Geek Light GeekBeast Plus Review

The new GeekBeast Plus from Geek Light is a unique fixture with some strong selling points. It is among the highest efficiency fixtures on the market and is engineered to distribute the light evenly across the canopy. It offers independent control of ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) spectrums and it can be controlled via an app on your smartphone through Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. It is not a perfect fixture. I think there is room for improvement. However, it is certainly a unique fixture. I appreciate and endorse the innovations that Geek Light is bringing to the market. The GeekBeast Plus is certainly worth checking out.

The GeekBeast Plus is the top end of the GeekBeast line. There are three models, the Mini, Pro, and Plus. All are LED bar array fixtures. The GeekBeast Plus draws the same power as the GeekBeast Pro but has 2 additional LED bars. The Pro model uses 6 bars and the Plus model features 8. The model that I tested is the GeekBeast Plus with LM301b 3500k + 660nm.

The GeekBeast Plus has a superior efficiency, which is enabled by top-quality LED diodes and a top end Mean Well driver. It uses a total of 2,176 diodes. There are 2,016 Samsung LM301b or LM301h full spectrum diodes along with 96 Osram 660 nanometer diodes. The GeekBeast Plus features the 3.24 version of the Osram 660 nanometer diodes, which is considerably more efficient and more expensive than the typical 1.24 version. The GeekBeast Plus also features 32 UV (385 nanometer) Seoul diodes and 32 IR (730 nanometer) Osram diodes, which can be independently controlled.

The Full Spectrum Samsung and the 660 nanometer Osram diodes turn on with the fixture. The UV and IR Diodes each have their own switch. I recommend leaving the 730 nanometer IR diodes on for the full grow. Since it is possible, I would turn the UV diodes off during veg. However, the amount of UV light is negligible. If you are interested in supplementing UV light for your grow, it is more efficient to use florescent bulbs.

The superior efficiency is more than just a product of the components. The GeekBeast Plus has a unique strategy for distributing the diodes and the light that they produce. They space the bars more closely on the ends than in the center. They also have a unique pattern of distributing the diodes along each bar. They do this to move light from the center toward the edges.

The unique spacing of the diodes in the GeekBeast Plus really is innovative. It eliminates the single hot spot in the center and creates a very uniform distribution of light. It allows a much larger region of the canopy to receive the highest density light. The even distribution also allows for a low hanging height which aids the system efficiency.

My official PAR test was at a hanging height of only 26.5cm (10.5in). The maximum PPFD was 1000 µmol/m². However, it was not in the center of the canopy. As you can see in the PAR map, there are four distinct hotspots, one in each quadrant of the map. This is a unique pattern to the distribution of light in a 150 x 150cm (5’ x 5’) space.

The coverage everywhere under the fixture is excellent and even. However, the very low hanging height means that not a lot of light spreads out beyond the shadow of the fixture itself.  There are two primary ways that light is distributed across the canopy: Hanging height and physical distribution of the sources of light. The GeekBeast Plus does an exceptional job with the way that it physically distributes the sources of light. As a result, the optimal hanging height is very low. However, without adequate hanging height, the fixture cannot throw much light outside its own shadow.

GeekBeast Plus is physically smaller than the 5’ x 5’ area that it is meant to cover. Since it has such a low hanging height, the PPFD values along the edges and in the corners are low. This is an odd twist. The GeekBeast Plus is designed for excellent distribution. It distributes the light so well in the center that almost all the light that it produces is able to fit in that center region. The low 26.5cm hanging height maximizes the total amount of light that reaches the canopy and drives up the efficiency. However, the end result is that very little light makes it to the edges and corners.

Raising the GeekBeast Plus improves the distribution of light. I ran a second test at a higher height of 43cm (17in). At this height there is more opportunity for light to spread out beyond the frame of the fixture. The values along the edges are higher than in the official test, but they are still below the target levels. The higher height also allows the light to spread around the center of the canopy. The four distinct hotspots we see at the lower height merge into one central hotspot at the higher height.

Although much of the marketing is centered around the unique pattern of diode spacing and the even PPFD concept, I think the most impressive aspect of the GeekBeast Plus is the Photon Efficiency. It is a surprisingly efficient fixture and it puts out a ton of light. In the official test, the GeekBeast Plus generated an average PPFD of 660.0 µmol/m² and a Usable PPF of 1484.9 µmol. On my power meter, it drew only 611 watts, which gives it a Usable Photon Efficiency of 2.43 µmol/w. This is highest usable photon efficiency I have measured on a production model fixture.

Raising the fixture lowers the Usable PPF and Photon Efficiency. However, at the higher hanging height the GeekBeast Plus still has an exceptional Usable Photon Efficiency of 2.34 µmol/w. These are impressive stats that get lost in the hype about the unique distribution.

The GeekBeast Plus has many cool features and interesting selling points. However, there are also some drawbacks. The unit that I received was supposed to have app control with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. However, after several attempts and consultations with Geek Light, I was not able to get the fixture to connect with the app. I do not think that app control is critical to the functioning of the lamp, but if you are interested in this feature, be aware that there may be glitches.

The build quality is adequate, but it is not impressive. The fixture comes disassembled, which simplifies shipping. It is easy to assemble, however the plastic connectors feel inexpensive. Once the LED bars are connected to the frame there is no obvious way to release them. I had to contact Geek Light and they advised that the only way to disassemble the fixture was with “sudden force”. They advised that I use a hammer. Be sure to watch my video review to see how I took the GeekBeast Plus apart with my hammer. It worked without damaging the fixture. However, it seems ill conceived. Although the build quality leaves something to be desired, it does not detract from the exceptional performance of the fixture.

I really appreciate what Geek Light is trying to do with this fixture. They are trying new designs and pushing in new directions. I have often thought about removing diodes from the center and redistributing them to the edges. The GeekBeast Plus was a fascinating fixture for me to test. It shows the strength of the concept, but my tests also revealed a potential drawback. Regardless, I think that the new GeekBeast Plus has many strong selling points and I look forward to seeing the new innovations that Geek Light comes out with next.

If you are interested in buying a GeekBeast fixture, the best deals are through Alibaba.com (use discount code: CocoGeek). The model that I tested is the GeekBeast Plus with LM301b 3500k + 660nm. Alibaba is the only platform through which Geek Light sells directly. There are resellers and distributors based in the US, but they all add significant markups to the purchase price. Use code “CocoGeek” for a discount on all Geek Light purchases through Alibaba.com.