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Ultra Wideband (UWB) unlocking is finally hitting smart home locks in a big way. You no longer have to dig around for your phone or tap your watch against your door. You just walk up, and your door unlocks. Right now, the two heavyweights in this space are the brand-new Schlage Sense Pro and the Aqara U400. Let us look at how they stack up.
These two locks take very different approaches to hardware.
The Schlage Sense Pro is extremely sleek on the outside. It features a minimalist footprint with just a digital keypad. Because it ditches extra hardware, it looks great on your door. However, that means you do not get a physical backup key or a fingerprint reader. It is powered by four standard AA batteries housed in the interior unit. There is also a USB-C port hidden at the bottom for emergency power if your batteries completely die.
The Aqara U400 is a bit chunkier, but it packs in more options. It gives you both a fingerprint reader and a hidden physical keyhole for traditional entry. Instead of standard batteries, the Aqara runs on a rechargeable USB-C battery pack. It also includes built-in Wi-Fi as a fallback to its standard Thread connection.
Installing the Schlage Sense Pro is fast and painless. Everything you need comes right in the box, including the screws, strike plate, and deadbolt.
One standout feature is the design of the deadbolt itself. The Schlage deadbolt has flattened edges on the left and right sides. If you have ever struggled with perfectly round deadbolts catching or rubbing against a tight door jam, this flat-sided design solves that problem completely. You will not have to push or pull your door to get it to lock cleanly.
Both locks support Apple HomeKey and UWB unlocking, meaning your phone or watch acts as a hands-free key.
The Schlage Sense Pro is incredibly fast. Even if you walk up to the door at a brisk pace, it detects your device and unlocks before you reach for the handle. It is so quick that if you try to manually unlock it from the outside, the auto-unlock often beats you to it. It is also smart enough to know when you are standing inside the house, so it will not accidentally unlock the door while you are in your hallway.
The Aqara U400 is also very consistent, but side-by-side, the Schlage detects your Apple Watch just a little bit faster on approach. If you frequently leave your phone behind and rely entirely on your watch, the Schlage has a slight edge in speed.
Because both locks use Matter over Thread, you can set up the Schlage Sense Pro directly in the Apple Home app. You do not even need to install the manufacturer app first. From Apple Home, you can easily manage access, create guest PIN codes, and configure the Automatic Lock timer.
However, you will want to download the official Schlage app to tweak a few specific settings. By default, the lock beeps every time it does something. You have to use the Schlage app to turn off the Keypress Beep. You will also need the app to toggle the Interior Unlocked Light or adjust the sensitivity of the Built-in Alarm, which detects forced entry or violent door movement.
The Schlage app also gives you direct control over how UWB works via Entrance Modes. The default is Intuitive Mode, which unlocks as you walk up. You can switch this to Touch Mode if you prefer having to physically tap the keypad to confirm your entry, or you can add a short delay so it waits a few seconds before unlocking.
If spending around $400 is out of the question, there are a few other Thread-enabled options worth looking at. The Thorbolt X3 gives you Apple HomeKey support and a fingerprint reader for just $100. It lacks a keypad and UWB, but it is a massive value. Aqara also makes the U100 and U50 models, which give you solid smart home integration without the premium UWB price tag.
Both of these locks represent the future of smart home security. They both use Matter over Thread, and both will eventually support the upcoming Aliro standard for cross-ecosystem digital keys.
If budget is your top priority or you absolutely refuse to give up a physical key, the Aqara U400 is the smarter buy. But if you want a gorgeous, minimalist lock that is blazingly fast and just works the second you walk up, the Schlage Sense Pro easily earns its premium price tag.