I'm considering ending use of all 8 if my Wifi only color bulbs currently connected directly to my WiFi Router... and buying new Zigbee -or- the new Sengled Matter enabled color bulbs. The main reason is I want to integrate the bulbs into my Hubitat Hub (C8 Pro) and the current WiFi bulbs don't integrate. Plus, I'd like to move them off my WiFi Router (but that's not a deal breaker).
The question: It is clear a new set of Zigbee color bulbs would connect directly to my Hubitat Hub via its Zigbee radio... and achieve my goal of bypassing my Wifi Router. But what about Matter bulbs.? The box on the Matter bulbs says 2 things in the images below: "Matter Enabled" with the standard Matter Symbol. The box also says "Wifi" which has me confused. Do Matter Bulbs still connect through my Wifi Router on 2.4 Ghz, or do they completely bypass that Wifi connection when connected through the Matter protocol directly my Hubitat C-8? Does Matter use a WiFi connection through my WiFi router?
I'm just thinking it might better/faster to make it all local through the Hubitat Hub... and maybe not utilize the WiFi Router... just not sure if that's the best, fastest execution of actions, stablest way to go?
Painting with a very broad brush for simplicity's sake, Matter is not a stand-on-its-own rail like wifi, zigbee, z-wave or thread -- it needs a rail like those to work.
Wifi and Thread are the 2 rails Matter can work on, and the Matter device you show above requires wifi as a rail.
I've got both types (Zigbee and Matter via Wifi) running at my house. First, both of them are local controlled and work great. They are approximately equal in speed, and I do not really see a difference with execution. The one difference I do see relates to the popcorn effect. Zigbee bulbs can enable group messaging to help minimize that behavior. The Matter 1.3 standard just added this function; however, outside of Home Assistant, no other Matter controller is at 1.3 so you will see it right now on Hubitat with Matter bulbs. It's up to you whether that matters.
Thanks everyone for your feedback. JB10, could you please describe what the "Popcorn Effect" is? Also, am I safe to assume that getting to Matter 1.3 is a software update that will eventually all Matter Controllers, including the one in the C-8 Pro... allowing it to eventually become an issue of the past?
Something curious is when I'm using my HomeKit to turn on a group of Matter lamps, the lamps turn on immediately, just like Zigbee grouping. The same doesn't happen with Hubitat, that also have this popcorn effect.
