# Aqara's desktop Matter panel still needs another hub

Aqara's S1 Plus Desktop bridges Zigbee devices into Matter, but adding third-party Matter accessories to its screen still needs a separate Aqara controller.

Canonical page: https://matterhome.io/news/aqara-panel-hub-s1-plus-desktop-launch
Markdown page: https://matterhome.io/news/aqara-panel-hub-s1-plus-desktop-launch.md
Author: Matterhome Editorial Team
Author profile: https://matterhome.io/authors/matterhome-editorial-team
Editorial lead: JC Martinez
Editor profile: https://matterhome.io/authors/jc-martinez
Published: 2026-08-31T02:05:22.000Z
Category: Device launch
Tags: Aqara, Matter, Smart home platforms

## Feature Image

- Origin: sourced
- Image: https://assets.matterhome.io/content/news/2026-08-31-aqara-panel-hub-s1-plus-desktop/feature.98a50e631ece3a17b13b/source.webp
- Alt text: White Aqara Panel Hub S1 Plus Desktop on a table beside a close product view
- Caption: Official Aqara launch graphic for the Panel Hub S1 Plus Desktop. Matterhome has not tested the panel, its Matter bridge, or its ecosystem controls.
- Source: https://forum-static.aqara.com/optimized/3X/8/b/8b21bea3cf11b63043c0f2db8680dd534ce4a5ec_2_1380x642.jpeg

## Sources

- https://forum.aqara.com/t/introducing-2-new-aqara-desktop-controllers-panel-hub-s1-plus-eu-touchscreen-dial-v1/329131
- https://www.aqara.com/eu/product/panel-hub-s1-plus-desktop-version/
- https://www.aqara.com/eu/product/touchscreen-dial-v1-desktop-version/
- https://www.aqara.com/en/security-certifications/
- https://www.bol.com/be/nl/p/aqara-panel-hub-s1-plus-zigbee-hub-met-matter-bridge-en-touchscreen-desktop-versie-apple-home-alexa/9300000294031822/

Aqara announced the Panel Hub S1 Plus Desktop and Touchscreen Dial V1 Desktop on August 28, 2026. The company lists the S1 Plus for Europe, Russia, Southeast Asia, and Australia, while the Dial is listed for Europe, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and Southeast Asia. Both put a permanent Aqara control surface on a desk or bedside table instead of replacing a wall switch. Only the larger S1 Plus has a documented Matter bridge, and its Matter role is narrower than the launch language suggests.

::device-card{slug="aqara-panel-hub-s1-plus-desktop"}

The 6.9-inch S1 Plus, model MP-K05D, is a USB-C-powered touchscreen, dual-band Wi-Fi device, and Aqara Zigbee hub. It can bridge supported Aqara Zigbee accessories into Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings, Home Assistant, or another Matter controller. That is useful for an Aqara-heavy room that needs a shared dashboard and a path out to the household's main platform.

## It does not replace an Aqara Matter controller

The direction of the bridge matters. The S1 Plus can move its Zigbee child devices outward through Matter, but Aqara says adding third-party Matter accessories to Aqara Home still requires a separate Aqara Matter controller such as Hub M3. Those accessories can then be placed on the S1 Plus dashboard. Aqara lists Wi-Fi, Zigbee, and Bluetooth radios for the panel, not Thread, so it is not the missing Thread border router either.

That makes the S1 Plus a companion to [Aqara Hub M3](/devices/aqara-hub-m3) in a mixed Matter setup, not a larger-screen replacement for it. Buyers who already have an Aqara controller may value the screen. Anyone trying to eliminate hubs should count the boxes before spending roughly EUR 300 at currently checked European retailers.

Apple households have another requirement. Aqara's built-in Siri feature needs a HomePod or HomePod mini configured as the Apple home hub. The panel can then control Apple Home accessories and scenes by voice, but the requirement means the S1 Plus does not become an independent Siri speaker just because a microphone and screen are present.

Camera support is narrower too. At launch, Aqara says the panel can stream only Aqara cameras, with one feed visible at a time. Matter does not make a third-party doorbell feed appear on this dashboard.

## The smaller Dial is not the cheaper Matter option

The Touchscreen Dial V1 Desktop, model WS-K11D, combines a 1.32-inch screen with a haptic rotary control. Aqara lists dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, connection to Aqara Home or HomeKit by code, plus Alexa and Google Home support. It does not document a Matter bridge, controller, or Thread path for the Dial.

Its best feature also stays close to Aqara Home. The dial can adjust lights, curtains, and air conditioning, but Aqara explicitly says dial functionality is not supported on third-party systems. The product can link up to 18 devices or scenes and includes temperature, humidity, and proximity sensors, yet buyers should not treat it as a smaller S1 Plus or a physical Matter controller.

The S1 Plus launch makes sense for a household already committed to Aqara that wants shared controls beside a bed, on a kitchen counter, or at a desk. Start by listing what the panel will actually control, which Aqara hub already handles incoming Matter and Thread devices, and whether one Aqara camera feed is enough. If the goal is simply to control a mixed-brand Matter home from a screen, another Aqara box is a poor surprise to discover after checkout.