Shines Bright
The Hue Go is a solid accessory that does double duty. You can use it to add ambience to any setting, and also take it with you for on-the-go lighting.
For
- Portable
- On-device controls
- Works with Homekit & Alexa
Against
- Relatively short battery life
- Requires Hue bridge
Sets the Mood
The Hue Bloom is a favorite for adding effects in almost any room, but it isn't portable and could stand to be brighter.
For
- Great for ambience
- Casing doesn't get hot with use
Against
- Can only be used indoors
- Not the brightest
I See the Light
The Hue Go is brighter and more portable than the older Hue Bloom, and even though it costs a bit more, is still a solid choice when adding ambience to almost any room in your connected home.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Hue Go | Hue Bloom |
|---|---|---|
| Bulb Wattage | 6w | 8w |
| Lumen Output | 300 | 120 |
| Lifetime | 20,000 hours | 12,000 hours |
| Portable | Yes | No |
| On-device Control | Yes | No |
| Colors | 16 million | 16 million |
You already know what you're getting into if you're considering a Hue Bloom or Hue Go, but there are a few differences between the two that might sway things either way. Where the standard A19 Hue Bulbs can work in many lamps and light fixtures, the Bloom and Go are geared even more toward that ambient light for your living room, office, or bedroom.
The Hue Bloom has been around a bit longer than the Go, so it's a bit more well-known when it comes to setting and forgetting — you put it where you want it and there it stays. On the flipside, the Hue Go is meant to be taken where you need it when you need it. For example, I have my Hue Bloom up high on the top of my kitchen cabinets to light up my ceiling. With the Go, I wouldn't be able to use it in the same manner without losing the portability, which is one of the main selling points. So if you know you won't be moving anything around once you're set, the Hue Bloom might serve you just fine.
Where the Go really shines (yes, I went there) is not only in that it can be toted around wherever you need it, but also that you also have access to lighting settings right on the Go itself, so you don't need to use the app or any voice control to change up your lighting on the fly. Keep in mind too that where the Bloom is more of a "projection" light, the Go itself lights up and gives off more of a glow, though it's much brighter at 300 lumens versus the 120 lumens of the Bloom.
All that being said, don't expect to get too much "portable" use out of the Hue Go. While the battery isn't terrible, in most cases it's nowhere near the 3-hour time that Philips claims.
When it's all said and done, the Hue Go and Hue Bloom have many similarities across the board, but the Hue Go has those added features like portability, on-device controls, and a brighter light that justify the added cost. Just note that you will need a Hue Bridge to get it working, especially if you want to enable voice control.
Portability and on-device controls make this one a go.
The Hue Go is a solid combination of ambience and portability. It's brighter than the Bloom and can be used in more scenarios.
The Bloom has its place but lacks those few extra features.
The Hue Bloom is a great addition to your ambient light setup and certainly has its place, but lacks the portability and on-device controls of the Hue Go.
