Govee has a new set of outdoor smart string lights that will bring the party to your backyard. The smart home device company says its Outdoor Chromatic String Lights are the first of their kind, with gradient looks and special effects for each individual bulb.

CNET has rated Govee’s RGBIC outdoor string lights as the best value, so this could be a promising addition or upgrade ahead of summer and all those evenings outside. Here’s what to know about them, especially ahead of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale this week.

How do the Outdoor Chromatic String Lights work?

You can control the lights, gradients and special effects on your smart device through the Govee app, and through Google Home and Amazon Alexa. The string lights also work with other Govee devices for ecosystem integration.

Govee’s lights can be attached to stakes or poles. The bulbs are fully customizable using their grouping encoding technology on the app. You’ll be able to select the color gradient for each bulb, and set up color transitions and animations, too. 

How is each bulb customizable? 

Govee uses a few effects to make this happen. The bulbs feature what Govee calls “advanced light architecture” and a dual-layer shell to create a gradient effect with clarity and color richness. These string lights also feature independent Uni-IC control, which helps create multicolored gradients in each bulb.

Each bulb has 55 RGB LEDs, up to 240 lumens of white illumination and up to three cycling effects, like alternating between red, green and white for the holidays. They also have more than 100 preset scenes and 12 audio-reactive modes, so they can change colors to music you play. 

Are these smart outdoor lights weather-proof?

The Govee outdoor string lights can stay up year-round and feature IP67-rated protection, making them waterproof and UV-resistant. Govee says the lights have a lifespan of more than 10 years in “typical outdoor conditions,” according to Monday’s announcement. 

All of those features lead Tyler Lacoma, CNET’s Home Tech editor, to say these lights are an interesting option for long-term patio setups, especially since Govee lights are reliable, he says.  

“The standout point is that these string light bulbs are extra-large and extra-durable,” Lacoma says. “They come with an IP67 weather resistance rating and are designed to be permanent installations lasting at least 10 years — that helps explain the high price.”

How much are the Outdoor Chromatic String Lights?

Govee Outdoor Chromatic String Lights are available now on Govee’s website and Amazon. The lights are $170 for more than 32 feet, and $300 for 65 feet. The bulbs measure 3.76 inches tall and 2.48 inches wide.