Wyze Light Strip Pro Review: Bang-for-the-Buck Light Shows
Wyze light bar Pro
RRP $ 32.00
advantages
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Cheap price
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No bridge required; connects to WiFi
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Can be cut to any length
disadvantage
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Color saturation could be better
If there is one thing I love about smart lighting spaces, it has to be that they are more affordable than ever. There has been a sudden shift with many more players offering ultra-affordable smart lights that cover the full range. One of them is Wyze, who released its Wyze Bulb Color earlier this year, which I have called the most worthy cheap smart light bulb.
Well, the company hasn't missed a beat with the upcoming release of two new lighting offerings – the Wyze Light Strip and Light Strip Pro. Affordable pricing is the focus here again, starting at $ 27 and $ 32 respectively, but with so much competition in the room, they really need something special to stand out at this point. I will mainly focus on the Wyze Light Strip Pro for this test, as it can deliver up to 16 colors per strip – while the standard Wyze Light Strip can only produce one color at a time.
Installation and setup
Setting up the Wyze LED light strips was pretty straightforward, especially when the underside of the strips is covered with a tacky adhesive that makes it easy to attach to surfaces. In the end, I sketched my headboard and parts of my bed frame. Both the Wyze Light Strip and Light Strip Pro come in 16.4- and 32.8-foot options, but the Wyze Light Strip Pro is epoxy-coated – while the standard Wyze Light Strip is not and is not exposed. While I don't plan on using them outdoors, the Wyze Light Strip Pro seems to hold up better in the long run.
John Velasco / Digital Trends
Depending on the project, you can adjust the length of the Wyze Light Strip Pro to any length you want for that custom fit. There are marks on the strip where to cut to make it easier to trim, but I've never been a fan of cutting strips of light. Before removing the cover for the adhesive, you should check beforehand that the entire strip is maximized.
John Velasco / Digital Trends
For harder surfaces where the adhesive on the underside is not enough to hold the weight of the entire strip, such as However, I would have liked screws for additional hold. That's because, in my experience, the glue on these clips tends to wear off. After all, it connects directly to Wi-Fi so I'm glad there aren't any additional bridges to connect with this setup.
Software and control
To interact with the LED light strips, you need to access the Wyze app – available for Android and iOS. It's largely divided into three main sections: design, scenes, and music. When designing, colors can be manually selected from the color wheel, scenes are preset color options, and music provides decent lighting effects that are controlled by music.
Speaking of lighting effects: A microphone is built into the controller on the light bar, which forms the bridge between the power supply unit and the actual light bars. To get the right response in music mode, I set the controller sensitivity to high – so that the effect matches the music properly. Setting it low doesn't do much good.
In addition to remote access to the intelligent LED light strips via the app, they support Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control. I sometimes find it easier to just speak the command on my smart speaker or display.
power
Between the two, the Wyze Light Strip Pro offers more lighting effects, as it can display up to 16 colors at the same time. If you really want to spice up the decor in your home, go for the Pro for its advanced effects. You get some really nice color combinations painting rooms in rainbow colors, but I crave lights that are a little more saturated in tone. The saturation is decent but doesn't produce the same deep reds and blues that I get from other LED light strips.
I long for lights that are a little more saturated in tone.
Even so, the Wyze Light Strip Pro's brightness output isn't overly shoddy. It's powerful enough to be used for reading when the strip is exposed, as opposed to a discreet installation as an accent light. Even if the light strip with music mode shines in an explosion of colors, I wish that these special light effects could be switched on at any time – without having to play music. Honestly, a preset for these effects would be ideal, but it annoys me why it isn't offered because it's an easy addition.
John Velasco / Digital Trends
Plus, it has the basic features I expect from smart lights – like the option to set sleep routines, timers, and scenes. It goes one step further with the vacation mode, which automatically turns the lights on and off, and Sun Match, which mimics natural sunlight all day long.
Our opinion
Wyze takes everything it's known for in space and delivers a decent set of smart LED light strips that aren't too expensive. Between the two models, I'd recommend the Wyze Light Strip Pro for the simple fact that it offers more color effects. Whichever you choose, they are both affordable for all budgets and a reasonable length for the price.
Is there a better alternative?
One of the most interactive smart LED light strips I've used, the Twinkly Line offers users custom lighting effects and superior color saturation. However, you pay almost double the cost with a shorter length to play around with.
For a simple smart LED light bar, Govees options are easier on the wallet – often in the $ 20 range for 16.4 feet in length.
How long it will take?
Between the two, the epoxy coating over the Wyze Light Strip Pro gives me confidence that it will withstand wear and tear better, as dirt and debris wouldn't interfere with the components. In any case, there is a 1-year guarantee for both LED light strips, which covers defects.
Should you buy it?
You bet. Wyze's intelligent LED light strips may not only excel in one area, but they are inexpensive and offer enough standard features to accentuate any room in the house.
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