Both the Divoom Times Gate and LaMetric Time sit on your desk and tell you more than just the time. Both connect to WiFi, both pull live data from the internet, and both wrap information in a pixel-style aesthetic that feels a step beyond a plain digital clock. But they arrive at that goal from completely opposite directions. The Times Gate gives you five independent LCD screens that can each display a different pixel art widget simultaneously. LaMetric Time gives you a single horizontal LED strip that scrolls information one line at a time. Pick the wrong one and you will either overwhelm your desk with more screens than you need, or end up squinting at a scrolling text bar when you wanted a multi-panel dashboard.
If you want a desk dashboard that can show your clock, weather, calendar, and social counters all at the same time — each on its own pixel art screen — the Times Gate is the stronger pick. If you want a minimalist smart clock that integrates deeply with IFTTT, Alexa, and HomeKit while keeping a single-line information bar, LaMetric Time earns its place. For anyone searching for a thorough Divoom Times Gate vs LaMetric Time comparison, this guide breaks down display technology, information density, app ecosystems, smart home integration, and price so you can choose the right one for your setup.
Times Gate vs LaMetric Time: At a Glance
Before diving into real-world usage, here is how the two smart displays compare across core features:
| Feature |
Times Gate 5-screen pixel art dashboard |
LaMetric Time Single-line smart clock |
|---|---|---|
| Display technology | 5 independent LCD screens, 128x128 pixels each | Single LED matrix strip, 37x8 white + 8x8 color section |
| Simultaneous info display | 5 widgets visible at once — clock, weather, calendar, timer, social counters | 1 app at a time; scrolling marquee for longer content |
| Dimensions | Multi-screen desk unit with stand | 20.1 x 6.1 x 3.6 cm (7.9 x 2.4 x 1.4 in), 223g |
| Pixel art support | Full pixel art on each screen, custom GIFs, community gallery | Limited 8x8 color icons + white scrolling text |
| App ecosystem | Divoom App — pixel art creation, community gallery, widget skins | LaMetric Marketplace — data apps, clock faces, smart home actions |
| Smart home integration | WiFi, Divoom App cloud widgets, social media counters | IFTTT, Alexa, HomeKit, Philips Hue, Sonos, Netatmo |
| Built-in speakers | — No built-in audio speakers | 2x 2W stereo speakers, internet radio, Spotify |
| RGB lighting | Dual-edge ambient, 12 effects | — No RGB ambient lighting |
| Best for | Desk dashboard, gaming setup, pixel art enthusiasts | Minimalist smart home clock, IFTTT automation hub |
| Price | $119.99 | ~$199 |
Times Gate: Multi-Screen Pixel Dashboard
The Times Gate approaches smart desk display from a pixel-art-first perspective. Instead of one screen trying to do everything, it gives you five independent 128x128 LCD panels — each one a dedicated canvas for a specific widget. One screen runs your pixel art clock face, another shows animated weather, a third displays your calendar as a pixel-styled timeline, and the remaining two can show custom pixel GIFs, social media counters, or countdown timers. All five run simultaneously, giving you a complete information dashboard that never makes you wait for a scroll cycle.
What sets the Times Gate apart from single-line displays is the sheer information density. You do not need to cycle through apps or wait for a marquee to finish scrolling — everything you care about is visible at a glance. The dual-edge RGB lighting with 12 effects wraps the unit in ambient glow that shifts with your day, making it as much a desk personality piece as a data tool. If you want to see how the Times Gate fits into a full desk setup, our Times Gate desk dashboard setup guide walks through popular widget layouts for work, gaming, and streaming.
The five-screen design also means pixel art is not an afterthought — it is the core experience. Each screen can display community-designed pixel art from the Divoom App gallery, or you can create your own custom pixel GIFs and assign them to individual panels. The result is a living pixel art ecosystem on your desk: a retro game character on one screen, a weather animation on another, a pixel countdown on a third, all running together as a cohesive visual experience rather than competing for space on a single display.
Where it shines: The Times Gate excels when you want maximum information density wrapped in pixel art personality. If you are a remote worker who wants a pixel-styled calendar next to your clock, a streamer who wants live follower counts displayed in pixel art, or a desk setup enthusiast who wants every element on your desk to serve a purpose, the five-screen approach delivers more simultaneous data than any single-line display can match.
Where it falls short: The Times Gate does not have built-in speakers, so it cannot function as a standalone internet radio or music streamer. It also does not offer native IFTTT or HomeKit integration — its smart features run through the Divoom App's cloud widget system rather than a general-purpose automation platform. If deep smart home automation is your primary use case, LaMetric Time's IFTTT and Alexa ecosystem may serve you better. For product setup and troubleshooting, the full Divoom product manual covers Times Gate configuration in detail.
LaMetric Time: Single-Line Smart Clock
LaMetric Time takes the opposite approach. Instead of five screens, it gives you one horizontal LED strip — 37 pixels wide and 8 pixels tall, with a small 8x8 color icon section on the left. Information appears as white scrolling text and simple pixel icons, one app at a time. The clock face shows, then the weather scrolls past, then your calendar event appears, then your stock ticker rolls by. It is a minimalist information bar that never tries to be a multi-panel dashboard.
Where LaMetric Time shines is smart home integration. It works natively with IFTTT, Amazon Alexa, HomeKit, Philips Hue, Sonos, and Netatmo, making it a genuine smart home hub in clock form. You can trigger IFTTT applets when a button is pressed, display sensor data from connected devices, and control smart home scenes directly from the clock. The built-in 2x 2W stereo speakers let it double as an internet radio or Spotify speaker — something the Times Gate cannot do. The LaMetric Marketplace offers a wide range of data apps, from crypto tickers to package tracking, that extend its functionality far beyond clock and weather.
For users who already live in an IFTTT or Alexa-driven smart home, LaMetric Time slots in as a versatile information and control node. Its compact size (just 20.1 cm wide and 223g light) means it fits on almost any surface without dominating the space — a nightstand, a kitchen counter, or a shelf alongside other decor. The ambient light sensor auto-dims the display at night, and the marquee scrolling effect gives it a retro ticker-tape charm that some users prefer over the more visually busy multi-screen approach.
Where it shines: LaMetric Time is the better pick if smart home automation is your top priority. Native IFTTT, Alexa, and HomeKit support means it can trigger actions, display sensor data, and control devices in ways the Times Gate cannot match out of the box. The built-in speakers and internet radio capability also make it a more self-contained device — it does not need your phone or computer to produce audio.
Where it falls short: The single-line display is fundamentally limited in information density. You can only see one app at a time, and longer content requires scrolling. There is no full pixel art support — the 8x8 color icon section is functional but cannot display the kind of detailed pixel art, animations, or community-designed clock faces that the Times Gate's 128x128 screens can. The $199 price point is also significantly higher than the Times Gate's $119.99, and you get less screen real estate for your money.
Display Technology: Multi-Screen LCD vs Single-Line LED
The fundamental difference between these two displays comes down to how they present information. The Times Gate uses five separate LCD panels, each with 128x128 pixel resolution. That means each screen can show a full-color pixel art image, an animated GIF, or a detailed widget with icons and text. You get 16,384 pixels per screen and over 81,000 total pixels across all five screens — enough resolution for expressive pixel art and rich visual widgets.
LaMetric Time uses a single LED matrix measuring 37x8 pixels (296 pixels total) plus an 8x8 color section (64 pixels). That is enough for scrolling text, simple icons, and basic clock faces, but it cannot display detailed pixel art or multi-line content. The trade-off is simplicity: the single-line format is easy to read at a glance, requires no configuration of multiple screens, and has a distinctive retro ticker aesthetic that some users find more elegant than a multi-panel dashboard.
Smart Home Integration: Divoom App vs IFTTT Ecosystem
This is where the comparison gets nuanced. LaMetric Time has deeper, more native smart home integration. It works directly with IFTTT, which means you can connect it to hundreds of services and devices — display Nest thermostat data, show Ring doorbell alerts, trigger smart home scenes when you tap the physical button, and much more. Alexa support means you can control it with voice commands, and HomeKit integration lets it participate in Apple Home automations.
The Times Gate's smart features run through the Divoom App, which offers cloud widgets for social media counters (YouTube subscribers, Twitch followers), stock prices, and weather data. While this covers many common use cases, it does not offer the same open-ended automation flexibility as IFTTT. The Times Gate is better understood as a pixel art dashboard with cloud data widgets, while LaMetric Time is better understood as a smart home information hub that also tells time.
Divoom Times Gate
A 5-screen pixel art info display that runs clock, weather, calendar, and live data widgets simultaneously — built for desk dashboards and creative setups.
View Times GateWhich Smart Display Fits Your Desk?
The honest answer depends on what you want from a desk display. The Times Gate is a pixel art dashboard — it shows you everything at once, wraps it in retro pixel personality, and turns your desk into a living information surface. LaMetric Time is a smart home clock — it integrates with your automation ecosystem, streams audio, and keeps information minimal on a single scrolling line. They are not competing for the same desk; they serve different relationships with information.
Choose Times Gate if:
- You want multiple widgets visible simultaneously without scrolling or cycling
- Pixel art, custom GIFs, and community-designed clock faces are important to you
- You are building a desk setup or gaming room where visual personality matters
- You want RGB ambient lighting as part of your desk aesthetic
Choose LaMetric Time if:
- Deep IFTTT, Alexa, or HomeKit integration is your top priority
- You want a built-in speaker for internet radio or music streaming
- You prefer a minimalist single-line display over a multi-screen dashboard
- You need a compact smart clock for a nightstand, kitchen, or shelf rather than a desk
And if your budget and space allow both? They actually complement each other well. Let the Times Gate anchor your desk as a pixel art dashboard with live data widgets, while LaMetric Time sits on your nightstand or kitchen counter as a smart home control point and internet radio. Together they cover both sides of the smart display experience — rich visual information for your workspace, and minimalist smart home integration for your living spaces.
Still exploring options? Browse the full Smart Pixel Display collection to see the complete range of Divoom pixel displays, or check out our Times Gate vs Pixoo 64 comparison for another popular pixel display alternative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Divoom Times Gate better than LaMetric Time?
It depends on your needs. The Times Gate is better if you want multiple widgets visible simultaneously, full pixel art support, and RGB ambient lighting for your desk setup. LaMetric Time is better if you need deep IFTTT and smart home integration, built-in speakers for internet radio, and a minimalist single-line display. The Times Gate costs $119.99 while LaMetric Time is priced around $199, so the Times Gate also offers more screen real estate per dollar.
Does the Times Gate work with IFTTT or Alexa?
The Times Gate does not offer native IFTTT or Alexa integration. Its smart features run through the Divoom App, which provides cloud widgets for social media counters, weather, and stock data. If IFTTT or Alexa integration is essential for your smart home setup, LaMetric Time is the stronger choice with its native support for both platforms plus HomeKit, Philips Hue, and Sonos.
Can LaMetric Time display pixel art?
LaMetric Time has an 8x8 color icon section that can display simple pixel icons, but it cannot display full pixel art, animations, or community-designed clock faces like the Times Gate. The Times Gate's five 128x128 LCD screens are designed for detailed pixel art, custom GIFs, and rich visual widgets, while LaMetric Time's 37x8 LED strip is optimized for scrolling text and simple icons.
Does the Times Gate have a built-in speaker?
No, the Times Gate does not have built-in speakers. It is a visual information display, not an audio device. LaMetric Time includes 2x 2W stereo speakers and can stream internet radio and Spotify, making it a more self-contained device if audio is important to you. For full setup instructions and feature details, refer to the Divoom product manual.
Which is better for a desk setup — Times Gate or LaMetric Time?
For a desk setup, the Times Gate is generally the better choice. Its five-screen dashboard shows clock, weather, calendar, and social counters simultaneously without scrolling, and the RGB ambient lighting adds desk personality. LaMetric Time's single-line display works better as a minimalist smart home clock on a nightstand or shelf rather than as a desk dashboard. If you want to see how the Times Gate fits into a complete desk configuration, read our Times Gate desk dashboard setup guide.
Is the Times Gate cheaper than LaMetric Time?
Yes, the Times Gate is priced at $119.99, while LaMetric Time typically retails around $199. Despite the lower price, the Times Gate offers five independent LCD screens with full pixel art capability, while LaMetric Time offers a single-line LED display. The price difference reflects different design priorities — the Times Gate invests in visual display density, while LaMetric Time invests in smart home integration and built-in audio.
Whether you lean toward the multi-screen pixel dashboard of the Times Gate or the smart-home-first approach of LaMetric Time, both displays bring something genuinely different to your space — no forced compromises, just two distinct paths to a smarter desk.
