Lighting has been a central part of life for centuries. While many of the basic elements remain the same, we've seen major advancements in lighting efficiency (and life expectancy), with additional options for remote control. The latest LED lights and smart bulbs help lower power costs and add some convenience to your lighting setup, driving many people to make the switch. But light bulbs aren’t the only way to modernize your life: LED strip lights are a great way to add ambiance to everything from your gaming PC or living room, to your windows and home exterior.
There are seemingly endless options when it comes to LED light strips these days, so we've helped narrow down your search. Whether you’re looking for simple, efficient lighting to lower your electricity bill, voice-controlled lights that pulse to the beat of your music, mood lighting for social areas, or more, there’s an LED strip for everyone. From basic, standard lighting to wildly customizable setups here are our favorite LED strip lights. – and click here to find them in the UK.
TL;DR — These are the Best LED Strip Lights
- Philips Hue Bluetooth Smart Lightstrip Plus
- Wyze Light Strip Pro
- Corsair iCUE Lighting Node PRO RGB Lighting Controller
- Elgato Light Strip
- Govee DreamView G1 Pro
- Govee DreamView T1
- Maxonar Wi-Fi Enabled LED Strip Lights
- Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagon Smarter Kit
- Nanoleaf Essentials Lightstrip
- Philips Hue Gradient Ambiance Smart Lightstrip
- Twinkly Flex
Philips Hue Bluetooth Smart Lightstrip Plus
Best LED Strip Lights
Do you want to add a little light to your life? The Philips Hue strip generates loads of it at 1600 lumens, and you get just over a 6.5 feet strip to work with. Plus, it’s further expandable to up to 32 feet with Bluetooth extensions. For added convenience, you can cut the strips to be the exact size you need for a space, and it comes with adhesive for easy installation. This kit is perfect for wrapping around walls in a game room or attaching to a TV stand, and you’ll get a single bright light look rather than seeing the individual bulbs thanks to a special coating on the strip.
After you've got the Philips Hue strip set up where you want, you can control the lights from your smartphone or other smart home assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit via Bluetooth. There are ample light color options to choose from as well; you can go for a more toned-down look with a wide range of white light —including warm, orange-ish white, and crisp white — or RGB light for a bit of excitement. It’s even possible to expand your lighting setup with compatible light bulbs, light switches, and more for an expansive smart home setup. This makes it simple to turn the lights on from anywhere, set them to your mood, or have them synced to your music or game.
Wyze Light Strip Pro
Best Budget LED Strip Lights
If you're on the hunt for a super affordable light strip loaded with versatility and control, the Wyze Light Strip Pro is the way to go. It can automatically set color temperatures based on the time of day, has a microphone built-in to be synched with your music, and offers a vacation mode to deter intruders. But best of all, this 32.8-foot strip costs under $40 and offers 16 customizable segments to display 16 of the 16 million RGB colors and tunable whites available simultaneously.
Installation of the Wyze Light Strip is a breeze featuring adhesive and clips in the kit. You can even cut the epoxy-coated strip at specific points, ensuring a perfect fit for your desired location, though, unfortunately, you can’t connect strips. Finishing setup is simple thanks to the Wyze app, and it’s compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, making the strip easy to adjust using your voice.
Corsair iCUE Lighting Node
Best LED Strip Lights for PC
Sometimes, you just want to deck out your gaming PC with some cool lights, and the Corsair iCUE kit is a solid way to do just that. With four light strips, a Lightning Node Pro RGB controller, and the iCUE software, you can freely adjust and change the colors for each of the 40 individual LED lights. That means you get tons of freedom and creativity in how your PC looks. And if you want an extra bright setup, you can add up to 12 Corsair individually addressable RGB LED strips to the two RGB lighting channels provided with this kit.
The Corsair iCUE kit is easy to install and get using. There are built-in magnets to attach to your case and offer a simple removal option, or you can use the included tape for mounting anywhere. A USB 2.0 plugs directly into your motherboard to get you lit. After it’s powered up, the iCUE software comes with tons of effects, animations, and presets to choose from, keeping things nice and easy. You can even sync the lights with Corsair gaming keyboards, PC fans, or other peripherals, allowing your all lights to react to what you do and create an incredibly vibrant, dynamic environment. However, this pick isn’t “smart home" compatible, not that it should really matter in this case.
Elgato Light Strip
Best LED Strip Lights for Streaming
The Elgato Light Strip is made for people who are into game streaming, as it will amp up the look and vibe of your stream, making it more appealing to your viewers. When connected to Elgato’s Stream Deck, you have an easy-to-use central command for changing your lighting setup to fit the mood of whatever you're doing or synchronize it to the action of your game. In addition to the Stream Deck, you can always make changes on your PC or your phone.
At over 6.5 feet long, and extendable up to 32 ft, the Elgato Light Strip offers 2000 lumens of light in full RGB and white colors. It's also super thin, can be cut to size, and comes with a super sticky adhesive, making it perfect for fitting in cramped of places. And if you’re worried about distracting flickering during your streams, these LEDs are flicker-free for smooth footage.
Govee DreamView G1 Pro
Best Led Lights for a Gaming Setup
To get your entire gaming setup glowing, there’s nothing better than the Govee DreamView G1 Pro. This package includes a flexible strip with diffused light that easily attaches to the back of your gaming monitor, along with two 17-inch light bars you place at the monitor's sides, creating a “bias” lighting to reduce eye strain. Adding to the immersion in your games is an included camera that mounts to the top of your monitor, letting the lights mimic what’s happening on screen. The camera also acts as a hub for all the cables, eliminating clutter.
After a relatively simple install and calibration, the Govee DreamView G1 Pro and its app give you access to other features that really amp up your playing experience. In addition to reacting to the action on screen, the lights can also reflect the sounds. It doesn’t stop there, as there are four game-match modes, where the lights have different behaviors, whether it be a racing, FPS, action, or story-based game, while you can also set scenes and customize colors.
Govee DreamView T1
Best LED Strip Lights for Your TV
Do you want your TV to get in on the LED strip light action? Well, the Govee DreamView T1 makes it simple. This 12.5-foot light strip attaches to the back of your gaming TV and uses 114 RGB LEDs — broken up into several individually-changeable segments — to create everything from a soft glow to a veritable light show behind your TV. This “bias lighting” lessens the eye strain that comes from looking at bright screens in dark rooms.
The Govee DreamView T1 is compatible with smart home setups, so you can use voice controls or your phone to adjust the lights. An included 1080p camera samples the light from your 4K TV screen, allowing the light strip to mimic what you are watching. This essentially expands your screen and creates a more immersive atmosphere. Also, a Music Sync mode allows the light strip to react to the music you play.
Maxonar Wi-Fi Enabled LED Strip Lights
Best LED Strip Lights for Your Room
Most LED light strips are too short to wrap your entire room in a warm glow. That’s where the Maxonar Wi-Fi kit comes into play, it’s packing a 32.8-foot roll with a whopping total of 600 LEDs — twice what many competing brands have. That makes this pick perfect for covering tons of space, like a bedroom or living room. Installation is easy as it comes with a full DIY kit to cut, connect, and extend these strips to work for your space. And if you decide you need more, it's also a steal, coming in under $40, so you can always snag a second roll.
Once set up, these strips are Wi-Fi enabled and smart home compatible, meaning they’ll work with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and online systems like IFTTT. This makes changing colors or modes simple, and there are millions of color choices to set the ambiance of your space. Plus, with an IP65 rating, you can place these lights on a covered porch or patio to add a bit of pizzaz to your outdoor living spaces.
Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagon Smarter Kit
Best LED Strip Accent Lighting
While the other entries on this list are typical LED strip lights, the Nanoleaf actually uses large geometric panels. This rearrangeable setup is both eye-catching and beautiful, giving off art installation vibes, whether on or off. Each panel produces both adjustable white and RGB light. You can sync them to your music for a party or have them react to touch for a fun addition to your kid's playroom. There’s even a screen mirror function, so the colors from your TV are reflected in the panels, making for an epic movie night.
This kit comes with seven panels that can be arranged however you like, and it’s expandable. Nanoleaf sells more hexagons, as well as triangles of different sizes, so you can create expansive light pieces. The included power supply can support up to 21 panels, while the controller can manage up to 500, so you’ll have tons of freedom with how you use them. It’s also smart home compatible, so not only can you create scenes and set up schedules, but you get voice control via Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings, or IFTTT.
Nanoleaf Essentials Lightstrip
Best Smart LED Strip Light
The Nanoleaf Essentials Lightstrip packs tons of smarts, so it works with other smart home products and smart assistants for easy light adjustments. It’s even Thread-compatible for speedy response times, though you’ll need a Thread Border Router. And Nanoleaf Essential devices, as well as Razer Chroma products seamlessly sync for a uniform lighting experience.
This three-pack of 40-inch light strips doesn’t come with a starter kit, so you’ll want to purchase that first if you don’t have one, giving you a controller to change the lighting locally and Bluetooth to make adjustments on your phone or tablet. Once you’ve got that, the Nanoleaf Essentials light strip emits adjustable white and RGB light and can expand up to 10 meters. Beyond creating dynamic scenes, it’s possible to mirror the lights of a TV or monitor for a more immersive viewing experience, while a circadian lighting feature helps maximize productivity or lull you into a more restful sleep.
Philips Hue Gradient Ambiance Smart Lightstrip
Best Diffused LED Strip Lights
A light strip does a lot to increase the ambiance of your space, but sometimes those LEDs can be a little overwhelming, and that’s why we love the Philips Hue Gradient Ambiance Smart Lightstrip. You still get 16 million colors to choose from, though multiple colors can blend together to create a seamless, ombre look. To make for a more enjoyable experience, those tiny LEDs live in a sturdy silicone wrap that features a milky finish. This extra diffusion creates a gentle glow and may even reduce eye strain.
The Philips Hue Gradient Ambiance Smart Lightstrip totes plenty of smarts, as it’s part of the Hue system, which allows you to connect and control multiple lights via Bluetooth. Smart assistants like Alexa, HomeKit, and Google Assistant even get support to make your life easier. And if you’re looking to light up a staircase or kitchen cabinets, up to eight of the light strips can be combined and cut to size at certain points, so you’ll find the perfect length.
Twinkly Flex
Best Flexible LED Light Strip
You can bend and twist the Twinkly Flex LED light strip to your heart's desire, making it fit just about anywhere. "Flex" isn’t in the name for nothing. The 6.5-feet long tube is capable of emitting diffused RGB light along its entire length. Plus, the included hardware and design makes it easy to mount the strip to any wall, and you can put it in any pattern or arrangement you choose. It’s even possible to create your own art piece with it.
Beyond its bendability, it’s also possible to customize the lighting freely on the Twinkly Flex. Whether you want to adjust colors or add animations, it can all be done using an app, as the strip connects via Bluetooth or Wifi. Plus, it’s easy to expand the strip by purchasing more and syncing them altogether through the app. A separate power source is needed for each addition, however. Controlling the lights with your voice is even possible thanks to its support of smart assistants.
Where to Get the Best LED Strip Lights in the UK
What To Look for in LED Light Strips
When looking for LED light strips, it’s important to focus on what you need, and measure that against the features of the strip. Does it have Bluetooth capability? Is it expandable if you decide you want a more extensive lighting setup later? Does it emit single-color, RGB, or RGBW?
Remember, while RGB strips can produce white, only RGBW strips can produce a clean white like standard light bulbs. Once you know what you need, make sure you measure your space to ensure you get proper coverage. If the length of your light strip doesn’t exactly match the space, see if the strip can be cut or trimmed, and how that could impact the colors it can display.
The second thing to look for is the type of lighting the strip actually produces. If you’re looking for white lighting, examine the color temperature, and whether it’s adjustable. If you’re shopping for RGB, you’ll want to find out how the strip’s RGB lighting works. Can you set different colors for different sections (or even individual lights), or does changing the color impact the entire strip at once? Is the lighting static, or can it be dynamic? Are there presets and, if there are, can you customize them and create your own?
Next, look at how you control the light strip. Can you adjust the colors remotely from your phone, or over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi? Some of the entry-level strips use a physical remote, while some of the more expensive ones incorporate smartphone apps. While remotes work fine, sometimes they have more limited color, brightness, and customization options than app-enabled lighting strips.
Bluetooth light strips can be easy to install and operate, and they work with a wide variety of setups, but you’ll need Wi-Fi for smart home integration with devices like Amazon Alexa or Google Home.
Regardless, stepping into the LED lighting space is a great way to personalize your PC, home, and more, so have fun with it! Enjoy!
Brian Barnett writes reviews, wiki guides, deals posts, features, and more for IGN. You can get your fix of his antics on Twitter (@Ribnax) or check out his show on Twitch (The Platformers).
Danielle Abraham is a freelance writer and unpaid music historian.
