We’re here to compare two bulbs from Philips: the Philips Hue Lux on the left and the standard Philips Hue bulb on the right.
Here’s our video showing the differences.
Remote Control
Both bulbs can be controlled remotely through an app on your phone when you have the Philips Hue system.
Color Range
The obvious difference between the two is that with the original Philips Hue bulb, you can change it to be any color in the RGB spectrum. With the Lux bulb, you can only switch it on and off and dim it.
The original Philips Hue bulb also gives you the option to change the color temperature, from a warm incandescent light to a higher color temperature, bluer light, more like sunlight. The Lux bulb is stuck at a set 2700 Kelvin, which is an incandescent yellowish light.
Power Draw
The power draw is about the same, rated at 9 watts, but in reality, they draw about 5 in our testing.
Brightness
The original Hue is only 600 lumens of brightness and the Lux is 750 lumens, giving you a somewhat brighter light.
Conclusion
The decision you make about which bulb to buy is dependent on how much control you need. If you need to have a different temperature for reading versus watching TV, then the original Philips Hue bulb is the best option. Otherwise, the Lux is a great option if you just want to be able to control the lights remotely.
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Video Transcript
Tom from Do-It-Yourself Home Automation here. I have two bulbs from Philips: the Philips Hue Lux on the left and the standard Philips Hue bulb on the right.
So, what are the differences between these bulbs? Well, both of them can be controlled remotely through an app on your phone when you have the Philips Hue system.
The most obvious difference is that with the original Philips Hue bulb, you can actually change its color with the app to be basically any color in the RGB spectrum. You can make it purple, red, blue, or anything else. On the left, the Lux bulb is also remote controllable, but you can only switch it on and off and dim it. This might not seem like much at first, but you do gain the ability to change the color temperature with the original Philips Hue bulb. You can have a warm incandescent light, a higher color temperature bluer light, or more like sunlight.
Price is another major difference. In order to have that extra level of control, you’re paying about $60 per bulb for the original Philips Hue. The Lux bulb only costs about $30. Power draw is the same, rated at 9 watts but in reality they draw about 5. The original Hue is 600 lumens of brightness and the Lux is 750 lumens.
The choice is yours: do you need the extra level of control? For lights in a family room or similar, the original Philips Hue is great. But if you don’t really care, the Lux might be a better option.