I thought the Lego smart brick was the worst idea ever but I just built my first set with it and now Im in love

Date:
Fri, 27 Mar 2026 19:00:00 +0000

Description:
I didn't think I'd like the smart brick, but I absolutely adore it.

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When leaks first teased the LEGO smart brick, I hated it. The appeal of the iconic building block system to me has always been its low-tech nature so a digital brick with flashing lights, sensors, and a speaker just felt wrong.

Then, when the smart brick made its CES 2026 debut, my opinion flipped. The fact that it works (mostly) without an app you just need it to update the block on occasion and that it fits inside your normal builds just like any other standard 2x4 brick is impressive. But the key realization I had was
that the smart brick isnt for me, its for kids. Article continues below You may like Lego's 5 new Smart Play sets are more affordable, but lack a crucial brick I tried Lego's new Smart Brick and Stars Wars sets and the biggest
Lego change for 50 years has won me over Everything we have done is still
part of the system Lego on Smart Bricks

Now having built the Darth Vader's TIE Fighter smart brick set, Im even more sold on the clever blocks toy appeal, I just wish it wasnt so pricey. We
built the new LEGO Smart Brick Darth Vader TIE Fighter set - YouTube Watch On Lego to its core Forgetting the smart brick for a second, this build excels
in that kid-friendly play-first mentality Ive touched on.

With just 473 pieces, this thing shouldnt take too long to build (it took two of us around 45 minutes, though that was filled with plenty of distracting discussion and banter), and once fully assembled you dont just have Darth Vader and his spaceship you have a simple rebel base to complete with a canon and a rebel fighter so you can start making up action-packed Star Wars stories with just this one set.

Darth Vaders TIE Fighter hits a good balance of detail while still being an accessible weight and size for a child to swoosh it around, and if any accidents do happen, clever color coordination between parts of the ship will ensure you can reassemble a broken TIE Fighter with ease. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The lack of detail, however, and the open backside (so the smart brick can be added and removed when needed) mean this is very much not a Lego set to sit
on your shelf. Its one designed to be played with to fly, to break, to put back together, and have a blast with the whole time. (Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector) The smart brick elevates this identity without distracting
from the core Lego appeal.

It works by detecting NFC elements in special plates and minifigures, which configure it to make specific noises and flash its lights based on what it detects. So when placed into the right spot on Darth Vaders TIE Fighter, it will pick up that its in the Sith Lords craft, play a snippet of the Imperial March, and make TIE fighter sounds when you pick up and fly the ship around. What to read next I flew the Star Wars Death Star trench run on the Sphere in a Lego X-Wing and nothing else comes close People love the unexpected
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The brick will also tune its color-detecting side sensor to make laser sounds when it sees the in-built red panels flash past, refueling noises for the
blue fuel pump, and clanking repair sounds when it detects the green hammer. (Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector) The audio quality isnt perfect, but it does a fantastic job of creating the spirit of the Star Wars ship while leaving room for you to add your own effects and imagination. For example, Darth Vader can make a few noises, but youll need to speak for him, and the rebel elements have no smart brick integration.

Because these pieces are all standard Lego bricks too, that means if you want to redesign Vaders ship or combine it with other pieces in your collection, you absolutely can and still use the smart elements. (Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future) One last note, I also love the accessibility of the smart brick charger. The large yellow pad will be easy to find in a pinch, and when the charging pad is plugged in, it will refuel the brick wirelessly you just
have to place it in the large charging tray area.

As you can see in our video, Josie Watson and I had a blast building this
set. It was so much fun, and if I were a kid, this would be one of my
favorite toys.

Im excited to see how the smart brick evolves with new integrations during our shoot, I kept imagining the smart brick in Lego City sets and I do
wonder if Lego might one day offer customizations using programmable NFC elements. (Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector) The only letdown for now is the price.

Licensed Lego sets, such as those in its Star Wars line, already come at a slight premium, and the smart brick adds another cost layer, which means
youre getting a relatively low piece-count for the price. For Darth Vader's TIE Fighter, that's $69.99 / 59.99 / AU$99.99.

But besides the higher cost, the smart brick is a fantastic addition to the Lego ecosystem.

Sure, if youre a builder who prefers larger sets with better detail and accuracy, these smart brick builds simply arent for you. But parents looking to buy their kids a new toy may find this is exactly what they want. Today's best Lego Star Wars SMART Play: Darth Vader's TIE Fighter deals 59.99 View 59.99 View 59.99 View Show more We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

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