Nanoleaf vs Philips Hue: Smart Bulbs Comparison
By Naila Syifa
Updated September 2023
Are you looking for a smart bulb with a wide range of color options and extensive features? Then you should definitely consider the smart bulbs from Nanoleaf and Philips Hue.
Nanoleaf Essentials A19 Smart Light Bulb and Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 Smart Bulb both offer 16M color shades, can be controlled remotely, and can even be synced with other smart devices. However, both smart bulbs are different in some aspects and have their own unique features.
In this article, we will compare the Nanoleaf vs Philips Hue smart bulbs in terms of price, technical specs, connectivity, and features.
Key Takeaways
One notable difference is that Philips Hue supports Zigbee while Nanoleaf supports Matter over Thread for better interoperability. Nanoleaf also consumes less energy, but Philips Hue has a wider color temperature range. Both smart bulbs can be synced with music, movies, and games, but Nanoleaf only supports syncing with desktop while Hue supports phone, desktop, and TV.
Nanoleaf Essentials A19 Smart Light Bulb
Versatile and Future-Proof
✓ 16M colors, dimming, color temperature 2700-6500K
✓ Circadian Lighting, Screen Mirror, schedule, remote access
✓ Bluetooth and Matter over Thread
✓ Works with Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home, SmartThings, and more
Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 Smart Bulb
Premium Price and Features
✓ 16M colors, dimming, color temperature 2000-6500K
✓ Sync with media, schedule, remote access
✓ Bluetooth and Zigbee
✓ Works with Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, Cortana
#1 Price
Nanoleaf Essentials Smart Bulb
When it comes to price, Philips Hue is slightly more expensive than Nanoleaf. Nanoleaf Essentials A19 Smart Light Bulb can be purchased at only $19.99, while Philips Hue A19 Smart Bulb is priced at $25.99. This is a slight difference, but the cost can add up quickly if you plan on buying multiple bulbs for your home.
#2 Technical Specs
Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Smart Bulb
Both Nanoleaf and Philips Hue smart bulbs offer 16 million shades with dimming capability and tunable white (warm to cool white). This wide range of color options allows you to set the perfect mood for any occasion, whether it's a romantic dinner or a party night with friends. Both products are also long-lasting, rated for 25,000 lifetime, and guaranteed by a 3-year warranty.
When it comes to color temperature range, Philips Hue offers a wider range of 2000K to 6500K, while Nanoleaf offers a range of 2700K to 6500K. However, Nanoleaf consumes less energy than Philips Hue, with only 8.5W of wattage compared to Philips Hue's 9.5W. Nanoleaf also provides support for an unlimited number of smart lights (when used with Matter over Thread), while Hue only supports control for a maximum number of 10-50 smart lights depending on whether you use a Hue Bridge or not.
#3 Connectivity
Nanoleaf Essentials Smart Bulb
Both Nanoleaf and Philips Hue smart bulbs can be controlled in their respective apps via Bluetooth. Bluetooth connectivity allows for easy setup without any smart hub/bridge required, but it has a limited range and provides a limited feature.
To allow remote control outside home, compatibility with various smart home ecosystems, and access to more features, both Nanoleaf and Philips Hue have a second connectivity protocol you can leverage: Zigbee for Philips Hue and Matter over Thread for Nanoleaf.
For Philips Hue, Zigbee connectivity is achievable by using a Philips Hue Bridge. This will add additional cost to your total expense, but it will allow you to connect up to 50 Hue smart lights and access more sophisticated features.
For Nanoleaf, Matter over Thread connectivity is possible by having a Matter-compatible Thread border router. To view a list of smart home hubs that can function as a Matter-compatible Thread border router, read the full review of Nanoleaf Essentials A19 Smart Bulb.
Support for Matter over Thread makes Nanoleaf Essentials A19 Smart Bulb has better connectivity than Philips Hue. This is because Matter allows integration into all major smart home ecosystems, while Thread provides improve reliability, faster speeds, increased range, and lower power consumption.
#4 Features
Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Smart Bulb
Some common features that the Nanoleaf Essentials and Philips Hue smart bulbs share include: color options, brightness control, color temperature, schedules, away-from-home control, and scenes. These features allow you to customize your lighting experience and create the perfect ambiance for any occasion.
Philips Hue offers an additional feature that allows you to sync your smart lights with music, movies, and video games, so your smart lights will respond and reflect the content you watch or listen to. This feature is available through Hue Sync App which is available on phone, desktop, and TV, through Philips Hue and Spotify integration, and also by connecting your TV to Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box available for separate purchase.
Nanoleaf Essentials A19 Smart Bulb offers a similar feature called the Screen Mirror, which allows your smart bulbs to reflect the colors of your movies, games, or music to create an immersive experience. However, unlike the Philips Hue which allows you to sync your smart bulbs with multiple devices (TV, desktop, and phone), Nanoleaf can only support syncing with your desktop via the Nanoleaf Desktop app.
Additionally, when it comes to voice control features, Philips Hue offers a better bargain. With Philips Hue A19 Smart Bulb, voice control via Alexa and Google Assistant is possible without a smart hub. The Hue Bridge will only add more voice control options by Siri and Microsoft Cortana. On the other hand, for Nanoleaf Essentials A19 Smart Bulb, voice control is not at all possible without a hub that supports Matter over Thread.
Nanoleaf Essentials Smart Bulb vs Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Smart Bulb
Final Thoughts
Nanoleaf Essentials Smart Bulb
Both Nanoleaf and Philips Hue offer high-quality smart bulbs that are reliable and easy to use. At a slightly expensive price, Philips Hue smart bulb offers premium features and a wider color temperature range. Nanoleaf is more affordable and its support for Matter over Thread makes it a versatile and future-proof smart bulb worth considering.
If you like to read more about Smart Lighting, check out our other relevant guides here:
The Best Smart Lights 2023
Nanoleaf Matter Bulb Review
Philips Hue Smart Bulb Review
TP-Link Kasa vs Philips Hue: Smart Bulbs Comparison
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