Review: Buwizz 2.0 smart brick

With the arrival at LEGO of the "house" concept of smart bricks connected by Bluetooth to a smartphone, I will briefly come back to another brick at least as smart as the one supplied with the official sets: the model produced by Buwizz.

While LEGO has been trying since this summer to install the Control + ecosystem in our cottages via the set 42099 4x4 X-treme Off-Roader and since the start of the school year with the reference 42100 Liebehrr R 9800 Excavator, Buwizz has since 2016 been able to pilot motorized LEGO vehicles via the Bluetooth protocol and using an application installed on a smartphone. The manufacturer is already at version 2.0 of its product with an edition "Ludicrous"which promises to deliver even more power to the various connected motors.

Those familiar with motorized MOCs obviously already know this product. The only question here is to present this alternative to LEGO solutions to all those who are wondering what to do with their elements. Power Functions while LEGO is considering the possibility of eventually releasing an adapter to use them with a Smart Hub Control +.

The Buwizz brick is more compact than the Smart Hub Control + (ref. 88009) or a Battery Box rechargeable Power Functions (ref. 8878). Its integration into the various existing models does not therefore pose any particular problem and the use of Bluetooth even eliminates the need for the essential infrared receiver. Power Functions (ref. 8884). The four connectors available on the Buwizz brick allow the support of motors and / or LEDs Power Functions.

No need to use a Battery Box as is the case with the solution proposed by SBrick, the Buwizz brick has a rechargeable Lithium Polymer (Li-Ion) battery via a microUSB port and it is even possible to use a Powerbank installed directly on the model to recharge it during use.

I took as an example a model marketed this year but which did not have the chance to benefit from the Control + ecosystem: The LEGO Technic set 42095 Remote Controlled Stunt Racer (79.99 €). In its official version this set has two engines Power Functions L, a Battery Box and an infrared receiver. The supplied IR remote control allows you to control the machine, provided you stay close to the receiver. This last detail was a great source of frustration for my children who quickly grew tired of having to run after the vehicle ...

The integration of the Buwizz brick in this model is very simple: it does not require any major modification of the product or additional parts: It is enough simply to reposition a few parts and the only Technic pin to add is already provided in the inventory of the set as a replacement part.

Note that it is possible and sometimes even recommended to install several bricks in the same model depending on the number of motors installed and the expected speed of movement. This possibility will eat a little more the budget of the demanding MOCeurs but most of the existing sets convertible via the installation of a single brick will already benefit from real improvements without having to go back to the checkout.

In use, we find everything that makes the interest of a radio-controlled machine: we gain in speed of movement, in piloting precision and it is no longer necessary to stick to the train of the vehicle to ensure that the infrared receiver is in the line of sight of the remote control. I did not lose control of the vehicle until about twenty meters away.

The autonomy is very correct, I was able to have fun for a little over an hour by alternating between the four power levels available before having to recharge the built-in battery. The "normal" mode is already a little faster than what the original elements of the set allow. the other three modes available increase the voltage sent to the motors and really accelerate.

Replacement of elements Power Functions by the Buwizz brick also has an impact on the weight of the machine: We go from 586 grams, the six AA batteries included, to 413 grams with the Buwizz brick. In this specific case, the result is final, the vehicle rears up much less when starting up even if this particularity is in principle one of the strengths of the set and the placement of the Battery Box original is thought to accentuate this effect.

On the side of the application that allows you to take control of the brick, it is very refined. No visual artifices like at LEGO, the interface boils down here to what is strictly necessary. Several preinstalled profiles allow you to quickly get started with existing sets and it is also possible to create your own profiles. The association of the commands to the different controllers of the Buwizz brick is a breeze and many tutorials are available on Youtube.

We could regret that the dressing of the application is so basic and that the possibilities of customization are limited, but it ultimately only serves as an intermediary between the pilot and his machine.

The original application developed by the manufacturer has also gone into version "Legacy"and Buwizz is now making a new version available on the Google Play Store (Android) and on the app store (iOS). It is not necessary to have a competition smartphone to install the application. I used an "old" model of iPhone which did not cause any problems.

The Buwizz brick is sold for 157.38 € TTC per unit or 279.38 € TTC for a pack of two bricks. We can consider that it is a bit expensive as it is. But this product is really versatile and it can be used on all your models without being limited by a closed interface which only allows the piloting of one or more particular models, as is currently the case at LEGO with the Control + system.

If we also take into account the fact that this brick incorporates a rechargeable battery and that it gives a second life to your sets equipped with elements Power Functions by making them truly controllable remotely and by allowing them to move a little faster than in their initial configuration, the investment seems to me to be appropriate to prevent your pretty motorized set from being a source of frustration and ending up at the bottom of a cupboard from the first uses (it's real life ...).

Note: The Buwizz brick supplied by the manufacturer is used (without the test set). To participate in the draw, all you have to do is post a comment (avoid "I participate, I try, etc ..." be a little more constructive) on this article before the October 15, 2019 at 23:59 p.m.. You have every right to disagree with me, this is not eliminatory. 

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.