Govee Outdoor Projector Light review: this smart projector left me more annoyed than overjoyed

Govee Outdoor Projector Light review

As the name suggests, the Govee Outdoor Projector Light is an outdoor-suitable projector, with smart capabilities allowing it to be controlled via the Govee Home app. It has a list price of $129.99 / £159.99 at Amazon, and is also available on the Govee UK website for a list price of £159.99, although at the time of writing Govee is offering Christmas deals, lowering the cost to £109.99. Presently, the Govee Outdoor Projector does not appear to be available on the US Govee website.

The Govee Outdoor Projector Light is a sizable 6.7 x 7.9 x 11.8 inches / 300 x 170 x 200 mm and weighs 4.4lb / 2kg. The majority of the projector is made from black plastic, which looks and feels a little on the cheap side, but it seems sturdy enough. The adjustment bolt worked well, allowing me to adjust the angle of the projection with ease, and the weight of the metal stand proved heavy enough that I could place it on the floor without it toppling.

Does the face of this projector look kind of like Wall-E going through his cyber-goth phase to anyone else? No? Just me, then. Moving swiftly on: the Govee Outdoor Projector Light is suitable for outdoor use thanks to the IP65-rated control box and IP44-rated adapter. There is the option to fix it to a metal base plate or a plastic ground stake to suit different requirements, and it can project up to 749 sq ft / 255 sq meters depending on the distance between the projector and the surface it’s projecting onto.

The Govee Outdoor Projector Light syncs up to the Govee Home app, which, if you’ve already read my review of the Govee Table Lamp 2, you’ll know I’m a big fan of. The app has a user-friendly and attractive interface, with easy-to-locate settings making it easy for me to customize effects. Within the app, there are a range of useful features including a timer and Matter, Alexa, and Google connectivity, so you won’t need to venture out into the cold to switch things up.

I spent a lot of time checking out the various settings to see how well they performed. First, I experimented by changing the colors of the Aurora, a projection of colorful waves, and the modes, with options like breathe and gradient available. The results were mixed, as I found that even if I only had pinks and purples in my color selection, there was always blue and green in the projection. I didn’t mind these colors, but I found it odd that these remained present, even when they weren’t in my chosen color palette. It was a shame that the AI bot insisted on adding the laser dots to anything it generated and, while there was the option to edit the result, this was limited to the colors of the aurora, so the bright green laser pattern remained.

Many of the preset scenes have the option of different speeds; on the fastest setting, the themed patterns appear and disappear quicker, and the colorful wave-like scenes move and change color at a faster pace. I couldn’t find a way to remove or alter the backgrounds of the themed patterns at first; I’d have liked to have the option to project the snowflake icons on their own. I explored the DIY and AI scene creators but sadly they don’t use these shapes; they only work with the colored lighting and the laser dots. I found the laser dots, which the Govee app refers to as stars, to be a little harsh on the eyes, but I was able to amend the brightness and color combination in the operations section, which made them a bit less of an eyesore.

Eventually, I found a way to project the themed patterns alone, although color choices were limited. Hidden within the operations tab, it was possible to change the projection of the default red, green, and blue laser dots. I assigned each color to show a snowflake and turned off the aurora set to play in the background, and voila, simple snowflakes. I did wish there was the option to select white or other colors though, as there is a somewhat cheap aesthetic about the colors when they appear together, although the remaining blue snowflakes after turning the red and green off looked nice enough. I also discovered I could turn off or adjust the orbit speed, so the icons would remain static or move slower, and I could also adjust the breathing speed to customize how long the projection stayed up before fading out during each cycle.

Overall, my experience of the Govee Outdoor Projector Light was underwhelming and frustrating at times. It can generate some nice, colorful lighting, so if you’re just looking for a smart light that’ll add a little pizazz to your outside space it’s fine, but if you’re looking for something that you can customize with ease and can project attractive patterns onto your home’s exterior, this likely isn’t the outdoor projector for you. We love testing smart lights here at TechRadar, so if you do too, I’d recommend checking out our pick of the best smart lights to see if anything takes your fancy.

Govee Outdoor Projector Light review: Price and specs

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Govee Outdoor Projector Light review: Also consider

Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights 2
 If you'd rather opt for a permanent fix that can be used all year round then these outdoor smart lights may catch your eye. Simple to install using 3M sticky pads and clips, these IP67 lights can be easily controlled via the Govee Home app, so you can change things up whenever you feel like it. Check out this article if you'd like to learn more about them.

How I tested the Govee Outdoor Projector Light

• I tested the Govee Outdoor Projector Light for one week
• I evaluated how easy it was to set up and sync with the Govee Home app
• I tested the different features and customizable settings

I used the Govee Outdoor Projector Light to add some brightness and color to a white-washed cinderblock wall and in a darkened room.

I assessed the quality of the materials and how easy it was to put together.

I explored the various presets within the app, fine-tuning the projections by changing the settings of the presets and creating my own via various features in the app.

• First reviewed January 2025
• Read more about how we test