Cync Smart Thermostat review: Middle of the pack
MSRP $120.00
“The Cync Thermostat is a simple suggestion for homes already running other Cync products.”
Pros
- Powerful Cync integration
- Easy-to-use smartphone app
- Programmable schedules
Cons
- Awkward design
- No support for Apple HomeKit
GE makes a wide range of smart home devices under the Cync umbrella. These offer heaps of functionality, due to a strong smartphone app, and the Cync Smart Thermostat is certainly one of the latest family members, bringing smart heating and cooling to your setup.
When put next to the competition, the Cync Smart Thermostat runs in the midst of the pack. It’s a bit pricey and doesn’t introduce any revolutionary features, but homes already outfitted with Cync products will find this smart thermostat to be essentially the most exciting option available on the market. Should you’re not a Cync home, nonetheless, GE’s thermostat has stiff competition.
Traditional design, modern amenities
Most smart thermostats are built with a futuristic aesthetic, offering a big display with minimal on-screen controls that wouldn’t be misplaced in a sci-fi film. That’s not the case with the Cync Smart Thermostat, which looks like a minor evolution of the standard thermostat.
There are not any physical buttons on the Cync Smart Thermostat, but as an alternative, you’ll find five touch-activated buttons to regulate your current temperature settings, change fan modes, and so forth. The display itself is cluttered with information, much of which might have been hidden behind the smartphone app or a separate menu.
The Cync Smart Thermostat offers all of the smart functionality you’d expect at this price point.
It’s actually higher looking than “dumb” thermostats, but all those numbers and icons add as much as a clunky display. If a part of the rationale you’re picking up a wise thermostat is for aesthetics, then you definitely’ll likely be disenchanted by the Cync Smart Thermostat. Other products, equivalent to the Wyze Thermostat and ecobee3 lite, offer the identical on-unit functionality but accomplish that with a chic design that’s simply more appealing than what Cync has to supply.
Despite its quirky appearance, the Cync Smart Thermostat is packing nearly every part you’d want in a wise thermostat. You possibly can enable Eco Mode to save lots of energy, monitor your day by day usage, and program schedules to mechanically activate throughout the day. It may possibly also take voice commands through Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa — although Apple HomeKit integration is noticeably absent.
The optional sensors are a bit awkward, but they work well enough.
There’s also the choice to put in distant sensors throughout your private home to eliminate cold and warm spots. The design is a bit awkward — they’re white orbs that may be tacked to a wall or thrown on a countertop — however the proven fact that they’re so small makes them easy to put in key locations around your private home. Due to their diminutive size, they do look a bit goofy hanging on the wall, however the one which got here with my unit did help produce more reliable results — although I’d hesitate to say it completely eradicated any “hot spots” throughout my home.
Controlled by your smartphone
The Cync Smart Thermostat may be controlled directly from the unit, but most individuals will likely control the device through their smartphone. That is where you possibly can easily arrange schedules, check your usage, or remotely change the temperature without having to go away the couch.
After opening the app and choosing the device from the house screen, you’ll be greeted by an intuitive menu that displays the present temperature front and center, with the choice to make quick adjustments just under that. The underside of the screen houses a number of different menus (including usage history and your schedules), and the settings button is situated at the highest right corner. Unlike the thermostat, the smartphone app is beautifully designed and straightforward to make use of.
Should you need something powerful to enable you to get monetary savings and lower your bills, consider springing for something in a better price bracket.
Most of your time will initially be spent establishing a schedule — which is remarkably easy. When you’ve opened the menu, you possibly can activate different setpoints for various times and different days. For instance, you possibly can have the air-con kick on while you leave work, getting your private home nice and funky right before you get home. Or, should you wish to sleep with it a bit cooler, you possibly can schedule the A/C to activate at night and kick off within the morning.
There’s no advanced learning functionality with the Cync Thermostat, but that’s not a standard feature on this price range. Should you need something powerful to enable you to get monetary savings and lower your bills, consider springing for something in a better price bracket just like the Nest Learning Thermostat.
Deep Cync integration (should you need it)
Like every part within the Cync lineup, the Cync Smart Thermostat plays nicely with Routines and Scenes. That is GE’s way of getting multiple devices to interact with one another, letting you modify multiple settings on multiple devices on the press of a button.
Should you’re using other Cync products, that is the most important reason you’ll love the Cync Thermostat. Lighting, sensors, plugs, cameras, and (finally) your private home temperature can all be manipulated from the Cync app. This makes it easy to activate or deactivate every part you wish in a single place. The smartphone app allows you to quickly integrate the Cync Thermostat into your existing Routines and plug them into your schedule.
In fact, should you don’t produce other Cync products scattered around your private home, then all this versatility is lost.
Our take
GE has created an amazing product for existing Cync users. It comes with all of the smart thermostat features you’d expect for this price range, although the shortage of HomeKit support and an ungainly design might leave you wishing for more. Also take note that you just’ll need a C-wire for correct installation, although an adapter kit is included in case your current setup is lacking.
How long will it last?
GE offers a two-year limited warranty with all Cync Thermostats. With proper installation and care, there’s no reason it shouldn’t last for much longer.
Is there a greater alternative?
The Cync Thermostat is a solid product, even though it faces stiff competition from the Wyze Thermostat and Google Nest. Each offer similar features and price tags, but they’re a bit more stylish.
Must you buy it?
Should you’ve already bought into the Cync ecosystem, the Cync Thermostat is a no brainer. Adding it to your Routines makes it easy to construct an incredible smart home and quickly change multiple settings with the press of a button. Should you’re not a Cync user, then you definitely is perhaps higher off in search of alternatives that supply the identical smart thermostat functionality at a cheaper price.
Editors’ Recommendations
