Honeywell Lyric Controller vs Qolsys IQ Panel 2

The Honeywell Lyric Controller and the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 are both wireless all-in-one alarm systems. Both of these panels are similar in terms of performance. The biggest difference is that they are manufactured by two very different companies, and they use different sensors and services.

Despite being from different companies, the Lyric Controller and the IQ Panel 2 are actually rather similar. They both feature a 7 inch LCD touchscreen display, and they both come WIFI and Z-Wave ready. Both include a built-in camera and an 85 dB siren. Both panels are quite advanced, and they will both function exceptionally well as the central hub of a modern security setup.

That said, the differences are particularly obvious as well. The biggest being that the Lyric Controller is from Honeywell, while the IQ Panel 2 is from Qolsys. Honeywell has been a huge name is the security industry for many years, while Qolsys is still a relatively newcomer. If you want a system from a company with decades of proven performance, you should choose the Lyric over the IQ Panel 2. That said, the IQ Panel 2 has helped put Qolsys on the map, and it has received tremendous reviews in its own right. You certainly cannot go wrong with the IQ Panel 2.

With the two companies being major rivals, the two panels share virtually no similarities in terms of compatibility. For example, the Lyric Controller can only interface with Honeywell and 2GIG wireless sensors. The IQ Panel 2 can only interface with Qolsys wireless sensors. However, both panels are compatible with their own series of encrypted security sensors. The Lyric Controller connects with Honeywell SiX Series Sensors, while the IQ Panel 2 syncs with the Qolsys S-Line Sensors. The systems also interface with two different interactive services. The Lyric syncs with Total Connect, but the IQ Panel 2 uses Alarm.com.

The IQ Panel 2 is slightly more compact and sleeker than the Lyric Controller. But both panels feature designs that are both modern and aesthetically pleasing. One final difference is that the IQ Panel 2 comes with a cellular communicator built-in. Users can choose between a Verizon and an AT&T communicator for their IQ Panel 2. But for Lyric users a cellular module will need to be added separately. Both the Lyric Controller and the IQ Panel will require a monitoring plan that includes cellular service in order to use cellular communication.