LIFX White 800 Smart Bulb Review
by Ganesh T S on June 12, 2015 9:55 AM EST- Posted in
- Home Automation
- Wi-Fi
- Qualcomm Atheros
- LIFX
Miscellaneous Aspects and Concluding Remarks
Prior to proceeding to the business end of the review, we look at a couple of different aspects that affect the end-user experience - power consumption and thermals. We recorded power consumption and power factor values using the Ubiquiti Networks mPower Pro power strip at various brightness levels. The good news is that the White 800 consumes very little power (~ 700 mW) in the standby mode after recent firmware updates. It was close to 2W at launch, but it is too low to measure reliably on the AC side now. (Update: We shifted the power measurement duties to the Visible Energy UFO Power Center. It can measure sub-1 W numbers more reliably compared to the Ubiquiti Networks mPower devices. The table below has been updated for the standby setting.)
| LIFX White 800 Power Consumption | ||
| Brightness Level | Avg. Power (W) | Power Factor |
| 0% [ Off / Accessible via App ] | 0.69 W | |
| 25% | 1.32 W | 0.50 |
| 50% | 3.08 W | 0.49 |
| 75% | 5.88 W | 0.67 |
| 100% | 10.71 W | 0.89 |
There was no measurable variation in the power numbers when the color temperature was tuned (for a particular brightness level).
In order to evaluate the thermal performance, we kept the light on at the maximum brightness level for a hour and recorded a thermal image (using the Seek Thermal smartphone add-on). As recommended for any 'high-power' LED fixture, it would be good to not install the unit in a tight space with inadequate airflow. (Update: It has been brought to my notice that the LIFX bulbs have been "UL box" tested (that's a standard ~6" wooden cube, open on one end - simulating an air starved ceiling fitting), and should meet their stated lifetimes in an open air fitting. Everything in the bulb is rated for 105 C operation)
The following table summarizes the various home automation aspects / consumer checklist for the LIFX White 800 and how it compares with the other systems that we have evaluated before.
| Home Automation Device Aspects - Summary Table | ||
| Aspect | ||
| Evaluated Devices | LIFX White 800 | mPower mPower Pro InWall Outlet InWall Dimmer Switch |
| Communication Technology | Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz) | Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz) |
| Platform | Qualcomm Atheros QCA 4002 1x1 802.11n Wi-Fi SoC Freescale Kinetis MK22FN512 MCU |
Qualcomm Atheros AR9331 1x1 802.11n Wi-Fi SoC Host CPU: MIPS 24Kc, DRAM: 32MB |
| Power Source | AC Powered | AC Powered |
| Hub / Bridge Requirement | No | No |
| Control Center | Local Device (basic access, rules and scenes) Cloud (for control over the Internet) |
Local Device (basic access, rules and scenes) Local Server (comprehensive access, rules and scenes) |
| User Control Interface | Mobile Apps | Web Browser Mobile Apps (basic control) |
| Open APIs | Yes (Protocol Documentation) HTTP (Cloud-only) |
Yes (uPnP, HTTP, SSH) |
| Third-party / Hub Compatibility | AllSeen / works with nest /IFTTT | None advertised |
| Cloud Reliance | Optional (only for access from an external network) | None |
| Security Notes | Username / Password authentication at app level | Username / Password Authentication LAN Access Only |
| User Support / Discussion Forums | LIFX Support | Ubiquiti Networks Community - mFi Forums |
| Street Price | USD 40 | USD 60 (mPower) USD 95 (mPower Pro) USD 59 (InWall Outlet) USD 59 (InWall Switch / Dimmer) |
With respect to the open APIs, we would like the LIFX bulbs to present a simpler interface for power users. HTTP APIs and a web server (that could also act as an interface on PCs) similar to that of the UFO Power Center or the Ubiquiti Networks mFi devices would be great. In terms of hardware, we observed audible buzzing with any brightness setting under 100%. This might not be a problem for ceiling fixtures, but is definitely a factor when the bulb is within earshot for those sensitive to such noise. Unfortunately, this is a problem with most dimmable LED fixtures.
Other than the above two aspects, the LIFX White 800 is a reasonably-priced smart lighting fixture. The tunable color temperature differentiates it from the host of multi-colored smart LED bulbs in the market. The low-power Qualcomm Atheros QCA4002 platform is also instrumental in driving down the power consumption and price for widespread adoption.
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pixelstuff - Friday, June 12, 2015 - link
By your comment it sounds like you think "observe" means to visually see something, but the dictionary definition of observe is simply to "notice or perceive (something) and register it as being significant."Zak - Friday, June 12, 2015 - link
The Internet of Things (IoT) revolution? What revolution? It's a solution that needs a problem first, far from a revolution.zepi - Friday, June 12, 2015 - link
The kind of revolution that a lot of people don't really notice it before they are napping on the sofa and telling stories to their grand children.And even then they only notice it from the way the their kid's eyes lighting up from excitement and disbelief when you tell that back then you had to drive your own car, switch on the lights from a physical switch and get groceries yourself. And that no, your fridge & cupboard really didn't used to get filled automatically with your favourite breakfast cereals & milk by little flying drones...
And that your clothes didn't measure your blood pressure and people actually didn't get always get instantly help for heart attack or stroke, because their clothes didn't measure their health level and weren't connected.
etc.
Thing that seem unnecessary and not really revolutionary now, but that you'll be missing once you are used to them.
Ratman6161 - Friday, June 12, 2015 - link
Also explain to them how we didn't have to worry about the security of our light bulbs or software updates for them :)Impulses - Saturday, June 13, 2015 - link
You never had to worry about the security of your POTS or updates for it either, but I don't see anyone ditching their smartphone over the occasional glitch or risk...marvdmartian - Monday, June 15, 2015 - link
The trick, of course, would be getting used to them. That would require actually wanting and using the items.At $60 for a lightbulb, I'm pretty sure that will not ever be the case, at least so far as I'm concerned. I have no need to "use the cloud" to control lights in my house. If I'm home, I can turn them on an off myself. If I'm away, I can utilize motion detectors or timers (both infinitely cheaper than a $60 lightbulb) to do so.
It's also doubtful my interest will be piqued, once the price comes down on these devices. As Zak said, it's a solution in need of a problem.
cjs150 - Friday, June 12, 2015 - link
" it would be good to not install the unit in a tight space with inadequate airflow."Such as, for example, as a downlighter in a ceiling?
The truth is that these are still very niche applications, several years away from mainstream domestic use. Most domestic use has not even moved to LED bulbs never mind IoT connected LED bulbs.
The concept is good, but there is a lot of work needed before ready for mainstream domestic use even for new builds
melgross - Saturday, June 13, 2015 - link
That's not true. I have 11 cans in my kitchen. I'm replacing the compact fluorescents as they go. 6 more and counting. I've also replaced a number of others around the house. My dining room has a 5 light chandelier, at first, I had 5 40 watt incandescent bulbs in there for a total of 200 watts. Then for a short time, about a year and a half, I used compacts, at 10 watts each for 50 watts total. But they didn't last anywhere as long as their ratings, so I let them die. Now, I've got LEDs. They consume 5.5 watts each, for a total of 27.5 watts. They put out a measured lumens that equal the old incandescents. But these last 27.5 thousand hours. I've had them for over a year and a half now, and they're great.I also have LEDs in a number of lamp fixtures.
The prices have plummeted over the last two years as Cree released cheap, but very good bulbs. Everyone else has had to drop their prices accordingly. I would never buy anything else now. And the efficiency keeps going up. The average good quality LED now has a higher lumen/watt ratio than the best compacts.
jabber - Friday, June 12, 2015 - link
Filed under - More expensive cr*p I'll never need.Make your home an even bigger liability.
der - Friday, June 12, 2015 - link
Smart bulbin