Like the best light therapy alarm clocks, the HeimVision Sunrise Alarm Clock A80S is a device claiming to ease the pains of 21st-century life by making it easier to get to sleep and less jarring to wake up. Can it deliver the performance to meet such lofty goals?
Design: Shaped like the Sunrise
The HeimVision Sunrise Alarm Clock A80S matches form to function with its large, disk-shaped tower. it’s attractive in a somewhat futuristic way and wouldn’t look out of place in a science fiction film. It’s built to a reasonable standard of quality, though its plastic shell has something of a delicate feel to it, and you wouldn’t want to accidentally drop it. Controls are arrayed around the outside edge of the disk and are reasonably intuitive. I appreciated that they are raised and tactile, making the device easier to silence as you’re waking up. Still, I would have preferred larger, more obvious, and separate buttons for snooze and alarm off. Power is delivered via USB, and a wall power adapter is included, The clock can also charge a device through a USB output port, and there is a built-in radio antenna. I particularly like the way the A80S hides cables and ports from view so that from the front it appears as one smooth futuristic surface.
Setup Process: Easy install
I had no trouble getting the HeimVision A80S up and running. You’ll need to refer to the manual when first setting the A80S up, but it’s by no means a complicated device. It becomes still less of a hassle if you begin by connecting the clock via Wi-Fi to your phone. If you already use the Smart Life app to manage your other smart home devices it’s simpler still.
Key Features: Light and sound
Waking up to the blare of a traditional alarm clock can be an unpleasant experience. Waking up slowly to a warm dawn light and soothing sounds is far more pleasing way to start your day. The A80S attempts to mimic that ideal morning, even if you’re rising well before the sun peaks over the horizon. The default sunrise color is really quite beautiful, and though the audio effects could be better, the overall experience is superior to a typical alarm. You can also set nap timers, or sleep timers, where the clock will help to lull you to sleep.
Software: A connected home
Audio Quality: Unfortunately tinny
Perhaps the greatest weakness of the HeimVision A80S is its audio quality, which is a real problem when a major selling point of the device is sound therapy. It’s not awful by any means, but it’s certainly not capable of producing realistic soothing nature sounds. This also impacts the experience of listening to the radio through the A80S, and is probably why the ability to use it as a Bluetooth speaker is not present.
Connectivity: Basic Wi-Fi
The HeimVision connects to your home Wi-Fi network but does not include Bluetooth connectivity. It works seamlessly and fluidly, and I never experienced connectivity issues while using it. My only gripe with the lack of Bluetooth is that in order to control it wirelessly you have to have a Wi-Fi network to connect the clock to. This will be a problem if you want to use the clock in, say, a remote cabin, or if you simply don’t have a wireless router in your home.
Price: Somewhat steep
The HeimVision Sunrise Alarm Clock A80S asks a little too much, given the limitations of its features. It’s somewhat offset by its smart home integration, and if that’s an important feature for you then it may well be worth its $47 MSRP. However, if you haven’t invested in a smart home ecosystem there are competing products that offer considerably better value for your money.
HeimVision Sunrise Alarm Clock A80S Vs. iHome Zenergy Bedside Sleep Therapy Machine
The HeimVision A80S faces serious competitions from the iHome Zenergy Bedside Sleep Therapy Machine. The Zenergy offers far superior audio quality, which is so good in fact that it’s able to double as a remarkably capable Bluetooth speaker. Furthermore, the Zenergy offers customizable lighting, and generally better build quality. The only reason to choose the HeimVision A80S over the Zenergy is that the A80S includes smart home integration. If that’s not an important feature, then the Zenergy wins hands down. The HeimVision Sunrise Alarm Clock A80S is in many ways a very attractive and useful device. Unfortunately, its poor sound quality is severely counterproductive to its sound therapy capabilities, and there are better clocks available at a similar price point. However, its smart home compatibility might potentially be a winning feature for those with an existing ecosystem of connected devices.
