I’ve played with a fair few accent smart lights over the years from the likes of LIFX, Nanoleaf, and Govee, but Hue hardware is usually a cut above the rest. And so it should be given the high prices Philips charges for its products. Smart lights of the stick variety are very in vogue at the moment, so I was excited to try out Hue’s new Signe Gradient Table Lamp, and it did not disappoint.
You’ll find that this type of light is abundant on Amazon if you search “smart corner lamp,” and I’m sure many of them will do the job for a fraction of the price, but the Hue Signe is undoubtedly a premium product with build quality to match. The base and LED housing are made from aluminum, which you can get in black and white, and whether you get the floor or table lamp, both have a minimalist design with a circular base and long thin lamp protrusion. It really looks the part in the corner of my living room where I’ve set it up on a side table.
This is the second generation of Signe light from Philips, and the improvements over the original include a more modern design, the addition of a gradient lamp (the previous model could only show one color at a time), and Bluetooth so you no longer need the Hue Bridge to control the light via Google Assistant/Alexa or the Hue app. All of those are very welcome enhancements that make this product infinitely better, especially if you don’t want to fork out extra for the Hue Bridge.
Bluetooth control is still a bit hit-and-miss, though, with regular disconnects sometimes slowing you down while you try to make adjustments. This is a minor gripe, and with any luck, the situation will be improved when Philips merges its two Hue app versions. For comparison, I’ve had far more issues with LIFX when it comes to connectivity, so I’m not going to be too hard on Philips for this. Naturally, you’ll probably get better performance if you do have the Bridge, and you’ll also be able to make use of the nifty Spotify integration or Hue Sync box for live visualization that matches up with your music or TV content.
No matter how you control the Signe lamp, the most important thing is that it looks great. Gradients tend to be made up of two or three core colors and there are tons of eye-catching pre-made themes in the app to choose from. You can also create your own in the app and then save your creations as personal themes. Getting the right lighting for any mood is easy, and there are also practical defaults such as a night light, reading light, concentration light, and so on. The Hue app also allows you to create automations if you want to use the Signe as a wake/sleep light or set a timer with it. You essentially get all the same functionality as any Hue light but in a much more attractive package.
As with any Philips Hue light, the main argument against it is the price. At $200/£175 for the table lamp and $300/£265 for the larger floor lamp, it’s a steep price to pay even though it’s a high-quality product. Whether you’re willing to pay that much is something only you can answer, but I’d say that if the price doesn’t put you off, you won’t be disappointed with your purchase.
If you have an existing Hue setup with a Bridge and/or sync box, the Signe Gradient is a no-brainer, assuming you don’t balk at the high price tag. If you’re just looking for a fancy ambient light stick and you don’t already use Philips products, you may be better off plumping for a cheaper alternative (such as this one from reliable budget brand Govee that Taylor rather liked), especially if you can find one that connects to WiFi and doesn’t need any additional hardware, as this is likely to be more consistent.
While it may not be for everyone, I’ve fallen for the Hue Signe Gradient lamp in a big way. Its minimal design and versatile lighting options work perfectly with my living room setup and can be customized to match any mood. You can create a relaxing sunset to accompany dinner or a bright and colorful backdrop for a house party, or really anything in between. It’s definitely helping to cheer me up on these dreary British winter days.
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