Do The Linkind Smart Solar Spotlights Live Up To The Hype? We Tried Them To Find Out!

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Illuminating pathways, increasing home value, ensuring safety, or creating a welcoming atmosphere are some reasons why you need outdoor solar lights for your yard. Solar lights are also practical because they don't require an electrical outlet or manual re-charging of batteries. Of course, there's more than one way to light up your lawn, but in order to really turn heads and make an impact, you should put down those dull dollar store lights and check out the Linkind Smart Solar Spotlight SL5C. If you're looking for outdoor walkway lighting ideas that add ambiance and make your yard safe, perhaps color-changing lights are a no-brainer, but Linkind's product really takes things to a new level, pairing with your phone and allowing you to control the light show at your fingertips.

A brand of AiDot, Linkind takes pride in creating innovative lighting solutions with a smart and eco-conscious edge. After being burned by flimsy solar devices in the past, I was thrilled to test out the Linkind Smart Solar Spotlight SL5C, the world's first smart solar spotlight with built-in MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) technology. These versatile solar spotlights are built to be stronger, brighter, smarter, and more efficient than anything else on the market — and I have to admit, they impressed me. Here's how my experience went with the Linkind Smart Solar Spotlight SL5C and all the amazing features I discovered along the way.

The Linkind Smart Solar Spotlight SL5Cs were super easy to put together and felt sturdy as I clicked the stake bases into the 1.55W monocrystalline solar panel heads. With a QR code scan, I quickly downloaded the AiDot app, and I was immediately impressed by the app's smart interfacing. Through the app, you can manage settings for your SL5Cs as well as any other AiDot products in your home — it's truly an all-in-one control center. From there, it was easy to follow the steps for pairing my Linkind Smart Solar Spotlight SL5C lights using Bluetooth technology — no wifi network needed! Who knew landscaping lights could be so high-tech?

While it seems like a small detail, I appreciated that the lights could be placed as a ground stake, mounted on a wall, with an adjustable head that can cast bright light up to seven feet. My lights turned on straight out of the box, but I didn't want to judge them prematurely, so I let them sunbathe and charge for the recommended 48 hours before making any judgments. Even so, dreary weather is no problem for these smart spotlights. An IP67 waterproof rating ensures the lights will last for years to come, and the Linkind Smart Solar Spotlight SL5C is the first of its kind to be designed with Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technology. This feature allows the panels to adapt to current sunlight conditions, maximizing sunlight absorption and energy retention. Collected solar energy is stored in an automotive-grade battery with up to 89.9% efficiency. That's a huge improvement from the industry standard of 66.4%.

After pairing and charging the SL5Cs, I probably spent at least an hour just playing with the fun light controls. Through the app, you can turn the lights on and off and adjust their brightness, turn on Luminance Detection mode so they'll come on at sunset, or schedule specific hours. After charging for just one day, the spotlights can emit light for up to 14 hours, keeping your home safe and shining from dusk 'till dawn — or whatever timed settings you choose. The SL5Cs can be controlled all together, placed into groups, or adjusted individually for maximum customization. 

But that's just the beginning. On white light mode, you can choose how warm or cool you'd like the lights, from a cozy 2700K to a crisp 6500K. Switch over to color light mode, and you can select custom colors to give your outdoor space an instant vibe shift — and I'm not just talking your standard RGB colors. Slide your finger around the gradient wheel to explore every shade from pastel pink to zesty chartreuse and more. Purple seems to be one of the hardest colors for any LED lights to achieve, but the Linkind Smart Solar Spotlight SL5C gets it spot-on, even letting you slide between warm purple and cool indigo-violet. I found it especially fun to split the SL5Cs into groups and envision colors like red and green for Christmas, pink and purple for Valentine's Day, or red and blue for Independence Day.

Let's say you have guests visiting for the night, but you don't want to waste time playing with the app. With the Copy Work Mode function, you can quickly copy and transfer custom settings from one light to another light. Linkind also has you covered with a wide range of preset modes that can be switched on at the push of a button. Some of my favorites were Summer (a soothing blue and teal wave pattern), Romantic (a smooth fade between red and pink), and Disco (the ultimate rainbow party lights).

You can also explore light shows or create your own. Simply select the effect, order of the SL5Cs, and the colors you'd like to use. For example, you could design a custom light show with pink, orange, and yellow waves that moves from left to right. Each light show effect can be applied to up to 32 SL5Cs, but even just eight lights was enough to turn my house into a stunning holiday-worthy display. We're leaving our dusty string lights in the attic this year!

Lastly, there's music mode. By enabling phone microphone use in the app, the SL5Cs will "listen" to nearby music and dance to the beat. When I first tried this with my SL5Cs, it took a little trial and error. At first, I felt like the dancing pattern was all the same, but after making adjustments in the app, it does seem to flash and pause in sync with the music.

Overall, the Linkind Smart Solar Spotlight SL5C is everything it claims to be in terms of brightness, quality, and versatility. Of course, this wouldn't be a fair assessment if I didn't provide some small critiques. Sometimes after changing the settings on all SL5Cs, one or two would miss the memo, but I'd just have to try again and the units would eventually sync up. I also found music mode a little lackluster, as the SL5Cs seem to only vaguely pulse with the rhythm. Lastly, I wish that it was possible to control the lights from multiple phones. This isn't a huge downside, but could be a minor annoyance if the app-owner is away from home and you'd like to change the vibe. Luckily, there is a manual button on each unit. 

Even so, the Linkind Smart Solar Spotlight SL5C boasts a true, vivid, and striking color range — a far cry from other cheapy LED lights. In all modes, the brightness was astounding and the lights stayed on all night. I attached two lights on either side of our patio door and strategically placed the others around the patio, but they would look equally stunning in a large garden or landscape, tucked behind bushes, or around pathways. The SL5Cs are a brilliant way to upgrade outdoor parties with creative lighting ideas, but I can also envision myself using them for holiday decorating, night garden decor, or even camping. When the "party" was over, I switched the porch lights back to a warm white for daily use, but a soothing teal or warm pink will be perfect for summer nights! 

What kind of vibe will you create in your space? Order your Linkind Smart Solar Sptlight SL5C today from Amazon or direct from Linkind.