Sainlogic SA1 Wi-Fi Smart Weather Station Review: AI Forecast, App Integration and Two Years of Data

Sainlogic offers a line of weather stations, displays, and transmitters for home use. Some of their weather stations include transmitters that detect seven different weather-related forces, including rainfall, sun, wind speed, etc. In this review, we examine the Sainlogic SA1 Wi-Fi Smart Weather Station, which includes a display panel and an outdoor sensor that measures air temperature, humidity pressure, and dew point. The display also shows the forecast, day, date, time, and moon phase.

Design and Build Quality

The Sainlogic SA1 Wi-Fi Smart Weather Station is comprised of a rectangular flat panel display with a black bezel and a small, square, flat outdoor sensor in a very light gray color.

The panel features an 8.15” color LCD, which, according to Sainlogic, is larger than nearly all others in this market segment. The screen is certainly a good size, displays multicolor information, and is bright. The brightness can be adjusted using the buttons on the side of the unit.

At first, I found the display a bit bright, but ultimately, I have left it at full brightness. The amount of information that is presented on the screen seems a bit overwhelming at first, but again, I have found that I have no issues reading any of what it reports.

The screen is divided into five sections, with the top row indicating the year, time, day, and moon phase. Users can change what is displayed, again using the controls on the side of the unit. Customizations include selecting between 12 and 24 clocks and substituting seconds for the day of the week, for instance.

Below the top row are two columns. The left column shows the forecast with the barometer below. The right column shows the readings from the outdoor sensor above with the indoor readings below.

These two sections include temperature and relative humidity and display the set maximum and minimum alarms for temperature and humidity. More on that later. The outdoor sensor section also includes indicators for battery life, signal strength, and Wi-Fi connectivity.

The Sainlogic SA1 Wi-Fi Smart Weather Station’s display panel measures 8.5″ wide by 6.2″ high by 1″ deep and is made of ABS plastic. It feels sturdy and solid and has a slightly textured surface but is otherwise unremarkable.

The back of the unit features a flip-out stand surrounding the battery access door. The unit runs on three AAA batteries and AC power. The batteries are sufficient to power the panel when not plugged in, but the display dims.

The right side of the panel has all of the controls: Max/Min, Alarm, Set/Mode, Channel/+, and Snooze. These controls allow for all customization and adjustment of settings. However, they are less than intuitive and require reading the user manuals, which could be improved. Also, many of the included screenshots are too small to read.

What’s in the Box

• Weather Station SA1 Display Console
• Outdoor Sensor
• Power Adapter
• Sainlogic SA1 User Guide
• Sainlogic SA1 Quick Setup Guide
• Weatherseed App Instruction Manual

Setup

There are only a few steps from taking the Sainlogic SA1 Wi-Fi Smart Weather Station out of its box to having it fully functional, but the process should be less confusing and easier to understand.

Once you select your location for the display panel and an appropriate exterior location for the sensor (a north-facing wall is recommended as it will be in shade most of the day and direct sunlight will give false readings)

There are three ways to connect the Sainlogic SA1 Wi-Fi Smart Weather Station: Bluetooth Distribution Network Mode (the preferred method), Wi-Fi Distribution Network Mode, and Webpage Distribution Network Mode.

I had difficulty using the first method and ultimately went with the Wi-Fi method. Again, I was confused because after scanning the QR code on the back of the display panel and entering all of the required network information, I was led back to the beginning of the cycle instead of a screen confirming the successful completion.

Although the steps required to pair the panel and sensor are minimal, the lack of a confirmation screen makes them less certain. In any case, I got the system working after a short while, and then it was all about customizing the presentation of the information.

All customization is done using the controls on the side of the unit. Some of the preferences that I changed included changing the clock from the default 24-hour to 12-hour am/pm and swapping the day of the week for the seconds section of the clock. I also changed the temperature units from Celsius to Fahrenheit.

Performance

Although I have no instruments with which to test the accuracy of the temperature and humidity readings presented by the weather station, they agree with other equipment and apps that I have.

The sensors seem to be responsive, and once you are familiar with the display, it is easy to get the information that you want at a glance.

I have some notes on the data’s layout and presentation. The design seems to aim to include as much information as possible and make the readout as large as possible, resulting in a visually crowded screen.

My main criticism is that there is little hierarchy in the size of the fonts. I would think that outdoor conditions are the primary concern of a weather station, and yet the indoor conditions are the same size on the screen.

In Sainlogic’s defense, the outdoor readings are presented in a tan color that stands out from the greens and blues used for the other data. Especially from a distance, the main focus is the outdoor temperature and humidity readings.

I suppose that part of the reason for this is the need to include four sets of smaller numbers below the Sensor and Indoor data. These smaller numbers reflect the minimum and maximum temperature and humidity alarm settings that users can optionally set for both locations.

Although the temperature is presented in three digits plus a decimal pace, the humidity is shown in two digits. This can be an issue when it is raining or afterward when the air is supersaturated, and the unit shows a humidity of 1%, for example.

The forecast section of the screen includes a mountain landscape and readings for dewpoint and the “Feels Like” temperature. Everyone who sees the mountains asks what they represent, and I agree that they should change.

The Weatherseed app’s AI does the actual forecast and is not always accurate. I had it show a cloudy sky during an intense downpour, but to be fair, I have seen the same thing from other weather stations. Most of the time, the forecast seems to be correct.

Weather Station Measurement Specifications

Weatherseed App

The Weatherseed app is an integral part of the SA1 system. It provides 24-hour and 7-day AI weather forecasts and syncs the clock on the display panel with the internet. It allows users to receive alerts from optional alarms that they can set for maximum and minimum temperature and humidity limits for both indoor and outdoor sensors. These alerts can also be sent via email. Another nice feature of the app is that users can recall up to two years of historical data.

The app allows users to remotely monitor conditions inside and outside their homes and includes a local forecast. This data can also be presented in a timeline to see trends.

The Sainlogic Wi-Fi Smart Weather Station SA1 has a few rough edges, most of which could be improved with a revised set of user manuals. Even so, the weather station works well and presents the various information in bold bright colors on a large screen. Combined with the free app, it’s a solid and complete package for $69.99.

The Sainlogic SA1 Wi-Fi Smart Weather Station retails for $69.99 and is available directly from the manufacturer and other retailers, including Amazon.  Buyers can enjoy a 20% discount using the code GearDiary.

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

What I Like: Bold readout; Solid App; Two Years of Historical Data

What Needs Improvement: The setup and user guides could be improved