FabianA few years ago, there wasn’t much choice when it came to smart Christmas lights, but this year, things look very different. Nowadays, you have a wide selection from several well-known manufacturers. Philips Hue is, of course, part of the mix, offering various versions of the Festavia string lights this year. But what exactly are the differences and the pros and cons of each string? I’ve put together a small comparison for you.
Note on the four string lights
The link to Hue Festavia will take you directly to the Hue store in your region. You can find all other light chains at a specialist retailer of your choice or your local Amazon.
The Pros and Cons of the Philips Hue Festavia
From my perspective, the Philips Hue Festavia has a key advantage: its very deep integration into the Hue system. If you already use Hue smart lamps, you can use the same app. The light string can also easily be integrated into scenes with other lamps or used with existing switches. And for outdoor use, you can connect the Festavia to existing Hue installations for power.
But that’s not all. In my opinion, Philips Hue offers the easiest way to create a stylish color gradient on the light string, which is not so simple in other apps. Philips Hue has also caught up with effects this year: not only have four new ones been added, but there is now an effects editor where you can adjust color and intensity. The focus here remains on ease of use. There are now three different lengths, and the light string is also officially suitable for outdoor use.
- perfect integration into the Hue system
- very easy control
- only colorful LEDs
- relatively high price
Philips Hue Festavia String Lights
from $219.99 / €119.99 / £109.99
The Pros and Cons of the Twinkly Light String
Twinkly is the epitome of smart light strings. It was the first manufacturer to offer such a solution, and today Twinkly has a huge portfolio. It’s worth taking some time to study it. I definitely recommend the Special Edition, as only here are RGBW LEDs used, which can display not only colors but also real white tones. In the Hue universe, this would mean White and Color Ambiance.
Also great: the Twinkly light string can theoretically be wrapped around the tree in any direction, because the individual LEDs are mapped by a camera after installation and then controlled correctly. This makes numerous colorful and impressive effects possible, although you may only use a few of them in daily life. The 32-meter light string with 400 LEDs is very attractive in terms of price, currently available for just 100 euros.
- large product range with numerous variations
- impressive effects and animations
- manual color gradients not very intuitive
- not all models with RGBW
The Pros and Cons of the Govee Light String
The Asian manufacturer Govee is often referred to as a cheap alternative to Philips Hue, which I see somewhat differently. But that’s another story. This year, Govee also has a light string for Christmas trees, featuring a somewhat different design than usual. On the 10- or 20-meter-long cord, there are no small “candles” but instead, the LEDs are integrated into the cable. This design is not necessarily ideal for a Christmas tree but rather for other installation locations.
However, even though Govee is often very attractive in terms of price, the manufacturer’s app is absolutely dreadful and not user-friendly—no amount of impressive effects can make up for it. It’s simply not fun to use. On the bright side, 2024 brings a technical upgrade: the light string is now also available with a green cable, which fits much better into the tree. Additionally, pure white LEDs have been integrated. The price is certainly hot: the 20-meter-long light string is priced at just 64.99 euros.
- impressive effects
- unique appearance
- very confusing app
- no classic candle look
The Pros and Cons of the Nanoleaf Light String
The Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Light is now much more widely available than it was last year when it had just hit the market. It’s definitely future-proof, as the Nanoleaf light string directly supports the new Matter standard—even if the control there is somewhat limited. All other important smart home integrations are included.
All features of the 20-meter-long light string with its 250 LEDs can be accessed via the Nanoleaf app. Creating color gradients isn’t quite as easy as with Philips Hue, but the app is much more user-friendly than, for example, Govee’s, and it also offers some really nice pre-made animations. The price is also fair, currently just over 70 euros.
- compatible with Matter and other systems
- many effects with the Nanoleaf app
- only one variant available
There are only four weeks left until Christmas. I’ve updated my little fairy lights comparison for you. Which light will go on your tree?
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A huge plus for the Twinkly (for me) is that my tree came pre-lit with Twinkly lights, with the power to the different sections routed through the ‘trunk’. I also like the playlist feature, but not everyone wants the patterns to change on a regular basis.