When I built my current gaming PC in 2020, I was almost convinced I had to juggle multiple RGB software from various manufacturers to make sure my lighting stayed in sync. For instance, I had a Gigabyte Aorus AIO liquid cooler, but the lighting on it wouldn't sync with my Asus motherboard since it doesn't support Aura Sync. Likewise, my Wooting keyboard and Razer mouse needed their own software to manage the lighting effects, meaning at least four apps were consuming system resources in the background just for lighting.
I later tried SignalRGB, which became popular as one of the first polished third-party apps to offer universal RGB control. While it was intuitive and worked reasonably well, I wasn't willing to pay $45 a year just to unlock all the features. That's when I came across OpenRGB, an open-source alternative that quickly won me over with its simplicity. Unlike other software, including SignalRGB, it ran without hogging system resources and gave me exactly what I wanted: a single app that replaced every bloated brand app I had to rely on for RGB lighting.
What is OpenRGB?
It's the only app I now need for RGB lighting control
OpenRGB is an open-source app for controlling all the RGB lighting you have in your system without any bloatware that you'd typically expect from individual first-party software like Asus Aura Sync, Razer Synapse, Corsair iCUE, and Gigabyte RGB Fusion. And since it's open-source, you don't have to worry about any features being hidden behind a paywall like SignalRGB. You can install this program within seconds, and upon launch, it immediately scans your hardware and pulls every compatible device into one clean interface.
Remember to run it as an administrator when you launch it for the first time, because it needs to load the WinRing0 driver to detect RAM modules, certain GPUs, and some motherboards' onboard lighting. But once that's done, it's smooth sailing. You can select your desired components and customize the lighting and effects according to your liking. And if you're not happy with the basic effects, you can always install the OpenRGB Effects plugin for more options. However, the plugin needs to be the same version as the OpenRGB client for you to be able to install it. Since I just want the basic functionality for static lighting, I didn't downgrade to an older version just for the plugins.
Simplicity is OpenRGB's biggest strength
It cuts out the clutter and focuses only on lighting
The best thing about OpenRGB is that it stays true to its core purpose: RGB lighting control. Almost every first-party software that I've tried before has wanted to be the center of my PC. For instance, to use Asus' Aura Sync nowadays, you need the Armoury Crate software, which bundles unnecessary firmware updates and gives fan control options that I don't really need. Likewise, if you want to control the RGB lighting for your Razer mouse or headset, you’ve traditionally had to deal with the bloated Razer Synapse software.
With OpenRGB, I don't have to worry about any of that. When I launch the app, I'm greeted with a simple and straightforward interface that lets me adjust the lighting right away after detecting my hardware. I don't have to click through multiple tabs just to see features I'll never touch or deal with pop-ups asking me to log in to get more out of the app. And once I've tweaked the settings, I can close the app, and the lighting stays in place. Unlike other apps, OpenRGB doesn't try to be an ecosystem manager that fights for system resources, and that feels like a breath of air.
OpenRGB solves what brand apps couldn't
I can finally say goodbye to software conflicts and wasted resources
I honestly don't mind having one app as the central hub to manage all my lighting and devices. If Asus' Aura Sync worked with my Gigabyte AIO, Razer mouse, and Wooting keyboard, I would be fine using Armoury Crate, even if it's a bit resource-intensive with advanced lighting effects. The problem is that no brand app is willing to play nice outside its own ecosystem. Gigabyte insists on using its RGB Fusion app, whereas Razer wants users to rely on Synapse. As a result, you're stuck juggling multiple apps just to configure the overall lighting of your PC.
This means having at least three or four apps running in the background and eating up system resources. On my PC, I've seen each of these apps use 3–4% of my CPU while idling. I wouldn't be surprised if that CPU usage affected my in-game frame rates a bit. And the worst part? These programs often conflict with each other and break my lighting configuration. Even SignalRGB conflicted with Aura Sync and disabled the lighting across most of my components. With OpenRGB, I don't have to rely on any of these resource-intensive apps and worry about conflicts. I’ve yet to see it exceed even 1% of CPU usage with basic lighting effects enabled.
OpenRGB isn't perfect, but it's the best one I've tried
As much as I love using OpenRGB over any other software I've tried in the past, I want to clarify that it's not flawless, and it may not be for everyone. While branded apps are resource-intensive and ecosystem-centric, they sometimes offer more polished features and make more sense if most of your components are from one manufacturer. For instance, Corsair's iCUE software lets you tie lighting effects to temperature sensors or sync them with specific games. In comparison, OpenRGB can feel barebones, and device support can vary depending on your hardware and the version you're running.
That said, not everyone wants deep RGB integration. I don't want my fans to turn red when my CPU or GPU temperature exceeds 80C when I already use MSI Afterburner to monitor my PC and see the exact numbers with much more detail, anyway. Most people just want a lightweight app to make sure the lighting across all their components and peripherals stays in sync without causing conflicts or hogging resources. And that's exactly where OpenRGB truly shines. The combination of simplicity and efficiency makes it the only RGB app worth keeping installed on my PC.