Ever been jealous of the light bar on PS4 and PS5 controllers? Govee’s AI Gaming Sync Box Kit thumbs its nose at its meagre light.
The Govee AI Gaming Sync Box Kit, suitable for monitors from 27 to 34 inches, has two modes of operation. The first mode, which you can use with any game, is colour-based screen matching. The box senses the colour of whatever’s going on your screen and, through the monitor-mounted LED strip and free-standing light bars, projects an appropriate hue onto your wall.
If, for example, you’re roaming around Caelid in Elden Ring, your wall will turn a pinkish red colour. It’s a cool effect, which the Govee Dreamview G1 Pro also used. In fact, if you want to know more, go and head over to that review. While the Gaming Sync Box doesn’t use a camera, the principle and effect are basically the same. It’s not unlike Philips Ambilight.
So what’s the point of the Govee’s AI Gaming Sync Box Kit, then? It’s the AI element that sets it apart, and if you’re an esports player, this kit is truly worthwhile. If you play one of the supported games – Overwatch 2, Valorant, Apex Legends or League of Legends, that’s when it takes things to the next level.
The AI box recognises what’s going on screen (currently, you have to select the game via the app) and delivers some awesome light effects. Hold your mouse over the start button in Valorant and a rainbow light starts swirling around your wall. And, whenever someone plants the spike, it’ll flash red.
Use a health kit in Apex Legends and the left side of your screen turns green, as your health meter refills. At least, that’s what happens if you go with the default settings. You can, using the mobile app, edit the effect of every on-screen action. Want your screen to swirl when an enemy hits you? Go right ahead. There are effects for most significant in-game events.
Remember how the PS4 version of Resident Evil 2 turned the controller light bar to red when your health was low? Govee’s tech delivers so much more than that. Sure, you can also use it for music and control it via Alexa/Google Home, but it’s the in-game effects that makes this box stand out.
We admit that having our wall light up red when we die can be a little humiliating. But the other visual cues that the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box can provide can really elevate your experience. The “spike placed” flash, in particular, adds an extra dose of excitement to the game. And if you’re an Overwatch 2 player, you’re helpfully reminded of the demise of other players.
But there a couple of catches. The first is relatively minor. Whereas the G1 Pro used clips to hold the light bar to the monitor, the AI Box’s LED strip is sticky. So if you’re planning on putting it on a different monitor you’ll need to use double-sided tape or something else to re-stick it.
The second, however, is more of an issue given its steep £299.99 asking price. Overwatch 2, Valorant, Apex Legends and League of Legends are currently the only four games supported. Govee has plans to add more which we’re glad to hear, but how many games will be added, and when, remains unknown.
Going back to Resident Evil 2, the box cries out for more Resi support. We can just picture the wall pulsing red as Mr X pursues us. Or, at the other end of the panic spectrum, glowing green as we scarf yet another green herb. But, right now, that’s not a supported title, nor are any of the Call of Duty or Battlefield games.
If you’re not an esports enthusiast, you should probably hold off until it supports a few more games. But if you are a hardcore Overwatch 2, Valorant, Apex Legends or League of Legends player, then the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box is a great, eye-catching way to dial your gaming experience up to 11.
You can order the Govee AI Gaming Sync Box directly from Govee. A review unit was provided by manufacturer Govee for the purposes of this review.
