Koogeek Light Strip vs Philips Hue Light Strip: Which should you buy?
- nov
- 04
Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus
Bright and vivid
Pros
- High level of brightness
- Can be extended
- Vast ecosystem
- Fast response
- Reliable Zigbee connection
Cons
- Expensive
- Requires additional hub
- Not water resistant
The Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus is the gold standard for light strips thanks to its high brightness output and rich vivid colors. The Hue light strip also benefits from a vast ecosystem that expands its functionality beyond the major smart home platforms. However, these features come with much higher price, and it gets even higher since it requires a separate hub.
Koogeek LS1 Strip Light
Cost effective
Pros
- Low price
- Does not require a hub
- USB power source
- Works with Alexa, HomeKit, Google Assistant right out of the box
Cons
- Not very bright
- Cannot be extended
- Supports 2.4ghz Wi-Fi only
The Koogeek LS1 Strip Light is a cost effective way to jump into the world of smart light strips. This light strip works with Alexa, HomeKit, and Google Assistant right out of the box, without the need for an additional hub. Koogeek's light strip isn't the brightest around, but it is a solid option if you just want the basics.
If you are looking for an affordable, easy to set up light strip for general accent lighting, then the Koogeek LS1 Strip Light is the one for you. However, if you want the absolute best levels of brightness and color reproduction, then the Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus is your best bet. The Philips Hue light strip also works with a greater variety of services, and even syncs up to your movies or shows if you have the right hardware.
Break it down now...
When looking at light strips there are several important features to consider, including ones that you cannot see. Both the Koogeek LS1 and Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus provide the same overall functions, but the extra cost associated with the Hue light strip means you will see better performance, reliability, color reproduction, and deeper integrations.
| Koogeek LS1 Strip Light | Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 6.5 Feet | 6.6 Feet |
| Colors | 16 Million | 16 Million |
| Brightness | 500 Lumens | 1,600 Lumens |
| Wattage | 10w | 20w |
| Life Expectancy | 22.8 years | 22 years |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years |
| Extendable | No | Yes, up to 33 feet |
| Weather Resistance | IP65 | IP20 |
| Alexa Support | Yes | Yes, with hub |
| HomeKit Support | Yes | Yes, with hub |
| Google Assistant Support | Yes | Yes, with hub |
When it comes to picking a winner, the overall choice is clear. The Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus is simply better at some of the most important aspects. Peak brightness levels on the Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus are well beyond the Koogeek LS1's capabilities, making it able to light up rooms around your home. The Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus is not just brighter than Koogeek's LS1, it's over three times brighter, with a whopping 1,600 lumens of power. This means that it is capable of lighting up the darkest of rooms, allowing it to work as a true light source, whereas its competition is best suited as accent lighting.
Colors are richer and more distinct, giving you more options to choose from, which translates to the Hue light strip working better as decorative displays or as a compliment to media. Even though each light strip supports up to 16 million different colors and whites, the Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus has more accurate colors, especially for those within the green spectrum, which are notoriously hard to produce. More accurate color not only looks better and more distinct, it also extends to entertainment purposes, such as using the media sync features that provide a more immersive video viewing experience.
Philips Hue also has a vast ecosystem that extends beyond support for Alexa, HomeKit, and Google Assistant. This means that it can integrate with services such as IFTTT, creating the potential of full blown automations that can flash your light strip to a certain color if it is going to rain, or re-create a beautiful sunset when dusk starts in your area.
That is not to say that the Koogeek LS1 Strip Light is a bad option, especially considering its low price. Koogeek's light strip still produces up to 16 million colors, which can certainly fit the bill for most use cases. The LS1 also has the benefit of not requiring a separate hub for its smart home connections, and it even includes IP65 weather resistance, allowing it to withstand rain and dust, something that the more expensive Hue light strip cannot do.
Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus
Bright and vivid
High brightness, rich colors
The Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus is one of the best light strips around thanks to its ability to light up any room with bright, clean whites and vivid colors. Just keep in mind that it requires an additional hub which adds to its expensive price tag.
Koogeek LS1 Strip Light
Cost effective
Affordable color
The Koogeek LS1 is an affordable option that offers 16 million colors, weather resistance, and support for all of the major voice assistants. However, its low brightness means it works best as accent lighting, and not as the star of the show.