GE Cync Lighting Dynamic Effects Smart Bulb review: colorful, bold lighting in traditional bulb form
GE Cync Lighting Dynamic Effects Smart Bulb: Two-Minute Review
this GE Cync Lighting dynamic effect smart light bulb This is a great addition for anyone who wants to add smart and (by name) dynamic lighting to their smart home. While GE offers a variety of different lighting options, the smart bulbs come in two versions: A19 and B30. The first one reviewed here is suitable for most traditional light fixtures, while the B30 is perfect for recessed lighting.
You don’t need a hub for GE Cync Lighting Dynamic Effects smart light bulbs, so adding them to your smart home is simple. That is, they are limited to certain ecosystems—a minor irony in this day and age. matter Certification is becoming more widely adopted.
Overall, the GE Cync Lighting Dynamic Effects Smart Light Bulb is The best smart lights Because not only are they easy to implement, but they offer a wide range of colors and effects.
Physically, GE Cync Lighting Dynamic Effects smart bulbs look similar to most smart bulbs, as they maintain the same basic shape as the bulb’s outer dimensions. The outside of the bulb is an opaque white, while the lower part toward the base is covered in a matte white casing, presumably covering the bulb’s more digital components.
The A19 version reviewed here is about as bright as a 60-watt bulb, with a brightness of 800 lumens and a color temperature of 2,700k. Since this is a bulb focused on dynamic lighting, there are 16 million colors and white shades to choose from, and the brightness is fully adjustable.
Likewise, pairing the bulb is straightforward and involves physically installing the bulb, turning it on, and completing the setup prompts on the Cync app. I’ve used many smart bulbs over the years, and I’ve found that cheaper bulbs (aka budget brands) can have connection issues during the pairing process and even sometimes during use.
The GE Cync Lighting Dynamic Effects bulbs may be a bit pricey compared to other models, but their connectivity is rock solid. In fact, the closest issue I encountered was a second or two delay when closing via the app, but that was only if the light was on for a while.
I also tested it with Alexa. It only took a few steps to set up, and Alexa quickly responded to my voice commands. Unfortunately, this smart bulb only has access to Google Home and Alexa. While this accounts for quite a bit of the smart home ecosystem, it leaves a lot of people in the cold, and while Matter certification could help solve that problem, it’s not offered here. Surprisingly, GE does have some Matter-enabled bulbs, such as display and direct-connect models.
Most of the features of this smart bulb can be accessed via the app. Each installed light bulb appears as its own entry in the app, appearing as a square tile with an on/off toggle switch and a slider for adjusting brightness. Clicking on a tile doesn’t open more menus as one might expect. Instead, you end up turning the light on or off based on its current settings.
To dig deeper, there’s a small inward-facing arrow on the edge of the icon, which, when pressed, moves the tile to the side to reveal four smaller icons. The first provides access to the color wheel, where you can really fine-tune the color you want. If there aren’t 16 million colors here, it’s probably close. There are some other options in this section of the app where you can choose from some preset lighting, including different shades of white and some basic colors.
I won’t shame you if you stick to these settings, but if you don’t go beyond them, you’ll miss out on what this bulb can do. The second of the four smaller icons allows you to subdivide the bulb into four differently colored sections for when you want to go a little wild but still need static lighting.
The third icon is probably the most unique of the GE Cync Lighting Dynamic Effects smart bulbs, as this is where the actual dynamic effects are available. First of all, it is important to note that the dynamic effect is divided into two parts, which can be selected by pressing “Light Show” or “Music Show” at the bottom.
Whichever you choose, you will be shown a number of presets that have been loaded onto the bulb, as well as a section of additional presets available for exploration and preview, or for downloading. All dynamic effects are customizable, but the level of customization depends on the effect itself. Usually you can at least change the brightness used and the color selected (many presets cycle through different colors to achieve their effect).
The light show is fun, but more static than the music show, which uses the microphone on your smartphone (you can select the sensitivity) to respond to auditory stimuli. It’s so cool to see smart light bulbs change color and intensity based on the dynamics of the song. The only hiccup is that it responds much better when the volume is turned up. So when I load up the music performance effect and listen to the music at a comfortable conversational volume, the effect only seems to respond to peaks in the audio, otherwise it turns off. To get the full experience, I had to show up. While cool, I had to consider my neighbors when choosing to open it.
Finally, the fourth icon is for settings. While I won’t spend too much time on this, it’s worth mentioning that there is a feature called “Trueimage” that allows you to take a photo and set it as the background of your smart light bulb tile, and You can preview changes even if you don’t know they’re in the same room.
The Cync Lighting Dynamic Effects Smart Bulb looks great, both in its white light setting (regardless of the warm color (I do like warm)) or in one of its full-color array of dynamic effects.
Indeed, the only drawback of this bulb is the lack of material support. While the price per bulb is a little pricey, it’s not an unreasonable price. And, the dynamic effects are worth the price.
GE Cync Lighting Dynamic Effects Smart Light Bulbs: Specs
Install base | A19/B30 |
Wattage | 60W |
maximum brightness | 800 lumens/750 lumens |
color channel | 16 million |
Control options | GE Apps (Android and iOS), Google Home, Amazon Alexa |
Connection options | Bluetooth |
Compatible Matter routers | not applicable |
Maximum number of bulbs per connection | 5 Bluetooth; no limit on themes/topics (maximum 20 recommended) |
GE Cync Lighting Dynamic Effects Smart Light Bulbs: Pricing and Availability
- Prices start at $19.99 (approximately £20/AU$40)
- Now available
- Available in the U.S. and Canada
Get a two-pack in A19 size Directly from GE The price is $37.99, while the suggested retail price for a single bulb is $19.99. Their availability is limited to the US and Canada, and unfortunately they don’t work in the UK or Australia. The B30’s single-bulb prices are very similar, but range from $17 to $26 depending on the retailer.
Price-wise, the GE Cync Lighting Dynamic Effects smart bulbs are a bit high-end, considering they come in a two-pack Govee Wi-Fi LED Bulb Price $23.99/£23.39. Of course, there are some trade-offs, notably that Govee’s brightness and app design could be better.
However, $20 a bulb is not an inappropriate price point. Nanoleaf Material Points The A19 bulbs cost $19.99 / £19.99 / AU$39.99. although nanoleafIts application is a bit questionable compared to the GE Cync’s rock-solid setup, but it does come with Matter certification and is more versatile in application.
Should you buy GE Cync Lighting dynamic effect smart bulbs?
property | notes | grade |
---|---|---|
value | It’s a bit pricey compared to many of its competitors, but it has a few more features than most smart bulbs. | 4/5 |
design | It doesn’t have Matter support, but its pairing and functionality are rock solid. | 4.5/5 |
Performance | The dynamic effects are great, but even in more typical settings, this smart bulb looks good. | 5/5 |
average rating | Despite the above-average price and lack of Matter support, its ease of use and dynamic effects make it an easy recommendation. | 4.5/5 |
buy it if
If you don’t buy it
GE Cync Lighting Dynamic Effect Smart Light Bulbs: Also Consider
How I Tested GE Cync Lighting Dynamic Effects Smart Light Bulbs
- After a few weeks of testing
- Tested all different features including multiple dynamic effects
- Use with voice assistant
I spent a few weeks with GE Cync Lighting Dynamic Effects smart light bulbs to see how well they functioned as advertised, and to see if they were worth the money. I tested a variety of presets, from static colors to various dynamic effects. I even connected it with Alexa to see how it works with the voice assistant.
After testing the GE Cync Lighting Dynamic Smart Bulbs, I found them to be perfect for those who want more functionality from their smart lighting, especially those with engaging dynamic effects.
Over the past few years, I’ve been reviewing a variety of gadgets, from audio gear to robot vacuums to laptops and more, taking a closer look at whether the product works as advertised and whether it’s of interest to those who might be interested Useful. For more details, see How we test, rate and review at TechRadar.
The first review will be in January 2025