I’m always a sucker for LED lighting, and I’ve had the chance to try out several panel lights over the last few years. I just moved into a new house with an all-new GameSpace, and I wanted to go with a fresh new look. The first light kit to go up on my walls is a 20-pack of Mini Panel Lights that Govee recently sent me for evaluation. 2025 looks to be the year of the retro pixel lights, and the Mini Panel Lights fit right into that aesthetic. The true test of a light kit is how it looks when it’s up on the wall. Read on to find out whether the Govee Mini Light Panels get a passing grade.
Govee Mini Panel Lights: Specifications
- Price (Govee): 20-Pack: $139.99, 10-Pack: $84.99, 5-Piece Expansion Pack (lights only, no controller or power cord): $59.99
- Dimensions: Length 3.14″, Width 3.14″, Depth 1″
- Light Type: RGBIC
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (2.4GHz)
- Compatibility: Govee Home App, Alexa, Google Assistant, Matter
Govee Mini Panel Lights: Install And Display
At this point, I’ve become a pro at installing LED lighting on my walls. Even so, installing the Govee Mini Panel Lights should be a piece of cake, no matter what your experience level is. The kit includes everything you need: light panels, connectors, and a power cord. The power cord can handle up to 70 panels and has a built-in control panel that is used to turn the lights on and off, as well as buttons to switch through a handful of preset lighting scenes. The Govee App, which is available for Apple or Android devices, is required to gain access to a full suite of controls for the lights. The lights, including voice control, are also compatible with Google Assistant, Alexa, and Matter ecosystems.
The lights themselves are hung on the wall with a velcro adhesive. I’ve had issues with Govee’s (and Nanoleaf as well) adhesive being a tad too sticky in the past and taking off some of the drywall during removal, so I swapped out the piece that sticks to the wall with a light-duty Command Hook velcro adhesive from 3M. I’m not sure if this is necessary, but with freshly painted walls, I wasn’t willing to take the chance.
The hardest part of the installation was coming up with a layout for the lights. The Mini Panel Lights kits come in 10-pack or 20-pack options. I was provided a 20-pack of the lights, and my imagination was running wild with all of the designs I thought I could make with the kit. I’ve been gaming for decades, so I was ready to put together one of my favorite 8-bit sprites from my childhood. A Space Invaders alien, or perhaps the ship from Galaga, was my first thought. And then it hit me. I only have 20 of the lights. That isn’t even enough to make one of the blocky robots from Robotron!
The lights are connected to each other by pressing a connector tab into one of the sockets found along each edge of the light. The size of the lights limits it to a single connection point per side, so you are limited to simple 90-degree angles throughout the design. Another limiting factor is the lack of any extension cables, so if your design idea includes floating pieces, like a Tetris block design, for example, you’ll need to purchase a second set of lights for an additional power cord.
With my initial design ideas squashed, I decided to go with a simple geometric shape. I started putting together some designs on my desk, and quickly realized that the kit would only make a very small display. I finally decided on something that would take up as much real estate as possible, a lightning bolt style design that angled down from just below my ceiling and disappears behind the side of my desk. It’s not the most creative design, but I’m happy with it.
Once on the wall, the Govee Mini Panel Lights shine as brightly as other larger panel lights. You can choose a single color to display on the panels, or set each panel’s individual color through the app’s Finger Sketch option. There are also a ton of preset lighting scenes (55 to be exact) to choose from, and of course, you can always set up your own light show with the DIY option. If, like me, it takes all of your artistic abilities to just come up with a light layout, you can let Govee’s AI creator take your concept – “create a desert sunset” – and bring it to life with its own color scheme and lighting flow. Finally, the Share Space tab lets you preview and download other DIYers’ creations.
Final Thoughts
The Mini Panel Lights’ small squares do a great job of giving off a retro pixel vibe and offer a unique look when compared to other LED lighting options. The only issue I have is how many lights it will take to make a cool display; this isn’t unique to the Mini Panel Lights, but their limited placement and size make it more pronounced. The small square shape only leaves enough space for a single connector on each side, which really limits your flexibility in creating a design. The easiest way to overcome this would be to purchase additional kits, but you’ll probably need three or four kits to create anything more than a geometric design.
Even with their design limitations, I am pleased with the Mini Panel Lights. Installation is super easy, and Govee’s app does a great job of giving you easy control of your lighting scene. The Mini Panel Lights are thicker than other lighting products, and this helps the lights stand out from the wall. This does make the lights more noticeable when they are turned off; leave them on 24/7, and the problem is solved. And for anyone looking for something with a little more character than the typical hexagon or triangle light panel, the Mini Panel Lights are a definite contender for your wall space.
