review
Nanoleaf Ultra Black Triangle Shapes Review Smarter Kit Limited Edition
Monday, February 27, 2023
Spice up your walls with Nanoleaf Ultra Black Triangle Shapes - a smart modular lighting solution for creating your own RGB wall light pattern!
The Nanoleaf triangle shapes seen pictured, it's the Ultra Black
limited edition that comes with a black plastic back frame and front
facing
black diffuser. The backside integrates a small cable reel for cable
management and 6 connection ports to connect the panels via the included
bridge connector clips, which easily snap on and off. The
connection ports are located strategically along the perimeter of the
triangle shape, allowing you to arrange the panels anywhere you want.
To mount the Nanoleaf Ultra black Triangle Shapes onto a wall, you
use the included adhesive pads - which are Nanoleaf's version of 3M
doublesided foam tape. The Nanoleaf mounting tape is not marketed as
"reusable" but could
be reused at least once if the mounting surface is smooth and clean.
Removing the adhesive from the wall is easy and doesn't leave any
residue, which is a
plus.
The Nanoleaf Ultra Black Triangle Shapes can be physically controlled
via the included 6-button
(capacitive touch) controller which connects to the master
triangle shape. The master triangle is easy to identify. It has has a
semi transparent white coating to differentiate it from the other
triangle panels.
The
Nanoleaf Ultra Black Triangles can be used right out of the box via the
controller but, you will want to download the Nanoleaf
Smarter Series mobile app to be able to access advanced settings such as
auto-brightness, touch gestures, firmware update, Nanoleaf cloud,
schedules, custom RGB, light color temperature, scenes and more. The app connects to
the Ultra Black Triangles controller 3 ways: 1) QR code, 2)NFC 3) Manual (manually entering Wifi credentials).
The Nanoleaf app also shows a step by step how to set up the Ultra
Black Triangles, as well as "layout creation", which allows you to
create a light pattern on the app (via drag an drop) in real time. The
Nanoleaf Smarter Series mobile app doesn't require an account
registration, it's easy to use and compatible with Android and iOS. The
only potential drawback with the app, it only supports 2.4Ghz networks.
The RGB lighting performance is decently bright, although like an
RGB gaming keyboard if
you want the RGB to pop it is best in low light or dark room. You can
choose between solid (static) RGB, single color, or dynamic color
changing. Along with the Ultra Black Triangles, you will find a 42W
led driver power supply to power the triangle lights. The power looks
like a normal power supply but it isn't. It is a power supply
specifically designed to power the Nanoleaf lights via a proprietary
Nanoleaf connector that only works with these
lights, which is, both a disadvantage and advantage.
From a safety
point of view, the proprietary Nanoleaf power supply will prevent anyone from accidentally using any power adapter and
damage/cause a fire. The Nanoleaf power adapter automatically converts
mains electricity (120-240V AC) to the correct DC level (12V/24V) for
the Nanoleaf lights.
Some disadvantages with the power adapter: 1) the cable is
non-detachable so, you cannot increase cable length 2) if the power
adapter stops working you cannot use a third party power adapter. The
Nanoleaf power supply supports up to 28 triangle shapes, while the
button controller supports up to 500 panels.
Dimensions of each triangle panel: 23cm (each side) x 1cm thick and
147 grams in weight. The power adapter measures 9cm x 6cm deep x 3cm
thick
and weighs 200 grams. The button controller measures 1cm long x 2cm
wide x 1cm thick. The bridge connectors measure 4cm x 2cm.
The Nanoleaf lights are a cool way to light up a nice room ambience
and will appeal gamers and non-gamers alike. Once mounted on the wall,
the Nanoleaf Ultra Black Triangles become and automatic focal point - a
neat way to get a conversation going when bringing people around the
home. One obvious drawback with the Nanoleaf lights though, it's
repositioning - which is fiddly and can be off putting when wanting to
change the wall pattern. That said, this can be easily fixed by buying
Velcro command strips, which are a lot more convenient to use than
double-sided tape.
Potential deal breakers
- Assembly & re-position can be fiddly
- App not compatible with 5Ghz networks
- Adhesive tape not suitable for porous surfaces
- Bulky power brick
- Non-detachable power brick cable
- Proprietary power supply
- Non-USB connectivity
- Panels mark easily with oily smudges but wipes off easily
Selling points
- Versatility - choose any wall layout you want
- Physical controller
- Versatile RGB lighting
- Work with Apple Homekit
- Wifi enabled
- Interchangeable wall plug
- Works with Google Assistant
- Works with Razer Chroma
- Power supply can power up to 28 panels
- Works with Alexa
- Can control up to 500 panels with one controller
- Works with IFTTT
- Supports Wifi routers and Wifi powerline adapters
- Wall mountable
- Works with SmartThings
Included in the box are 9 triangle shape panels, 10 double sided
adhesive strips, a power supply (PSU) with 3 meter long cable. You can buy the Nanoleaf Ultra Black Smarter kit from Nanoleaf. There is also a white triangle version you can buy from amazon and a Nanoleaf squares version
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