Crestron vs. Savant - Which Control System is Right for You?
We often get asked to weigh the pros and cons of various control systems since we are dealers for the four major home automation systems, Crestron, AMX, Control4, and Savant. So since many of our clients are asking these questions, I thought many of our blog readers and potential clients might be interested in our opinions on this topic.
I am going to start with Crestron vs. Savant since this seems to be asked about the most and it is an interesting comparison since the companies are very, very different.
Here is the blow-by blow comparison...
Software
Let's get it straight, Crestron is a hardware company and Savant is a software company that makes some hardware. So the real question is how good is your Crestron dealer's software package vs. the Savant software since each Crestron dealer comes up with their own GUI (user interface) and code.
If you have a pretty unsophisticated Crestron dealer, the Savant software will probably be slicker and easier to use. If you have a solid Crestron dealer, you will have more flexibility in the look, feel, and logic of your touch panel interface. It can be customized uniquely for you. The Savant software is an out-of-the-box solution which is very nicely done, but if you don't love it there really is no alternative options.
From an operating system standpoint, I know the world is gaga over the Mac OS but it is important to point out that the OS Crestron uses is the Nucleus RTOS, which is found in over 2.84 billion devices worldwide…including every iPhone.
Winner: Crestron (if you have a good dealer) - Savant (if you have a newbie dealer)
Compatibility
This is a pretty easy category. Since Crestron has been around for 40+ years, they can control everything under the sun. They also offer software that allows their dealers to write their own code to control virtually anything that can be controlled.
Savant is compatible with most major brands but is still playing catch-up. Savant does not give their dealers the capability of writing their own control code so there may be a lag time of a product release and the availability of Savant code to control it.
Also, since Crestron makes a lot of their own hardware (lighting controls, thermostats, video distribution, etc), the chance for a compatibility issue diminishes greatly. When using Crestron, you are using up to 16 less different hardware brands since Crestron makes hardware in so many different categories.
Winner: Crestron
Reliability
The comparison in this area is a little difficult since Savant is so new to the marketplace. We cannot speak to the long-term reliability of Savant but we can speak to the expected reliability of the hardware architecture.
Crestron uses purpose-built automation processors that can be found in places like the White House, NBC, and NASA. In other words, critical institutions that run 24/7/365. Reliability is crucial to say the least. This is a fact that cannot be overlooked.
Savant uses a Mac Mini as its central processor. As much as I love Steve Jobs and his brilliant Mac products, I can't say I am super comfortable using a home computing product in place of a commercial-grade purpose-built computing product. I understand the appeal of running on a Mac platform, but I am not sold that the Mac Mini provides the 24/7 reliability necessary for an automated home.
Winner: Crestron
iPad App and iTunes Compatibility
The flip-side to the hardware shortcomings is that by running on a Mac OS, Savant is definitely a leg up on everybody when it comes to its iPad app and compatibility with iTunes.
I expect Crestron and others will improve rapidly in this category since the iPad is becoming a very popular choice for a home control system touch panel, but for now Savant is leading in this category
Winner: Savant
Touch Panel, Keypad, and Remote Control Options
Since Savant relies on Apple products as it's primary interface, your main control interface options are the iPad and the iPod Touch or iPhone. They also have a few touch panel TV's, a few button keypads, and a few hand-held remotes but it is clear that Savant is pushing the iPad and iPhone as the primary control points, which for some people is perfect.
Crestron, being a hardware manufacturer, has dozens of options for touch panels (in-wall and portable), in-wall keypads, and hand-held remotes. It is unlikely that you will not find what you are looking for with Crestron. Crestron, like Savant, also has apps for iPad and iPhone as well as a series of in-wall and tabletop docks to hold iPads.
Winner: Crestron
Long-Term Viability
With a control system, I always worry that my clients will add a device 5 years down the line that cannot be added to the system without major hardware upgrades.
With Crestron, we have been able to install new hardware into 10 year old system with no problem and I expect that level of backwards compatibility to continue.
Since Savant is very Apple dependent I have some reservations. Apple is a notoriously secret company that does not reveal any details about new product or software to anybody until the day it is released. Just as every company that manufactures bedazzled iPhone covers scrambles for 60 days to alter their product to fit the latest iPhone, Savant needs to do the same scramble each time there is an update release for the Mac OS. A software patch needs to be written so that client's systems don't go down if they randomly decide to update before the Savant patch is installed. If Apple was a true business partner with Savant these kinds of things would not concern me. I worry that Apple will radically innovate their software or the Mac Mini to the point where Savant just can't react fast enough and the company will be paralyzed. Perhaps I worry too much, but I have seen lots of control system manufacturers go down the tubes and leave a lot of homeowners stuck with an unsupportable system.
Winner: Crestron
Programming Costs
Since Savant is a boilerplate template, there is very little customization required or code to write. Crestron is more time-consuming, and therefore more expensive, because you are getting a custom software program written specifically for you and your home. Typically the costs can be about 25% less with Savant for programming.
Winner: Savant
Hardware Costs
In an apples to apples comparison, these brands really are very, very close in cost. Depending on the configuration, one could be higher or lower by 5-7%, but we have found that the costs are almost identical.
Winner: Tie
Summary / Key Takeaway:
If you are a tried and true Mac fanatic with simple automation needs, don't have a lot of esoteric hardware or want to control out-of-the-norm devices, aren't finicky about your GUI (user interface), and don't mind being a little bleeding edge, you might really love the Savant system and it might save you some dollars on programming costs.
If you have a large estate (8k sq feet +) which is complex by nature, you like technology but aren't tech-savvy, want the ultimate in reliability, and are looking for a broader selection of hardware choices, then Crestron is probably the best system for you.
To help make an informed choice for your home automation system, download the "Top 8 Home Automation Must Know Tips" by clicking the orange box at the right.
