Ask the Discord: The Best Lighting Equipment, According to Gamers

A gateway for many into the world of LED lights, adhesive strip lights are the fastest way to transform your setup. Nintendo streamerjujubelines Cozylady Music LED Strip Lights along the back side of a display unit, silhouetting her Pokémon plushie collection in a cool-blue glow. “I love these strip lights because they offer nice ambient lighting for my stream setup,” she says. The 66-foot length ensures you don’t have to worry about running out of material halfway through lining your ceiling, but the strip comes with points you can cut in case it’s toolong.

FirebenderFreddy, a streamer and moderator for creators on the platform, recommends the Philips Hue Bluetooth Lightstrips, whichteensandother smart-light-savvy people have suggested to us before. Ideally paired with thePhilips Hue Smart Hubfor seamless control, these Bluetooth light strips are worth the initial investment for the ease they provide in the long run, he says: “I use Hue Lightstrips, a Hue Bloom lamp, and controllableWemo smart plugsthroughout my apartment, which I can turn on just using my voice through Google Assistant. It’s so convenient to walk into my stream room and say ‘Turn on the stream-room lights’ and be ready to go.”

Among our pool of gamers, this key light comes highly recommended thanks to its sleek but sturdy design and customizable output. “The main thing I want from a light is control; being able to adjust the brightness and temperature is the reason I bought my Elgato key lights,” says Nintendo streamerSaltQueenHDof this light’s versatile settings, which can be controlled via Wi-Fi from your phone, PC, or stream deck. Despite its powerful brightness, it remains comfortably low heat, and the multilayer diffusion technology keeps it (literally) easy on the eyes. I can personally attest to this model’s younger sibling, theKey Light Air, for those looking for a smaller, more affordable option with the same quality.

Many streamers also use ring lights for an all-around, beauty-portrait effect. Variety streamer and cosplayerAlexNorimakispeaks to the multipurpose nature of her ring lights. “I use my ring lights not only to light my streams but also to create other content across different platforms,” she says. This particular model, which comes with a tripod stand and phone holder, makes it easy to capture Instagram photos or record TikTok videos.

The geometric shape of the Nanoleaf lights allows streamers to get creative with custom layouts and put panels together like puzzle pieces.For popular “Just Chatting” streamerbbjess, a mosaic of Nanoleaf Shapes goes beyond simple décor, adding an interactive element to her streams. “The selling point for me was that I could integrate them with my stream usingLumia Stream,” she says. “Any time viewers interact with the stream, the Nanoleaf lights react with customized light designs I’ve created in the phone app.”

To fill the background of his room with a wash of color, full-time content creatorThe4thGenGamerangles one of his multiple GLW floodlights up toward his back wall. Two additional floodlights, which he keeps affixed on opposite sides of the room, allow for even more creative lighting options. “I have one for each side of my face so I can mix and match colors to give off the look of a single hue, like pairing red and blue to make purple,” he says. “I enjoy the flexibility that floodlights give me, especially having more than one.”

A galaxy projector is a clever way to turn a nondescript space or blank wall into a mesmerizing display with little hassle. “With the touch of a button, I can transform my small apartment into a cozy gamer cave,” saysadribabies, a New York City–based gaming and music streamer. With different lighting modes and adjustable brightness, the rotating projector allows her to switch up the mood of the room often and with ease. “I’ll change the colors to mix things up between streams, and I like that I don’t have to deal with a ton of wires or installation that might damage my walls,” she says.