If you’re an existing Ring user and you’re looking to turn some of your outdoor bulbs into smart ones, the Ring PAR38 Smart LED Bulb is an enticing choice.
Amazon-owned Ring is spreading its wings into smart light bulbs (the company already has a broad array of smart light fixtures), and the Ring PAR38 Smart LED Bulb should appeal for people who haven’t invested in other smart lighting solutions or who are already in the Ring ecosystem.
This bright, dimmable, and weather-resistant outdoor bulb fits in standard light sockets, and you can set it to turn on when motion-sensing Ring cameras, video doorbells, and landscape lights detect movement. The PAR38 requires a Ring Bridge, but that shouldn’t be a problem for its target audience.
This review is part of TechHive’s coverage of the best smart bulbs
where you’ll find
reviews of competing products, plus a buyer’s guide to the features you should consider when shopping.
Rated to last up to 25,000 hours, the Ring PAR38 Smart LED Bulb joins the new Ring A19 bulb (reviewed here) as the brand’s first standard smart bulbs. Fitted with an E26 base that screws into a standard light socket, the Ring PAR38 is available in both black and white finishes. It feels reassuringly hefty, sturdy, and substantial.
The dimmable PAR38 has been tuned to a “neutral white” 3,500 Kelvin, a warm-but-not-too-warm color temperature that’s ideal for brightly lighting an outdoor space. Capable of emitting up to 1,500 lumens (nearly twice the output of a 60-watt incandescent), the PAR38 smart bulb had no trouble bathing my apartment’s rear entryway in light.
Measuring 2.34 x 2.46 x 0.79 inches, the Ring PAR38 Smart Bulb is UL rated for wet conditions, meaning you can install it outside where it’ll be directly exposed to the elements. My PAR38 test unit endured several April downpours here in Brooklyn and appeared no worse for the wear.
Ben Patterson/IDGThe Ring PAR38 Smart LED Bulb had no trouble weathering some strong Brooklyn downpours.
Like Ring’s A19 Smart LED Bulb, the PAR38 Smart Bulb requires the Ring Bridge in order to take advantage of its smart features (such as dimming, scheduling, and so on). You can buy a standalone Ring BridgeRemove non-product link for $50 if you don’t have one already, although you’ll find better deals when the bridge is bundled with other Ring products; a two-pack of PAR38 bulbs with the Ring BridgeRemove non-product link is currently selling for just $70, for example. The bridge communicates with the PAR38 bulbs using a proprietary RF long-range communication system and can support up to 50 compatible Ring devices, but you can deploy only one Ring Bridge per home.
For more information waterproof led light fixtures, please get in touch with us!