Wireless LEGO lights, in theory, should be amazing, right? No wires, but you still get all the fun? Or at least, on the face of it, that should be how it is. But after today's post, you might change your mind as we explore different ways to wirelessly light up LEGO bricks.
We'll look at LEGO light bricks and i-Brix to understand how wireless lights work for LEGOs. And then, after all that, we'll decide whether or not we think it's worth it. Want to hear our thoughts? Then let's get on with it!
Also check: Best Way To Light Up LEGO MOC Builds
How To Wirelessly Light Up LEGO Bricks
To wirelessly light up LEGO bricks, you really only have a couple of options. One way is using LEGO light bricks. These are exactly like the light up bricks that LEGO themselves sometimes include in certain sets. There are a few businesses out there that develop LEGO light bricks that you can buy to light up your LEGO wirelessly.
Then there's the alternative: i-Brix, but we'll talk more about that below. To start with, let's focus on LEGO light bricks and how they work.
How Do LEGO Light Bricks Work?
Custom LEGO light bricks pretty much work exactly as LEGO light bricks do. They're self-contained light up bricks that work by pushing the on/off button at the back of them. They have two small cell batteries inside the brick which, when triggered using the switch, will light up the brick.
It's a really simple concept that works just like the official LEGO light up bricks. The only real difference? These custom LEGO light bricks actually come in a bunch of different sizes with a far wider color range.
Official LEGO light bricks are colored too, which makes them a tad more compatible with the rest of the set than custom ones, as these are almost always clear with a colored light.
Besides that, LEGO light bricks can be a good way to light up LEGO wirelessly, so long as it doesn't bother you that these custom bricks are clear, and are a little off in height compared to regular bricks at times. Let's round things off with a pro/con list for LEGO light bricks.
PROS
- Self-contained lighting
- Compatible with LEGO bricks
- Easy on/off switch
- No circuit knowledge or assembly required
- Bunch of different lighting colors and sizes
CONS
- Can be expensive
- The bottom connections are often a little tight, meaning breaking is easy
- Height is off compared to LEGO bricks
- Clear plastic can ruin the aesthetic of a piece, in our opinion
- Light up bricks aren't as flexible as you can't play with shadows and atmosphere etc, because the light emits from within the brick
i-Brix
If the custom LEGO light bricks don't work for you and the official LEGO light bricks are too few and far between to make a difference to your builds, then maybe this light bricks alternative: i-Brix will be a better option.
This, in fairness, is a stroke of genius in terms of technology, but we'll discuss more below about whether it's truly worth it. But first, let's see how it works.
i-Brix is essentially a way of lighting up LEGO bricks wirelessly. It works in a similar way to our lighting kits but without the wires. If our lighting kits are like a phone charger, then the i-Brix is like a wireless phone charging station.
By that, we mean they use a power plate that transmits a frequency to LEGO lights (or Lit Brix, as they call them) that are set at the same frequency. This lights them up, with no wires involved. Like we said, the technology is genius. But is it worth it?
Below we'll look at some pros and cons of the iBrix lighting bricks again so you can decide for yourself.
PROS
- Genius bit of kit that even we're impressed by
- Much more flexible approach to lighting, especially compared to the light bricks above
- Relatively easy to set up
- It's a product with genuine promise, if only it was in the hands of more people
CONS
- Despite being founded in 2015, i-Brix is still a developing product, and teething problems aren't uncommon at this stage
- Can be a little expensive considering its infancy
- Lots of people are used to wired lighting kits now - just as not everyone has a wireless charging station for their cell phones - do we really need these wireless lighting kits instead?
We're honestly asking that last question. We don't know. Maybe you think we do, maybe you don't. But if there's one thing we know for sure, it's that this i-Brix alternative really is a clever bit of technology. Whether we need it or not, well that's a question for another day...
Or, You Know, Wires...
And of course, we couldn't leave you today without pointing out we already offer lighting kits right here. No, they aren't wireless, but what they are is easy to use, reliable, and a heck of a lot of fun to put together. We get why some people might want wireless lighting options for their LEGO, but we also know that a lot of you will be like us.
Putting a lighting kit together and getting everything wired up properly isn't a chore for us. It's basically an extension of the LEGO building process, so we welcome the extra work, and many of you will too. Whether you build for play or display, we think it's safe to say of all of us LEGO fans that the building is the best part.
So, if you want to continue that building process and reward yourself with the feeling of accomplishment after a job well done, then look into making a DIY lighting kit or picking up a set-specific lighting kit today. Trust us, the wires are where the fun's at!
Takeaway Message
New technology arrives, some of it stays, and some of it goes - but for us, there's nothing like putting a wired LEGO lighting kit together. If you disagree though, that's absolutely fine. i-Brix are showing there are great alternatives and the self-contained convenience of LEGO light bricks are another great option. Whether you're wireless or wired, it doesn't really matter, just so long as you enjoy your builds and get the most out of them with some LEGO lighting!
