Govee’s way will give you the results seen on their website. Below is an image of how to install it.

Govee also provides 3M-backed mini clips with screws that should be used between some of the lights to help reinforce the hold. My eaves are aluminum, and there is nothing for the screw to bite into; I opted to use the clips with only the 3M back. Below is Govee’s install video showing how easy the procedure is. It took me a few hours to complete the installation.

Overall, the installation process is straightforward and easily the most straightforward Christmas light installation I have done. One minor gripe, though, is that Govee’s links to its PDF manuals do not work on its website. It would be nice to have the manual in digital format.

App

The Govee Home app is available on iOS and Android and is ground central for all things Govee. You can control your Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights and any other compatible Govee product. I have the Govee M1 LED light strip and Govee Backlight T2 connected to the app.

The app breaks each device into sections, and you connect the lights via your 2.4GHz WiFi network. When you first set it up, you choose your device, select a network, enter the WiFi password, and you are connected. Set up went smoothly for me, and I have had no issues with connectivity.

The Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights app is so packed with features that there is no way I can go over the entire thing. Here are a few things the app allows you to do with the lights.

• Adjust brightness
• Use a timer
• Create snapshots
• Segment the lights and choose your own colors
• Choose different modes, such as music, color, scenes, and DIY
• Change the saturation
• Change the white balance

There is far more than what is above, but we’re fond of being able to segment the lights into our own colors. We can then add movement to the lights if we wish, including things like waves, pulse, twinkle, and strobe. There is a vast number of things you can do with the app.

Overall, the app is very good. There are A LOT of options to swim through, and some users may feel overwhelmed, but I would start simple and choose a preset scene. They have them for Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s, and more.

Performance

I’ve had the Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights installed for a few weeks, and they have gone through several rain and thunderstorms, high winds, and warm temperatures.

They have held up very well. They are also VERY bright! I have turned the brightness level down to 70%, and they are great at that level.

We have had zero issues with performance, and as of now, the durability seems good. I may do a follow-up next year and update this review if anything changes.

This Halloween, we had dozens of trick-or-treaters and parents compliment the Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights and several neighbors asking where to get them. They were a hit, and we’re excited to fire them up for Christmas!

Price/Value

So now we come to it, the price. No, the Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights are not cheap. The 100-foot strand will set you back US$299.99, which is significant. Many users may not find this a good value, but I’d disagree.

There is tremendous value here if you use decorative lighting for more than just Christmas. Because these are permanent and nearly invisible when installed, you can leave them up year-round and save the hassle of putting and taking down lights every holiday. They also take less energy than regular Christmas lights. There are a lot of reasons to buy these.

Wrap Up

Like anything else, the Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights aren’t for everyone. But these are a solid buy if you can find them. Govee has had issues keeping them in stock, and many customers complain they cannot get them. Let’s hope they can clear that up soon because the Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights are the best LED outdoor Christmas lights out there.

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Last Updated on November 25, 2022.