Philips Hue Go 2 review

One-minute review

The Philips Hue Go 2 is a transportable, Bluetooth-enabled good gentle that may be enjoyable to make use of. Now in its second era, it’s not a light-weight to persuade anybody to maneuver to a wise lighting system, but it surely does add a bit versatility to your house’s decor.

The first Philips Hue Go was launched in 2015, however with out Bluetooth connectivity and a really restricted battery life, it was arduous to justify the fee. Thankfully Signify – the corporate that makes the Philips Hue lights – has added some much-needed enhancements to the transportable lamp, making the Hue Go 2 a much better product than its predecessor. It’s nonetheless not fairly good but, but it surely’s remarkably simple to arrange and use.

Unlike numerous the opposite Philips Hue merchandise, you don’t want the Hue Bridge to make use of the Hue Go 2. You simply have to download the Philips Hue Bluetooth app and also you’re able to go. If you have already got a Hue Bridge arrange to your present lighting ecosystem, the Hue Go 2 will robotically get added to the Hue app, from the place management is simple.

If you don’t need to trouble with apps of any type, there’s a bodily button that not solely turns the lamp on and off, it should additionally cycle via just a few gentle presets, together with white, yellow and coloured hues. If you do need to arrange customized coloured scenes, nonetheless, you’ll want to make use of a Hue app.

The lamp could be very gentle, so transferring it round is way from tough and, with as much as 24 hours of battery life, it may be used outdoor to gentle up a dinner gathering or in a toddler’s room as an evening gentle. However, the bulb inside isn’t excessive depth – a 6W bulb with a most of 520 lumens brightness – and battery life diminishes significantly on the brighter presets.

Despite that, establishing customized gentle scenes is remarkably simple, the colours are beautiful and you should use it wherever you need – your work desk, the dinner desk, by the mattress, within the backyard and even the seashore. Just don’t get it moist because it’s not waterproof.

Philips Hue Go 2 with pink light

(Image credit score: SociallyKeeda)

Philips Hue Go 2 value and availability

Announced in September 2019
Available since October 2019
Currently retailing for $80 / £70 / AU$139

It took Signify 4 years to improve its Philips Hue Go lamp to the second era, which was introduced in September 2019 and commenced transport a few month later, at the very least within the US. It took a bit longer for the Hue Go 2 to reach on cabinets in different markets – like June 2020 in Europe – but it surely’s at the moment broadly obtainable is most areas.

The Hue Go 2 didn’t see a value change for the improve, launching at $79.95 / £79.99 / AU$165, however it's now potential to get this lamp for a cheaper price. At the time of writing, it was arduous to seek out inventory of the Hue Go within the US, but it surely’s obtainable within the UK for between £60 and £67, whereas in Australia you may get it for AU$139.

Philips Hue Go 2 on table in pink light

(Image credit score: SociallyKeeda)

Philips Hue Go 2 design and options

Lightweight, plastic hemisphere
Molded stand
Not very vibrant

The bowl-like design of the Philips Hue Go hasn’t modified because the first-gen lamp. It’s nonetheless a white plastic hemisphere, with the addition of a molded lip on the underside of the bowl that lets the lamp be propped up on its aspect. The ‘stand’ (if you'll) isn’t very large and we discovered we needed to keep watch over how we propped the Hue Go 2 up or it might wobble and probably fall off its perch.

Also on the underside of the lamp is a bodily button that may flip the sunshine on or off, in addition to cycle via just a few presets, which additionally embrace some coloured lights. Placement of the button means you’ll want to choose up the lamp each time you need to management it manually – whereas the button solely requires a small quantity of drive to activate, it’s sufficient to topple the gadget when on its stand.

That stated, the button allows you to use the lamp proper out of the field, offered there’s a bit little bit of cost when it arrives. If there isn’t, a 12W wall adapter within the field will do the trick. However, there’s no battery gauge wherever on the lamp – and there’s no indicator within the app both – so it’s arduous to inform whether or not the gadget is charging or not, whether or not it’s full up or about to die.

Philips Hue Go 2 3.5mm jack

(Image credit score: SociallyKeeda)

The bulb used contained in the Hue Go 2 isn’t very intense – at a most of 520 lumens, the lamp isn’t going to be changing ceiling fixtures or different lights. Instead, it’s extra of an extra choice to create the atmosphere you need. That stated, it's vibrant sufficient for use on a piece desk, and dims all the best way all the way down to mimic candlelight (sure, it should flicker) and can be utilized as an evening gentle.

If it’s colours that curiosity you extra, then there’s loads right here because it’s a full-color LED gentle. The Hue app will allow you to select between hundreds of thousands of shades, and you may even decide {a photograph} saved in your cellphone to arrange a customized scene to match.

Philips Hue Go 2 stand and power button

(Image credit score: SociallyKeeda)

Philips Hue Go 2 setup

Works with Bluetooth and Hue Bridge
Easy setup
Customizable

As we talked about earlier than, you actually don’t want an app to make use of the Hue Go. However, with out an app you possibly can’t arrange customized colours or use voice instructions to regulate it. For anybody who’s by no means used a Philips Hue gentle earlier than, then the best choice is the Philips Hue Bluetooth app.

The app was designed for the vary of Bluetooth-enabled lights that Signify has been making lately, eradicating the necessity for a Hue Bridge (and that added expense). If, nonetheless, you've gotten present Hue lights, chances are high you have already got the Hue Bridge arrange and the corresponding Hue app to go together with it. Either works for the Hue Go 2.

Philips Hue Go 2 app setup

(Image credit score: SociallyKeeda)

Keep in thoughts that solely 10 Hue lights might be managed by way of the Bluetooth app (versus 50 when utilizing a Bridge) and you might be additionally restricted by the 10m Bluetooth vary of most units (whereas Wi-Fi usually has higher vary for management). If you’d wish to arrange extra nuanced management of your gentle – like having it flip off/on robotically if you depart/arrive dwelling – you will have to make use of a Hue Bridge.

Note that if you're connecting the Hue Go by way of the Bridge and corresponding app, you will have to have it plugged right into a wall socket each time you turn it on. Via Wi-Fi, the lamp seems as ‘no response’ or ‘not connected’ if there’s no standby energy. Once it’s on, nonetheless, you possibly can unplug and use as transportable gadget. With the app in your handheld gadget, setup is as simple as switching it on and deciding on ‘add lights’ within the app you are utilizing.

Philips Hue Go 2 custom light setup in app

(Image credit score: SociallyKeeda)

It can take just a few seconds to find the sunshine, however for us it took not more than two seconds. From there, you possibly can head over to both Apple’s HomeKit or Google Assistant so as to add the brand new gentle so you possibly can management it by way of voice instructions. This extra step turns into pointless if you have already got a Philips Hue setup and the brand new lamp will get added to Apple or Google’s good ecosystem robotically.

And that’s it. The Hue app (whether or not Bluetooth or common Hue) will allow you to decide totally different gentle presets, and you may even strive fascinating choices by discovering {a photograph} in your cellphone that the lamp can mimic. We tried it with three totally different footage and the coloured lights have been just about spot on.

Philips Hue Go 2 in purple light with charger on a table

(Image credit score: SociallyKeeda)

Philips Hue Go 2 efficiency

Up to 24 hours battery life
Just over an hour at brightest presets
Not waterproof

The Philips Hue Go 2 does precisely what it says on the tin – it’s a transportable lamp that gives some very versatile lighting. And the truth that you possibly can take it wherever provides to its versatility. While not the brightest gentle you’ll discover, it’s sufficient for use as a desk lamp, but it surely’s not going to have the ability to gentle up a room by itself – it’s positively extra for ambient lighting.

There’s loads of colours to select from, however the one gentle impact the lamp produces is the flickering to imitate candle flames when on the ‘candlelight’ preset. The lamp would most likely have a bit extra enchantment if it was capable of produce extra results, just like the strobes of some Lifx bulbs.

(*2*)

(Image credit score: SociallyKeeda)

That little niggle apart, the Hue Go 2 works completely effectively as is, though we discovered Signify’s declare of as much as 24 hours of battery life a bit exaggerated. In evening gentle mode – which the Hue Go packaging lists as 24 hours of battery – the lamp gave out on the 22:34 hour mark.

On the opposite excessive, when set to ‘Concentrate’, Signify claims you must get 2.5 hours of battery, we obtained simply 1 hour and 12 minutes, whereas the ‘Read’ preset gave out on the 1 hour, 36 minute mark (as an alternative of the 2.5 hours listed on the field). Long story brief, you’ll have the ability to make the lamp last more if you happen to use dimmer lights (even coloured), however at its brightest, the lamp will discharge fairly rapidly.

The underside of the Philips Hue Go 2

(Image credit score: SociallyKeeda)

As we talked about earlier, there’s no battery gauge both on the sunshine or within the app, so if you see the lamp blink pink, it is about to die and can must be plugged right into a wall socket – if you happen to plug it in instantly after it dies, it should glow up once more by itself.

The lack of a battery gauge additionally makes it tough to find out how lengthy the lamp takes to recharge however, in line with Signify, that’s about two hours.

Should I purchase the Philips Hue Go 2?

Philips Hue Go 2 on a table

(Image credit score: SociallyKeeda)

Buy it if...

You need an easy-to-use good lamp

For anybody who’s by no means tried a wise gentle earlier than, it is a remarkably simple entry level, albeit an costly one in comparison with getting a single Bluetooth-enabled bulb. Price apart, it’s very simple to arrange and use, and you possibly can even handle with out utilizing any app to regulate it.

You need a transportable lamp

The capability to maneuver the Hue Go round makes it a really versatile gadget to have at dwelling, significantly if you happen to like entertaining loads. You can place it wherever and there’s loads of battery life for a number of the extra ambient presets to final just a few hours – that’s loads to maintain the occasion going, or assist your little one sleep via the evening in the event that they want a light-weight within the room.

Don't purchase it if...

You need to use it predominantly outdoor

Considering that its portability is its greatest promoting level, the Philips Hue Go 2 isn’t waterproof, so you will have to watch out when utilizing it outdoor. It carries an IP20 ranking, which makes it barely proof against mud and never a lot else. So if you happen to’re contemplating getting a light-weight for out of doors use, you would possibly need to think about one thing from the Philips Hue out of doors vary.

You need to gentle up a complete room

As we talked about earlier, the Hue Go 2 isn’t a excessive depth gentle. With a most of 520 lumens, it’s high quality to make use of as a piece lamp in your desk or on the evening stand, but it surely’s not sufficient to be a solo gentle in a room by itself. It’s greatest used to create an atmosphere.

[First reviewed September 2021]

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