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### Aqara Smart Hub M200 Review
**Summary**
The Aqara Smart Hub M200 is a well-balanced and thoughtfully updated successor to the M2, offering modern features such as Thread, Matter, dual-band Wi-Fi, USB-C power, and PoE support at a very reasonable price. While it lacks the advanced processing and higher device limits of the M3, it delivers excellent day-to-day performance, especially when wired via PoE, and is arguably the best option for most users building or expanding an Aqara-based smart home. As a secondary hub, it is superb—quietly improving range, stability, and automation responsiveness without any fuss.
**Pros**
– Affordable upgrade with Thread, Matter, and PoE
– Strong stability and instant local automations
– Excellent as a secondary hub within a cluster
**Cons**
– Lower Zigbee capacity than the M2
– Not as feature-rich as the M3
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I have previously reviewed the Aqara Hub M3 and also had the M2 prior to that, which I turned into a secondary hub when I moved to the M3.
Aqara has now released the Smart Hub M200, presumably the successor to the M2.
With an RRP of £60, it provides a more affordable alternative to the M3 while retaining many of its features. In particular, both the M3 and M200 are Matter controllers and Thread Border Routers, providing you with greater compatibility with different ecosystems.
**Related Reviews**
**Specification**
– **Dimensions:** ⌀100.5 × 30.75 mm (⌀3.96 × 1.21 in)
– **Power Input:** 5V⎓2A
– **PoE Input:** 48V⎓0.25A
– **Wireless Protocols:** Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4 GHz / 5 GHz), Zigbee / Thread IEEE 802.15.4, Bluetooth
– **Speaker:** 90 dB (10 cm)
– **Ports:** RJ45 PoE × 1, USB-A × 1, USB-C × 1
– **Operating Temperature:** -10°C to 50°C (14°F to 122°F)
– **Operating Humidity:** 0–95% RH, no condensation
– **What’s in the Box:** Hub M200 × 1, User Manual × 2, USB-A to USB-C Cable × 1
**Design**
At first glance, you might mistake the M200 for the M2. They share the same “puck” form factor—a circular, black device that is unobtrusive enough to sit on a media unit but functional enough to be wall-mounted. However, placing them side-by-side reveals subtle but distinct differences.
The older M2 features a glossy, shiny black border around
