The Philips Hue Solo Lightstrip has all the functions of a Philips Hue smart lamp. However, it is priced a bit lower than other Philips Hue Lightstrips. I tested the Lightstrip and will tell you what I think of it.
The box is recognizably Philips Hue. Furthermore, the packaging is minimalistic and the installation is self-explanatory. I plug the lightstrip into the socket, after which it starts to flash. In the Philips Hue app I add a new lamp. The Lightstrip appears immediately, after which I add it to a room. I place it in 'Living room'.
This part of the installation is easy. You have to put a little more effort into the physical installation, although it is made very easy for you. The back of the Lightstrip is an adhesive strip. You can remove it in parts. I choose to only remove a few pieces. This way I still have fresh parts of the adhesive strip left if I want to move the light cord. For now I stick it behind my dresser that is under the TV. This way I get a nice glow of light under the TV. The lightstrip is a bit too long for me, but you can easily cut it to size. I don't do this, because I might use it somewhere else. In the app, I set the light color and shade, and add it to light scenes that I already have. This way, the lamp dims along with my other lamps when I press 'Relax'. You can make it as crazy as you want in terms of lighting, with crazy colors and high brightness. I prefer to use it as a subtle light glow.
I do add it to my entertainment space in the Philips Hue app. This is linked to a Philips Hue Sync Box, which allows the lightstrip to color match my TV. This is not a Gradient variant, which means that it only gives off one color of light at a time and does not show a color gradient. Still, it gives a nice effect with films and series.
All in all, the Philips Hue Solo Lightstrip is the right choice for many households. Installation is easy and the light glow is of high quality. Only if you really value self-tinting images in films and series, you will choose a Gradient Lightstrip. If not, you will definitely be satisfied with the Solo Lightstrip.