TV backlights take your movies and shows to the next level — here's my top picks

Tom's Guide

2 days ago

Adding some personality to a TV can amplify the immersion of your home entertainment setup. Whether it's improved surround sound with Dolby Atmos speakers or one of the best streaming devices for a sleeker interface, there's a variety of ways you can do it.
But one of the best ways I've found to set the mood for my favorite shows and movies is by adding a TV RGB backlight. These LED lights, which attach to the back of your TV, can spruce up any and all experiences, especially if you get the kind that syncs to whatever is playing on the screen.
Problem is, if you're not buying one of Philips' new 2025 Ambilight TVs — which you're probably not if you live in the US — you'll have to find the right one on your own, and it can get pretty confusing. With two major types in the market, you might not know which among them meets your specific needs.
I went through the trouble of trying out two different TV RGB lighting kits for myself. Here's a few tips on picking the right one for your home setup and turning your display into one of the best TVs with a touch of backlit color.
The first and arguably most expensive kinds of RGB backlighting are AI sync box kits. You can often buy these separately or in a bundle that includes LED lighting for your TV.
As the name implies, these packages come equipped with a large box that houses a sophisticated AI program that reads incoming data from the connected devices to match the color output displayed on the LEDs behind your TV. Thus, you'll be connecting separate devices like the PS5 Pro or Sony's new 4K Blu-ray player so that on-screen content gets that extra kick of synced color.
The best part is you don't need to do anything. It's pretty much all plug and play, minus affixing the lights to the TV. This can take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes, depending the size of your TV, but it's not a very difficult task.
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In my testing, I tried out Govee's HDMI Sync Box 2 on a 65-inch Samsung S90D OLED TV, connecting it to my PS5. It gave games some serious pop, especially in Elden Ring Nightreign, and I didn't have to worry about any lost performance given that it supports HDMI 2.1 with 4K up to 144Hz. (The PS5 tops out at 4K/120Hz, but If I wanted to connect one of the best gaming PCs to the sync box I could, and still get serious performance to boot.)
This AI sync box spices up your TV entertainment with an array of colors that splash on the wall behind the screen via LED strip lights. It uses a powerful AI model to match the colors from the connected devices with the backlighting for extra immersion. Listed above are the 55-inch to 65-inch configuration, but you can buy it in a 75-inch to 85-inch set, as well.
As already mentioned, these can be pretty expensive. The high asking price is certainly worth it given the performance on offer, however. Govee's model worked wonders for me, though I'm sure the one made by Philips is just as good, if not better, given that it will run you back almost $500 bundled with the lighting kit.
But there's one major downside for picking sync boxes like these: they don't cover everything displayed on the screen, just whatever's connected to them. For instance, streaming platforms available on most modern smart TVs would miss out on the colorful upgrade these boxes provide — unless you connected a streaming device directly to the AI sync box, like the Apple TV 4K.
Despite the high cost, most people will likely want the convenience and performance gains provided by an external sync box.
Despite the high cost, most people will likely want the convenience and performance gains provided by an external sync box. To be fair, the sync box definitely was the better buy, in my opinion, and it makes sense. But there's another option you could go with that might be more suitable for some buyers.
The second kind of TV lighting is camera-based. This requires a camera to be attached to the top of the TV, which analyzes what's displayed on-screen to match the most accurate colors.
Like the AI-based system, some camera-based systems can even be synced together with other lights around the home, so they all mirror each other for a unified visual experience. The problem is, not everyone wants a camera draped to the TV for a number of reasons, privacy and aesthetics being two major factors.
To put camera-based lighting to the test, I used Govee's new TV Backlight 3 Lite. It's a pretty nifty TV lighting kit, but it's much more hands-on than the simple plug-and-play of the sync box.
With the Govee TV Backlight 3 Lite you get colorful immersion at your fingertips. This backlighting setup combines the power of an LED strip with a camera to give your movie nights a pop of synced hues. It adds that pop of personality, and one you can customize on the fly using the Govee app or even via Google Home using voice controls.
Setting up the lighting requires you to get accurate readings with the camera first. It comes with these foam boxes you need to attach to the TV, which the camera then reads for syncing capabilities. To make sure you get an accurate measurement, you need to ensure the surrounding lighting is adequate and there are no nearby RGB lights that could interfere with the camera.
Because ambient lighting can cause some issues, you'll want to do the setup process at night. Even though it's a bit more involved, you get some stellar performance out of the camera-based lighting, as it can not only detect what's being played on external video sources but will sync with built-in streaming services, too.
When you're not watching something, the light will work even when the TV is turned off. I'm not one to leave this on for too long, but it is pretty nifty having an extra light around even if my TV's powered down, adding a touch of personality to my living room without something like museum art or family photos playing on the screen.
So which is the better buy and, generally speaking, are lighting kits worth it? This really comes down to your preferences. Are you willing to shell out to get enhanced color volume behind your TV, but only for your various connected devices? Or do you want a cheaper pick that casts the widest net that will sync with all on-screen content?
Despite enjoying the plug-and-play performance of the AI sync box, I tended to use the camera option more. If you don't mind the extra work during the setup process, I think the former is the right one to go with if you're primarily gaming or watching content like Blu-ray DVDs. However, if I were shopping for myself, I'd just stick with the camera model, largely because it's cheaper but also because it covers everything on the TV.
The best part about them is they're both Matter-compliant and work with Google Home. So, whichever you choose, you can turn either on using voice controls and customize them to your liking without ever pulling out your phone.
TV backlighting is a luxury add-on to a TV setup, and therefore might not be the first purchase you make after buying a new TV, but it adds that splash of color where it counts. It's not the end-all-be-all approach to immersive content, but it definitely gives it some polish and life.
If that's what you're looking for, backlighting kits are for you.