- 9.20/10 1. Premium pick: CPLID USB Powered LED Strip Lights
- 8.80/10 2. Editors choice: Maylit TV LED Backlight
- 9.00/10 3. Best value: Govee TV LED Backlights
- 8.80/10 4. Bason TV LED Backlight
- 9.00/10 5. Hamlite LED TV Backlight
- 9.00/10 6. Luminoodle Color Bias Lighting
- 8.80/10 7. Nexillumi LED Strip Lights
A TV backlight kit adds ambient backlight effects to televisions to compliment on-screen video content.
These can sometimes detect what's on the screen to provide the best TV ambient lighting, but cheaper models rely on you changing the color manually.
Here are some of the best TV backlights out there.
If you have difficulty finding TV ambient lighting that fits your screen size, take a look at the CPLID USB Powered LED Strip Lights range. It covers most screen sizes between 24 inches and 82 inches, making these strips perfect for every screen size.
Due to its USB power source, the lights can turn on and off with the TV, thus saving energy in the long run. The addition of a remote control makes these strip lights easy to operate.
- Has 38 different fade modes
- Can fit TV screens from 24-82 inches
- Brand: CPLID
- TV Size: 24-82 inches
- Sides of Lighting: Four
- Connectivity: USB
- Remote Control: Yes
- Music Reactive Mode: No
- LEDs Per Meter: 15
- Power : 5V
- Max. Brightness: 16 levels
- Automatically turns itself on and off alongside the TV
- The included adhesive tape sticks well to monitors
- The included remote can be spotty
If you want a backlight kit that can do it all, be sure to check out the Maylit TV LED Backlight. While most backlight kits come with a variable number of features, the Maylit option ticks every box you can think of.
For one, it does come included with its own remote; however, you can also use a mobile app to control it. It can sync to the music's beat for a better party atmosphere but also has a sleep timer that turns itself off after a set amount of time.
It's also fine to stick the light strips anywhere near a USB power socket. You can make your counters glow from underneath or stick them under a shelf for a nice drop shadow.
Regardless of your goals, there's a good chance the Maylit fits the exact bill that you're looking for. That's what makes this backlight kit such a great option.
- Can be controlled by remote or phone app
- Can pulse lights in sync with playing music
- Brand: Maylit
- TV Size: 40-75 inches
- Sides of Lighting: Four
- Connectivity: USB
- Remote Control: Yes (including app)
- Music Reactive Mode: Yes
- LEDs Per Meter: 18
- Power : 5V
- Max. Brightness: Fully adjustable
- Can be placed anywhere in the home, even if it's not a TV
- Features a sleep timer for night-time television watching
- Not weather-proof
The Govee TV LED Backlights are the best bang for your buck. It's one of the cheapest backlight TV kits available, and yet it contains some features that pricier models don't include.
For instance, it can react to sound and pulse along to music. It also has an impressive 33 LEDs per meter, which is more than a lot of the competition.
Fortunately, it's also straightforward to set up. The strip uses 3M adhesive tape to keep it stuck to any surface you please and comes with five support clips to get the perfect setup. This makes the Govee backlight kit a simple, cheap, and feature-packed option that won't disappoint.
- Features 32 colors
- Has 90 lights per strip, 33 per meter
- Brand: Govee
- TV Size: 46-60 inches
- Sides of Lighting: Four
- Connectivity: USB
- Remote Control: Yes
- Music Reactive Mode: Yes
- LEDs Per Meter: 33
- Power : 5V
- Max. Brightness: 6 levels
- Can be customized with a wide selection of light modes
- The included sticky adhesive tape is strong
- Only fits 40-60 inch televisions; no size customization
- The remote conflicts with televisions from specific manufacturers, such as Vizio and Sharp
If you've been considering TV ambient lighting for a bedroom screen, you may not like the idea of a brightly-lit wall when you're trying to sleep. The Bason TV LED Backlight, however, has a few key features that make it the best TV LED backlight for bedroom use.
For one, you can change how bright the lights are via the remote. There are eight different brightness levels for you to try out and see which one is to your liking. When it's time for bed, you can use the power button on the remote to shut the lights off.
If you enjoy watching TV while you drift off, you can use the sleep timer feature. This automatically shuts off the lights after 30 minutes, so they don't interfere with your sleep quality.
- Has a sleep timer that lasts 30 minutes
- Suitable for use anywhere, not just on TVs
- Brand: Bason
- TV Size: 32-92 inches
- Sides of Lighting: Four
- Connectivity: USB
- Remote Control: Yes
- Music Reactive Mode: No
- LEDs Per Meter: 10
- Power : 5V
- Max. Brightness: 8 levels
- Sticky strips are easy to install
- Vibrantly-colored LEDs
- Very short power cable
If you want an effective backlight kit that doesn't cost a lot, try the Hamlite LED TV Backlight. It comes in three different lengths to fit all the main TV screen sizes. There are 18 colors to choose from, so you can get the right ambiance to suit your mood.
The RF remote that comes with this backlight is very well-designed. Not only can it work at a 360-degree angle, but it also works up to distances of 60ft. When you want to change the lights, just pick up the remote and set the color and light pattern from where you're sitting.
- Comes with a one-year warranty
- Has a remote that works up to 60 feet
- Brand: Hamlite
- TV Size: 32-95 inches
- Sides of Lighting: Four
- Connectivity: USB
- Remote Control: Yes
- Music Reactive Mode: No
- LEDs Per Meter: 22
- Power : 5V
- Max. Brightness: 10 levels
- Easy to set up and use
- Well-suited for larger screens
- LEDs aren't very bright
The Luminoodle Color Bias Lighting is an excellent TV ambient light kit. It's compatible with TVs up to 80 inches and adheres to the back of monitors with 3M adhesive tape. This makes installation simple, easy, and long-lasting. There's a wireless remote, as well as an on/off switch on the LED string.
Luminoodle uses 15 colors, three fade modes, and ten brightness levels. For power, the set has a USB-powered color lighting strip. As such, it's incredibly simple to hook up to any television, game console, or other multimedia device and makes cable management a breeze.
- Can fit monitors smaller than 24 inches
- Can also be used for applications outside of TVs
- Brand: Luminoodle
- TV Size: Up to 80 inches
- Sides of Lighting: Four
- Connectivity: USB
- Remote Control: Yes
- Music Reactive Mode: No
- LEDs Per Meter: 22
- Power : 5V
- Max. Brightness: 10 brightness levels
- Very good lighting quality
- Stays stuck on monitors for a long time
- Sometimes requires unplugging and replugging in to work with the remote
If you have an idea of the exact shade of color you want your backlight to be, be sure to check out the Nexillumi LED Strip Lights. You can control the color from an app and choose from 16 million different colors to get that ambiance just right.
It's also quick and straightforward to install on the back of your television. The strips use tough 3M adhesive to ensure they go up and stay up. The light strip is easy to bend, so you can comfortably weave the wire around the back of your television.
There is just one length to choose from, but there's a good reason for that. The wire's bendiness allows you to bunch up or spread out the wire according to the space you have to work with. This makes the Nexillumi a great one-size-fits-all solution for ambient TV lighting.
- Comes with an 18-month warranty
- Features a remote app that connects via Bluetooth
- Brand: Nexillumi
- TV Size: 24-60 inches
- Sides of Lighting: Four
- Connectivity: USB
- Remote Control: Yes (via phone app)
- Music Reactive Mode: Yes
- LEDs Per Meter: 15
- Power : 5V
- Max. Brightness: Adjustable via app
- Can react to playing music
- A very bendy strip to fit any setup
- Limited color palette
FAQ
Q: Should You Backlight Your TV?
Backlighting is by no means essential, but if you find yourself in front of a monitor or screen for long periods, a backlight kit can bring some life to an otherwise dull setup. Not only that, but a backlight helps reduce eye strain from looking at a screen in a dark environment.
The aura emitted from a backlight kit acts as a middle ground between the bright screen and the dark surroundings, saving your eyes from having to adjust to the contrasting dynamic.
Q: What Is the Best Backlight Color for TV?
Backlights can come in a wide range of colors, so you can freely experiment with the colors and see which one compliments your room best. However, a shade of white is a good way to reduce eye strain.
Q: How Do You Install an LED Backlight on a TV?
Most of the time, the backlight will arrive with some sticky tape set on the back. You peel off the paper strip to expose the sticky surface, then stick it where the strip needs to go.
As for exact placement, you should double-check the manufacturer's instructions to see which method is best. Some will ask you to install the strip around the edge of the screen, while others work best when placed in the middle in a winding S-style shape.
