GE Cync Paddle Dimmer Smart Switch review: Back to simple
Table of Contents
At a glance
Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Clean overall design
- Can control GE Cync bulbs and fixtures, even if they’re not wired to the switch
- Doesn’t rely on a smart home hub
- Can work on 3-way/4-way circuits without needing companion switches
- Matter certified
Cons
- GE logo on the cover plate is unappealing
- Large proportions and pigtails might complicate installation
- You’re paying for 3-way/4-way functionality whether you need it or not
Our Verdict
This simple dimmer gets the job done and is particularly attractive in homes that have other GE Cync products, but its large size and pigtails might complicate installation.
Price When Reviewed
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Price When Reviewed
$25.99
Best Prices Today: GE Cync Paddle Dimmer Smart Switch
GE Lighting’s Cync brand takes a much-needed break from its typically overdesigned and overcomplicated in-wall switch design strategy with this release, a mercifully clean, almost elegant, smart dimmer. Don’t let its mouthful of a name, the GE Cync Paddle Dimmer Smart Switch, sully your initial opinion.
As with the GE Cync Keypad Dimmer I reviewed in December 2025, this is a product that makes the most sense for participants in the GE Cync ecosystem who have multiple GE Cync products in the house. That said, it’s also an affordable option for anyone who needs a smart 3-way or 4-way dimmer, because unlike most similar products, you won’t need companion switches at the other ends of that circuit.
The GE Cync Paddle Dimmer Smart Switch can control other GE Cync devices even if they’re not physically wired to the switch.
Now, if you don’t need a 3-way dimmer, there are plenty of less expensive alternatives; the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Light Switch Dimmer S505D, costs just $19, for example. Tapo’s 3-way dimmer, on the other hand, costs about $33).
In terms of quality, it compares favorably with such higher-end smart dimmers as the $75 Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer (which requires the Lutron Smart Hub, but integrates many more types of smart home devices–despite not supporting Matter) and the $39 Leviton Decora Smart Wi-Fi 2nd Gen (model D26HD; we reviewed the first-generation model DW6HD in 2021).
Specifications
The GE Cync Paddle Dimmer comes with adhesive labels you can use to identify the wires in your box, wire nuts for making connections, and a cover plate with a mildly obnoxious GE logo.
Christopher Null/Foundry
The switch supports Matter-over-Wi-Fi with its integrated 2.4GHz Wi-Fi adapter and is compatible with the Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings ecosystems. It’s also compatible with GE’s Savant smart home system for those undertaking professional installations.
The switch can be assigned to a group in the Cync app, which means that it can control other devices even if they aren’t physically wired to the switch.
Installation and setup
The back of the switch is identical to the Keypad Dimmer, with five pigtails that you’ll connect to your household wiring. In addition to load, line, ground, and neutral wires, a fifth traveler wire is only used for multi-way setups. The wiring is straightforward for single-pole setup, and a substantial wiring diagram in the box can guide you through more complex installs. Multiple wire nuts are included, but as with my Keypad Dimmer install, I needed to use some of my own to complete installation; namely, to tie into the fat bundle of white neutral wires in my electrical box.
The dimmer has pigtail wires for line, load, neutral, ground, and a traveler wire for 3-way circuits. Its large size made for a tough fit in my electrical box.
Christopher Null/Foundry
After wiring up the switch, I managed to get everything in place inside my box, although the electronics portion of the unit doesn’t appear to be any smaller than the Keypad switch. Nonetheless, those five pigtails and the ensuring wire nuts take up a lot of space, and getting everything situated just so to ensure the switch is flush against the wall might be a challenge if you aren’t lucky the first time around. Again, I had better success with this process than I did with the Keypad and was able to mash everything into place without too much trouble.
The included cover is a two-piece affair. A bracket mounts on top of the switch with two tiny screws, and a cover plate snaps on top of it, hiding those screws. The GE logo on the cover plate is small but not small enough; corporate branding is not a design feature I ever want on my light switches.
The switch can be installed using the Cync app or bypassed in favor of a Matter setup. Since the switch is so simple, there’s no huge reason to use the Cync app if you don’t have a lot of other Cync gear in the house you also want to control. That said, the app is needed for firmware updates and other management, so you’re probably best off starting there either way. I didn’t have any issues with onboarding, though initial Matter configuration can be a bit slow.
Using the GE Cync Paddle Dimmer Smart Switch
The GE Cync app is easy to use, and if you set the dimmer up to use it–versus controlling it via Matter–you can unlock lots of features for controlling other GE Cync devices.
Christopher Null/Foundry
As mentioned, this is a simple dimmer: The central paddle’s looks are deceiving: It is not a rocker that toggles from on to off and vice versa; it’s just a button that depresses slightly at the bottom and bounces right back. Tap it once to turn the light on—or off—and that’s it. A mechanical slider on the right side of the switch moves smoothly up and down to control brightness dynamically; a row of seven white LEDs on the left-hand side of the switch give you a visual indicator of where things stand in relation to maximum brightness.
These LEDs can be set to briefly display or remain on permanently as a switch finder in the dark. I didn’t encounter any trouble using either the switch or the app, and I found its dimming features worked perfectly well and fluidly with LED bulbs.
This is where the GE logo belongs: on the switch itself, before you install its blank cover plate.
Christopher Null/Foundry
The switch can be assigned to a group in the GE Cync app, which means that it can control other GE Cync devices even if they aren’t physically wired to the switch. This is helpful if you want to control, say, both overhead lights, lamps, and/or undercabinet or undershelf lights in the same room using a single button on the wall.
GE’s TrueImage feature also works with the Paddle Dimmer, and as with the Keypad it’s a fanciful but fun add-on. To set it up, you snap two photos of your lights, one at full brightness and one at zero. The app then merges the two photos; as you dim and brighten the lights inside the app, the photo of the lights in the app dims and brightens accordingly. It’s one of those tools that makes more sense when you see it in action. It’s a surprisingly effective addition to the feature set.
Should you buy the GE Cync Paddle Dimmer Smart Switch?
As I’ve already discussed, the GE Cync Paddle Dimmer Smart Switch is just a little more expensive than competing products from the likes of TP-Link (Kasa Smart and Tapo), Meross, or Treatlife, but it’s a lot cheaper than what you’ll find from high-end competitors such as Leviton or Lutron, and it works about as well as anything else I’ve tested.
However, as with the Keypad Dimmer, there’s nothing overly special about it to justify choosing it over another name brand dimmer, unless you already have a heavy investment in other Cync-brand gear.
This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart dimmer switches.
