Philips Hue Iris Review: Hypnotic Accent Lighting
"The Philips Hue Iris is rich, vibrant and bright, and an intriguing accent light."
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Rich and vivid colors
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Very bright light output
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Bluetooth connection option
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Unique looking design
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It is expensive
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Colors cannot be traversed alone
When the original Philips Hue Iris hit the market in 2014, smart lighting was still in its infancy and was a relatively new concept for many consumers. Fast forward to the present, and the company is bringing us an updated version of its popular table lamp with Bluetooth connectivity, richer colors, and increased brightness – all for $ 100. I've never had the opportunity to use the original, but I do appreciate the new version of the Philips Hue Iris to add a bit of color to my life.
A different looking table lamp
The Philips Hue Iris has a radiant design with a transparent plastic base and a cord wrapped in fabric. Honestly, I find it hard to classify it as a table lamp as it is unlike any other table lamp I've used. It's not intended as a reading lamp, nor is it designed like a traditional table lamp for a side table in my living room – it would look out of place if I placed it there.
John Velasco / Digital Trends
On the other hand, the orblike design is certainly what makes this table lamp unique. At first I struggled to accept its peculiar design style, but that slowly washed away once it came to life.
Hypnotic glow
The lamp is a glowing magic ball that works best on bookshelves, desks, or corner tables. It's meant to act more as an accent light than anything and help add a bit of color to a room. When it's on, the glow from the transparent base is hypnotic and I like that the light coming from it is softened by the diffusion panel that covers its top. This diffusion helps create soft, even lighting that is not too harsh and does not cast too many shadows.
The glow of the transparent base is hypnotic.
If there is any anger I have about smart light solutions, it must be that some of them are just weak, weak and not sufficiently saturated. Fortunately, this is not a problem with the Philips Hue Iris, which can reach up to 570 lumens when using white light. That's enough to read books with no effort.
John Velasco / Digital Trends
The level of saturation that the Philips Hue Iris can achieve is even better. Compared to other smart LED light bulbs I use, the iris can produce deep, rich colors. Blue, green, and red all have sufficient saturation and brightness to grab my attention. Personally, I prefer to put the iris on a counter facing a corner, as the upward direction of light combined with diffusion results in wider coverage. One feature that I like more and more on other lamps is the option to automatically scroll through different colors. Unfortunately, this is not an option here as you can only set one color at a time.
Works without a Philips Hue bridge
Since I've been using the Philips Hue system in my home for a long time, I got the Iris to connect to my Hue bridge for remote access when I'm not at home. However, it should be noted that you do not need a Philips Hue bridge to use the Iris. This is because this updated version has a bluetooth connection for direct access through the Philips Hue app. This is a useful option if you have not already decided on the Philips Hue ecosystem.
John Velasco / Digital Trends
Connecting the iris to the bridge simply means more controls – like color combinations with other Philips Hue lights and automations. I can use the app to set it to turn on automatically at sunset and turn off at 1 a.m. every night. You can also achieve more complex automations, e.g. For example, it switches on when the door sensor on your front door is triggered – or when you tell the Google Assistant that you are at home. With advanced automation, you can get the most out of the iris.
Our opinion
The Philip Hue Iris complements every room in the house with its hypnotic glow. You have to pay more than $ 100 to pick it up. This isn't cheap, but the cost is worth it when you consider how good it is to use different colors of the rainbow to accentuate rooms and your mood.
How long it will take?
The plastic construction makes it feel on the hollow side. So make sure that the power cord is not in the way of pedestrian traffic. If you are concerned about the LED bulb inside, just know that it is rated to last 25,000 hours. There is also a 2 year limited warranty that covers the iris against defects in material and workmanship.
Is there a better alternative?
When it comes to brightness and saturation, you won't find anything else that matches its performance. However, there are other smart table lamps like that too Xiaomi bedside lampthat's half the cost. It's certainly not as saturated or bright, but it can still act as a complementary accent light.
Should you buy it?
This is an ideal solution if you want to expand the smart lighting in your home beyond traditional smart LED light bulbs. You will fall in love with the hypnotic glow of the iris and how brilliantly it throws accent lights on walls and ceilings.
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