If you have even the slightest bit of interest in the tech scene, you would have heard of Nanoleaf. A company intent on seemingly infusing light and colour into the world, they have been delivering some super unique products to the masses.
Mostly they’ve done that with modern, smart lighting, honing their products and modular lighting systems over the course of a decade or so.
But one of their most interesting products is the new Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror + Lightstrip Kit. This promises to illuminate your gaming and TV sessions like never before, as Nanoleaf aims to replicate the hues found on your TV screen into the backlighting spheres, all via screen mirroring. That’s not anything which is particularly new, with Philips Hue, Dreamscreen and more having attempted similar over the years. But Nanoleaf have still utterly nailed the experience. Honestly, this will take your gaming to an all-new level. Even if, at times, it feels a bit too complex for its own good.
Out of the box, the Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror + Lightstrip Kit seems fairly simple, especially if you are familiar with other Nanoleaf products. We’ve also been hands-on with the Nanoleaf Lines Starter Kit too, and find that the two products most certainly complement each other.
Included is everything you will need to create a set up; some bits you may find that are not of use to your own use case, but Nanoleaf have ensured you won’t be left without options. There’s a super long RGBIC LED lightstrip that is trimmable to your screen, corner brackets, adhesive strips, a control module, power source, camera and mount.
Parts of the installation are a breeze. The Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror + Lightstrip Kit has been designed to work with screens up to and including 65 inches and whilst our main Xbox set up is now powered by our XGIMI Horizon Projector, we’ve been using this with Xbox Series S and a 55 inch screen. It’s a simple case of attaching the four corner brackets to the rear of your TV via the included stickers, followed by sticking the LED lightstrip in place.
The brackets are easy to mount, as is much of the lightstrip. We found issues occurring as we tried to delicately manipulate the strip around cutouts and ports on the back of our TV. The strip itself is pretty flexible, but discovered that by the time installation was complete, some of the adhesive had disappeared, causing parts of the strip to come away from the back of the screen. Biggy? Nah, not really, but it does feel like a couple of small sections possibly won’t last over time. We have been using this for a good few weeks though, and are pleased to report that the LED lightstrip is still firmly in place. Ask us again in a few months and we may divulge something different.
With placement done, the strip is then connected to the control module via USB-C. Additionally, the camera which helps drag the colour feed from your screen is then also attached to the control module, USB-A’d and placed wherever you deem fit. As a general rule, the Nanoleaf camera is best placed above your screen, fitted to the included mount which we have found to feel pretty solid. Clipping on to the top of your TV, we’d not want to knock the mount too much for fear of it losing grip, but in use have never found that to be an issue.
The mount and camera look good on the top too, and unless you are standing above your screen, will hardly notice it in place. In fact, it’s only been a couple of times when that camera has ever interfered with our view of the screen.
Alternatively, the camera can be placed on a desk in front of the screen. Frankly, whilst it works, we’ve found that to be a much inferior placement position, mostly as it is consistently in the way. Nanoleaf even state that placement is best up top. Do as they say – they’s the pros.
After plugging the control module into a power source via a barrel plug, things kick into action. After a pretty brief firing up initiation sequence, the Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror + Lightstrip Kit comes to life, taking the colour feeds from the camera and replicating that to the LED lightstrip on the back of your screen. It’s something that is not ‘new’ to us, having used multiple variations over the years, but we still never tire of the joy that this tech brings. Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror + Lightstrip Kit really does have the power to get you immersed into both your gaming and TV sessions like never before, with some 30 LEDs and 10 colour zones per metre, allowing for upwards of 16 million colours. Play My Friend Peppa Pig for example and you’ll be treated to blues, yellows and pinks lighting up your room. Yeah, you won’t be left wanting.
To get things up and running properly, it’s all about diving into the Nanoleaf App. We’ve been using the Android version, but iOS options are also available. After a short set up period – scanning QR codes, initiating wireless connections and the like – the power of the App starts to come to the fore. Having a couple of frustrations in terms of setting up the 4D camera and ensuring it was fully aligned and optimised were soon pushed to the back of the mind, with various colours, scenarios and more all at the touch of a finger.Â
For us, we feel that the Nanoleaf App, whilst good, is perhaps a bit too complex for its own good. Simplicity should be the key here, but Nanoleaf have many fingers in many smart lighting pies, allowing their products to work all manner of magic. Initially that means the App feels a little confusing. Spend time with it though and you’ll either become accustomed to what it can deliver, or will just set things up and let it go.
That’s what we’ve done with the Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror + Lightstrip Kit – leaving it to replicate our on-screen colours as it has wished. However, the control module is also capable of switching between similar options to that of the App – colours, scenes, 4D – as well as being able to turn the system on and off with a simple press. It’s that which we’ve preferred to utilise. Sitting at the side of the desk within easy reach means that controlling the Screen Mirror and Lightstrip Kit has been simple, forgoing the need to head deep into the App. Of course, if you wish to stick that control system out of the way, on the back of your TV for instance, you can.
So downsides? Well, aside from the fact that you’ll need to have a small camera sitting on the top of your screen, there’s not really too much to dislike. We’ve found Nanoleaf’s 4D Screen Mirror + Lightstrip Kit to work flawlessly, pretty much every single time. It’s powered us through some gaming sessions like there is no tomorrow, especially in the late night evening shifts. The glow that it brings, the joyful hues it delivers, really does help integrate the player into the games they are playing like never before. And remember, this is coming from someone who has used this tech for a good few years. Imagine coming to Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror + Lightstrip Kit fresh. It’ll blow the mind.Â
And should you worry about that camera spying on all aspects of your life? After-all, Kinect got an absolute battering and there are still folk who will not have a Google product anywhere near them. You need not worry at all. It doesn’t record or collect any feed, nor does it listen in on your most private of conversations. All it does is keep its beady little eye on your TV screen, dragging the colour from it and pushing that out to the lights around the back. But even if you still have issues after knowing all that, and were one of those who refused to use Kinect due to a lack of privacy, Nanoleaf have even included a little cover for you to stick over the camera when not in use. That’s nice of them, eh?
It all means that Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror + Lightstrip Kit is something that will really help enhance your gaming sessions. Relatively easy to set up, once in place it does the business each and every time, ripping the colours of your gaming sessions or TV binges and delicately firing them off to your wall. Game changer? Nope, not any more. At least not in the way similar tech was a few years ago with Dreamscreen. But absolute colourful delight? Hell yeah!
Huge thanks go out to Nanoleaf for providing their Nanoleaf 4D Screen Mirror + Lightstrip Kit for review, as well as the Nanoleaf Lines Starter Kit that can neatly accompany it. If you want to get hold of any of the plethora of smart lighting products that Nanoleaf deal in, hit them up direct.
