If you only want the short answer, it is simple: for most living rooms, SofaBaton X1S is the better Harmony replacement, especially for setups like TV + Apple TV / Roku / Fire TV + soundbar. If your room is more complex, SofaBaton X2 is the better fit, especially if you use a projector + AVR + streaming device setup or want deeper integration with Home Assistant.
The key is not choosing the most powerful remote. The key is choosing the remote that best fits your room. For most former Harmony users, what they are really trying to replace is not just a remote control, but an entire room-control workflow.
Quick Answer: Which SofaBaton Should You Buy?
| Room setup | Better fit | Why it makes more sense | Not ideal if |
|---|---|---|---|
| TV + Apple TV + soundbar | X1S | Better suited to everyday control in a mainstream living room | You need projector- or AVR-level complexity |
| TV + Roku / Fire TV + soundbar | X1S | Better for unified day-to-day room control | You need deeper automation logic |
| Shared family living room | X1S | Easier to recommend as the default option and easier for everyone at home to use | You prefer advanced customization over simplicity |
| Projector + AVR + streaming device | X2 | Better suited to more complex input switching and control logic | Your room is not actually that complex |
| Media room centered around Home Assistant | X2 | Better suited to more advanced automation scenarios | You only have a standard TV setup |
| TV only, with HDMI-CEC already working well | You may not need either | You may not need a premium universal remote yet | You are still frustrated by too many remotes |
For Most People, What Is the Best Harmony Replacement?
For most users, SofaBaton X1S is the best place to start.
The reason is simple: most former Harmony users are not trying to build a complicated custom control system. What they actually want is to use one remote to control the whole room more smoothly: turn on the TV, switch to the correct input, control the streaming device, and adjust the volume, rather than searching around the couch for three or four different remotes.
If your room looks more like one of the following, X1S is usually the better choice:
- TV + Apple TV + soundbar
- TV + Roku + soundbar
- TV + Fire TV + soundbar
- A shared family living room
- A setup where "easy for everyone in the household to use" matters more than advanced tinkering
For these situations, X1S is closer to the core reason people used to love Harmony in the first place: delivering room-level control with less complexity and more day-to-day simplicity. Third-party reviews have also highlighted this point, noting that the setup process is more intuitive than the previous generation and better suited to typical households.
When Is X2 the Better Choice?
X2 is not the default answer for everyone, but it becomes much more compelling when the room itself is more complex.
If your setup includes a projector, an AVR, more complicated input switching, or a more automation-focused control flow, then X2 is the more appropriate choice. At that point, the question is no longer "Can this remote control my devices?" but rather "Can this remote reliably manage the entire control logic of a more complex room without forcing me to troubleshoot everything every time I want to watch something?"
If your room looks more like one of these situations, X2 is a better fit:
- Projector + AVR + streaming device
- A media room with more complicated input switching
- A setup built around Home Assistant
- A room with equipment hidden in cabinets or more demanding IR coverage
- A user who will genuinely benefit from more advanced control logic
In other words, if your room is closer to a mini home theater than a standard living room, X2 is the more reasonable choice. Third-party reviews have reached a similar conclusion: if your goal is to replace an old Harmony setup and your room is already more complex, X2 is more likely than a simpler model to match what you actually need.
Who Should Buy X1S?
You are a better fit for X1S if:
- You want a safe recommendation for a standard living room
- You mainly use a TV, streaming device, and audio gear
- You care more about day-to-day ease of use than advanced automation
- What you want to replace is the overall Harmony experience, not build a more technical system
Who Should Buy X2?
You are a better fit for X2 if:
- Your room includes a projector or AVR
- You need more control depth than a standard living room requires
- You want a solution better suited to advanced automation scenarios
- Your room logic is already complex enough that the additional capability will actually be used
Who Might Not Need Either One?
Not every room needs X1S or X2.
If your setup is simply TV + soundbar, and HDMI-CEC is already stable and reliable, then a premium universal remote may not be necessary. If you only control one screen and one audio device, and the current experience already feels simple, you may not need to move up to this category at all.
This matters because one of the most common mistakes people make when searching for a Harmony replacement is overbuying. The best replacement is not the one with the longest feature list; it is the one that solves your room-control problem without adding unnecessary setup burden.
What Will You Lose Compared with Harmony?
Even a strong Harmony replacement is not a perfect 1:1 replacement for every legacy Harmony scenario.
Users should go in with these realities in mind:
- You may still need to spend some time dialing in activities and device behavior
- Very complex legacy Harmony setups may not transfer over perfectly
- Some users will still prefer Harmony's old recovery logic and long-established usage habits
- If your room is highly customized, choosing the right model matters more than simply choosing the one with the most features
If you are migrating from Harmony as a long-time user, you also need to accept one reality: even though X1S is one of the more competitive replacement options currently available, it still may not fully replicate Harmony's overall smoothness, certain interaction details, and the sense of refinement that came from years of product maturity. Third-party reviews have repeatedly pointed this out as well, and the gap is usually more noticeable for users who know Harmony well.
Why Are So Many People Still Searching for a Harmony Replacement?
On October 4, 2021, Logitech announced that it would stop manufacturing Harmony remotes, while continuing support and device-database services for existing users. Then, on May 28, 2025, Logitech shut down the legacy Harmony Remote Software used by some older models.
That is exactly why this search demand still exists today. People are not just trying to replace an old piece of hardware. They are trying to preserve that previous experience of making the room simpler with a single remote. Harmony simply is no longer a sustainable long-term path.
A truly good Harmony replacement still needs to do these four things well:
- It should control the whole room, not just a single device.
- It should match the way modern households actually use their rooms.
- It should be simple enough for other people in the home to use comfortably.
- It should match the complexity of the room itself, rather than just piling on advanced features.
How Should You Choose in Real-World Scenarios?
Apple TV + TV + Soundbar
If your living room is a typical Apple TV + TV + soundbar setup, X1S is usually the better answer. This is the most common former Harmony-user scenario: fewer remotes, faster operation, and cleaner room control, without turning setup into an ongoing hobby project.
Roku or Fire TV Living Room
If your room uses Roku or Fire TV along with a TV and audio gear, X1S is still the stronger default answer. In these rooms, the value of a Harmony replacement comes mostly from simplicity and coordination, not from home-theater-grade control logic.
Projector + AVR Setup
If your room includes a projector + AVR + streaming device, X2 is the better fit. Once you are dealing with input switching, power-on sequencing, equipment in cabinets, and more complex room behavior, the extra capability becomes much more valuable.
Home Assistant Users
If your media room is built around Home Assistant, X2 is the better direction. That does not mean everyone needs it; it means that in rooms with a higher degree of automation, X2 is much more likely to make those extra capabilities worthwhile.
How Should Most People Decide Between X1S and X2?
For most users, the decision is not as complicated as it looks.
If what you want is the safest Harmony replacement for a standard living room, choose X1S.
If your room is clearly more complex and includes a projector, AVR, hidden equipment, or deeper automation requirements, choose X2.
The most common buying mistake here is assuming that the more advanced product must automatically be the better product. In reality, the better product is the one that fits your room more closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Harmony replacement in 2026?
For most living rooms, SofaBaton X1S is the best starting point. For users who want one remote to manage TV, streaming, and audio more smoothly, it is the stronger default recommendation.
What is the best Harmony replacement for Apple TV?
If your setup looks like Apple TV + TV + soundbar, X1S is usually the better answer because it fits the way a mainstream living room is actually used.
What is the best replacement for Harmony Elite?
There is no product that can perfectly replace every legacy Harmony Elite scenario 1:1. For simpler living rooms, X1S is often the better place to start; but if you are a heavy Harmony Elite user, you may still feel differences in smoothness and certain interaction details compared with Harmony. For more complex rooms that include a projector, AVR, or smart-home control logic, X2 is usually the stronger choice.
What is the best Harmony replacement for a projector + AVR room?
For this type of room, X2 is the better choice because it is better suited to more complex room-control requirements.
Is X2 always better than X1S?
No. X2 is better for more complex rooms, while X1S is better for most standard living rooms. That is the more useful way to think about the difference.
Final Verdict
If you only want the shortest possible takeaway:
- If you want the safest Harmony replacement for a standard living room, choose SofaBaton X1S
- If your room includes a projector, AVR, Home Assistant, or deeper automation requirements, choose SofaBaton X2
For most users, X1S is the safer and more practical recommendation. X2 only becomes the better answer when the room itself is clearly more complex.
