Have you ever wanted to hang up a string of Dr. Mario pills in your yard? Ever wished they were also smart lights and that each one could produce colorful gradients? Me neither, and nobody makes Dr. Mario smart lights anyway, but Govee’s pill-shaped Outdoor Chromatic String Lights will get you close enough.
The Chromatic String Lights come in 32.8-foot ($170) and 65.6-foot ($300) sets, which were just enough to encircle a square part of my back patio, replacing a cheap string light that I’d had there before. Each LED has a black upper casing that gives way to a clear plastic lower shell, beneath which lies a milky inner surface that, like the plastic cover of the Ceiling Light Ultra I recently reviewed, diffuses light and smooths out color gradients.
Like a lot of Govee’s lights, these are Matter-compatible, meaning they should work with any smart home ecosystem you choose, although they’re still best used with Govee’s own app, which unlocks a deep set of premade behaviors and custom effects. After a week of testing, I found that the Chromatic String Lights create perfect mood lighting for an outdoor movie night or a backyard bonfire. But don’t toss out your old bulbs just yet: Govee’s smart string lights still aren’t bright enough to take over as your primary open-air light source.
