Since it arrived, Matter has been billed as the standard that will unify the smart home. Enough to wonder whether KNX still makes sense. The short answer: yes — because the two don't aim at the same thing.
What Matter is
Matter is a consumer interoperability standard, backed by the big tech players. It lets off-the-shelf connected devices — bulbs, plugs, sensors — talk to each other, most often over Wi-Fi or Thread, and makes them controllable from a single assistant.
Its goal is to simplify life for the user who buys devices at retail and wants to gather them in one app.
What KNX is
KNX is a building-automation standard, wired first and foremost, designed to control a home's infrastructure — lighting, shutters, heating, energy — in an integrated, durable way. It's installed at the design stage, lasts for decades and depends on no cloud.
So we're not quite comparing the same scale: the individual device on one side, the building's installation on the other.
Why they complement each other
There's no need to choose. A KNX installation can welcome Matter devices through a gateway, to enjoy an occasional consumer product without giving up the robustness of the wired core.
- —KNX handles the infrastructure: what must work flawlessly for twenty years.
- —Matter handles the accessory: what you add, move or replace easily.
- —A gateway links the two worlds where it's useful.
Our advice
For the core of a home meant to last, we favour KNX: its longevity and independence from clouds remain unmatched. Matter is good news for the ecosystem, and we integrate it when it brings real value — without making it the backbone of the installation.