The Best Matter-Compatible Motion Sensors

With the ability to detect motion, send timely notifications, and automate your home's lighting, motion sensors are essential to the modern smart home. Matter-compatible motion sensors combine these benefits with cross-platform connectivity, ensuring they work with Alexa, Google, and Apple HomeKit.

Before discussing our top five Matter-compatible motion sensors, let's examine what makes them so special and what to look for when selecting one for your home.

What is a Matter Smart Motion Sensor?

As the name suggests, Matter-compatible motion sensors monitor areas in and around your home for motion events and occupancy. While several types of motion detection technology are available, most consumer smart home motion sensors today rely on Passive Infrared (PIR) technology.

PIR-based motion sensors detect motion events by measuring infrared heat or radiation from objects within their view. Essentially, when a person walks by, PIR sensors notice a temperature change compared to the surrounding environment and use the data to determine that a motion event is occurring.

Smart motion sensors then relay that event to a smart home platform for use in automation. Through automation, the motion event can toggle smart lighting on or off, adjust climate controls, and even send security alerts directly to a user's smartphone.

Before Matter, motion sensors were typically only compatible with devices from the same vendor or smart home platform. Matter-compatible motion sensors, however, work with all platforms, opening the doors to new automation possibilities.

What to Look for in Matter-compatible Motion Sensors

While Matter is still relatively new in the smart home world, a surprising number of motion sensors are readily available. If you are in the market for a Matter-compatible motion sensor, you'll need to consider three key factors.

• Budget: With plenty of Matter-compatible motion sensors available, there are options that can meet almost any budget. However, most motion sensors rely on batteries, so you must factor in replacement costs.
• Features: Choosing the perfect motion sensor requires considering your specific needs and current smart home network. For example, some motion sensors require an additional hub for Matter compatibility, and some are only suitable for indoor use.
• Platform: Despite Matter's compatibility with all major platforms, you'll want to choose a motion sensor that works with your preferred smart voice assistant. Sticking to one platform provides familiarity when creating routines or scenes and ensures compatibility with other devices already in your home.

The Top 5 Matter-compatible Motion Sensors

Let's now look at some recommendations for Matter-compatible motion sensors.

THIRDREALITY Smart Color Night Light

THIRDREALITY's Matter-enabled motion sensor provides plenty of bang for the buck by combining three smart home staples into one. First is an AC-powered motion sensor—the only one of its kind—that doesn't require managing batteries. 

Next, THIRDREALITY's offering includes a dimmable color that can light up dark areas or indicate the status of your smart home through automation. And finally, a built-in light sensor can measure brightness levels within a room for even more automation possibilities.

Thanks to hub-free Wi-Fi Connectivity, it only takes a scan of the included pairing code to set up this clever smart device with Matter. Matter also means it works out of the box with Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit.

Eve Motion (Matter)

Eve Systems has always been at the forefront of smart home technology, and its third-generation Eve Motion sensor continues the trend with Matter integration and Thread connectivity. With Thread onboard, the Eve Motion offers speedy response times, increased range, and greater reliability over Bluetooth, ZigBee, or Wi-Fi devices.

Eve's sensor features a wide 120-degree field of view and can detect motion at distances of up to nine meters. Its IPX3 weather-resistance and wireless battery-powered design allow you to monitor all of the important areas in and around your home.

As with all Thread devices, you'll need a Thread Border Router to take advantage of the Eve Motion's speedy response times and excellent battery life. You'll also need a Matter Controller for your platform of choice before you can build your routines and scenes.

Philips Hue Outdoor Motion Sensor

Like the Eve Motion, the Philips Hue Outdoor Motion Sensor has an IP44 weather-resistance rating, allowing it to monitor your home indoors and out. However, it relies on the tried-and-true Hue Smart Bridge for dependable ZigBee connectivity and extra-long battery life.

The Hue Outdoor Motion Sensor sports an ultra-wide 160-degree horizontal and 80-degree vertical field of view. According to Philips, this vast field of view enables a coverage radius spanning 39 feet x 8 feet, and by mounting it on a corner, you can monitor multiple areas at once.

While initially developed with Philips Hue lighting in mind, Matter integration opens this sensor up to tons of automation potential. Now, instead of just lights, the Philips Hue Outdoor Motion Sensor can trigger smart plugs during the holiday season or a ceiling fan on the back porch in the summer.

Aqara Motion Sensor P1

If you need the flexibility that wireless devices offer but dislike managing batteries, then the Aqara Motion Sensor P1 is for you. Aqara's tiny sensor provides multiple mounting options and the longest battery life around—up to 5 years.

Despite its small size, the P1's extra-wide 170-degree field of view is suitable for detecting motion at distances of four meters. It also features three customizable sensitivity levels and adjustable time-out options in the Aqara Home app.

The only downside to the P1 is that it requires an Aqara ZigBee 3.0-capable hub to connect to Matter. Compatible hubs include the Aqara Hub M2, M1S, Camera Hub G3, and one of our picks for the hottest Matter devices from CES 2024—the upcoming Aqara Hub M3.

SwitchBot Smart Motion Sensor

SwitchBot's Smart Motion Sensor checks all the boxes at an affordable price. Frequently found for $20 or less, it offers a three-year battery life, a thirty-foot detection range, a built-in light sensor, and, of course, Matter compatibility.

Although this sensor works with Matter, its compatibility with SwitchBot's line of unique smart home products is where it truly shines. Connecting the motion sensor to a compatible SwitchBot Hub enables the automation of curtain openers, button pushers, and infrared remote control devices by walking within its range.

Matter Motion Sensors Put the "Auto" in Home Automation

While smart apps and voice commands make your home's devices more accessible, Matter-compatible motion sensors take convenience to the next level. With just a few taps and the right motion sensor, you can put your home's lighting, climate controls, and more on auto-pilot. 

Plus, with timely notifications, Matter-enabled motion sensors can also keep you informed about the comings and goings of your household. Simply place—or plug in—the sensor of your choice, and you will be ready for true home automation.