Aqara is bringing two existing smart home controllers to your desk. The new Aqara Panel Hub S1 Plus Desktop and Aqara Touchscreen Dial V1 Desktop add a table stand and USB-C power. This means you no longer need a wall box, neutral wire or permanent position on a wall. You can place the controls on a desk, bedside table or kitchen counter instead.
Panel Hub S1 Plus Desktop becomes a central control screen
The Panel Hub S1 Plus Desktop has a 6.9-inch display with a resolution of 1440 by 720 pixels. You can add cards for lighting, curtains, climate controls, locks and scenes. A single dashboard can contain up to 60 cards, while the device supports ten different dashboards. The display switches on automatically when you approach it.
The controller also remains a Zigbee 3.0 hub and can share connected Aqara devices with other platforms through a Matter bridge. Paired Matter devices can be controlled from the display as well, although this requires a compatible Matter controller within Aqara Home. The Panel Hub can show video from Aqara cameras and video doorbells, and lets you unlock a compatible lock from the live view. Built-in Siri control is also available, but requires a HomePod or HomePod mini configured as a home hub.
Touchscreen Dial V1 Desktop controls devices with a rotary dial
The smaller Touchscreen Dial V1 Desktop combines a touchscreen with a rotary dial that provides vibration and sound feedback. You can assign up to 18 devices or scenes to the controller. The dial is intended for precise adjustments, including the brightness or colour temperature of lights, curtain position and an air conditioner’s target temperature.
This controller also uses dual-band Wi-Fi and does not need a separate hub for its basic connection to Aqara Home. Apple Home, Amazon Alexa and Google Home are supported too. There is an important limitation: Aqara says the rotary function cannot be used within third-party smart home platforms. Its built-in temperature and humidity sensor and proximity detection can serve as automation triggers within Aqara Home.
Aqara desktop controllers differ from the in-wall models
The new versions are therefore more than the existing controllers placed on a generic stand. The Panel Hub S1 Plus Desktop has model number MP-K05D and measures 172.6 by 100.5 by 89.8 millimetres. The Touchscreen Dial V1 Desktop is model WS-K11D and measures 86.6 by 107.3 by 92.8 millimetres. Both devices use 5V/2A USB-C power. The electrical switches found on the wired in-wall versions are absent because the desktop models do not connect directly to lighting circuits.
Aqara has now listed both desktop controllers as new products. Pricing and a firm release date for the Netherlands have not yet been confirmed. Existing offers for the Aqara Panel Hub S1 Plus and Aqara Touchscreen Dial V1 refer to the wired in-wall models, not these new desktop versions. Check specifically for model numbers MP-K05D and WS-K11D before buying.
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