Cync Dynamic Effects Smart Lights Review (2023): Neon Shapes

Every single human Anyone who has entered my home has commented on the layout of my desk – or rather on the colorful strip of light behind my desk. Instead of an actual strip of light that would attach to the back of my PC, Cync’s smart lights form a long rope of customizable lights that I positioned on the wall in a fun squiggle that draws everyone’s attention.

Thanks to the bendable design and included brackets, you can create virtually any shape you want on the wall with these 16″ lights (there are also a 10 inch version). The power strip features a control box with a microphone, so your created shape can react to any music or game sounds it picks up. Unlike other setups, you don’t need a hub or software—and that, too $120it’s a bit more affordable than other light bars we like.

No sharp corners

A friend of mine once affectionately described me as “seems smart, but it’s not.” I’m testing tabletop electronic breast pumps for a reason; Anything that requires a complicated setup or build process tends to get muddled for me.

But setting up the Cync lights was painless, even for a handyman like me. The lights come with a large installation map that you can use for planning Cync’s pre-planned designs, like a moon and star or martini glass, plus 20 mounting clips to attach either Cync’s design or your own. The mounting clips come with 3M tape and holes for the included screws if you want your design to remain permanent. Cync also makes recommendations for using tape or screws based on your wall material.

Originally, I went for the sun and moon design. I ripped holes in the installation card to use the tape to help place the mounting clips. In hindsight it might have been easier to screw the map. But after the installation was complete, I wasn’t thrilled with the shape. The strings of lights couldn’t form clear corners for the moon or stars and when I sent friends photos of the arrangement they thought the lights were cool but didn’t realize they were looking at a moon.

So I took the design off and reattached the lights in a free swirl behind my desk. This was a lot easier than trying to follow the map design perfectly, and it looks better as a fun squiggle filling the blank wall space behind my desk monitor.

If you’re buying these lights to recreate a specific neon shape, the lack of clean corners and edges could be disappointing. But if you’re willing to play with rounded edges, this is a fun design element to add to your wall.

No game lights

The smart light aspect makes it easy to play with hues. You can use these lights like you would use a smart lightbulb: customize the colors in the app, choose different shades of rainbows or variations of white, and pair them with an Amazon Echo or Google Nest speaker to discover colors request by voice input. The Cync app also lets you control the light strip by changing its 24 individual segments if you want very granular control over the light and color combinations.