Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart Multicolor HD Lightstrip (5m) Review: Almost Perfect

RGB light strips aren't brand new, but the idea of being able to individually address each LED chip is still relatively new. However, the latest Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart Multicolor HD Lightstrip has 300 lighting zones for 300 LEDs. While this could make it one of the most customizable LED light strips on the market, the software holds it back.

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Price and Availability

At the time of writing, the Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart Multicolor HD Lightstrip (5m) retails for $69.99.

Dense 300 Zone Lighting Are (Almost) Great

I’ve wanted a proper, individually addressable LED strip for quite some time. We’ve had strips with zones for a while, but I don’t know many companies with the same number of zones as LEDs in the strip. However, Nanoleaf is somewhat holding back the capabilities of this strip through software, though that could be addressed later.

The Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart Multicolor HD Lightstrip (I will call it the HD Lightstrip throughout this review) features 300 lighting zones while simultaneously having 300 LEDs. This means that, in theory, you could have each LED a different color. However, the Nanoleaf app doesn’t quite allow you to do this.

Instead of addressing each zone (LED) in the app, you can simply build out a pattern of colors that will repeat in a certain way within the app. This quite seriously limits the strip's capabilities. I really hope that Nanoleaf allows for more advanced control of the HD Lightstrip in a future software update because I could see that being quite useful to some people.

Matter Makes Pairing Simple

Setting up Nanoleaf's HD Lightstrip was quite simple and straightforward. I simply scanned the Matter QR code on the bottom of the control box with the Nanoleaf app, and it walked me through everything. It started with Wi-Fi setup, which is required for the light strip if you want to control it with your phone. However, after that, I was able to configure Matter with HomeKit in just a few simple taps.

As a fun bonus, if you want to use the strip without Wi-Fi, the control box has buttons to turn the strip on, off, change the brightness, and even cycle through a few color patterns, as well as enable the music mode. I don't see the on-device controls used often, but it's nice to know they're there.

I’m happy to see that Nanoleaf is aboard the Matter train. Matter, if you weren’t aware, is a universal smart home standard being adopted by all the big names in tech. This means you don’t have to have a certain brand's hub, so long as whatever smart home hub you have is Matter-compatible. I used my HomePod Mini for the HD Lightstrip, which worked fantastically, even on the other side of my house.

Nanoleaf doesn’t make Matter a requirement to use the HD Lightstrip. This smart lighting solution can also connect directly to your home’s Wi-Fi network, enabling you to control the strip with your phone through the app. However, if you want to use it within a smart home ecosystem, like HomeKit, Assistant, or Alexa, then you’ll need a Matter-compatible hub.

Nanoleaf’s Integrations Are Great

While the HD Lightstrip is great for a multitude of scenarios, from home theaters to setting the mood in the bedroom, there’s one place where it really shines: your gaming setup. Thanks to its integration with Razer, Nanoleaf’s HD Lightstrip can add a much-needed RGB effect to your setup. It can react to in-game events, mimic your desktop’s colors on the wall, and much more.

This is just one of many integrations that the HD Lightstrip has thanks to Nanoleaf’s partnerships. It’s one of the ways that I think this light strip really outshines the competition. The fact that it has 300 lighting zones allows the Razer software to control it uniquely, delivering a very fun and immersive experience at your setup.

This is awesome for your gaming setup, but what about your home theater? If Nanoleaf can figure out a way to integrate with home theaters and use the HD Lightstrip, they would rule the market. The go-to strip for this use is the Hue Play Gradient, which, for a 65-inch TV, costs $188 on Amazon. That’s only a 100-inch long strip, which is half the length of the HD Lightstrip from Nanoleaf. And that is only for the strip itself, not the Hue Sync Box or Hue Bridge ($249 and $48, respectively.)

So, if Nanoleaf can figure out the home theater side of things, they would absolutely rule the roost here. The HD Lightstrip is absolutely capable of it and is more than bright enough for the task. It’s just the software side of things that needs to be figured out.

Should You Buy the Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart Multicolor HD Lightstrip?

With the Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart Multicolor HD Lightstrip coming in at $70, I say that this smart home upgrade is perfect for quite a few folks. I absolutely love it as a gaming upgrade and a way to add multicolor lighting to a space. It’ll look great to add bias lighting to your home theater and even a splash of color elsewhere in the house.

In all those scenarios, I highly recommend it. The bright and vibrant light output, the 300 zones allow for crazy customization, and the integration with Razer Chroma on your desktop makes for a unique and fun gaming experience.

However, if you’re looking for an ultra-immersive experience in your home theater, this isn’t the light strip for you. While Nanoleaf has many integrations, directly integrating with your home theater isn’t one of them (yet). That’s where Philips Hue shines but for a much higher cost.