Aqara Presence Multi-Sensor FP300 evaluation

Aqara Presence Multi-Sensor FP300: Introduction

In the event you’ve been following Aqara’s presence sensor lineup, the FP300 is a fairly large deal. It’s the model’s first actually wi-fi mmWave sensor, one which doesn’t want an influence twine dangling down your wall.

Regardless of its compact body, it manages to pack the identical hybrid detection tech because the wired FP1E and FP2 fashions, solely now with the liberty to put it wherever you want… albeit with a number of caveats.

It’s constructed to be an all-rounder, combining PIR and mmWave sensing with mild, temperature, and humidity monitoring, plus the sort of sensible dwelling compatibility that makes it comfy in any ecosystem.

Thread and Zigbee are each onboard, with Matter assist bridging the hole between platforms.

Learn on for my full Aqara Presence Multi-Sensor FP300 evaluation.

Design and parts

The FP300 ditches the FP2’s rounded “puck” design discovered on the FP1E and PF2 for one thing extra conventional. It has a small motion-sensor-style housing that appears proper at dwelling in any room. It’s delicate, neat, and fully wire-free.

Two CR2450 batteries preserve it powered for as much as two years (assuming you’re not hammering each sensor at max sensitivity), and there’s a small LED on the entrance that flashes for exercise, or in no way when you desire it darkish as you possibly can flip it off within the Aqara app settings.

Within the field you’ll discover a 3M adhesive pad, magnetic mount, and screw, so you possibly can both stick it on a shelf, connect it to metallic, or repair it to a wall.

That flexibility makes it perfect for areas the place you wouldn’t usually wish to run energy akin to hallways, loos, or awkward corners.

Options

The FP300 is a 5-in-1 sensor that may deal with presence, PIR movement, mild, temperature, and humidity.

If you would like the best setup, you possibly can hyperlink it straight over Thread to a Matter-enabled system with out even utilizing an Aqara hub or app. It’ll present up in your most well-liked platform and begin reporting presence and ambient knowledge instantly.

Nonetheless, if you wish to dig into the superior choices; issues like sensitivity changes, movement modes, and AI studying you then’ll want to attach it to an Aqara hub utilizing Matter-over-Thread.

For the total suite of options, you’ll must pair it to your Aqara hub utilizing Zigbee. The excellent news is that doesn’t imply you miss out on the Matter cross-platform compatibility as most of Aqara’s hubs additionally act as Matter bridges, so you continue to preserve full interoperability whereas unlocking the deeper settings.

In the event you can’t resolve what choice is greatest on your setup, it’s positive to experiment first earlier than you resolve what connectivity path to go for. I had it arrange Matter-over-Thread to begin with however it was straightforward sufficient to flash the firmware to take it down the Zigbee route after within the Aqara app.

No matter mode you utilize, when you use the Aqara app you’ll see the info factors from the totally different sensors introduced as 4 totally different playing cards.

With regards to the movement and presence sensing, you possibly can run PIR and mmWave individually or collectively. This “Infrared Radar Twin Presence” combo mode provides glorious accuracy whereas balancing battery utilization, whereas mmWave-only mode presents peak precision with a heavier battery toll.

The FP300 additionally consists of AI Spatial Studying, which might scan your room format in about 20 seconds to detect partitions and limits. It’s intelligent, although in testing it didn’t at all times enhance response time. In actual fact, turning it off made presence detection really feel barely snappier.

Every environmental sensor may be tweaked independently, with 5 ranges for each mild and humidity. What you don’t get right here is the ultra-detailed zone mapping that the FP2 presents, the place you possibly can outline furnishings positions and detection zones, that is still a wired-only characteristic.

Efficiency

Efficiency-wise, this factor is rock stable. Detection occurs virtually immediately, even for delicate movement, and it doesn’t set off falsely.

Working in dual-sensor mode at medium sensitivity, it lined my 6x5m kitchen flawlessly, sensing presence whereas I used to be stood or sat nonetheless within the room, and reacting the second I left (after a absence delay which you can tweak within the app.)

Automation timing can also be spot on: lights switched on as quickly as somebody entered and turned off cleanly after the delay I’d set. That sort of reliability is what makes the FP300 really feel like a correct improve over conventional movement sensors.

Mild readings have been per Aqara’s Movement Sensor P2, and temperature was inside 0.2°C of different Aqara sensors positioned close by, spectacular given their totally different places. Even working on batteries, responsiveness by no means dipped. The FP300 feels each bit as fast as its wired siblings.

As a result of it helps Matter, you should utilize it throughout Apple Dwelling, Google Dwelling, or SmartThings, although you’ll lose a few of Aqara’s granular sensitivity controls when you stick purely to exterior automations though you’ll get loads of knowledge factors when you use Dwelling Assistant.

Remaining ideas

The FP300 is compact, dependable, and eventually free from cables, which immediately makes it extra helpful in real-world houses. You don’t get the extra superior zone mapping of its wired siblings, however for most individuals, that’s a good commerce for the pliability of going wi-fi.

Between its correct detection, glorious battery efficiency, and cross-platform compatibility, it’s simply probably the most versatile presence sensors available on the market. The truth that it doesn’t want an outlet simply seals the deal.

In the event you’ve been ready for a conveyable mmWave sensor that doesn’t compromise on pace or accuracy, the FP300 is precisely that. It’s easy, sensible, and able to slot into any setup.

How we check

After we publish our critiques, you possibly can relaxation assured that they’re the results of “dwelling with” long run assessments.

Sensible dwelling sensors dwell inside an ecosystem, or a spread of merchandise that – supposedly – all work in concord. And they’re designed to supply a spread of various metrics. Subsequently, it’s unattainable to make use of a sensor for per week and ship a verdict.

As a result of we’re testing sensible dwelling equipment all day, on a regular basis, we all know what issues and the way a specific sensible gadget compares to alternate options that you may additionally be contemplating.

Our critiques are complete, goal and truthful and, in fact, we’re by no means paid on to evaluation a tool.