Two-minute review
The Govee StarPal Pro is a critically spectacular good gentle for its value. Its affordability means it is properly positioned for these interested by good lights, however who could not have the finances to purchase among the finest good lights like Philips Hue bulbs.
As a transportable desk lamp, you instantly have lots of choices as to the place you could possibly place the Govee StarPal Pro. In our testing, we discovered it to be finest positioned at bedside for a studying session, or positioned behind a sensible TV for immersive lighting in a darkened room.
But probably the most instantly hanging factor concerning the StarPal Pro out of the field, to its detriment, is the scale of the gadget. It's surprisingly cumbersome, and positively is not what we would class as light-weight. This is not a deal breaker by any means, however it may possibly make transferring the lamp from room to room a little bit of a ache.
Impressions immediately enhance when the StarPal Pro is turned on, nonetheless. By default, the StarPal Pro emits a vivid white gentle, however by connecting to the Govee Home app by way of WiFi or Bluetooth will unlock tons of choices to mean you can customise the sunshine totally.
The StarPal Pro's RGBWW lighting implies that it isn't simply vivid white lights you are getting. The full colour spectrum is on the market to you utilizing the Govee Home app, and you may select between a static colour, or set a light-weight present utilizing certainly one of many presets. Better but, you'll be able to create your individual with the DIY choice.
The Govee Home app performance is arguably probably the most spectacular function, then. While there is a little bit of a studying curve, its massively customizable lighting means you cannot solely discover a colour (or set of colours) that is best for you, it is also a ton of enjoyable to experiment with. If you've got children, the StarPal Pro along side the Govee Home app might show to be a good way to spend time with them.
It helps that the app itself is responsive. Lighting adjustments happen instantaneously. That contains gradients and results in addition to single colours. This makes the Govee Home app hassle-free and enjoyable to make use of.
It all seems like a reasonably excellent package deal, then, however the huge factor letting down the StarPal Pro is its low lumen depend. At simply 350 lumens, it falls properly beneath probably the most fundamental good lights from Philips Hue and LIFX bulbs which begin at 800 lumens.
Even in darkened environments, the lighting impact does seem fairly dim. It's seen and nonetheless fairly nice because of the customization out there, however we would have beloved the StarPal Pro to have outputted extra lumens. The apparent upside is that the StarPal Pro is on the market at a lower cost level, however do word that the lack of brightness is important.
Price and availability
- List value: $65.99 / £48
Speaking of value, the Govee StarPal Pro is in the stores proper now from Govee's personal web site. If you are within the US, you've got two buy choices out there. The WiFi + Bluetooth mannequin is on the market for $65.99. Alternatively, there is a Bluetooth-only mannequin which prices much less, at simply $49.99.
For UK patrons, solely the WiFi + Bluetooth mannequin is purchasable for £48. Unfortunately, Govee confirmed to us that the StarPal Pro will not be in the stores in Australia.
Design
- Appealing, rounded look
- Available in Wi-Fi + Bluetooth and Bluetooth-only configurations
- Only 350 lumens
Even although it is just a little on the cumbersome facet, we truly actually just like the bodily design of the Govee StarPal Pro. The bowl-shaped design options two stubs on the underside, permitting the good gentle to be stood on upright or tilted at an angle. It's a small factor, however the choice to decide on right here is welcome.
The activation swap can be located on the underside of the gadget. This could be a little awkward if you wish to manually flip off the lamp when you're not planning on utilizing the app.
The gentle itself crosses the whole diameter of the bowl, giving option to a delightful impact when switched on and because it cycles by colours. The bowl-filling impact considerably makes up for the drastically low lumen depend, however not by all that a lot.
The 350 lumens put put by the StarPal Pro is basically starkly low in comparison with the competitors, together with Philips Hue and LIFX, which reliably put out bulbs upwards of 800 lumens. The LIFX Clean good gentle bulb, for comparability's sake, places out 1,200 lumens. And within the US, it isn't way more costly, retailing at $69.99. That's simply $4 pricier than the StarPal Pro.
However, the StarPal Pro can nonetheless be used to adequately gentle up a darkened setting if, say, you need to use it as a studying lamp, or as background immersion whereas watching a film or enjoying your favourite video games. It would not do the job in addition to Hue or LIFX in that regard, however the StarPal Pro nonetheless delivers when you're on a good finances.
Performance
- Color adjustments are responsive
- Millions of colours, each cool and heat
- On/off operate can take a couple of seconds
The StarPal Pro can take a couple of seconds to activate or off by way of the app, however we discovered the good gentle to be in any other case remarkably responsive.
There are 4 fundamental lighting modes to attempt on the StarPal Pro, and every did what they stated on the tin to an admirable diploma. Music mode syncs the tunes you are listening to in your related gadget, and cycles by gentle colours and depth primarily based on the rhythm. It's not excellent, however a enjoyable selection for events or chill social gatherings because of a number of sensitivity settings.
Second is Color mode. Quite merely, it will allow you to select a singular colour for the lamp to output. Handy sliders mean you can decide a colour from throughout the spectrum, and alter the depth between heat and chilly on a secondary slider. The change is impressively instantaneous.
The similar virtually applies to Scene mode, which helps you to select from a listing of presets primarily based on a wide range of themes. Applying completely different scenes can take a second or two, however that is as a result of it is loading not solely colours, but additionally lighting results primarily based on the theme you've got chosen.
DIY mode is just like Scene mode, besides you are in full management of colours and results. Strangely, we discovered our saved DIY presets to load barely sooner than the baked in presets of Scene mode.
Finally, you'll be able to set timers for while you'd just like the StarPal Pro to modify on or off. These timers are accompanied by "Wake up" and "Sleep" choices, which regularly brighten or dim the lamp respectively.
App
- Easy to make use of
- Tons of enjoyable results to check out
- Works with voice assistants like Alexa
The fantastic thing about the Govee Home app is that it is concurrently easy and sturdy. And whereas it isn't fairly as explicit because the LIFX app, what's right here is a powerful array of choices that mean you can tailor your lighting expertise to your liking.
The app is accessible to simply about anybody, and is on the market on each iOS and Android. The house display identifies the units in your neighborhood, and that is the place you will hook up with them by way of Bluetooth or WiFi. The setup course of is mercifully easy: you merely must enter your WiFi password and are good to go.
The homepage additionally has tabs for Govee's on-line retailer, in addition to the novel Govee Light Studio, a community-driven hub the place you'll be able to download impact presets different customers have made, in addition to showcase photographs of your good house setups. It's a cute little function and would not get in the way in which of the first expertise.
Lastly, voice activation is supported by way of Alexa and Google Assistant, and it really works fairly properly. Your Govee StarPal Pro could be managed with easy voice instructions, akin to adjusting brightness or altering lighting results and colours. It's a easy integration we're glad to have, particularly in such an reasonably priced good gentle.
Should I purchase the Govee StarPal Pro?
Buy it if...
You're on a finances
The StarPal Pro is without doubt one of the extra reasonably priced good lamps out there in the marketplace, and a strong different if you do not have the cash for Philips Hue or LIFX merchandise.
You like to customise
It's tremendous straightforward to use a private contact with the Govee StarPal Pro, because of its easy-to-use and sturdy app. Fully customizable colours and results are only a contact away.
You need one thing easy
Thanks to the simplicity of the Govee Home app, customizing your lighting with the StarPal Pro is a breeze, and could be a great deal of enjoyable with household and pals.
Don't purchase it if...
You're after one thing brighter
At simply 350 lumens, the StarPal Pro disappoints by way of general brightness. It does the job, however usually runs the chance of its results fading into the background. Not what you need from a sensible lamp.
You need to go smaller
The StarPal Pro is pretty cumbersome for a sensible gadget. It's hefty to carry and thus pretty unwieldy as a transportable choice.
You do not need a lamp
As a desk lamp, placement of the Govee StarPal Pro could be considerably restricted. Consider Philips Hue or different Govee merchandise when you're after bulbs or strip lights.
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