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Matter Alpha’s first-month account describes replacing most Zigbee devices in a new apartment with Matter-compatible lighting, controls, climate, sensors and power-monitoring gear. The setup reduced reliance on standalone bridges, but the author reported missing switch features and said some Matter controls were no better than their Zigbee equivalents.
Matter Alpha’s first-month report describes replacing most of the author’s older Zigbee devices in a new apartment with Matter-compatible equipment for lighting, controls and other smart-home functions. The account says the change reduced the need for some standalone bridges, but also found that key switch features were missing when devices were used through Matter.
The author began by powering up existing smart-home controllers, clearing out most old device entries and setting up Home Assistant as the primary Matter controller. Devices needed for manual phone control were then shared with Apple Home, while Home Assistant Link was used for Google Home and Amazon Alexa. The author said the move made it possible to retire hardware such as Philips Hue and SONOFF bridges that had supported older setups.
Lighting and wall controls came first. The account describes installing about 10 Aqara EU Switch H2 and Dimmer Switch H2 units, using Thread, to operate fans, lights and ceiling fixtures. The switches were chosen in part because they support installations without a neutral wire, which the author said helped with the apartment’s existing wall boxes.
The rest of the installation included Govee and Nanoleaf ceiling lights, IKEA pendant lights and smart bulbs from several brands, plus a Dreame light strip and additional floor and table lamps. The report says the home also included devices for climate, sensors and power monitoring, although the supplied account gives fewer details about those parts. The author described the setup as a practical test of how an all-Matter home performed in daily use, rather than a controlled comparison.
Matter’s Convenience Has Limits
The report offers a concrete account of a question facing people choosing smart-home equipment: whether a shared connectivity standard makes devices from different brands easier to combine without giving up useful functions. Reducing the number of dedicated bridges can simplify a setup, and the author said retiring little-used hubs cut physical clutter and made the system easier to maintain.
But compatibility does not necessarily mean that every device exposes all its manufacturer-specific functions across every platform. The author found that the switches lacked decoupled relay mode for smart-bulb automations and had very limited dimmer configuration through Matter. That matters to anyone planning a retrofit: a device may connect and perform basic control while still falling short of the features that shaped a previous setup.
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A New Apartment, Fresh Setup
The author said moving into a larger apartment provided an opportunity to rethink an existing smart home and move away from legacy protocols. The previous system mixed Zigbee switches, HomeKit fixtures and some Matter lamps. The first-month project replaced nearly all of the older Zigbee equipment, while retaining controllers and using software bridges for some proprietary local-network devices.
The report’s choices were shaped by the home’s wiring and the author’s existing platform mix. In particular, neutral-free switches were useful for retrofitting existing wall boxes. The author also continued to use multiple ecosystems, sharing selected devices between Home Assistant, Apple Home, Google Home and Alexa rather than relying on a single app.
“They are no better than their Zigbee counterparts over Matter right now.”
— Matter Alpha author
How Broad Are the Gaps?
The account describes one person’s equipment and apartment, not a systematic test across all Matter products or platforms. It does not establish whether the reported switch limitations arise from the devices themselves, the Matter implementation, the controller or the way features are exposed in a particular app. Other device categories are named, but the supplied material does not provide detailed performance findings for climate controls, sensors or power monitoring.
The report also does not say whether the missing switch functions will be added through software updates, or whether the author ultimately found a better neutral-free alternative. Its description of a mostly Matter-based home should not be read as evidence that every component uses Matter for every function.
Testing Alternatives and Updates
The author said they were settling for the installed switches while looking into other neutral-free wall-switch options. The report does not give a timetable for replacing them or identify a final alternative. For readers considering a similar setup, the account points to checking which controls a device exposes in the intended platform, rather than relying on a Matter label alone.
Further developments would depend on product and software updates, along with the author’s continued use of the home. The source does not announce a follow-up test or confirm that the identified feature gaps have since been resolved.
Key Questions
What did the author set up during the first month?
The author installed Matter-compatible equipment for lighting and wall controls, along with devices for climate, sensors and power monitoring. The detailed account focuses most on switches, ceiling lights, bulbs and lamps.
Which controller did the author use?
The report says Home Assistant was the primary Matter controller. Selected devices were shared with Apple Home, while Home Assistant Link handled connections to Google Home and Amazon Alexa.
What did not work as expected?
The author said the Aqara switches and dimmers lacked decoupled relay mode for smart-bulb automations and offered few dimmer configuration options through Matter. They described the devices as no better than their Zigbee counterparts at that point.
Did the author replace every bridge or hub?
No. The report says some standalone bridges, including Philips Hue and SONOFF hardware, were retired because they were no longer needed in the author’s setup. Existing controllers remained in use, and software options were used to bring some proprietary local-network devices into Matter.
Were the reported switch limitations fixed?
The source does not confirm a fix or provide a follow-up date. The author said they were looking into alternative neutral-free switches while continuing to use the installed models.
Source: rss
