Govee’s G1 Pro Gaming Light is a disappointment for cheaper monitors
Immersive backlighting for screens has been around for a while, something even Microsoft dabbled in with their IllumiRoom project for the Kinect sensor. Some of the more expensive TV sets and monitors on the market, such as the Ambiglow range from Philips, have RGB lights built into the back of the unit to enhance the viewing experience with a splash of color. Govee has set out to be a more affordable avenue into immersive lighting, and their range expands today with their DreamView G1 Pro gaming light.
Rather than use a video signal from your console or PC, the DreamView G1 Pro uses a camera mounted to the top of your screen to detect and replicate the colors on display. With 16 million colors beaming around your gaming setup, the Govee kit also features voice control and music sync to turn your room into a mini club rave. The effect certainly looks pretty on the box, but how does it perform in the real world?
Govee DreamView G1 Pro
The Good
- Beautifully bright and customizable RGB
- Remote controlled via mobile Govee app
- Compatible with other Govee sets
The Bad
- Tricky to set up and remove; the sticky mounting clips aren’t re-usable
- The camera needs a monitor with a good vertical viewing angle
- Needs location-based Wi-Fi access for calibration
Govee DreamView G1 Pro: Price and availability
Source: Windows Central
Govee sells its DreamView G1 Pro through Amazon and the Govee website. Available for $179 MSRP after release on May 9, 2022, as a complete boxed package.
Govee DreamView G1 Pro: What’s good
Source: Windows Central
The app offers extensive control for the kit, with manual section-based color control for the light strip and individual bars. Select from a collection of color “themes” to watch them pulse and move the same way as many other RGB gaming peripherals do. Alternatively, you can stick to a solid color like plain white, deciding on a warm or cool temperature. The warm-white diffused light makes it easy on the eyes even at maximum brightness. I would feel comfortable using the kit instead of any other lights throughout the evenings, an unexpected feature of the lighting kit that I appreciated. It’s not all disco lights and dance music.
Source: Windows Central
The RGB lights are bright and beautiful, with huge customization options.
That’s not to say you can’t have a party because the music mode pulses along to whatever it can hear with its microphone, and the effect is pretty enjoyable. A high-energy playlist will provide a decent light show if you have guests over, proving the DreamView G1 Pro can offer more than immersive gameplay. Take advantage of the “highlight” mode in the Govee app and enable communication with other Govee-brand sets you already own, and the app becomes the super-easy way to control your whole RGB-lit room.
Overall the RGB lights are bright and beautiful, with huge customization options. The Govee app gives you specific and meticulous control over individual light sections with custom profiles for any particular scenario. Anyone looking to bring some color to their gaming setup will find at least some enjoyment here, even with an awkward setup process and its weak camera demonstrating some annoying problems. Our executive editor Dan Rubino found with his Govee DreamView T1 Pro TV review that the effect is fantastic when paired with a high-end screen like his Samsung TV. Since both my PC monitors were on a budget, I can’t say I enjoyed the same experience as Rubino.
Govee DreamView G1 Pro: What’s not good
Source: Windows Central
You have a Wi-Fi camera permanently pointed at your screen, watching everything you do.
The immersive color detection is done with a wide-angle camera positioned above your monitor and pointed directly at the screen. To calibrate the camera properly, you need to stick eight foam blocks onto your monitor, which is an experience I didn’t exactly relish. The foam blocks didn’t leave any residue behind as Govee promised, but it feels wrong to place stickers directly onto your panel. I imagine anyone with a state-of-the-art monitor will feel like they’re taking an unnecessary risk, and I don’t see why it isn’t possible to display a full-screen image with squares in the place of the foam blocks instead. It’s a strange method of calibrating a camera, and by this point, I felt exasperated by the number of sticky things.
Source: Windows Central
The primary issue with the camera is that unless you have a panel with a higher viewing angle, something you might find in high-end OLED monitors, the camera sees only a washed-out blur, barely able to discern colors and brightness. This cheaper alternative to expensive methods of immersive lighting requires you to own more expensive equipment in the first place to maximize the benefits. Trying out a few games with distinct separations in color rarely exhibited accurate results, such as the vibrant blue sky in Fallout: New Vegas contrasted against the yellow Mojave desert had the Govee camera interpreting it as bright red.
Source: Windows Central
No amount of calibration had a satisfactory result for every color, and only a few arrangements gave accurate results. The Govee camera is staring down at the LCD backlights of my screen from such an extreme angle, so it’s no surprise it can barely detect contrasts in color. A high-end monitor is paramount to enjoy this kit because there’s no way to skimp on low viewing angles without sacrificing color accuracy.
Source: Windows Central
There’s a reason modern webcams have privacy shutters, and it’s that consumers don’t want to leave anything up to chance. Govee might refrain from using the camera for anything besides calibration, but any internet-connected video device has potential vulnerabilities, so it’s not worth the risk for mediocre results. Unless you have a monitor with reliable viewing angles, stick with a manually controlled Govee RGB kit. They manufacture fantastic lighting, but this niche camera hardware isn’t so affordable if you already need a more expensive monitor.
Govee DreamView G1 Pro: Competition
Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
Source: Windows Central
Govee DreamView G1 Pro: Should you buy it?
Source: Windows Central
You should buy this if …
- You have a monitor with good vertical viewing angles
- You want immersive lighting during gameplay
You shouldn’t buy this if …
- Your monitor has weak vertical viewing angles or a glossy screen
- You have privacy concerns about internet-connected cameras
For anyone who owns a high-end monitor with strong contrast and good vertical viewing angles, this RGB kit can offer immersive and atmospheric lighting. Anyone with a glossy reflective screen or washed-out views from above will not see the full benefits of the DreamView G1 Pro and should stick with a cheaper, remote-controlled kit.
Govee is a respected giant in the RGB scene, and this DreamView G1 Pro is an admirable attempt to replicate the real-time backlighting offered in the past by its competitors. Unless you have an appropriate monitor to take full advantage of the wide-angle camera, you won’t see an accurate representation of the colors on display. Their light bars and strips are top-notch, with most of the range being some of the best RGB available today.
Govee has taken steps to reassure customers that the Wi-Fi connection to the camera is purely for calibration efforts but can’t account for malicious intent by outside troublemakers. I can’t recommend an internet-connected camera that is constantly pointed at your PC screen, especially when combined with a frustrating setup involving handfuls of sticky pads. You should choose any other kit from the fantastic Govee range unless you have a high-end screen to utilize the DreamView G1 Pro properly.