Philips Hue Beyond Suspension Review
4th
Ultra-modern design and innovative technology collide to create the Philips Hue Beyond Suspension lamp. With two independent light sources and home automation capabilities, the simplistic design of this LED powered lamp is deceiving and unfortunately, so is the quality.
Editor's choice
THE GOOD / Philips Hue Beyond Suspension lamp is compatible with both iOS and Android operating systems as well as home automation technologies including Apple HomeKit and Zigbee. The lamp is capable of producing numerous lighting combinations while offering a basic design that is ideal for modern themes.
THE BAD / The price of the lamp alone is staggering for the unimpressive quality, yet additional costs must be incurred by purchasing a starter kit or a bridge to complete the complex set-up. Likewise, the Hue Beyond Suspension lamp can only be controlled through an app as there are no physical buttons.
THE BOTTOM LINE / Although the pricey Philips Hue Beyond Suspension lamp provides all of the lighting options one could desire and functions as expected with home automation connectivity, the aesthetic design and overall quality of the light fixture itself has suffered to incorporate these features. While fully automated homes are undoubtedly the future, the Philips Hue Beyond Suspension lamp seems more comparable to a multi-colored novelty disco ball lamp than to a tech-savvy, futuristic lighting fixture.
3.3
Review
Aesthetic
The overall aesthetic design of the Philips Hue Beyond Suspension lamp is modern yet uninspired. Entirely white in color with frosted white glass, it is easily disguised in a room filled with minimalist decor. The sleek lines coexist naturally with modern furniture and design yet when powered off, the Hue Beyond Suspension lamp does not command attention as suspension style lamps often do.
In rooms with Art Deco, country or traditional design styles, the Hue Beyond Pendant lamp will stick out for all of the wrong reasons. Its lackluster appearance certainly is not indicative of high quality materials despite being an exceptionally expensive lamp. The frosted glass shades are reminiscent of cheap plastic lamp shades while the string connecting the shades to the base is comparable to basic fishing line.
Setup & Packaging
Assembling the Hue Beyond Suspension lamp is fairly straightforward if you consult the instructional manual included. As with all pendant style lamps, you will have to affix it to studs in the ceiling to safely secure it in place. Unfortunately, the hardware to do so is not included so additional tools and screws are needed.
To operate the Hue Beyond Suspension lamp, further set-up is necessary. If you did not opt to purchase the white and color starter kit (which generally contains 3 replacement bulbs and a Hue Bridge) or a Hue Bridge alone for an additional cost, you will be unable to complete set-up until you do so. This is because the lamp does not have wireless connectivity without the bridge.
After setting up the Hue Bridge, the time consuming set-up is completed by installing the Philips Hue app. The app will then search for the lamp and connect after it is detected by the app.
Technology
With a 1200 lumen output (or 80 Watt LED), one Hue Beyond Suspension lamp certainly cannot replace all existing light fixtures in large rooms. To fully illuminate a dining room or kitchen, two or three lamps would be necessary. Despite its limitations, the lamp operates using two separate light sources. This allows for around 16 million combinations to ensure perfect lighting for every mood or activity.
In this price range, the Hue Beyond Suspension lamp is worthy of consideration namely for its home automation capabilities. Compatible with Apple HomeKit and Zigbee as well as both iOS and Android operating systems, numerous smartphones and other devices are able to download the app needed to control the light fixture. This is an important feature as the lamp is controlled entirely though the Philips Hue app, though third party apps such as Hue Disco are also available.
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