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Matter Alpha’s first-month account describes replacing most of an apartment’s older Zigbee devices with Matter products for lighting, controls, climate, sensors and power monitoring. The author reports that setup across platforms is possible, but some Matter-connected switches lack features available through their manufacturers’ ecosystems; the supplied report excerpt does not provide a complete account of what else failed or remained unfinished.
The author began with existing smart-home controllers and mostly unchanged network credentials, then removed many old device entries. Instead of continuing to use several standalone bridges, the report says the author moved some proprietary local-network devices into Matter using software platforms including eWeLink Cube and Homey Self-Hosted Server. The author says this reduced the number of physical hubs in use; the report does not quantify any effect on wireless performance.
For device onboarding, the author uses Home Assistant as the primary controller, then shares selected devices with Apple Home for phone control and uses Home Assistant’s cloud service to connect with Google Home and Amazon Alexa. The first devices added were lighting and wall controls: the author reports installing about 10 Aqara EU Switch H2 and Dimmer Switch H2 units over Thread to operate lights, fans and ceiling fixtures.
The switches presented a trade-off. According to the author, they support neutral-free wiring, which helped fit them into existing wall boxes, but Matter access did not expose some features available in the manufacturer’s system. The report specifically cites the absence of a decoupled relay mode for smart-bulb automations and limited dimmer configuration. The author says the switches are being used for now while alternatives are considered.
Matter’s Switch Feature Trade-Off
The account illustrates a practical distinction for people considering Matter: a device may connect to a shared smart-home standard without exposing every function offered by its brand’s own app or ecosystem. For households that rely on advanced switch behavior, including controlling smart bulbs independently of a physical relay, compatibility should be checked feature by feature rather than judged by the Matter label alone.
The report also shows how a multi-platform arrangement can be organized: one controller handles onboarding, with selected devices shared to other services. That may reduce dependence on separate bridges, but the author’s experience is a single-home account, not a controlled comparison or broad test of Matter reliability. Readers should treat its observations as practical experience, not a verdict on every Matter device.
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From Zigbee Bridges to Matter
The author describes moving into a larger apartment and using the reset as a chance to replace much of an existing setup based on Zigbee and other systems. The report says the home’s lighting includes ceiling fixtures, pendant lights, strips, floor lamps and table lamps, with bulbs and products from several brands. It also says the wider project includes climate devices, sensors and power monitoring, although the supplied excerpt gives few details about those categories.
Matter is intended to let compatible smart-home products work across participating platforms, while Thread is one network technology used by some Matter devices. In this account, the author’s Aqara wall switches operate over Thread. The report distinguishes the Matter connection from the products’ manufacturer-specific functions: some controls available outside Matter were not available through the Matter interface.
““They are no better than their Zigbee counterparts over Matter right now.””
— Matter Alpha report author
Which Devices Still Fall Short
The supplied source material is an excerpt and ends partway through its discussion of smart bulbs. It does not provide a complete inventory of the devices tested, a full list of what did not work, or detailed results for the climate, sensor and power-monitoring equipment. The report’s title signals that some parts of the setup remain unresolved, but the available text does not establish the full scope of those problems.
It is also unclear whether the switch limitations reflect the devices’ current Matter implementation, a particular platform’s feature support, or software versions used during the test. The source gives no firmware versions, test dates or repeatability data, and does not say whether updates have since changed the behavior. The author’s experience should not be taken to mean that all Matter switches share these limits.
Further Testing and Switch Alternatives
The author says they are continuing to use the Aqara switches while looking for other neutral-free wall-switch options. The report also describes a broader first-month setup, but the provided excerpt does not specify when a complete follow-up will appear or which remaining device categories will receive further testing. Readers seeking a purchasing decision should check current manufacturer documentation and platform support for the exact features they need, as well as whether those features work through Matter.
Key Questions
What did the author set up during the first month?
The report describes adding Matter devices for lighting and wall controls, alongside a broader plan covering climate, sensors and power monitoring. The excerpt gives detailed examples mainly for lighting and switches.
What problem did the author report with the Aqara switches?
The author says the Matter connection did not provide a decoupled relay mode for smart-bulb automations and offered very limited dimmer configuration. These are the author’s findings for the products and setup described.
Did the author remove every hub?
No. The author says several standalone bridges were no longer needed and describes using Home Assistant, eWeLink Cube and Homey Self-Hosted Server. The report does not say that every hub or controller was removed.
Does the account show that all Matter devices have the same limitations?
No. It is a first-person report about one setup. The source does not establish that other Matter products or platform combinations have the same feature gaps.
Source: matteralpha.com
