NSPanel Pro – Full screen smart home controller that is “almost” perfect
NSPanel Pro is an Android smart home control center with a 4″ touchscreen, multi-zone thermostat, built-in Zigbee 3.0, Matter and BLE Mesh center. Almost…

The above statement is mostly true and partly will be reality soon. The test itself was made under firmware 1.5 (currently at 1.5.2 with bug fixes), quite a lot of functions were added until I got a unit for testing since day 1. In the first round, when it was released by Sonoff (and during the writing of this article), it was still labeled “beta”, which is why it will be cheaper than its final price, so, this might be a good time to get one if you like what it can do for you.
Fortunately, Sonoff has kept its promise and is constantly releasing updates. These rapidly expand possibilities that could only be speculated upon at the time of their initial release. Let’s see what you need to know about the Pro version of NSPanel.
If you are interested in a simpler version of NSPanel, here is my article about it.
What’s in the box

The form factor is the same as the previous NSPanel, but there are now no physical switch buttons on the front or relays at the back.
On the front, there is a 3.95″ touchscreen 480×480 pixel TFT display, in my opinion, with excellent visibility from a side angle. In its upper part, there is a proximity, light sensor and a microphone.

There is no thermometer on the bottom of the device this time and a loud enough speaker. It is as good as a mobile phone speaker.
The back panel is empty this time and there are no relays with which we could control two separate devices. Same form factor backplate, but only to power the screen.
It is important to say here that the connection of the back panel is also located elsewhere, so we cannot play tricks with the replacement, even though it would have been great.
The box contained only the necessary things, an NSPanel Pro, an installation guide and the two screws for mounting.
Smart home control system
IMPORTANT: There are things that I may not write about when you read this, but they are already available and there are things that are not yet available. I will of course indicate this, but I will try to update the article in the future as I update my own device.
Technically
Rockchip PX30 4-core Cortex-A35 processor, 2GB DDR3 memory, 8GB eMMC, Android 8.1 and a micro USB connector under the cover.
For those who do not understand what this means, in kitchen parlance, all you need to know is that there is enough power in the box that such a control center may need, even with extra programs running. NO, extra apps cannot be run for the time being, or with a little magic, yes, but then we failed the warranty, later updates, so this is not a viable option for the time being. In return, we received a new function above 1.5 which is “almost” good for this as well.
In my opinion, there should be a developer mode, where the launcher would stay, but an option would appear if we wish to add another panel with HomeAssistan companion app, or Smart Life for tuya devices or even the app for our air conditioner units.
I love this launcher, really nice, panels design is great, but I wish this would become the “ultimate” control center of everyone’s home. It could be done, but this is up to the S-rank management at Sonoff 🙂

3.95″ touchscreen
This time we got a 3.95″ capacitive 480×480 pixel display. At the first launch, only a few small things will be available and they will be limited.
- The weather of the default location
- a camera button with which we can view the assigned security cameras later (if available, with intercom function)
- a list of devices will be available by scrolling sideways
As soon as we set it up in the eWeLink application, new panels will be available:
- thermostat (more details later)
- energy consumption (detailed later)
- scenes created by us
- web pages (available after firmware 1.5)
- our Home Assistant system also conveniently appears with web pages, no need to hack if you want to access it in Kiosk mode

Security cameras, done the right way
On this front, we received a well-compiled list of functions. We have the option to add Sonoff’s own cameras, individual cameras (e.g.: ESP32 cam) or the RTSP feed of any security camera.
In the case of the basic Sonoff camera, during the test, both the microphone and the speaker of the NSPanel Pro smart home controller passed the test. In the mobile app, there was 100x more lag.
Device list to the right, to the left
In the basic state, we get a two-column list with as many options as there are under our own eWeLink profile. Of course, this can be expanded with an HA synchronization, but it is not the basic option and it is not the best at the moment.
Although still under testing, it is already possible to divide our Device list into individual lists, so we will be able to create more specific lists from our available devices. One for the lights, another for the relays, etc.

Thermostat, multi-zone
For understandable reasons, but unfortunately compared to the original NSPanel, there is no built-in temperature sensor. Since this panel can heat up and down more during operation, it would be impossible to dynamically compensate for the differences.
Instead, we got a more important function: multi-zone management.
In the eWeLink app, we can add rooms and assign separate sensors that are responsible for the current values. Examples include the SNZB-02, the new SNZB-02D (display version) or the TH series or even a NSPanel in a different room that needs separate control. At the end of these, select an action tool (MINI R2, etc.).
If, say, we have a one-story house where the heating is divided into two parts, we can conveniently control both levels from one panel, since the boiler or our heating system can be switched on separately. Unfortunately, this (multi-zone control) is not yet possible for the classic NSPanel, but it remains to be seen whether it will receive an update in the future.

Energy consumption graph
If such a large display is already available, why not be able to immediately see where our household is on usage. If we are only interested in a specific device, it is enough to select it.
In my case, the entire living room/studio is connected thru a POW Elite 20A, so I can see at the end of the month how much went from bills to work and how much was to satisfy my caffeine addiction.
At the moment, I have only found an aggregated graph, but it would be good to navigate by device in the future… we will see.

Alarm clock
It’s a small thing, but it clearly shows that NSPanel Pro can be used as a bedside control panel too.
Sonoff manufactures its own table holder that can be selected as extra at the official store. I would love to see the 3d STL files for this, so we can modify or print it. Would be fun.
Stylization
You don’t have to think about anything serious, but at least you can choose a background or use your own photo as a background through the mobile app.
Zigbee 3.0, Matter and BLE Mesh hub
At the moment (January 2023) only the Zigbee 3.0 hub part is available. According to the promises, we will get Matter and BLE Mesh support in early 2023, so the NSPanel Pro can be a great central hub after that.
What is Zigbee?
Zigbee is a communication solution specifically designed for low-power devices where high data bandwidth is not required, but where it is important to minimise the time delay. Zigbee is a good choice for battery-powered sensors, for example, where the uptime is several times that of WiFi. Zigbee devices are capable (under certain conditions) of mesh networking and can reach huge distances between two endpoints.
The Zigbee sensors cannot be used on their own, they need a Zigbee hub to connect them to your home/office network. One per system is sufficient, taking advantage of the above options.

Security center
As in the case of the ZBBridge-P Zigbee 3.0 hub , the same security center solution can be used here as well. You can set external sensors, camera and action to react. Of course, this can be activated in the same way if we leave or return home armed with unique rules.
Webpages
This option is available with version 1.5. It may not install apps, but it’s a nice addition for everyone.
We have the option to enter web pages and display them on a dedicated panel. For example, if you have a favorite YouTube channel that you like to listen to, you can enter them and they will appear on the display as on your mobile. Thanks to the built-in speaker, you can enjoy cooking or working in the kitchen with a good podcast episode.

Extras
Here I would mention things that are good for those who can use them. An example is an intercom between two NSPanel Pros or call the NSPanel Pro from the mobile eWeLink app.
Installation
We have an easy job on this front, it needs the usual phase and zero for similar products and it’s ready.
- Switch off the circuit breaker of the apartment/house that was the power supply for the switch in question
- Remove the old switch and connect the NSanel (IMPORTANT: you will need the zero and phase to work for this device) or use the dedicated location for this.
- Once you have installed the new panel and safely turned on the circuit breaker the Sonoff logo will appear on the display as an animation and will show a main screen when ready. If you’re not sure what you’re doing, get an electrician to do it, because you can get electrocuted here if you’re not careful!!!
- After entering the basic information, launch the eWelink app on your mobile phone
- Find the add button and click on it in the app
- Click on the Log in button on the display
- Click on the QR code option on your mobile phone and read the unique code on the display
- You will pair your new NSPanel Pro device with the eWeLink app and it is already available with a random name
- Click on your NSPanel Pro smart home controller in the app and you can start the settings for the devices, thermostat, energy screen, webpages, etc.
🆓- I was interested in the product, I received it for testing from SONOFF
💵- I received it for free, 100% my own opinion