Why Philips Hue Lights Are a Perfect Way to Brighten Up Any Gaming Room

Highlights

In 2012, Philips Hue lights debuted and became Apple-endorsed, evolving to support a wide range of smart home protocols.
Hue lights may be pricey but are durable and offer screen-reactive effects that enhance gaming and streaming setups.
The Hue Bridge is crucial for full functionality of Hue lights, supporting scheduling, automation, and connectivity away from home.

As a longtime gamer and tech enthusiast, I can confidently say that Philips Hue lights have revolutionized my gaming room. The ability to sync my Corsair RGB keyboard and mouse with the Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip has added an extra layer of immersion to my gaming experience. The light strip’s response to in-game events, like victories, defeats, or deaths, is nothing short of amazing.

2012 marked a significant milestone in the evolution of smart lighting as Philips introduced their first Hue lights. Initially backed by Apple, these smart bulbs gradually expanded their compatibility with various smart home systems. Today, these wireless-controlled lights are essential elements in numerous gaming setups. Their ability to synchronize with on-screen action makes them highly desirable for gamers and streamers, who strive to incorporate Hue light strips and lamps into their setup.

Regrettably, while Hue lights are renowned for their reliability, they tend to come with a premium price tag. However, these robust Hue items can serve as long-lasting fixtures in gaming and streaming setups that outperform other similar products. For those who can only invest in one smart light, Game Rant emphasizes options that bring the most immediate brightness and atmosphere to a gaming space.

The Importance of a Hue Bridge

One drawback of Philips Hue lights is that they require an ethernet bridge for full functionality. Many of the manufacturer’s bulbs and strips are controllable through Bluetooth without additional equipment. In some cases, gamers can even turn the lights on and off with Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri voice commands. However, the Hue Bridge is highly recommended for experiencing all the capabilities of these lights in a gaming room.

The Hue Bridge, linked via an Ethernet cable, ensures strong wireless communication with lights using the Zigbee technology. This protocol is known for its low power consumption and extensive range, but it offers more than that. In instances where a house experiences an internet outage, smart lights can still be managed through a Wi-Fi router and local network. Moreover, gamers can control Hue devices remotely, make use of scheduling options, and install smart light switches on walls when they are away from home.

While the Hue Bridge adds to the cost of a setup, its regular updates make it easier to manage a large array of lights. Recent upgrades even include Matter support, which solves compatibility issues encountered when adding lights to multiple apps and ecosystems.

The Essential Philips Hue Lights

Why Philips Hue Lights Are a Perfect Way to Brighten Up Any Gaming Room

Many gaming room lights and wall panels add to the atmosphere of a space or enhance gaming excitement. Unfortunately, these types of lights don’t provide the wide-reaching illumination of bulbs and lamps. When brightening up a gaming room, it’s best to start with Hue Bulbs, which are powerful enough to prevent trips and falls. The bulbs are sold in the widely compatible A19/E26 form factor, fitting many existing standing and table lamps. Buyers also have the choice of bulbs that range in brightness from 60 to 100 watts. Philips bundles its Hue Bridge in several configurations, or the lights can be purchased separately.

One benefit of Hue bulbs compared to less expensive alternatives is their reliable connectivity. These bulbs are less prone to disconnect from smartphones and controls, particularly when used with a Hue Bridge. Additionally, Hue lights excel in color accuracy and it’s simpler to create custom scenes that replicate natural outdoor lighting or the distinct color schemes of games.

1. Hue light bulbs can work with HomeKit, a feature that many Govee lights don’t have. No matter what other smart devices or lights are around them, Hue bulbs could serve as the base for any gaming room’s lighting setup.

A smart lamp is an ideal alternative for gamers who cannot replace existing fixtures with smart light bulbs. The Philips Hue Signe Gradient Floor Lamp is a tall, thin LED light with a heavy enough base to keep it upright. Even though the lamp excels at projecting backlighting on blank walls, its 2500 lumens output is sufficient to illuminate large areas.

In the Signe lamp, advanced gradient technology enables it to showcase multiple colors at once. This device excels in color accuracy, a strength of Hue, and offers gamers an extensive variety of vivid, dynamic scenes. While other lamps such as the Govee Floor Lamp Pro boast additional features like an integrated Bluetooth speaker, they can’t quite match the Signe’s brightness. Furthermore, the Signe stands out from its competitors with its unique warm and cool white tones.

1. The Hue Signature Gradient Floor Lamp comes in three color options: Black, White, and Oak, making it suitable for diverse interior designs. For gamers with limited floor space, Hue offers a compact table lamp designed specifically for gaming desks as well.

Adding Flair to Gaming Desks with Hue

1. After ensuring your room has sufficient smart light bulbs or lamps, gaming enthusiasts can begin considering their gaming desks. The Philips Hue Play Smart LED Bar Lights offer versatility and can be positioned around or attached to the back of gaming monitors or TVs. Likewise, the Signe Floor Lamp works well as a backlighting solution but is also suitable for facing gamers when set up accordingly.

Because Hue Play Bar Lights are often placed close to screens, many gamers might be interested in testing out their interactive capabilities with moving images. These lights have the ability to mimic game and movie scenes in various ways, including using the Hue Sync app on Windows or MacOS. This software can detect what’s currently being displayed on the screen and create tailored effect scenes for the bars.

Another approach is the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, where gamers connect an HDMI cable from a graphics card or console to the component. This enables the Sync Box to detect the color palette of content with virtually no delay. The Sync Box can pair with the light bars and other Hue LED light strips. Unfortunately, the device has limitations, such as not supporting HDMI 2.1 and 4K 120 Hz signals. Gamers running higher-resolution displays are probably better served waiting for a long-awaited update to the product or using the Hue Sync software instead.

Similar to many Hue smart lights, the Play Bar Lights can showcase various dynamic scenes from the Hue mobile app and respond to voice commands via Alexa or Google Home Assistant. However, unlike other Hue light bulbs and lamps, these bar lights necessitate the use of a Hue Bridge for control. It’s worth noting that Game Rant has reviewed cheaper Govee standing desk lights, which could be a more budget-friendly option for some consumers.

Thin Is In With Philips Hue Lights

1. Smart LED light strips are incredibly versatile when it comes to lighting up gaming spaces. Conversely, the Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip for PC serves a more specific function. Available in lengths tailored for 24-27 inch and 32-34 inch gaming monitors, this flexible light strip smoothly curves around and sticks to the back of screens. A variant also exists that caters to triple monitor configurations.

Similar to the Hue Play Smart LED Bar Light, the Gradient Lightstrip provides wall-reactive backlighting synced with your screen. However, gamers might appreciate the sleeker, less bulky design offered by these slender strips. As before, users can opt for the Hue Sync App or the more expensive Play Sync Box. The software typically operates smoothly with minimal lags, but the Play Sync Box addresses some of its limitations. Unfortunately, without a direct HDMI connection, the app itself may not recognize DRM content from Netflix and other platforms.

Users who possess Corsair or Razer RGB keyboards or mice have the ability to synchronize these devices with Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip. Certain games will show in-game events such as victories, losses, and deaths by flashing effects on the strip. Alternatively, gamers can choose to illuminate all lighting around or on their gaming desk in the same color.

Philips Hue typically isn’t associated with budget-friendly smart home devices or lighting, making the reasonably priced Philips Hue Solo LED Lightstrip particularly appealing compared to brands like Govee and lesser-known competitors. Although it’s still more expensive than some alternatives, it offers the most cost-efficient upgrade for existing Hue systems. The Solo Lightstrip can only display a single color at once, contributing somewhat to its lower price point.

The versatile Solo Lightstrip can be utilized in various spots within a gaming room. Gamers can effortlessly mount it on the backside of their gaming desks for a captivating backlight or as intense lighting along walls and skirting boards. Available in lengths ranging from 10 to 33 feet, this light strip ensures even the largest gaming spaces get adequately illuminated without causing strain on your budget. The strips themselves are not expandable but can be cut at 13-inch intervals for customization.

Although the Solo Lightstrip only produces a single color, it works seamlessly with various advanced Philips Hue functions and accessories. As an economical choice, the Solo doesn’t necessitate a Hue Bridge, but you’ll need this extra component for certain features to work. Featuring a specialized RGBWW chip, the light strip excels at creating white lighting ideal for PC assembly or peaceful evening ambiance.

Hue Lights for Ceilings, Floors, and More

1. When choosing lighting for a gaming room, it’s essential to prioritize lighting that ensures the entire area is well-lit. To start with, consider purchasing Hue light bulbs or the Signe Floor Lamp as replacements for conventional fixtures. Next, concentrate on the gaming desks where you spend most of your time. Hue has a range of backlighting kits designed to stick onto monitor backs and reflect the vibrant landscapes in games and films displayed on the screen.

Game Rant has chosen top Philips Hue lights to create both practical and atmospheric illumination throughout a gaming space. Yet, the collection keeps growing and now offers ceiling lights such as the Infuse Lamp. The Go Portable Table Lamp is versatile enough to fit into almost any situation where standard lamps might not be suitable in terms of size or shape for a room.

Regrettably, the expensive price point of Hue lights may not be feasible for some gaming enthusiasts. Brands such as Govee offer a variety of more affordable light bulbs, lamps, and strips that maintain performance without compromise. At this time, Hue doesn’t provide wall panels like the popular Nanoleaf Shapes. However, many gamers continue to prefer Hue lights due to their superior construction, color precision, and broad platform compatibility.

FAQ

Q: Do Hue lights run up the electric bill?

Similar to many modern smart light systems, Philips Hue products tend to use less power compared to conventional LED bulbs. Energy-savvy attributes, such as auto-dimming and automatic shutoff when not in use, help minimize energy consumption even more.

Q: How many years do Hue lights last?

Hue smart light bulbs, similar to other Hue products, can last for approximately 25,000 hours or around 25 years, given typical use. What sets Hue apart from others in the market is their robust design and superior quality electronics, which contribute to their longevity.

2024-08-15 02:34