TP-Hyperlink Tapo L930-5 RGBIC Gentle Strip Overview vs L920-5 vs L900-5

Sharing is caring!

The Tapo L930-5 was launched in the course of 2022, and it’s the first product to launch from them that may be built-in with Apple HomeKit.

Tapo L930-5 vs L920-5 vs L900-5

I’ve beforehand reviewed the reasonably priced Tapo L900-5, which makes use of an RGB chip that solely permits a single color for use on the strip directly. The L930-5, makes use of RGBIC and permits lights to be individually addressed, offering a full-colour atmosphere expertise.

The L930-5 is a step up from the L920-5, with each of them permitting 50 separate color zones. The Tapo L930-5 then provides additional white lights, which permits it to behave as a common gentle. Then in fact, that is the primary product with Apple HomeKit help permitting you to regulate your gentle strip with Siri utilizing Apple HomeKit.

Specification / Options

• Zonal Coloration Management – take advantage of 50-section addressable color zones, to swimsuit each temper or situation setting.
• Additional White LEDs – acts as common lights, strengthening the practicability of the colorful Wi-Fi gentle strip.
• Fancy Lighting Results – amuse your self with well-designed animated lighting results, obtainable on Tapo App.
• Music Sync – provides extra vibe by emitting dynamic lights, parallel with the encompassing music beat.
• Apple HomeKit Supported – management your gentle strip with Siri utilizing Apple HomeKit.
• Voice Management– appropriate together with your good voice assistants, together with Alexa and Google Assistant.
• Floor Coating-stays sturdy, tidy, and full, due to the high-quality PU coating on its floor.
• Wi-Fi Connection – with a secure connection to your 2.4Ghz networks, it really works nicely with out hub necessities.
• Simple Set-up – connect the Gentle Strip with 3M Adhesive on desired spots, join it to Wi-Fi and configure it by way of app.
• Energy Consumption: 13W
• White Gentle for Illumination

Set-Up

Like all Tapo merchandise, there isn’t any hub required for this gentle strip, it makes use of 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, and the set-up is similar for all of the Tapo merchandise. I had to connect with the open Wi-Fi community that was broadcast by the Tapo L930-5, present my Wi-Fi credentials, look forward to it to sync then replace. All customary stuff for a wise dwelling product.

In-use and app options

This can be a regular model gentle strip, moderately than the subtle/gradient types from Philips Hue and Twinkly. Subsequently you may trim the sunshine strip all the way down to the size you require.

The Tapo app is purposeful and straightforward to make use of, I’m simply not overly eager on the UI design, it seems a bit low-cost and infantile in comparison with the Kasa app. Functionally, there may be little distinction, and there may be nonetheless no interoperability between merchandise, regardless that it is the identical firm producing them.

Inside the app, you may set it to a strong color or choose one of many predefined results. There are solely 17 predefined choices, and it does not appear as if you may obtain new ones (like Twinkly). With the color choice, it’s not so good as Hue, the place you may choose nearly limitless colors.

This has some distinctive options that you just will not see on the Hue equal. There are alternatives for customized color portray and creating new lighting results. It’s a great distance off the color portray you are able to do with Twinkly, however it’s a enjoyable characteristic to have.

Much like Hue and different merchandise, you may sync the lights to the music that’s performed out of your telephone, which might present a pleasing impact in social conditions.

I’m impressed at how shiny this gentle strip can go. They do not make any claims for the RGB colors however state 1,000 Lumens. I would not depend on it as the primary gentle for a room, but it surely works nicely when used as the primary gentle for temper lighting when I’ve family and friends round.  

I do not use Apple merchandise myself, so I have not examined it will Apple HomeKit.

Value and Various Choices

The Tapo L930-5 has an RRP of £45 and is at present obtainable on Amazon for £34. You’ll be able to decide up the older L900-5 for simply £16.

Amazon does not have the Tapo L920-5, and Ebuyer has it for £36 and Argos for £32, so you might as nicely simply get the Tapo L930-5.

From a pure worth perspective, Govee is the best choice. You may get the 10m LED Lights for lower than £20.

The WiZ Color & Tunable Sensible Wi-Fi LED 4M is accessible from Argos for £30.

On the time of writing, the Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus v4 is £69, however it’s commonly discounted to round £55 and was £44 throughout Black Friday (the one time I pay for Hue merchandise).

There’s, in fact, an enormous worth disparity between Tapo, Govee, Wiz and Hue. For customers like myself, you aren’t simply paying for the {hardware} however the ecosystem, and that is why I’m on Philips Hue. In the event you solely desire a gentle strip, then you might as nicely stick to reasonably priced manufacturers.

General

There’s nothing to essentially complain about with the Tapo L930-5, it is a wonderful gentle strip with loads of options. The LEDs are brighter than anticipated in my kitchen, and the pricing could be very engaging.

I’ve a couple of Tapo plugs, so I’ve change into accustomed to this ecosystem, and I would desire to keep it up for reasonable lights vs getting one other app from manufacturers like Govee.

TP-Hyperlink Tapo & Kasa Finish of Life

One factor value noting, prior to now, I’ve usually highlighted my frustration with the Kasa/Tapo lack of integration and my common annoyance at having too many good dwelling apps. In April final yr, I used to be instructed TP-Hyperlink Kasa was getting into the tip of life, and there can be a Kasa/Tapo integration by Q3 2022.

Nevertheless, every thing has gone quiet relating to this, and TP-Hyperlink Kasa has even launched new merchandise, together with good thermostatic radiator valves (KE100). TP-Hyperlink has dedicated to Matter, and this may very well be the place we lastly begin to get some interoperability in 2023.

Final replace on 2023-01-23 / Affiliate hyperlinks / Photos from Amazon Product Promoting API