Philips Hue Surimu Rectangle Panel Evaluation – An ideal various to costly sensible GU10 downlights  

Philips Hue just lately prolonged its vary of panel lights with new variations of the Aurelle and Surimu.

These are among the brightest lights Philips Hue gives, and they’re good for dwelling areas, hallways and bedrooms.

I used to be despatched the oblong Surimu panel to evaluation, which is 120cm lengthy and 30cm large and might output 4,150 lumens, which is greater than sufficient brightness for medium to giant rooms.

As a result of brightness, I believe these panels find yourself being an reasonably priced resolution so far as Philips Hue goes.  

Different Philips Hue Opinions:

Philips Hue Surimu vs Aurelle

Philips Hue Surimu and Aurelle are comparable product ranges. The principle distinction is that the Aurelle vary is white atmosphere, and the Surimu is white and color atmosphere.

The brand new Aurelle merchandise that had been launched just lately are the identical as the prevailing product vary however with a black casing vs white. The Surimu is at the moment solely accessible with white casings.

Trying on the like-for-like merchandise, the Surimu is a bit brighter at 4,150 lm vs 3,750 lm, nevertheless it seems just like the Surimu makes use of extra energy at 60W vs 39W, although the precise energy will range relying on the brightness and color used.

In fact, there’s a vital worth distinction. The oblong Surimu I’ve reviewed is £295 compared to £220 for the equal Aurelle.

Obtainable Choices

There are 4 accessible shapes with the Surimu white and color atmosphere vary.

• Surimu Small Sq. Panel
  • Lumen output at 4000K – 1,760 lm
  • Dimensions (H x L X W) – 4.6 cm x 30cm x 30xm
• Surimu Spherical Panel
  • Lumen output at 4000K – 2,850 lm
  • Dimensions (H x L X W) – 4.7cm x 39.5xm x 39.5cm
• Surimu Sq. Panel
  • Lumen output at 4000K – 4,150 lm
  • Dimensions (H x L X W) – 4.8cm x 60xm x 60cm
• Surimu Rectangle Panel
  • Lumen output at 4000K – 4,150 lm
  • Dimensions (H x L X W) – 4.8cm x 120cm x 30cm

Specification

• Gentle Specs:
  • Lumens at 4000K: 4150 lumens
  • Lumen output at 2700K: 3,350 lm
  • Gentle supply equal: 100 W
  • Gentle Color:  2000-6500 Hue White Color Ambiance
• On the spot wi-fi dimming
• Bluetooth and Hue Bridge suitable
• White and color gentle
• Dimensions: 4.8cm excessive x 120cm lengthy x 30cm large
• Weight: 5.7kg
• Guarantee:
  • 5 yr guarantee on the LED module

I believe the 5-year guarantee for the LED modules is necessary, because the bulbs inside this panel can’t get replaced. So that you don’t wish to be on the hook for one more £300 if one thing fails after a few years.

Design / Set up

The sunshine itself seems a bit boring once you unbox it; it’s only a massive white panel gentle, in any case. It has a floating design which I believe is extra to simplify the set up than for aesthetics, and also you solely actually discover it when trying on the gentle from a far angle.

I didn’t personally set up this gentle. It was a bit massive and costly to danger my incompetent DIY abilities on. Fortunately, the evaluation pattern arrived after I had an electrician rewiring my upstairs lights, and he kindly put in this for me in addition to a Philips Hue wall change module in my workplace.

I did take a look at the set up information, and it’s fairly easy. Other than being bodily giant, it’s no harder than another ceiling gentle.

You first want to put in the bracket to which the panel is hooked up to. The panel has a built-in cable and carabiner to connect and hold the sunshine on the bracket as you wire it up, avoiding any disastrous drops.

It has been thoughtfully positioned so the sunshine hangs down a bit like a hatch. As soon as you’re achieved wiring it up, you elevate up the panel and slot it into place.

I seen one evaluation on Amazon stating:

I used to be in a position to do it myself. Actually, one man job, took perhaps twenty minutes (together with eradicating the previous becoming). And I’ve actually no DIY expertise, to be trustworthy, aside from constructing a couple of units of Ikea drawers.

All of it seemed sensible for the three minutes it was up earlier than it got here plummeting out of the roof and smashing on the ground. The pack doesn’t embrace any screws or no matter. You’re simply anticipated to know which of them to make use of. Seems I used the fallacious ones.

Which appears like what I’d have achieved if I had tried to put in it myself. The sunshine weighs 5.7kg, so you’ll want to be sure to have the proper anchors and screws to maintain it in place.

Philips Hue App & Bridge

I had initially deliberate to cowl the Philips Hue Bridge and its performance inside this evaluation. Nevertheless, it grew to become fairly lengthy, and I felt that it deserved its personal devoted evaluation, which I’ve printed right here.

All of the Hue indoor lights might be managed both through Bluetooth or utilizing Zigbee and the Hue Bridge. With Bluetooth, you’ve fundamental performance permitting you to manage ten lights which can be inside your Bluetooth vary. You’ll be able to’t combine these with any sensors or switches as all of them require the Bridge for management.

Bluetooth is an efficient method to get a style of the Philips Hue ecosystem, however in my view, it’s pointless spending the premium worth on Hue units after which not spending £50 on the Bridge to unlock their full potential.

Automation

All sensible residence ecosystems permit you to arrange automation. That is the primary promoting level of sensible residence techniques and why I believe the Bridge is a necessity.

For Hue, you’ve all of the choices you want.

For my residence, I’ve my workplace lights switched on routinely within the morning and switched off within the night. It’s a easy schedule as a result of I do the identical factor daily. I’ve additionally just lately put in the wall change module, which permits me to show every little thing off utilizing my previous dumb change after I go away the workplace within the night.

The Surimu panel is positioned in my upstairs hallway. We reside in a nook home with an odd design, so there aren’t any exterior home windows within the hallway. We as a substitute have a glass dome that lets restricted gentle by way of. Subsequently, the hallway is completely dim and wishes the sunshine on more often than not.

This can be a good situation for the Philips Hue movement sensors.

I at the moment have it arrange in order that through the daytime, the sunshine comes on with the Energise scene, which gives an ultra-bright gentle, and it’ll then change off after three minutes of no movement.

At evening, to keep away from blinding myself if I am going to the bathroom, I’ve the sunshine change on to nighttime gentle. This gives a minimal quantity of sunshine. It’s sufficient to permit me to see the place I’m going and avoids waking me up an excessive amount of. This can then shut off after one minute.

Later within the yr, Hue will probably be updating the app to assist extra time slots. So, I’ll probably use the Energise scene for morning and day time, then a hotter and fewer vibrant gentle for the night and evening gentle throughout our sleeping hours.

Efficiency

Previous to putting in the Surimu, I had an industrial-styled pendant with one of many Hue Edison classic LED bulbs. I believe I purchased it earlier than they supplied the warm-to-cool white bulb, so it was simply comfortable heat white that offered simply 550 lm of illumination. It offered ample gentle for visibility, nevertheless it inevitably meant the hallway was at all times a bit darkish.

With the Surimu put in, it’s like evening and day, so to talk. With the Energise scene and full brightness, it’s like stepping outdoors into vibrant gentle. The complete hallway is well-illuminated with a constant unfold of sunshine.

Sadly, my hallways are the final a part of our residence that wants adorning, so the ultra-bright gentle highlights the terrible 20+ yr previous décor, nevertheless it has made me extra keen about lastly adorning.

Value and Different Choices

The Philips Hue Surimu Rectangle Panel and the big sq. panel each have an RRP of £295.

On the time of writing, Amazon has the sq. panel at a slight low cost right down to round £255.

That’s some huge cash for a ceiling gentle, however Philips Hue can command premium costs. I really suppose it represents good worth for cash compared to various Hue merchandise.

In case you are pleased with white atmosphere quite than color, then the Philips Hue Aurelle panels will prevent fairly a bit. The oblong Aurelle is £220.

For Hue, the primary various could be to go for GU10 spotlights. The Philips Hue G10 White and Color Ambiance is £50 per bulb and solely generates 350 lumens. I’d want 12 of these to match the 4150 lumens of this panel!

WiZ just lately launched the terribly named Panel Ceiling 36 W Rectangular, which is sort of the identical dimensions, however the lumen output is 3400 lm and is out there for round £120.

The Velora 595x295mm 15.5W 1600lm Zigbee white LED panel is £190.

The Ledvance SMART Zigbee panel is £185 and 2800 lm.

There’s additionally the Müller Licht tint Aris LED panel with the identical dimensions and lumens because the Wiz however it’s £190.

Total

The Philips Hue Surimu is undeniably an costly panel gentle, as are all Philips Hue merchandise. Nevertheless, so far as Hue goes, I believe that is wonderful worth for cash.

If I had put in GU10 bulbs, it might probably value as much as £600 for the equal lumen output (my maths could also be fallacious).

You then additionally need to consider that the Hue hub is just designed to assist 50 bulbs, so if you happen to use GU10 bulbs, it is rather simple to exceed this restrict. With the Surimu, it’s considered as one bulb. 

Taking a look at competing manufacturers, the Hue panel is just about £100 greater than many different choices, but a lot brighter.

It is just the Wiz panel that stands out as various, which is a sub-brand of Signify, the corporate that owns Philips Hue.

Previous to getting the Surimu, I’d by no means have dreamed of utilizing a panel gentle in my home, I at all times felt they offer off workplace suspended ceiling vibes, however now it has been fitted, I adore it. A lot so I’m contemplating changing all my different hallway and bed room ceiling lights with comparable Hue merchandise, and I want I had used these in my kitchen extension quite than the handfuls of GU10 spotlights.

Final replace on 2023-08-05 / Affiliate hyperlinks / Photos from Amazon Product Promoting API