The Meross MS600 has been announced, a device described by its makers as “the first Matter-compatible presence sensor.”
We’ll allow that statement as, while Aqara’s P2 sensor is also Matter native, it’s ‘just’ a motion sensor; and Aqara’s FP2 presence sensor needs an Aqara hub to play nicely with Matter.
And while the new Meross MS600 doesn’t quite have the high-end smarts as the FP2, it does boast a Millimeter-Wave Radar (aka mmWave) like its country-mate, which allows it to identify even subtle movements, like breathing, so as it knows that a person is present in a room and what they are doing… sitting, standing, walking and so on.
This mmWave sensor, which works up to 6m, combines with a traditional PIR motion sensor (up to 12m sensing) and a light sensor (sensing range of 0-8,000 lumens) to earn that ‘3-in-1’ sensor moniker.
It means that you can create more specific automations; think having the TV come on and the lights dim when you sit down, but only if the light in a room is below a certain level. Or having the radio turn on if you walk into the kitchen in the morning, but only if the sun is shining through the windows.
The MS600 is a Matter over Wi-Fi device, like the excellent Meross Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini which means that it can sync up to all the major smart home systems such as Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit and SmartThings.
Like the more powerful Aqara FP2, the MS600 needs to be plugged in via a USB-C port.
At only $35.99 / £32.99 it’s less than half the price of the FP2 so, if you don’t need all the extra bells and whistles that the Aqara option provides, it’s an attractive price.
Especially given Meross is knocking off 15% off of the first 300 orders, and 10% off of the remaining 700 units that are being made available for pre-sale.
A pre-sale that has just started direct from Meross. Shipping is touted for later this month.
