Both lights give off 1400 lumens, but for the Nanoleaf, that\u2019s per panel, meaning you\u2019re getting 4200 lumens \u2014 that\u2019s a lotta light. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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The Nanoleaf also offers full color and<\/em> tunable white light on each panel. Whereas the Aqara\u2019s main light is limited to tunable white light, the color comes from the separately controllable ring light with 26 individually addressable zones featuring full-color LEDs (but no tunable white).\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Both lights dim down to almost imperceptible levels and ramp up to super-bright white light and acceptably bright colors. The Nanoleaf Skylight is noticeably brighter, thanks to its three panels, but the T1M gives off a softer, more diffuse light from its main and ring light. You don\u2019t see any pinprick LEDs or shadows, whereas the Skylight has some visible darker areas that can look like black spots. (This is an issue with the company\u2019s Shapes and Canvas panels, too.)\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Aqara\u2019s light has a more traditional look but with high-tech features.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
Aqara\u2019s light also works with Apple\u2019s HomeKit Adaptive lighting, a feature of Apple Home (so iPhone only) that automatically adjusts the white hue of compatible lights throughout the day, going from cool bluish whites in the early morning to warm orangey whites in the evening. (Only the main light responds to adaptive lighting; the ring light doesn\u2019t have tunable white light.) <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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The Nanoleaf Skylight doesn\u2019t work with adaptive lighting or even with the Nanoleaf app\u2019s Circadian lighting feature (which is limited to its Essentials range).\u00a0However, it does have the option of scheduling its various daylight-mimicking scenes, like \u201cBlue Skies\u201d and \u201cGolden Hour,\u201d to create a similar effect to Adaptive Lighting. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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I set schedules in the Nanoleaf app to have these scenes ramp up brightness over an hour to simulate natural light, and this worked well. But it\u2019s not as easy as using HomeKit\u2019s option \u2014 where you just select adaptive lighting once, and it adjusts automatically throughout the day. Setting schedules in the Nanoleaf app is fiddly, with the app eating mine several times. The dynamic scenes are also more impactful than regular light bulbs adjusting their hue, and at times, I found them a bit distracting.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Lighting effects: Nanoleaf dazzles, Aqara falls short<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\n
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Aqara\u2019s color lighting effects are limited to its Ring light, which is controlled separately from the main tunable white light.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Color is where the Skylight excels; each panel can display over 16 million colors and dynamic lighting effects that flow, flash, pulse, and melt in dizzying light dances.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
Nanoleaf basically invented dynamic lighting effects, and it blows Aqara out of the water when it comes to the sheer number and impressiveness of its preset effects. Many of which can also sync in time to ambient music or sound, something Aqara\u2019s can\u2019t.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Nanoleaf launched some new Scenes with the Skylight, including \u201cGentle Rain,\u201d \u201cSun Shower,\u201d and \u201cBlue Skies,\u201d which are designed to mimic the outdoors and make the Skylight feel like a skylight. Most of these are dynamic in that they shift colors to different flows, and this can be a bit distracting. The panels don\u2019t have addressable LEDS, so the entire panel changes color to create the effect.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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1\/2<\/p>\n
These press images from Nanoleaf show how the Skylight\u2019s design becomes more impressive with more panels.<\/em><\/figcaption>Image: Nanoleaf<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n
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1\/2<\/p>\n
These press images from Nanoleaf show how the Skylight\u2019s design becomes more impressive with more panels.<\/em><\/figcaption>Image: Nanoleaf<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
In contrast, Aqara\u2019s tunable white effects paired with the ring light and its six individually addressable zones were overall calmer and more suitable for a household not obsessed with RGB lighting. It also offers more functionality with the option to set up automations to use the ring light as a notification light \u2014 for example, flash red when an Aqara alarm system is triggered or when the Aqara G4 video doorbell rings.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Both apps let you design your own lighting effects, but Nanoleaf\u2019s AI-powered Magic Scene creator made this really easy. I just typed in \u201cSunday Morning,\u201d and it conjured up a soothing palette of warm pinks and beiges intermingled with white, and \u201cTropical Paradise\u201d created a fun sea of turquoise, blues, and greens. Very Little Mermaid<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\n- Lumens: 1400 lumen per panel<\/li>\n
- Tunable white light: 2700 to 6500K<\/li>\n
- Color light: RGBCW, 16 million colors<\/li>\n
- Color Rendering Index: 80<\/li>\n
- Material: Plastic<\/li>\n
- Connectivity: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi<\/li>\n
- Dimmable: Yes<\/li>\n
- Compatibility: Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung Smartthings<\/li>\n
- Power: AC Wired<\/li>\n
- Lifetime: 25,000 hours<\/li>\n
- Dimensions: 12\u201d x 12\u201d x 2.2\u201d\u00a0each panel<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Cost, connectivity, and compatibility: a hub adds to Aqara\u2019s cost, but Nanoleaf is just expensive<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\n
The Aqara T1M is the more affordable option at $150. The Nanoleaf starts at $250, but you get three times the light compared to the T1M. The price escalates quickly \u2014 a four-pack costs $420, to a 12-pack that costs $880.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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However, because the T1M uses the Zigbee wireless protocol, it requires an Aqara Hub. The cheapest compatible Aqara Hub is the $30 E1 \u2014 bringing the total price to $180. But the TM1 works with any Zigbee 3.0 Aqara Hub, including the upcoming Hub M3, which is also a Thread border router and Matter controller for Aqara\u2019s platform.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Nanoleaf uses 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, so it doesn\u2019t need an additional hub. It may one day be a hub. It has a Thread radio on board and can be a Thread border router, which would allow Nanoleaf\u2019s Thread products, such as its Essentials line, to connect to it. Nanoleaf hasn\u2019t turned this capability on yet; the company tells me it will come in an update later this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Wi-Fi can still be an unreliable protocol for lights, and in testing, while the Skylight never dropped offline, I had frequent trouble controlling it with the Nanoleaf app, which is slow and buggy and crashes constantly or requires restarts. In contrast, Aqara\u2019s Zigbee connectivity was rock solid, and its app was crash-free.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Both lights are compatible with all major smart home platforms, including Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit. Only the T1M supports Matter (with an Aqara hub). Nanoleaf says it plans to bring Matter support to all its panel products \u201csoon.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Installation: hire an electrician (but Aqara is easier)<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\n
Anytime you’re messing with electricity in a ceiling, I would highly recommend hiring a pro. However, if you are going for it, then installing the T1M was the easiest. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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It\u2019s essentially the same as installing a standard ceiling fixture; after turning the power off at the breaker, I pulled the wires in my ceiling through a small hole in the main lamp and attached it to the ceiling with three screws using a drill. The three wires (live wire, ground, and neutral) then slot into an electrical connector in the lamp. Finally, I put the glass diffuser over the lamp, twisting it into place.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Installing the Skylight was much more arduous; lining up the panels wasn\u2019t easy \u2014 and there\u2019s no template to follow. With four screws for each panel, I ended up with a lot of holes in my ceiling, and connecting the two wires required between each panel was really fiddly to do while standing on a ladder.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Specs: Aqara Ceiling Light T1M <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
\n- Lumens: 1400 lumens\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Tunable white light: Main light: 2700 to 6500K<\/li>\n
- Color: Ring light \u2014 RGBCW, 16 million colors<\/li>\n
- Color Rendering Index: 90<\/li>\n
- Material: Glass<\/li>\n
- Connectivity: Zigbee \u2014 requires Aqara hub (Zigbee 3.0)\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Dimmable: Yes<\/li>\n
- Compatibility: Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Matter<\/li>\n
- Power: AC wired<\/li>\n
- Lifetime: 50,000 hours<\/li>\n
- Dimensions: 19.49\u201dL x 19.49\u201dW x 2.96\u201dH<\/li>\n
- Mounting type: Ceiling flush mount<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Control: Aqara successfully solves the dumb switch conundrum\u00a0<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\n
If you install a smart light fixture on a regular light switch, it will lose all functionality when that switch is off. While smart lights generally don\u2019t play well with most smart switches, Aqara and Nanoleaf have both found ways around this.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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The T1M can be paired with a $35 wired Aqara Smart Switch, set to its wireless switch mode. This keeps power flowing to the light even if someone turns the switch off, leaving it controllable in the app or with voice. However, it doesn\u2019t allow for dimming; that has to be done in the app or with voice. Nanoleaf\u2019s new Sense Plus smart switches will work with the Skylight and allow for dimming, but they aren\u2019t available yet. (Nanoleaf says they\u2019re coming later this year.)\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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For both lights, a smart button or scene controller that works in your chosen platform is probably the easiest option for physical control, especially if you don\u2019t want to mess with more wiring. But Aqara wins here for now because you can actually buy its physical controller.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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The Aqara T1M will fit well in any room.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhich is best?<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n\n
The Aqara is the winner if you\u2019re looking for an affordable, easy-to-install smart ceiling light that works with all the major smart home platforms. Its reliability and physical control option also make it a better choice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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But the Nanoleaf is the splashier, fancier light, with hundreds of scenes, the option of music sync, and the ability to pair with Nanoleaf\u2019s other dynamic lighting products to really RGB-up your life. (Aqara\u2019s only other dynamic lighting product is its T1 Light Strip). <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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The Nanoleaf is also the better option for filling a large room with light, thanks to its modular, expandable design. While it would look great over a long dining table or kitchen counter, it\u2019s not really a replacement for a traditional ceiling light \u2014 it has a very different aesthetic, one that might be too<\/em> different for a lot of people. But if you like the look, you\u2019ll love this light.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
If you have a bigger space to illuminate or are looking for something more unique with brighter light and better dynamic color effects, go for the Nanoleaf Skylight. For every other use case, pick the Aqara T1M.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n[ad_2]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
[ad_1] For too long, color-changing smart lighting has been stuck inside bulbs and light strips, limiting its use to table lamps, the occasional recessed can light, and maybe lighting up the underside of your cabinets. But with these two new smart ceiling lights from Aqara and Nanoleaf, we finally have more choices beyond Philips Hue\u2019s …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33233,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/farratanews.online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33232"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/farratanews.online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/farratanews.online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/farratanews.online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/farratanews.online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33232"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/farratanews.online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33232\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/farratanews.online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/farratanews.online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/farratanews.online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/farratanews.online\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}