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Aqara Door & Window Sensor P2 is Aqara’s first Thread-based device with native Matter support. It is the alternative for the Aqara Door & Window Sensor T1 which uses Zigbee 3.0.

Price wise, Aqara Door & Window Sensor P2 retails for S$46.80 on Souky’s Shopee Shop while the Aqara Door & Window Sensor T1 retails for S$33, also on Souky’s Shopee Shop.

Unboxing

The box contains two extra tapes for the main and accessory units. There are also two flat magnets that you can use instead of the accessory unit if the space is tight.

Design
P2 also has a smaller footprint compared to T1. In front, there is the indicator light and the reset button.

The rounded design of the P2 also looks more pleasant to the eye than the squarish look of the T1.

A single CR123A battery powers the P2. Aqara didn’t state how long it will last on its website. Since the same battery powers the T1 and Aqara states it will last you two years, I think P2 will at least last a year. I predict that Matter will drain 50% more battery power than Zigbee since it is still new and only in its first version.

Installation
When installing the P2, remember to align the alignment line of the main and accessory units.

I am using the Aqara M3 Hub, which is a Thread Border Router, so I can add the P2 directly in the Aqara Home App.

If you are not using the Aqara M3 Hub, you can always add it using the Apple Home App provided you are using any of the Thread-enabled Apple devices like Apple TV 4K or HomePod.

After scanning the Matter QR code at the back of the user manual, I was brought to this screen in my Aqara Home app.

After clicking “Start accessing the network,” it detected my P2 and an Apple Home dialog box popups and asked if I wanted to add to Aqara Home.

Once you click Add, it is done.

Immediately, you can see the device’s home and settings screen in the Aqara Home App.

However, since I am not using Aqara Home App for my automation, I went to my Apple Home App, and I could not find the P2 device anywhere in the Apple Home App.

After much trial and error, I realized I needed to go to P2 settings on the Aqara Home App, and under “Expose to Matter,” I needed to connect to Apple Home.

Then, it will set up the sensor again for my Apple Home.

And now, you can see the device in the Apple Home App.

If you display it as a window, there will be a new category of devices called Blinds & Windows.

It is my first time using and setting up a Matter device, and I found it confusing.

Initially, for the first Apple Home dialog box popups, I thought it would add to both my Aqara Home and Apple Home since the dialog box belongs to Apple Home and not Aqara Home.

My guess is that my Thread network is from Apple, as I am using Apple TV 4K and Apple HomePod. Aqara is riding on the existing Apple Thread network instead of creating a new one (which makes sense). The interface to the Apple Thread network is via the Apple Home app, and hence, that explains the initial Apple Home dialog box.

Under Connected Ecosystem, there are three ecosystems now: Apple Keychain, Aqara Home, and Apple Home. I guess that Apple Keychain is always there so that the device can access the Thread network credentials stored in Apple Keychain.

The rollout of the Aqara M3 Hub is still limiting the Aqara Door & Window Sensor P2. As of the publication of this post, you still cannot change any P2 settings using the Aqara Home App despite the M3 Hub being released in Singapore on the 8th May 2024.

Aqara promises a tamper alarm, adjustable sensitivity, and a programmable button for the P2.

Using It
I have not used the T1 before, but the P2 is very responsive; the latency is probably about a second or less.

I am satisfied with the performance.

Conclusion
You will need a Thread Border Router to use Matter devices. And suppose you are using a non-Aqara Thread Border Router (aka not Aqara Hub M3). In that case, there is no way you can configure the settings of the P2 until Connectivity Standards Alliances (CSA) updates the Matter specification that allows that. So, you are still locked into the Aqara ecosystem.

At about S$46, it is about S$13 more expensive than the T1. Both devices’ performance should be similar. So you are paying S$13 more for a nicer look and Matter instead of Zigbee.

If you are existing T1 users, that means you are already using an Aqara Hub. There is no reason to upgrade to the P2 because you still need to get an Aqara Hub M3 to utilize the P2 fully.

For existing users who don’t mind the dated looks of the T1, I recommend the T1 instead and wait for Aqara to fulfill its promise before getting the P2 in the future.

If you are a new user without any Aqara devices, I recommend getting the Aqara Hub M3 but with the T1 instead of P2. The reason is that Aqara Hub M3 supports both Zigbee and Matter. So you can use the T1 and upgrade to the P2 when Aqara improves it.