- IKEA Skaftsärv is an LED gradient light that costs $6.99 / £4 (about AU$8)
- It’s similar to the Philips Hue Play Gradient Light Bar, but can’t mirror colors from a TV screen
- The WiZ Gradient Light Bar is an affordable alternative that can be synced to a TV
IKEA has just launched a new lamp that looks strikingly similar to a popular Philips Hue light, but at a fraction of the price. Available in the UK for just $6.99 / £4 (approx. AU$8), the IKEA Skaftsärv each has three lighting zones that can cast a colorful glow on your walls or shine into the room.
As our colleagues at T3 note, it bears an uncanny resemblance to the Philips Hue Play Light Bar, and if you like the idea of making your home theater system more immersive but have been put off by the price tag, you might be tempted to grab a pair of Skaftsärvs instead – but there’s something you should know first.
Although the Skaftsärv can change colors in response to music and can be dimmed, there is no way to connect it to your TV or PC monitor to extend the colors from the screen. It’s impressive considering how little it costs, but it’s just a decorative lamp, not a smart light.
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In contrast, the Philips Hue Play Light Bar can be used to add ambiance to a room or to create an Amblight-like effect around and behind your TV when connected to a Philips Hue HDMI Sync Box. Up to three light bars can be connected to the same power supply.
You can control your light bars via the Philips Hue app and, like all Philips Hue devices, they are compatible with all the major smart home ecosystems, so you can operate them with voice commands, connect them to your other smart devices and use them in automations. Take a look at our Philips Hue Play Light Bar review to find out more.
Lighting for less
If the Philips Hue lights are out of your budget, but you want something that will provide a similar experience, take a look at the WiZ Gradient Light Bars, which cost just $59.99 / £54.99 and work in a very similar way when paired with a WiZ HDMI Sync Box.
Although they use different technologies, both Philips Hue and WiZ smart lights are made by the same company (Signify), so you can be sure you’re getting good quality. In fact, our reviewer Abigail Shannon gave the WiZ Gradient Light Bars a near-perfect four and a half stars out of five thanks to their ease of use, versatility, and smooth color gradient. See our full WiZ Gradient Light Bars review for more details.
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