Sevenhugs just announced the Smart Remote U ($200), a new smart remote that’s substantially more affordable than the company’s original-and-newly-renamed Smart Remote X ($300). Both smart remotes look similar, boasting that sleek, all-touchscreen design that Sevenhugs has become known for, and they can control all the same devices, be them speakers, TV, receivers, smart lights, smart plugs or smart thermostats — so what’s the catch? Why is it cheaper?
One of the coolest features with Sevenhugs’s original Smart Remote (now the Smart Remote X) is that you can point it at any device, it’ll detect what you were pointing at, and then the smart remote’s display will automatically adjust to that device’s interphase, allowing you to quickly and intuitively control whatever gadget. While the new Smart Remote U can still control all the same devices, its display won’t automatically change to that device’s interphase; instead, you have to select the interphase you want on the remote (it’s a quick swiping action).
The reason for this is that the Smart Remote X comes with additional sensors and requires some installation. You need to place the various sensors around your room, which allows the remote to actually know what it’s pointing at. The cheaper Smart Remote U does not come with these sensors, meaning there’s less installation but the remote can’t orient itself nearly as well.
It’s no secret that smart remotes probably aren’t as necessary as they used to be, thanks to the rise of voice assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa. However, if you’re somebody who has a lot of gadgets and they all aren’t connected to Wi-Fi, like if you have a bunch of high-end audio equipment, then a smart remote is still a great way to consolidate all those extra remotes into one; nobody wants to have seven remotes lying around.
If you’re looking for a more affordable smart remote than the Smart Remote X, Sevenhugs’s new Smart Remote U makes sense. It’s now more in line with Logitech’s affordable Harmony remotes, but you could argue that the Smart Remote U is substantially better looking and maybe easier to use. There aren’t any buttons on the Smart Remote U, after all, and buttons are confusing (for some).
The Sevenhugs Smart Remote U is available right now on the company’s website.
