Logitech Harmony Ultimate One Remote Control Review

The Logitech Harmony Ultimate One is a great remote control but can easily be lost in the Harmony line-up. This is an actual review of the Ultimate One but will also serve as a means to differentiate the remote from the Harmony line-up so you can help determine which remote control is for you.

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Through our extensive review process we have created a list of pros and cons to help you determine if this is the right smart remote for you.

Pros:

• Vivid color screen with backlit keyboard
• Rechargeable Li-ion battery
• Controls most smart devices and works with your smartphone
• Controls up to 15 devices
• Contains RF (with hub that's not included), IR, Bluetooth and Wifi capability

Cons:

• Rounded construction wobbles on a flat surface
• Button layout could be better thought out
• Functional buttons above the touchscreen
• Volume/channel buttons located too low on the remote
• Icons aren't exactly obvious

Functions:

The Logitech Harmony Ultimate One is a great value for what it actually does. There are a ton of great features in this remote. Let me start by saying that it can control 15 devices, including smart devices. This includes Alexa, Apple TV, Sonos, Philips Hue, Smart Bulbs, Google, Roku, etc.

This remote can be controlled by IR (infrared), RF (radio frequency, bluetooth and wifi. Due to the RF, bluetooth and wifi capability you do not need to point the remote at the device being controlled. The signal can go through walls and floors. To use RF you will need the Harmony Hub which is not included but definitely worth it.

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The Harmony Ultimate One will allow you to program up to 50 channels and will display them as icons on the screen. This takes a bit to get used to it, but scrolling through the channels becomes second nature and easy as pie.

The remote has a rechargeable li-ion battery with a charging stand. This sure beats having to look for batteries to use your remote control. The batteries don't last very long on a single charge, but did we mention it beats having to look for batteries?

Design:

What stands out first and foremost with the Harmony Ultimate One is the 2.4 inch color screen. These remotes have been criticized for the display not being that great compared to smart phones.This is not a smart phone, it's a remote control. As far as remote controls go, this display is awesome! The colors are vivid and the touch controls are really responsive.

The remote itself is ergonomic and comfortable in the hand. The back of it is coated in rubber and not slippery like previous models. It does however wobble a little too much when laid on a flat surface. It's a bit quirky I know, but slightly annoying.

The screen and button placement is the biggest issue with this remote. The screen is in the center of the remote where the volume and channel buttons should be. While using the rew/play/pause/ff buttons it is easy to brush the responsive touchscreen. If you use DVD, VCR or DVR functions often, this could be a pain for you.

Conclusion:

The Logitech Harmony One remote control is a really good remote with so much capability. It falls short on a few things but does pretty much everything we would need it for. It's complimented very well by the Harmony Hub, which gives it RF ability. Bang for your buck, this is one of the best remotes on the market.