If you’re busy smartifying everything in your outdoor entertainment area, then a classic string of outdoor bulbs is probably on your radar. They’re great for covering a large area with ambient light; not enough to flood the whole space, but definitely enough to give that old-school glow.
Govee Outdoor Clear Bulb String Lights come in two versions. Today, we’re looking at the clear bulb version, which I think will appeal to anyone after a retro look. Each bulb has a filament-style design inside, even though they are course LEDs.
On the 48-foot (15 m) strand, you get 15 bulbs. That’s not a huge amount, so there’s plenty of dead space between them; around 3 feet (1 meter). The bulbs themselves are the size of a regular household light bulb. They use a clear polycarbonate dome with a frosted “whirlpool” piece to catch the light of the LEDs inside.
Govee Outdoor Clear Bulb String Lights
Durable, color-rich string lights with smart and AI-powered features, designed to elevate outdoor gatherings and everyday patio moments.
Govee also sells a double-length set with an upgraded controller, and you can’t splice two shorter sets together. So, if you want a longer run with consistent control, buy the bigger set from the start.
Aesthetics
These will appeal to anyone who likes that classic filament-bulb look. Functionally, though, the “whirlpool” insert just catches and scatters the LED light. The opaque bulb version might spread the color more evenly, but if you’re reading this review, chances are you want the clear retro style, and it’s good that Govee offers both options.
Mounting and cabling issues
Here’s where things got frustrating. Each bulb has two little plastic loops for cable ties or hooks, but nothing is supplied. Because the bulbs are so lightweight, they don’t hang straight down, as a classic heavy glass bulb might. Any pull on the main cable yanks them off to one side, leaving them all at weird angles. Maybe that doesn't matter to you, but the haphazard placement looked a bit off to me.
I tried mounting them with hooks at uneven spacing along the cable, but it didn’t look right. Wrapping them around an arch worked better, though it’s still not a permanent setup. They’re versatile, yes, but unless you’re willing to play around with mounting methods, don’t expect them to look perfect out of the box.
Then there’s the cable length problem, and it’s even worse than with Govee’s outdoor garden lights. The controller box is barely 1m from the first bulb, and after that you only get about 2m of lead to find a socket. That’s ridiculous when most outdoor string lights give you 5–10 m of play.
Govee Outdoor Garden Lights
Smart garden lights that combine durable design and rich color control to enhance outdoor spaces year-round.
Unless you’ve got a waterproof outdoor plug socket right where you want to hang these, you’re going to struggle. I ended up running mine through a window to test them on the cabin, but even that was a stretch. At $90, Govee could easily have added another few meters of cord or included an extension.
Brightness and performance
Govee claims a total output of 1200 lumens for the 15-bulb set. That works out at around 80 lumens per bulb, and that’s only for white light. Color output is always dimmer, and Govee doesn’t quote that figure.
For comparison: a single Govee indoor smart bulb puts out up to 800 lumens. So yes, these are dim by comparison, but you’re paying a lot less per bulb. Think of them as mood lighting, not the main event. They’re great as part of a larger setup, maybe paired with Govee’s up-down wall sconces or floodlights, but they’re not going to provide enough to light up your whole outdoor entertainment area like the Outdoor Lamp Post does (they're great in combination with it, though), unless you're after just a nice warm white glow.
Govee Outdoor Lamp Post Light
The Govee Outdoor Lamp Post Light is a weather-resistant smart light with RGBIC segments, motion and light sensors, and Matter support, designed for striking outdoor illumination and flexible installation.
They’re waterproof (IP67 rated), so rain isn’t a problem. But I wouldn’t call these a true permanent-installation product. Under a covered veranda, porch, or gazebo, they’ll be fine. Fully exposed on a roofline or fence, maybe not so much.
App controls and Matter
The Outdoor Clear Bulb String Lights are fully Matter-compatible, which means you can scan the QR code near the controller, add them to your smart home system of choice, and get some basic controls: color (for the whole set at once), brightness, and on/off. You won't get access to any music reactive modes, individual bulb controls, or dynamic scenes, however. You'll need the Govee Home app for that, which opens up the full controls over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
There's a vast selection of scenes included in the app, but the extensive DIY editor and user database mean it's easy to explore other styles if the defaults don't appeal.
Should you buy them?
Realistically, you’re not buying the Govee Outdoor Clear Bulb String Lights to illuminate your whole garden on their own, nor as a one-off purchase; there are cheaper options available if you don't plan to go further with Govee. But they’re brilliant as part of a bigger Govee ecosystem. If you want retro-style bulbs that tie into Matter and can be synced with the rest of your Govee gear, they do the job nicely.
Just make sure you’ve got somewhere solid to mount them and a plan for plugging them in, because that short power cable is a pain in the proverbial.
