the new generation bridge that sees (much) bigger

In use, this hardware upgrade translates into significantly reduced response times since during our test, commands sent from the Hue application or via a voice assistant (Alexa, Google) were executed almost instantly, whereas the old Bridge sometimes displayed a slight latency. This increased power is largely due to the Hue Chip Pro, the new onboard chip that serves as the brain of the device.

Philips Hue has also equipped its hub with components worthy of a small computer: a 1.7 GHz quad-core processor supported by 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of flash storage, all accompanied by controlled consumption because the Bridge Pro only consumes 0.1 W in standby and at most 5 W in full activity.

New features: your bulbs detect your movements

Beyond the numbers, the Bridge Pro introduces new smart features made possible by its extra power. The most interesting is undoubtedly Hue MotionAware. Behind this name hides the hub’s ability to transform your bulbs into motion detectors. In practice, by placing at least three lights connected in a room, the system analyzes the tiny disturbances in the Zigbee signal between these lamps when a person passes nearby. Thus, a movement can be detected without an additional sensor, then trigger the automatic switching on of other lamps in the defined zone.

During our test, we configured MotionAware in the entrance equipped with four Hue bulbs: when entering at night, the lights turned on themselves, offering a very smart home experience without having to install a traditional detector. Philips Hue even integrates this presence detection into its new security service, Hue Secure. Concretely, the Bridge Pro can send light alerts by flashing certain bulbs during an intrusion, and even security notifications on a smartphone. Visual alerts are free and accessible to everyone, while push notifications require a Hue Secure subscription (€39.99 per year per camera if you have a Hue Camera, or €0.99/month to activate only MotionAware alerts without a camera).

During our tests, the light alert function proved reassuring and effective in simulating absence. For example, it allows all the lights in a room to flash red in the event of nighttime detection, potentially deterring an intruder. On the other hand, we regret that mobile notifications are reserved for subscribers, an understandable choice from the point of view of the security offer, but which adds a recurring cost to take advantage of all the capabilities of the Bridge Pro.

Installation and migration: an easy bridge to adopt

Good news for those accustomed to the Hue ecosystem, the transition to the Bridge Pro is relatively simple. Philips offers a migration assistant in the Hue app to automatically transfer all of your bulbs, rooms, scenes and settings from an old Bridge to the new one.

When we moved from Bridge v2 to Bridge Pro, the operation took less than 30 minutes and we only had to reconfigure a few lights because at the time of the transition they were electrically off, so remember to turn on all your bulbs! Apart from this small hiccup, all our lamps (around fifty) were finally recognized on the new hub, with their names and room assignments, as well as the programmed lighting scenarios. This is life-changing compared to the days of upgrading from Bridge v1 to v2 a decade ago, where you had to reinstall everything one by one.

Be careful, however, one scenario is worth noting: if, like some power users, you used two Hue bridges in parallel (for example one per floor) to get around the 50 lamp limit of the old model, you will have to wait a little longer. Today, the migration system only accepts one source Bridge to transfer. The merger of several old bridges into a single Bridge Pro is not yet available, but Signify promises to add this function by the end of 2025… While waiting for this update, really well-equipped households will therefore possibly have to proceed in two stages (migrating one bridge automatically, then manually adding the devices from the second). For the majority of users, however, who only had one Hue bridge, the migration is done smoothly and without much stress.

More comfortable daily use

Once installed, the Bridge Pro is almost forgotten as it works so seamlessly. In my house, made up of around thirty Hue bulbs, several motion detectors and wireless switches, I immediately appreciated the gain in responsiveness. For example, switching on all the lights in the living room (8 bulbs) simultaneously via a scene already took one to two seconds before, but with the Bridge Pro, the execution seems almost instantaneous, without any perceptible delay between the lamps.

Likewise, Hue sensors now trigger lighting more quickly, which increases the comfort of daily use. Another concrete advantage, the Bridge Pro offers more freedom in its placement. In fact, it is no longer obligatory to connect it via Ethernet to the router since this version can also connect via Wi-Fi to the home network. This wireless connectivity opens up the possibility of installing the hub in the center of the house (to improve Zigbee range to your lamps) or in the most discreet place for you, without being limited by the length of a cable. In our case, we were able to move the Bridge Pro away from the Internet box and thus position it high up, almost in the middle of the house, which slightly improved the coverage and reliability of the signal to lamps which sometimes dropped out at the end of the network. Of course, the RJ45 socket remains present if you prefer a classic wired connection.

Note also that power now passes through a simple USB-C port, with a power adapter provided, which standardizes the connection and facilitates replacement if necessary. Finally, Philips Hue has ensured that its new bridge remains compatible with current home automation ecosystems. The Bridge Pro supports Matter, the emerging universal home automation standard, so all your Hue bulbs and accessories connected to it can easily integrate into a multi-brand connected home (voice assistant, third-party apps, etc.). Like the Bridge v2 since its recent update, it serves as a gateway so that your Hue lights are visible and controllable via Alexa, Google Home or Apple HomeKit using Matter. On the other hand, this does not mean that the Bridge Pro becomes a universal hub, you will not be able to add Matter connected objects from other brands in the Hue app, and that is not its purpose, it remains dedicated to the Hue universe.

Some limitations and incompatibilities to note

Despite a very solid package, the Bridge Pro is not free from small drawbacks or initial limitations. The most notable for some concerns the Philips ecosystem itself since Philips Ambilight TVs no longer work with this new bridge. Indeed, while previous Ambilight TV models could synchronize their colors with Hue bulbs via Bridge v2, this compatibility is broken with the Bridge Pro. Concretely, the television no longer appears in the Hue application, a sign that it can no longer communicate with the new hub.

Aficionados of Ambilight+Hue mode will be well worth their cost since to enjoy a lighting atmosphere synchronized with the image, you must now use other solutions, such as the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync box (to be connected between the HDMI video source and the TV), or use a Samsung/LG TV compatible with the Hue Sync application! It’s a bit of a shame for owners of recent Philips televisions, who lose a popular plug-and-play functionality. Hopefully a future update from Signify or TP Vision (manufacturer of Philips TVs) can re-establish this bridge between Ambilight and Hue, but nothing is less certain.

Furthermore, as mentioned, the Bridge Pro introduces a freemium model for certain functions (MotionAware without subscription vs. with subscription for notifications). If you want to take full advantage of the security aspect (intrusion notifications, in addition to simple light alerts), you will have to accept this additional cost of €9.99 per year, for a small box which, in appearance, only manages lights.

The Bridge Pro is about $30 more expensive than the old Bridge Hue, which is often found on sale or in discounted starter kits. However, given the major technical advances brought by the Pro version (and given that a bridge is made to last for years at the heart of the connected home), the investment can easily be justified for intensive Hue users.

The ultimate Hue bridge for ultra-connected homes?

By bringing a more muscular and clever heart to its connected lighting system, Philips Hue is clearly targeting the most demanding home automation enthusiasts, those whose home has dozens of bulbs, rooms and automations. And in this niche, the Hue Bridge Pro is almost flawless. It eliminates the frustrations linked to the limitations of the old model (number of devices, slowness), while introducing innovative features like MotionAware that give a taste of the smart home of tomorrow.

The ease of migration and seamless integration into the existing ecosystem make it a fairly smooth upgrade for whoever needs it. Of course, not everyone has 150 bulbs at home, so for a more modest Hue installation (a few bulbs and accent lamps), the classic Bridge remains sufficient and the gain of the Pro will be less noticeable. But if you start to approach the limits, or simply if you want to sustain your Hue installation for years to come, this Bridge Pro will bring you comfort, speed and scalability.