I love and hate smart locks. On one hand, it’s an undeniable treat to be able to get into my house even when I’ve forgotten my keys or make sure things are locked up when I’m away. But on the other, dead batteries, buggy software, and finicky wireless connections can evaporate that convenience, leaving me stuck on my porch, impotently stabbing my finger at a dead fingerprint sensor or waving my phone over a smart lock whose NFC reader just won’t respond. The palm-scanning, Wi-Fi-connected TCL D2 Pro, a new smart lock from a company better known for its cheap TVs than anything else, almost totally eliminates that irritating experience.
The D2 Pro is one of a few recent smart locks, and the second from TCL itself, that work by blasting your hand with near-infrared light, reading the unique pattern of the blood vessels therein. If it’s a match for a vein pattern stored in the D2 Pro, then it’ll unlock and let you in. TCL says the scanner is 99.9999% accurate and that it’s more secure than a fingerprint sensor because blood vessels are under the skin. The lock features “liveness detection,” which is to say that it only works with living hands—so nobody can flop your dead hand in front of the scanner to get into your house. Best of all, this biometric authentication data is stored on-device and works whether the smart lock has an internet connection or not.
TCL D2 Pro Smart Lock The D2 Pro is a futuristic palm-scanning smart lock that’s priced right but has limited smart home platform support. Pros Lightning-fast palm-scanning operation
Lightning-fast palm-scanning operation Six ways to unlock your door
Six ways to unlock your door Affordable compared to similar smart locks
Affordable compared to similar smart locks Removable, rechargeable battery with USB-C
Removable, rechargeable battery with USB-C Easy installation Cons Buggy firmware out of the box
Buggy firmware out of the box No Matter support
No Matter support Internet connection required for app control
Internet connection required for app control Current version does not support Apple Home
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