Philips Hue is one of the best smart home solutions series out there that allows you great connectivity, a smart interface, easy-to-access features, and a lot more in the same place.
There are different appliances, and specifically, all sorts of lighting solutions included with the Philips Hue series that would make your experience a lot more fun.
You can design any workspace, living room, or even your bedroom the way you want to with colors and different lighting options of your choice.
Now, Philips Hue is undoubtedly one of the best series out there as we already are well aware of the trust Philips brand entails in the world of lighting and how it can be used without having any issues.
These lighting solutions come with a hub that you need to use for efficient access and control of all the lighting solutions.
Philips Hue Hub VS Philips Hue Bridge
These hubs might look a bit odd to you as there are different sorts of bulbs available that don’t require any additional interface to control them.
But this also includes some pros, such as having the right control with speed and more stable optimization.
So, here are the two most major hub options that you get from the Philips Hue series.
| Specifics | Philips Hue Hub | Philips Hue Bridge |
| Status | Discontinued | Available |
| Design | Circular | Square |
| Voltage | 120 V | 120 V |
| Smart Assistant | Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, ZigBee | Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, ZigBee |
| Warranty | 2 Years | 2 Years |
Finding the right hub for your smart lighting solution is necessary when you’re dealing with some of the more expensive brands like Philips.
This brand has positioned itself as the most reliable option and brings an extensive range of features to the owners.
When you talk about the Hue Hub and the Hue Bridge, there are not many differences from a technical point of view.
There are more similarities than differences as these devices are just a different generation from one another. So, you can think of the hue hub as the first model.
At the moment, this initial model is discontinued, and from the looks of things, it won’t be added back to the Philips portfolio.
The only place that you might find this hub is in the secondary marketplace. However, is there a point in purchasing the old hue hub with no support?
Instead, you can stick with the Hue Bridge, which offers a better design, more compatibility features, an amazing setup routine, and much more.
The biggest plus of the Hue Bridge is its responsiveness. Owners have had no issues with the performance of this device as they continue to rely on this bridge.
Lastly, the pricing is almost similar, and some dealers on the secondary market will also cost you more in the long run. So, if you can’t seem to decide, Hue Bridge is the only real option.
Here are some more details on these hubs to help you with the purchase decision:
Philips Hue Hub
If you speak technically, this is the first generation of Philips Hue hub and has a basic design.
It looks like a mini router or any cool tech gadget that you can place on your desk. The smart hub works with your internet connection.
Basically, the hub connects with your bulbs and lighting equipment and a Wi-Fi router simultaneously.
It would be safe for you to say that the hub is a medium that allows all the connectivity between that lighting equipment and your phone over Wi-Fi.
The Philips Hue Hub is one of the best options out there as it works perfectly fine over the Zig-bee interface and all the equipment that is enabled on Zig-Bee.
You also get voice activation on this one as it supports Amazon Alexa, Google Smart Assistant, and Apple Home kit.
If you have the right Wi-Fi connection, you will be able to control your lights on your phone app from anywhere in the world.
The Hue hub is also compatible with Hue Dimmer Switch, Hue Tap, and Hue Motion Sensor.
So, you will get the additional ability to expand your system without having any sort of issues with compatibility or optimization.
The hub makes it possible for you to optimize all the bulbs and smart lighting equipment with great ease.
However, it still can’t be compared to the Bridge because the support is discontinued from this option.
No matter how great or reliable this hub can be, it can never compete with the Hue Bridge.
So, even if you are getting a good deal on the secondary market, we suggest that you stay away from the hub. It will only waste your time as you try to figure out the right fit for your home.
Overall, think of the Hue Hub as the older model and don’t stick to this option in the long run.
That will only hold you back as you try to adjust to the smart lighting setup installed in your house. Hopefully, that will give you a better idea of the situation.
Philips Hue Bridge
Philips Hue Bridge is the latest upgrade to the hub, and it is the best available version that you can get.
Philips is only supporting and selling this latest upgrade Philips Hue Bridge, and you cannot get the Hue hub from their official stores or the website anymore.
The reason behind this is that you have all the same features but with major upgrades that make it a perfect choice for you to have at a phenomenal price range.
Hue Bridge has not only an enhanced design but tons of other features that would make it the right choice for you.
There are major improvements under the hood as well, making it the fastest and smartest smart home hub.
The design is enhanced a bit with more sleek corners and a light in the center that would allow you to add aesthetics to your place, and you can install it anywhere you like.
You also get an ethernet and power port on the bridge device to have seamless connectivity that is not easy to beat.
The simple setup process is made even easier for an end-user to install and operate.
You get voice commands embedded in the bridge, so you don’t need an external device to access Alexa or any such other voice command mechanism to control it.
Another cool thing you get on Philips Hue Bridge is that you get to enjoy extended connectivity on this one with support for up to 50 bulbs.
So, no matter how many bulbs or other lights you want to have for your home, you can control them all together or individually without having any sort of issues.
As far as the response from the lighting situation is cornered, you won’t have to worry about anything.
This brand really outdid itself to bring the ideal smart lighting hub to the owners.
So, if you’re in the same situation and can’t seem to pick the right option, the Philips Hue Bridge is for you.
It all comes down to how you’re planning on managing the lighting solution.
As compared to the Philips Hue Hub, the Hue Bridge is the better option and will bring a lot of features to help you over the long run.
Wrapping Up
These details on the Philips Hue Hub and the Philips Hue Bridge will help you find the right fit.
Both of these options are great and offer a ton of features to the owner. However, if you’re talking about the specifics, the Hue Bridge will always come out on top.
There aren’t any major flaws or issues with the Hue Hub. It is simply the older version that is not compatible with most of the latest models.
Moreover, support has also been discontinued for this hub. So, you can’t really expect any upgrade for this system.
On the other hand, going with the Philips Hue Bridge is the better and the only option.
You won’t be able to find any dealer for the Hue Hub, while the Hue Bridge is available on all the major platforms.
So, if you’re struggling to find new options in your house, Philips Hue Bridge is better for you.
However, if you’re still confused about the purchase decision, try asking an official on the Philips platforms for the ideal fit.
He will inquire about the lighting solution installed in your home and will guide you accordingly.