Today, the long-awaited Philips Hue Gradient Ambiance Lightstrip has finally begun shipping after being reported on earlier this summer. Complete with addressable multicolor lighting and all of the usual smart home integrations, all of the details on the new release have been unveiled after going up for purchase – Head below for all of the details.
Philips Hue Gradient Lightstrip launches with addressable RGB lighting
After being leaked earlier this year, today the most recent addition to the Philips Hue lineup hit virtual store shelves. Entering as its latest iteration of lightstrip, the new Gradient Ambiance version arrives with all of the hallmarks of the Hue ecosystem with some new multicolor illumination features. Back in July, there weren’t too many details on what we could actually expect from the Philips Hue Gradient Lightstrip, though now that it has finally launched we can break down what you’re getting with the more premium offering.
For starters, all of the usual features you’d expect from a recent entry into the Philips Hue lineup are making a cut. There’s your choice of Bluetooth or Zigbee connectivity, with both Alexa and Google Assistant ready to go out of the box. Opting for integration with the larger Hue ecosystem then brings Siri into the picture alongside other scheduling and automation features.
That’s about where the similarities to the existing Philips Hue Lightstrip end, as the Gradient Ambiance version brings in a refreshed design and some new features to boot. The most notable of the improvements is what gives the accessory its name, with addressable multicolor lighting making a debut. This will allow you to add a splash of ambient lighting to shelves, behind a monitor, under cabinets, and many other locations with the unique twist of setting multiple colors at a time.
On that aforementioned form-factor change, there’s now a slightly thicker build to accommodate those newfound addressable lighting features compared to the standard Hue lightstrip. It’s a huge adjustment from the competitively massive TV Sync counterpart meant to live in your home theater, and has a more flexible design that can be cut to fit into specific spaces.
Now available for purchase
As the latest Philips Hue accessory to debut, the new Gradient Lightstrip is now available for purchase. You’ll find it direct from Philips Hue’s own online storefront with a $149.99 starting price tag for the 80-inch model. There’s also a 40-inch extension add-on which sells for $59.99.
Electronicsforward’ Take:
The Philips Hue Gradient Lightstrip has been a long time coming since we saw the debut of the more TV-friendly versions last year. Given how popular those models were, I’m sure many smart-home owners in the ecosystem will be thrilled to be able to bring that same addressable RGB lighting to other areas of their homes.
I for one am certainly in that camp, as the higher-end price of the home theater-focused offerings have yet to persuade me from the six Play Bars behind my TV. So I’m excited to finally see what Philips Hue has to offer from the improved Gradient Lightstrips.
Though the $150 price tag is certainly going to be a nonstarter for many, I can definitely see the existing and standard Hue Lightstrip being a go-to given its much more affordable price tag – especially for those who don’t really have a plan on using the more unique multicolor lighting capabilities. But for those who want to bring some added flair into their homes, the new Gradient model looks to be as exciting as you’ll find from Hue.
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