Our Verdict
The Nanoleaf Shapes Extremely Black Hexagons are good for darkish partitions and gaming rooms the place you need to add a splash of shade. The LED panels give out a vibrant gentle, which you’ll be able to simply change with presets, a bodily faucet or extra superior app management. They are not the most cost effective possibility in the marketplace, and may very well be brighter, however I am nonetheless impressed at how a lot they brighten my room and my temper.
Gentle colours are vibrant
Magic Scene program is excellent
Black panels make a press release when off
Black energy twine ugly on gentle partitions
Connection typically buggy
As LED lighting expertise has improved, develop into extra environment friendly, and extra clever with app connectivity, its worth has decreased. There’s an enormous vary of LED lighting choices to jazz up your gaming area or residence, whether or not you stick the very best LED strip lights round a monitor or desk, or adorn your partitions with LED panels just like the Nanoleaf Shapes collection.
I’ve usually discovered lighting for avid gamers to be on the plastic and cheesy aspect – as if you happen to can’t take pleasure in gaming and good design concurrently. However Nanoleaf does issues in another way, creating lights and decor that really feel proper in a contemporary residence, or a gaming setup. If you wish to add colourful accents to your partitions, and also you need to have the ability to hyperlink them as much as your sensible units for whole management and customization, you might need been taking a look at Nanoleaf’s Shapes assortment.
The Shapes Restricted Version Extremely Black Hexagons Starter Package consists of 9 panels, which you’ll be able to organize in a number of other ways in your wall with sticky adhesive pads. You too can add to your setup later in order for you an even bigger panel. On this evaluate, I’ll share my sincere experiences of organising the Extremely Black Hexagons panels, what they’re like to make use of, and importantly, what they seem like in actual life when the sunshine is on and off.
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Specs
Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagons Starter Package specs:
Contact management
Sure
Display screen mirror
Sure
Music Sync
Sure
Dimmable
Sure
Connectivity
WiFi (2.4 GHz)
Management
Nanoleaf App (Android/iOS), Desktop App (Home windows/Mac)
Compatibility
Apple House, Amazon Alexa, Google House, IFTTT, Nanoleaf Distant, SmartThings, Razer Chroma
Lifetime
25,000 hours
Options
What makes the Extremely Black Shapes totally different from their commonplace white counterparts is that they’re a restricted version set. They provide the entire similar options as the usual Shapes Hexagons in white. They’re ultra-thin, slot collectively, and stick on the wall to create a sample of your selecting. As soon as fastened in place and plugged in, they are often managed in a myriad of various methods. There’s a easy Nanoleaf smartphone app that works over WiFi (2.4 GHz solely), Music Sync mode that reacts to sounds and sick tunes, and Display screen Mirror to match what’s in your gaming monitor or TV.
What’s nice about shopping for right into a well-established ecosystem just like the Nanoleaf Shapes is that you would be able to customise your setup and make it greater additional down the road. For instance, the Starter Package I examined had 9 panels, however growth packs (three hexagons every) will let you make it greater additional down the road. The white model of Nanoleaf’s Hexagons must also work with the Extremely Black variations, though aesthetically I wrestle to see how they’d gel with their modern, darker counterparts. That may simply be my style, although.
Set up
You don’t want any instruments to put in the Extremely Black Hexagons on a wall. Sticky strips are offered within the field, and these are robust sufficient to carry every panel securely. You’ll need to plan what sample you’re going with first, because it’s tougher to take away a panel when you’ve caught it down firmly. You additionally must resolve the place to place the controller (this may help as much as 500 panels) and energy cable (this may energy as much as 21).
One technique for planning your structure is to make use of a tape measure and lay the triangles flat in entrance of you, however Nanoleaf additionally has a structure assistant if you happen to’re caught for area. I discovered this pretty cooperative, and it made it straightforward to discover a structure I used to be pleased with. There are additionally preset designs you possibly can copy. I made a decision to pop the ability cable on the far proper of my design in order that I may tuck it behind a bookcase out of sight.
Design
As soon as the panels are mounted, you may discover just a few fingerprints have made their means onto the floor. That’s as a result of the matte black end is of course extra of a fingerprint magnet than the white, however this isn’t a significant downside until you’re urgent down on them extremely onerous with the touch-reactive function.
Being so skinny at 0.24 inches (0.6 cm) means the panels sit flush to the wall and don’t protrude far out when seen from the aspect. And at 9 inches (23 cm) throughout, I used to be surprisingly happy with simply how a lot wall my starter package lined. Out of curiosity, the Shapes Triangles cowl simply as a lot floor, however I favor the look of the blocky hexagons.
Provided that I’m reviewing the restricted version Extremely Black model of Nanoleaf’s Shapes, it’s value saying that this colorway comes with plus and minus factors. The black matte coating covers the entire panel, and the mounting plates, controller, and wire are jet black too. You don’t get any stray bits of white paint across the again or edges, and it doesn’t appear probably that this coating will peel or flake off both. In brief, the panels really feel well-made and strong, but gentle sufficient that I didn’t fear about them falling off the wall.
Efficiency
The Nanoleaf Extremely Black Shapes set a brand new commonplace of what wall hangings ought to seem like when the lights go darkish, however they’re not good. Whereas the all-black aesthetic could be very refined, I discovered this considerably hinders the LED protection throughout the entire panel. There’s some inconsistency throughout the panel, and whereas this doesn’t break the impact, it’s extra noticeable than I’d have favored.
The unique Nanoleaf Shapes are among the brightest RGB LEDs I’ve used, however white is of course higher at reflecting gentle. I used to be involved the Extremely Black mannequin wouldn’t have the ability to match its predecessor, they usually’re slightly dimmer than the white model. Which means lighter colours like pure white, yellow, and peach can seem barely muddier than the white panels up shut. I wasn’t upset with the vibrancy of daring colours like shiny blue and pink.
There are numerous methods to management the Form’s lighting, that are all fast and straightforward. First, there’s the built-in controller snapped onto the aspect of your panels. This works properly for fast adjustments and faucets on and off, however you possibly can’t customise your scenes utilizing it and it requires you to get out of your chair. Then there are the desktop apps for Home windows and Mac, and the cell apps for Android and iOS, the latter being the choice I used most incessantly. On the Fundamental tab, you possibly can select a shade temperature (1200K – 6500K) or stable hue from an RGBw palette, however I liked with the ability to flick between presets on the Scenes tab immediately. The Shapes are additionally appropriate with Apple House, Google House, Alexa, and – to the enjoyment of Razer avid gamers, Razer Chroma. I used Apple House alongside the Nanoleaf app and located the management extra restricted however dependable.
Sensible lighting panels aren’t designed to light up a complete room, so don’t anticipate the Extremely Black shapes to do that both, even at full brightness (100 lumens per panel). There are some daring choices on there, however Daylight and Studying Gentle had been my most-used Scenes for setting a little bit of ambiance. It’s additional proof that the Extremely Black Shapes aren’t only for avid gamers, however a product that sits completely within the Sensible Lighting area for normal inside decorators.
Do you have to purchase?
I’d advocate the Nanoleaf Extremely Black Shapes if:
You’ve obtained darkish partitions: I mounted the Hexagons Starter Package on a darkish navy matte wall (Hague Blue if you happen to had been questioning). The matte black of the panels blends in superbly, as does the ability twine, however I believe they’d look oppressive on a light-weight wall.
You’re a gamer: The Nanoleaf Shapes work significantly properly with the Razer Chroma RGB ecosystem, in addition to each different sensible residence system on the market.
You need ambient gentle: The Extremely Black shapes aren’t shiny sufficient to gentle up a big room on their very own. However they’re value it for creatives who need one thing extra daring than white panels.
Alternate options
For those who’re not sure whether or not Nanoleaf’s Extremely Black Shapes are best for you, try these alternate options.