Last June saw the presentation of the Elgato Light Strip Pro, a new RGB LED lighting strip that appears as successor to the Elgato Light Strip, a model that, as some of our readers may remember, I had the opportunity to take apart a few years ago, and the truth is that it left a good taste in my mouth.

RGB LED lighting strips have seen a significant increase in both popularity and availability. Lighting quality and the options it offers at the level decorative and aesthetic were undoubtedly two of the factors that most influenced the rise of this type of lighting system, although we must also emphasize the reduction of costs that allowed their price to drop to a level that is generally within the reach of almost all budgets.

However, it is important to keep this in mind Not all RGB LED strips are created equal. There are cheap models that can tempt us with a very low price, but end up disappointing us because they offer average lighting quality and lack a dedicated app to facilitate deep customization.

Elgato Light Strip Pro is a model dedicated to the menu balanced value in the price/performance ratio because it promises high-quality, fully customizable lighting capable of reproducing an enormous amount of colors and effects, and it also has a special application that allows us to configure and personalize it as we wish.

Elgato Light Strip Pro: external review

The packaging of this LED strip is a statement of intent in favor of sustainability, as it is recycled cardboard and is completely plastic-free. Inside we find the Elgato Light Strip Pro, which is perfectly rolled up and protected, we also have a plug with various adapters, a control hub that has a dual-band Wi-Fi 5 receiver (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) and an instruction manual.

The first thing that catches your eye once you start unboxing it is the quality that the LED strip exudes. Elgato has covered all the LEDs with a layer of transparent silicone which acts not only as a protection that prevents us from damaging them both during installation and during use and regular cleaning, but also increases the lighting effectwhich gives it a unique look that cannot be found in other LED strips.

The belt has a width 1.2 centimeters and 3 mm thick, measurements that are almost “standard” and that will allow us to easily place it on almost any surface, such as the frames of the decorative elements that we have in the room or the edges of the furniture, which in many cases tend to be quite thin. The model I tested is two meters long, so it can cover quite a large area.

On the back of the strip we have a layer of o Tesa gluewhich is of high quality and also leaves no residue on the surface where we stick the Elgato Light Strip Pro, which means that if one day we decide to remove it, we can do so without any problems and the surface will be in perfect condition.

If we are going to put it on a metal surface, we won’t have to glue it because is magnetized. Compared to the previous model, this is an important innovation, and the truth is that it seems to me to be a success. We can also adjust the length by cutting, if we see that it does not fit the area where we want to install it, we will only need some scissors and that’s it, the areas where we need to cut to avoid damage are marked on the strip.

The Elgato Light Strip Pro is controlled via a dedicated app, though more on that later. In general, the feelings I got from this first contact were good, but now the most important thing remains to see if the configuration process is simple, if everything goes well the first time and if the quality of lighting and effects is up to par.

Elgato Light Strip Pro: specifications

• RGB LED strip with free high-quality LEDs for intense, individual and fully addressable flicker-free lighting.
• It can reproduce up to 16 million colors and customizable white light.
• They support a wide range of effects and color combinations.
• Easy to control and configure via a free dedicated app.
• Easy to place, we can use its Tesa adhesive or its magnetic area to stick it to metal surfaces effortlessly. The glue leaves no residue.
• It is easy to split and adjust if its length exceeds the area we want to cover because we can trim and adjust it to the length we need.
• Full integration with Stream Deck, allowing us to customize lighting and sync colors and actions.
• Dual-band Wi-Fi 5 connection (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) with WPA2 + AES, WPA + TKIP/AES.
• Consumption: up to 30 watts, depending on the lighting intensity we have configured.
• Compatible with Windows 10 64-bit, Windows 11 64-bit, macOS 10.14 or higher, Android and iOS.
• Dimensions: 2 meters long, 1.2 cm wide and 3 mm thick.
• Price: 59.99 euros.

Configuration, installation and user experience

In the box we have everything we need to use the Elgato Light Strip Pro in minutes. As you can see in the attached picture, the package includes a perfectly coiled RGB LED strip, a plug with different heads for use in any country in the world, a controller and also an adapter to extend the length of the strip. using another additional unit.

The first step would be to unroll the LED strip and think about where we want to use it. I recommend getting very clear on this first and fine-tuning the placement, especially if you plan to use a non-metallic surface, as this will force the tape to stick. Once you are clear on this, you need to make sure that you have a free socket to connect the LED strip and that it is close enough.

When everything is clear, we will start the installation and configuration process. We place the strip where we want to use it, We connect it to the controller and insert the plug cable into it. We must also mount a head compatible with the area in which we are in the socket. In my case, I used the double-headed one, which is the one from Spain.

Before connecting the plug, I recommend having a special Elgato application ready for controlling the LED strip. In this case we need “Control Center”, which we can download for free in a few moments from the official Elgato website. It is also available on Google Play Store and App Store. In my case, I used the iOS version with the iPhone 14 Pro.

When we connect the plug to the socket, we see that the Elgato Light Strip Pro it turns on automatically with a flat color throughout light blue. Now it’s time to perform the process of detecting the LED strip and incorporating it into our Wi-Fi network. I did the configuration on iOS and it took me no more than a few seconds. We just have to:

• Enter “Settings > Wi-Fi”.
• We select “Set up a new device > Elgato Light Strip Pro”.
• The process will be done automatically in a few seconds.
• We go back to the Control Center application and that’s it, it appears identified and we can start editing it.

If we want to configure it in Windows 10 or Windows 11, the process It’s even easier, because all you have to do is enter the “Control Center”, click on add a new device and follow the self-guided process. It’s also very easy in macOS, just click on the Wi-Fi network icon and choose “New Accessories”.

After configuring, we have available a wide range of special effects which we can regulate and apply with a simple touch. We can also adjust the brightness and change the color if we choose to use the static light effect. Depending on the effect we are applying, we can adjust certain patterns, such as the speed of the lights.

Some effects They are really spectacular and look great.. The quality of the lighting met my expectations, as you can see from the attached pictures and videos, it is excellent. Through the application, we can turn the Elgato Light Strip Pro on and off at any time, and we also have the option to configure how we want it to behave when it is turned on.

Final remarks

The truth is that in many ways I had “Déjà vu” with the Elgato Light Strip Pro, and it is that both in terms of finish quality, design, installation and configuration it reminded me a lot of my experience with the Elgato LightStrip. Both are very easy to install and configure, excellent build quality and are integrated into a careful, simple and intuitive software platform.

However, the Elgato Light Strip Pro is a step up. The base of the LED strip is magnetizedsomething that is a great success because it makes it easier to place it on metal surfaces and allows us to reuse it and change its location in a much easier way without having to use glue on the back.

Lighting intensity and color representation It’s just perfect. Even when we apply the most complex and attractive effects, they move perfectly and I never registered any errors or flickering. Excellent work in this regard by Elgat and also very good work with the “Control Center” interface, which is simple, intuitive and functional.

The LED strip Elgato Light Strip Pro is one of the best products in its class, both for the build quality and lighting, and for its software support and customization options. It’s true that its price is high and the controller a little big, but given what it offers and how smoothly it handles all the effects, that’s understandable. It is highly recommended to give your room, living room or play corner a splash of color and distinction.