TL;DR
A CNET reviewer tested Govee’s Permanent Outdoor Lights 2 Pro, a $640 year-round lighting system, for about two weeks. The review praised its dual-color effects and flexible app controls but described installation as a demanding, multiperson job; long-term durability through severe weather remains untested.
CNET reviewer Adam Doud tested Govee’s Permanent Outdoor Lights 2 Pro, a $640 year-round lighting system, after installing it along the eaves of his Chicago home. His review found that the lights offer flexible color effects and scheduling, but installation took three people across three days, and their performance through Chicago’s harsh seasonal weather is still unknown.
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Doud reported using the lights for about two weeks before writing his review. The system ran along the eaves of his house in a continuous line of roughly 200 feet. Because the home’s roofline suited that layout, he did not need the kit’s splitters, Y-adapters or extension cables. The package included mounting brackets, screws, anchors, adhesive pads and those connectors, along with the lights, power cable and control module.
Installation was a substantial part of the test. Doud said three people worked for two and a half hours a day over three days. They cleaned the mounting surface, placed each light in its bracket, attached the brackets with adhesive and screws, and measured the spacing. The careful positioning mattered because each fixture casts a cone of light onto the siding; uneven distance from the wall made the patterns inconsistent. He also reported that the brackets’ adhesive held firmly, while the lights could sometimes slide through their slots during installation.
Each fixture has two independently colored LEDs, allowing the system to mix colors across the wall. Through Govee’s Wi-Fi-connected app, users can choose solid colors, combinations, moving sequences, fades and individual settings for each light, as well as holiday scenes and schedules. Doud praised the range and ease of the app controls, while noting that some users may find the number of options excessive. The control module also has a basic on/off button.
Permanent lights, or tired bulb strings?
A short CNET test found flexible lighting and a demanding installation. Long-term weather durability remains unknown.
What the system offers
Govee’s app changes the look without rehanging lights.
Two LEDs per fixture
Independently colored LEDs create mixed effects across the wall.
Scenes and schedules
Choose solid colors, moving effects, fades, holiday scenes, and individual light settings.
The installation trade-off
The reviewed setup involved repeated measuring, ladders, adhesive, and screws.
The team cleaned the mounting area along the eaves.
Careful spacing helped keep the light cones consistent.
Adhesive and screws held the brackets in place.
Convenience versus effort
Permanent mounting may suit homeowners who want year-round scenes and are ready for the setup work.
- Change holiday and everyday scenes in the app.
- Keep the lights mounted instead of rehanging seasonal strings.
- Pay $640 upfront.
- Allow for a demanding, multiperson installation.
- Check that the roofline and power access fit the layout.
What the review cannot confirm
Adam Doud tested the lights at one Chicago home for about two weeks.
The Cost of Year-Round Curb Appeal
The review addresses a practical trade-off for homeowners who put up temporary holiday lights each year: pay more upfront and take on a demanding installation in exchange for lighting that can stay in place and be changed throughout the year. At $640, the kit costs far more than a basic seasonal string, according to the review’s comparison. Its scheduling and app-based scenes can also support everyday or holiday use without rehanging lights for each occasion.
That convenience depends on a suitable roofline, access to power and willingness to do—or arrange—a lengthy installation. Doud’s experience suggests buyers should not treat the project as a quick decorating task. The reported work involved ladders, repeated measuring and driving screws into an aluminum soffit, and the installation took multiple people several days. The review’s positive assessment of the finished look is based on one home and a short test period, not a long-term comparison with conventional bulb strings.
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A Short Test After Installation
Govee’s product is designed to remain mounted along a home’s eaves rather than be taken down after the holiday season. The review describes a permanent installation using brackets, adhesive and screws, with the fixtures connected in strands and waterproof caps at the ends. The package also includes cables and adapters intended to accommodate different layouts, though Doud’s home allowed him to use a single continuous run.
Doud said he finished installing the system before Halloween and used a Halloween scene in the app before switching to solid blue. He planned to change the colors again for Christmas. That sequence illustrates the product’s adjustable use, but the review covered only about two weeks of operation. Govee rates the lights IP68 for weather resistance; Doud raised the question of how well they will hold up through Chicago’s cold winters and hot summers, which his brief test could not answer.
““It wasn’t easy.””
— Adam Doud, CNET reviewer
Durability Beyond Two Weeks
The review does not establish how the fixtures will perform over multiple seasons. Doud had used them for about two weeks, and he specifically said that only time would show how they withstand Chicago’s winters and summers. The product’s IP68 rating is a manufacturer specification reported by the review; it does not, by itself, provide long-term test results for this installation.
Other limits also remain. The account covers one house, one roofline and one installation team, so the time and difficulty may differ for homes with other layouts or mounting surfaces. The source material does not provide a controlled comparison of energy use, lifespan or total cost against temporary bulb strings. It also does not establish how easily the lights can be removed or repaired after long-term use.
Watching the Lights Through Seasons
Doud’s next test is whether the installed lights continue to work through the seasonal weather in Chicago. He said he intended to change the app’s scenes for the Christmas period, demonstrating how the same system can be used for different occasions without changing the physical installation.
For prospective buyers, the decision will depend on the $640 price, the home’s roofline and the effort required to install the brackets and lights. The review provides a short-term account rather than a final durability verdict; performance after months or years outdoors remains to be seen.
Key Questions
How much do Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights 2 Pro cost?
The review lists the system at $640. It describes that price as expensive compared with temporary holiday lights.
How long did installation take in the review?
Adam Doud said three people worked for two and a half hours a day over three days to install the lights at his home. The time may vary with the house’s layout and mounting surface.
What can the lights do?
The fixtures have two independently colored LEDs. Govee’s app supports solid colors, color combinations, animated effects, schedules and holiday scenes, according to the review.
Are the lights proven to withstand severe weather?
Govee rates the lights IP68 for weather resistance, but the review does not establish how they perform over years of exposure. Doud had tested them for about two weeks and said Chicago’s seasonal conditions would provide a longer-term test.
Source: cnet.com
