When you have a group that you simply need to showcase, whether or not it is high-end sneakers, costly collectible vinyl figures, or one thing else you need to draw consideration to, Nanoleaf’s EXPO Sensible LED Show Circumstances are value testing. They’re priced at $270 for a pack of 4, with extra enlargement instances out there for $63.
The EXPO Sensible Circumstances are LED outfitted show containers for collectibles. They’re rectangular, with white plastic sides and clear plastic on the entrance and the again. The entrance panel opens up in order that gadgets might be positioned inside.
When it comes to dimension and form, they remind me of the shoe containers that individuals get to retailer their sneakers. They’re just below 15 inches lengthy, 11.4 inches deep, and eight.7 inches tall. The within measurements are a bit smaller, so you will have about 7.5 inches in top. The peak has been probably the most limiting think about my testing, since taller collectible gadgets will not match inside. For footwear, which these instances are undoubtedly designed for, you possibly can match as much as a dimension 15 sneaker. Nanoleaf has a information on what other forms of issues match inside, however there is not a point out of a weight restrict. Most collectibles that can match aren’t wildly heavy, and the instances are sturdy, so weight most likely will not be a priority for most individuals.
These ship in flat-packed, and every field must be assembled one-by-one. The items solely go collectively a technique and it is not terribly arduous to get them put collectively, however it did take me an excellent half hour to arrange 4 of them. I discovered setting them as much as be considerably irritating as a result of it takes extra pressure than you would possibly suppose to get them to snap in place.
As soon as assembled, they really feel sturdy, despite the fact that they’re manufactured from plastic. They do not look or really feel low cost, however it’s clear that they are plastic and never one other materials. Nanoleaf solely makes the EXPO Circumstances in white, and that is not going to suit some aesthetics. I believe there are plenty of collectors who would possibly choose black, however the white does work properly for highlighting the gadgets inside. Both approach, the meeting retains what’s inside mud free, however Nanoleaf does not point out UV safety so I assume that is not included.
Like Nanoleaf’s lighting panels, the EXPO Circumstances hyperlink along with connectors, that are included within the field. There is a major controller field that gives energy and that the ability adapter plugs into, and the remainder of the containers plug into it. Nanoleaf designed them to be arrange multi function row or stacked up, so you possibly can really make a number of totally different designs. There’s no wall mounting {hardware}, so that they’re designed extra to go on the ground or on a floor like a desk or a shelf.
The controller field has a set of touch-based controls on it for altering the colours and the brightness with out the app, and I hate them. They use contact activation as a substitute of bodily buttons. The buttons are too delicate, and when you even brush them, they activate. They’re additionally considerably annoying for actions like resetting the EXPO Circumstances. I might have most well-liked customary bodily buttons.
I set the instances up throughout a set of bookcases in my workplace in a horizontal line, however I additionally examined them in a two row vertical orientation, and so they stack properly. There’s an indentation on the prime of every field that the bottom of a second field sits in for a safe match, however there isn’t any clip or different mechanism that holds them in place apart from floor space and the indentations. I wished to have the ability to put LEGO that I’ve on prime of the instances, however the depressions would have made for an unstable floor, which is one thing to remember if you wish to have one thing on prime. I added some craft foam to have a flat floor, and that ended up working properly.
I’ve seven instances to suit throughout my bookcase, however as much as 300 might be related collectively. After getting over eight instances, you want a 75W energy provide unit from Nanoleaf, which I imagine is offered individually as a result of the bottom kits ship with a 42W energy provide. A 75W energy provide helps 14 instances, so when you go over that quantity, you will want two or extra energy provides. Notice that whereas 300 might be related, Nanoleaf says you must solely stack them 16 excessive vertically. There isn’t any limitation in a horizontal orientation.
The EXPO Circumstances hook up with the Nanoleaf app, and are HomeKit-enabled, so you possibly can entry them within the Residence app and management them with Siri. Thread is included too, for improved connectivity. Like different Nanoleaf merchandise, they are often set to over 16 million colours, with totally different patterns and lightweight sequences which might be out there within the app. I like Nanoleaf’s app, and I feel the corporate has accomplished an excellent job making it straightforward to get a complete vary of various scenes and shade choices for its merchandise with little effort.
You possibly can set the EXPO Circumstances to stable colours or create your individual animated scenes within the app, however there are additionally group created scenes and AI Magic Scenes. With group scenes, you possibly can obtain plenty of actually nice shade/sample combos created by others, and the AI Magic Scene allows you to put in any phrase to have AI provide you with one thing. There’s an choice to create a playlist to have the EXPO Circumstances cycle by means of scenes, and there’s a rhythm choice, which permits the chosen colours to shift in time with music that is taking part in. You may also join them to a PC or Mac setup with different Nanoleaf lights utilizing the Nanoleaf desktop app.
There are a number of shades of white along with shade, which I feel is necessary for the EXPO Circumstances. Relying on what you will have inside, a number of the deeper colours and the animations could make the contents arduous to concentrate on. If I am displaying off collectibles, I usually like them to be seen, so I’ve been setting the EXPO Circumstances to lighter colours and shades of white (1200K to 6500K). The deep colours do look good with sneakers or extra easy gadgets, and the backlighting is unquestionably eye-catching.
You possibly can choose a brightness stage for the instances together with a shade, and so they get pretty brilliant. Nanoleaf says they’re every 50 lumens, and I normally have them on half brightness or decrease.
I do not need to do a Nanoleaf evaluation with out addressing connectivity and customer support, two areas the place Nanoleaf has traditionally struggled. Older Nanoleaf merchandise can have points, and I’ve had controllers fail on the Aurora and Canvas panels. The newer Thread-enabled merchandise appear to be extra dependable to date, and I’ve examined the EXPO Circumstances since final August with just one connectivity hiccup throughout setup. They have not disconnected from Wi-Fi since, and the Nanoleaf Skylights I’ve had arrange since final yr have additionally been steady. My solely current subject was with the Sense+ Swap intermittently disconnecting, however it’s been okay for a pair months now.
As for my customer support expertise, I wanted a seventh field and I purchased it straight from Nanoleaf. They mistakenly despatched me a controller case as a substitute of an enlargement case, so I bought in contact with assist as a daily buyer. I bought a reply again shortly, and acquired a substitute. I’ve seen Nanoleaf assist being extra energetic on varied social channels like Reddit lately, so I feel they’re attempting to enhance. I hope that newer merchandise are going to have an extended life than a number of the older gadgets with fewer connectivity points, however time will inform.
Nanoleaf’s EXPO Circumstances include a two-year guarantee and a 30-day return interval (when bought from the Nanoleaf web site).
Backside Line
Nanoleaf’s EXPO Circumstances have been clearly designed for displaying off high-end sneaker collections given the form and dimension, however they work properly for any small collectible. They pair up with different Nanoleaf lights and make for an ideal desk accent, room ornament, or ambient gentle supply.
It is good to have an ambient lighting choice that additionally has some utility, and Nanoleaf’s EXPO instances are a stable different to including LED lights to a typical show case or curio cupboard. I did not love the bodily buttons and I want there have been extra shade choices for individuals who do not love white, however general, it is a stable product that is distinctive and has worth for collectors.
I do suppose these are on the costly facet at round $67 per case, however the audience for these doubtless spends much more on what goes contained in the instances.
Easy methods to Purchase
The Nanoleaf EXPO Sensible LED Show Circumstances can be bought from the Nanoleaf web site or from Amazon for $270, which features a set of 4 instances. Further instances can be found for $63.
Notice: Nanoleaf supplied MacRumors with a set of EXPO Sensible LED Show Circumstances for the aim of this evaluation. No different compensation was acquired.
