How Much RGB Lighting Is Too Much for My Gaming Desk?

I require to think there is a god of RGB , some unsung immortal yet to be named . Like all Supreme Being , this one require an altar — a place to pray and essay saving . I tried my full to create one using Razer ’s collection of Aether lighting in my office frame-up . Despite that , I do n’t think any RGB god would appreciate my attempt .

We ’ve all learn those promotional picture from the manufacturer of RGB light , the dark gamer rooms awash in the diffused glowing of diffused magentas and teal . There are light everywhere , feeling close and single . I do n’t screw about you , but I ’ve never find an example of these gamer dens in real life . At least , I have n’t seen in - person representative that did n’t admit dissipation bins piled high with micro chip bags and discarded pizza boxes .

Razer offer Gizmodo the full suite of light technical school for review . That ’s alongside the brand ’s wide , expensive ticket of gaming geared wheel , such as theBlackWidow V4 Pro 75 % keyboardand the Kraken V4 Pro headset and ascendency hub . Some of these merchandise will get their own full review . Ignoring how each product really perform , I was intrigued more by pure aesthetic . There ’s theAether Light Strip , Aether Monitor Light Bar , theAether Lamp Pro , and — my personal dearie — theFirefly V2 Promousepad .

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© Kyle Barr

My few non - Razer products include aGigabyte G34WQC monitor , aHyperX Pulsefire Haste 2mouse , and , of course , the Asus ROG Strix PC with the Intel Core i7 - 13700KF and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 . The goal was to maximise RGB with the products on hand , and — as you’re able to distinguish by the image — it probably wo n’t satisfy any deity of RGB , have alone make me the envy of any PC gamer .

I should n’t feel too bad . Those gamer room promo impression always comport little semblance to world . There ’s never a cable in sight . The shelves are spick-and-span . In that way , it ’s dull and devoid of the nerd trapping that show the personality of the someone who live there . Not to mention , setting up all these smart light Cartesian product involve downloading the Razer Gamer Room mobile app and then connect everything through the blackened hole that is Razer Synapse . The WiFi in my office was so poor I could n’t even get everything synced up how I want it to after several hours of attempt .

Other than that , all of Razer ’s lights are sluttish to operate . Most can operate on with childlike controls on - instrument panel , and all are topic - compatible if you have no desire to function with several layer of Razer ’s light software .

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© Photo: Kyle Barr / Gizmodo

If you ’re count at that fleeceable RGB lamp with enviousness , first see the expense . immix one of everything in Razer ’s Aether line , including the Razer Aether Lamp Pro , Aether Light Strip plus extender , Aether Bulb , Aether Monitor LED Light Bar , and Firefly V2 you ’re already spend $ 570 . That ’s not even counting for the RGB good of the $ 300 Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro . That big , glowy headset with the mastery hub is $ 400 , though you could also choose for just the Kraken V4 for $ 180 .

Even if you require to be cost - witting , any such ultra - well-lighted setup will cost hundreds of dollars for the bare lower limit , even before you weigh the cost of the microcomputer ( the Strix G16CH starts at $ 2,100 ) , supervise ( $ 400 MSRP ) , and necessary peripherals .

It was fun to make for interior decorator , even if it was for as small a desk space as I have at my situation . Then again , it ’s not much prominent than my personal space in my Brooklyn two - bedchamber apartment . It takes a lot of work getting your outer space to glow . As evidenced by my efforts , the Lord’s table of RGB demands sacrifice .

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