The short answer
Choose by room: a 4-inch panel for bedrooms and the office, the 6-inch with four physical keys at the entrance, the 8-inch with Alexa and intercom in the kitchen, and the Spark 10-inch Panel as the main living-room screen. For music in two zones, pick the Spark 7-inch Panel Amplifier. Every Spark panel has a built-in Tuya Zigbee gateway, so no separate hub is needed.
On this page
What does a smart home control panel do?
A smart home control panel, also called a touch panel or touch screen controller, is a screen on the wall that brings your smart devices together. On a Spark panel you control lights, curtains, smart switches, door locks and scenes from an Android touch screen, and set up the same devices and scenes in the Tuya Smart app on your phone.
Scenes are where a panel earns its place: one tap starts Home mode when you arrive, Leave mode when you go out, or a movie scene in the evening. Every Spark panel also has a built-in Tuya Zigbee gateway, speaker and microphone.
You do not need the same panel in every room. Browse every model in Spark control panels, then use the sections below to match each size to a room.
Smart home control panel sizes at a glance
This guide compares seven Spark panels in five screen sizes: 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10 inches. All seven are Android touch screens with a built-in Tuya Zigbee gateway, Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz, a speaker and a microphone. What changes is the screen and the extras: Alexa, an amplifier, physical keys, an intercom or a camera.
| Panel | Best room | Alexa | Music | Intercom and camera | Gateway and network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spark 4-inch Panel Alexa | Bedrooms, office, narrow walls | Yes | Built-in speaker | No | Zigbee, Wi-Fi |
| Spark 4-inch Panel Amplifier | Bedroom or study with music | No | Amplifier, 2 speakers, 1 zone | No | Zigbee, Wi-Fi, LAN |
| Spark 6-inch Panel | Entrance and hallways | No | 2 ceiling speakers | No | Zigbee, Wi-Fi, LAN (UK version) |
| Spark 7-inch Panel | Majlis, dining room or office | No | 2 ceiling speakers, 1 zone | No | Zigbee, Wi-Fi, LAN |
| Spark 7-inch Panel Amplifier | Open living and dining areas | No | Amplifier, up to 8 speakers, 2 zones | No | Zigbee, Wi-Fi, LAN |
| Spark 8-inch Panel | Kitchen | Yes | 2 speakers | Intercom | Zigbee, Wi-Fi, LAN |
| Spark 10-inch Panel | Main living room | Yes | 2 speakers | Intercom and camera | Zigbee, Wi-Fi, LAN |
Which panel size for which room?
Pick the smallest panel that does the job the room needs.
Entrance and hallway
The entrance is where you start Leave mode on the way out and Home mode on the way in. The 6-inch Panel suits it: four physical keys below the screen handle everyday switching, and its 3-way 10 A relay lets you wire up to three lighting circuits directly to the panel. On a narrow wall, the 4-inch Panel Alexa needs only 86 × 86 mm.
Living room and majlis
The 10-inch Panel, the largest screen in the range, belongs in the main living room, with Alexa, two speaker connections and a built-in camera and intercom for hands-free video calls. If music matters more, the 7-inch Panel Amplifier connects up to eight speakers in two zones, such as living and dining. A guest majlis with two ceiling speakers suits the 7-inch Panel.
Kitchen
Hands are often busy in the kitchen, so voice helps. The 8-inch Panel has Alexa and an intercom, so you can talk to the family hands-free, for example to say dinner is ready. It also connects two speakers.
Bedrooms
A bedroom needs a small screen by the door or the bed. The 4-inch Panel Alexa brings voice control to the wall at 86 × 86 × 10.5 mm. For music instead, the 4-inch Panel Amplifier is the same size, with a built-in amplifier for two speakers in one zone.
Office or study
In a home office, the 4-inch Panel Alexa handles lights, curtains and scenes, with Alexa for voice. For background music, pick the 4-inch Panel Amplifier, or the 7-inch Panel with two ceiling speakers.
Smart home control panels with Alexa built in
Three Spark panels have Alexa built in, each with its own speaker and microphone: the 4-inch Panel Alexa, the 8-inch Panel with an intercom, and the 10-inch Panel with an intercom and a camera. Alexa brings voice control to the wall, so you can talk to the panel as well as touch it.
Panels with Alexa built in
Panels for music: amplifiers, speakers and zones
Every Spark panel has a built-in speaker, and six of the seven connect external speakers. Choose by how many speakers and zones you need:
- One room, compact: the 4-inch Panel Amplifier has a built-in amplifier for two speakers in one zone.
- One room, larger screen: the 7-inch Panel and the 6-inch Panel each connect two frameless ceiling speakers.
- Two zones: the 7-inch Panel Amplifier connects up to eight speakers across two zones, so each part of the home can play independently.
- Alexa and music: the 8-inch and 10-inch panels connect two speakers each.
A zone is a group of speakers playing the same audio, usually one room or one open space. With two zones, the living room and the dining area can each play their own music.
Panels for music
Which panels have an intercom or a camera?
Two panels add calling. The 8-inch Panel has a built-in intercom for talking to the family hands-free. The 10-inch Panel has both an intercom and a camera, so you can start a video call from the wall and speak hands-free.
To see and answer whoever is at the gate, you need a video intercom with an outdoor unit and an indoor monitor. Our guide to video intercom for a villa or a building explains that choice, and a Spark partner can confirm whether a panel can work alongside it in your home.
The built-in gateway: what a smart home touch panel controls
Every Spark panel has a Tuya Zigbee gateway built in, so the hub is already inside. Pair Zigbee devices with the panel, then control Tuya Zigbee and Wi-Fi devices from the screen and the Tuya Smart app:
- Lights and smart switches
- Curtains
- Door locks
- Scenes such as Home mode, Leave mode or a movie scene
Each panel joins your home router over Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz. Most models also have a wired LAN interface; the 6-inch Panel has LAN on the UK version, and the 4-inch Panel Alexa connects over Wi-Fi. The two 7-inch panels list Google Play as their app store.
Not sure whether your existing devices are Tuya Zigbee or Wi-Fi? A Spark partner can check before you choose.
Smart home control panel wall mount: plan it before the walls close
A wall panel is easiest to plan while the walls and ceilings are still open. These are the outer sizes from each panel's specifications.
| Panel | Size (mm) |
|---|---|
| Both 4-inch panels | 86 × 86 × 10.5 |
| 6-inch Panel | 161.5 × 86 × 38.2 |
| Both 7-inch panels | 297 × 162 × 11.5 |
| 8-inch Panel | 233.5 × 127.5 × 38 |
| 10-inch Panel | 237.5 × 112 × 10.5 |
- 1
Choose the panel for each room
Check its outer size against the wall. The 4-inch panels take 86 × 86 mm; the 7-inch models need the most space.
- 2
Mark a reachable spot
Place each panel near the room entrance or where the main switch would go, at a comfortable height for touch and within strong 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
- 3
Confirm the wall box and power
Ask your Spark partner to confirm the wall box and the power feed for the exact model before plastering.
- 4
Run circuits and cables
For the 6-inch Panel, bring up to three lighting circuits to its 3-way 10 A relay. Place ceiling speakers and plan their cable routes before the ceiling closes, and add a network cable wherever you want LAN.
- 5
Mount, connect and pair
After painting, mount the panel, connect it over Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz or LAN, pair your Zigbee devices with the built-in gateway, and set up scenes in the Tuya Smart app.
Ready to choose? Compare every model in Spark control panels or browse all Spark products.
Questions people ask about smart home touch screens
What size smart home control panel do I need?
Match it to the room: a 4-inch panel for bedrooms and small rooms, the 6-inch with physical keys for the entrance, the 8-inch for the kitchen and the 10-inch for the main living room. For music in two zones, choose the 7-inch Panel Amplifier.
Which smart home control panel has Alexa built in?
The Spark 4-inch Panel Alexa, 8-inch Panel and 10-inch Panel, each with its own speaker and microphone. Alexa needs an internet connection to respond.
Do I need a hub with a smart home touch panel?
No. Every Spark panel has a built-in Tuya Zigbee gateway, so you pair Zigbee devices with the panel itself and control Tuya Zigbee and Wi-Fi devices from the screen and the Tuya Smart app.
Can a smart home display panel play music?
Yes. Every Spark panel has a built-in speaker, and six of the seven connect external speakers. The 7-inch Panel Amplifier goes furthest, with up to eight speakers in two zones.
Does the 10 inch smart home panel have a camera?
Yes. The 10-inch Panel has a built-in camera and intercom for hands-free video calls, plus Alexa and two speaker connections. Of the seven Spark panels, only the 10-inch has a built-in camera.
How do you wall mount a smart home control panel?
Plan it during construction: mark the position, confirm the wall box and power feed with your Spark partner, and run lighting, speaker and network cables before plastering. Mount the panel after painting.
