Philips Lumea Prestige vs Tria 4X laser compared

What’s the difference between Tria 4X hair removal laser & Philips Lumea Prestige?

Both the Philips Lumea Prestige and the Tria 4X score very highly. But they’re very different devices.

They’re different because the Prestige uses Intense Pulsed Light and the Tria 4X is a Diode laser device. This means several differences in lifetime of use, how each works, speed of application and sensations during use.

If you’re confused and deciding between the two, don’t worry. This comparison review will help you choose which is best for you.

Ready? Off we go.

In this comparison:

• Intro: Quick comparison | Skin tones & hair colours
• What are they like? Packaging & manuals | Lifetime of use | Shape & design | Battery vs mains-power | Are they safe? | Which is most powerful
• What to expect? Do they hurt? | Which is best for legs & large areas? | What are the results? | Which is more effort?
• Feedback What’s the online feedback?
• In summary Comparison table | Which should you buy?

Quick comparison

Here’s how they compare in detail.

Skin tones & hair colours

So, if your skin is light to medium you can choose either. But if it’s medium to dark anyhere in your treatment areas, you’re better off with the Philips Lumea Prestige (or another alternative).

Related: The best home IPL devices for dark & black skin

N.B. Both have a skin tone sensor to protect your skin if it’s too dark. More on that later.

Packaging & manuals

From the moment you see the packaging, you know they’re going to be ace. Both neat boxes are professional, attractive and have all the important info clearly visible. They’re both compact and secure with minimal plastic. The Tria is stand out for the design and details (such as the small ribbon tab inside the box).

The Prestige also comes with a storage pouch to protect it from dust and scratches. But hang on to the boxes to protect them further in a draw. The instruction manuals are clear and informative.

Lifetime of use

The total body area you can treat determines the lifetime value of your device. And because one is IPL and the other a laser, there are different factors to consider.

Let’s start with the Prestige.

The Prestige – IPL lifetime

With a broad-spectrum Quartz IPL flash lamp, the Prestige has a large 4.1 cm² body attachment. You get 250,000 flashes to cover a whopping 1,025,000 cm² body area.

Based on my standardized calculations, this gives 15+ years of monthly full body treatments (full legs, tummy, bikini line, underarms, forearms and face). (Philips say it lasts up to 20 years). Results get better and last longer after several top-ups. So, it’s likely you’ll need them much less frequent than monthly.

It’s superb value. That’s for full body, small areas and face using the smaller attachments too. You get many more flashes than you’ll ever need.

How does the Tria 4X compare?

Below is a comparison chart showing the lifetime from the Prestige compared to the Tria 4X. They look miles apart! But that’s partly because the Prestige gives way more flashes than you’ll ever need. And remember, the Tria is a more powerful laser, so it’s actually awesome too.

Keep reading to learn why.

Tria 4X – a laser

The laser aperture on the Tria is 5 mm small in diameter. It takes several pulses to cover just a little area. Each charge cycle gives you between 500 and 600 pulses.

Tria say you get at least 300 battery charge cycles from the battery (and you may get many more). So, after 300 charge cycles with 500 pulses each from the 5mm aperture, you can cover at least a total body area of 75,000 cm².

Based on my standardised calculations, that’s enough for 18 full body treatments to last just over 1 year of monthly top-ups. For smaller areas (bikini line, underarms, forearms) and face it gives approximately 3 years of monthly top-ups.

Compared to the Prestige, this doesn’t sound much at all! But remember, the laser energy is more powerful than the Prestige’s IPL. So, results are longer-lasting. Because of this, you’ll likely need fewer top-up sessions and possibly fewer session overall before you get long-lasting smooth results.

In fact, Tria say you need 12 sessions overall to get ‘permanent’ results. With these best possible results, you’ll need only occasional top-ups, much less frequent than monthly. So, the laser lifetime looks good to get you your best, long-lasting smooth results.

IMPORTANT: I DON’T recommend the Tria 4X for treating large body areas like legs because it’s time-consuming, not easy and a huge committment. Learn more later. It’s much better for post-professional spot zaps, or treating small body areas like the face, bikini line, underarms and forearms at home.

N.B. the Tria 4X user manual says the minimum expected service life of the Tria is 3 years. Charge it every month or so even if the device isn’t in use. This means you’ll get at least 300 charge cycles from the battery, and probably more.

Shape & design

Both devices are well-made and with a gun-shape. But they look and feel very different.

The quirky Tria 4X feels robust enough. It’s white smooth plastic with a slight sheen. It doesn’t creak or bend but the long handle feels a bit hollow. However, I like the pink silicone-type grip and the fluted flat bottom, so it stands up on its own.

But when it comes to build quality, the Prestige is a clear winner. I love the white a rose-gold colourway and detailing. The materials are top-notch and although it’s plastic, it feels solid, expensive and doesn’t creak or crack. The Tria 4X feels a bit clunky compared to the Prestige, however both are well-designed for the way you move and operate them.

The Tria 4X is comfortable to grip on the long fluted silicone-coated handle. There’s no trigger to press, so you can wrap your fingers securely around the narrowest part of the handle and feel no strain. The weight is in the teardrop shaped head so it’s balanced and intuitive to manouevre whilst holding at a right-angle to your skin. This alignment perfectly suits the small and precise movements needed to cover your skin. The LED screen’s on top and the laser aperture is easy to position and see.

It weighs 600g, because of the lithium battery inside. This is the heaviest of all home, hand-held devices. However, most reviewers share it’s easy to handle on smaller areas – it’s heavy but handy.

The Prestige’s gun-shape is intuitive. It feels relaxed with a secure grip on the long, tapered handle. This gives it great leverage too. The trigger is easy to find because there’s a braille-like flower on it. You can press it comfortably with your index or middle finger, or thumb if you rotate your grip. The controls and the flash window are easy to see.

It’s heavy at 560g. That’s because it too has a rechargeable lithium battery inside. However, the gun-shape is perfectly balanced and secure to grip, so you can rotate and pivot your wrist without any strain. It’s easy to position and work around your body.

Both shapes and design are intuitive and work well for the different ways they work and how you treat your skin.

Battery vs mains-power

The Prestige works both cordless and on mains-power. The power cable is 2 metres long and high-quality which doesn’t twist or tangle. I love it’s ready to plug in and go without waiting for a charge. Use it mainly on mains-power then switch to cordless for tricky to reach areas, or using in the privacy of your bathroom on your tache or garden area.

The Tria works on battery power only so there’s no cord to get in the way. It takes 2 hours to charge the battery and each charge lasts between 25 and 30 minutes.

Both devices are comfortable to use and easy to hold. However, the action for each is different. There’s more on that later.

Are they safe?

Both devices are clinically-proven safe and effective for home-use. The Tria 4X also has FDA-clearance.

They have a similar safety feature to protect your eyes.

Both have a skin sensor around the flash window / laser aperture. They won’t flash unless they detect your skin covering the entire window. This means it’s not going to accidentally flash into anyone’s eyes.

Skin tone sensors

To protect darker skin tones, you get a skin tone sensor with both.

The Tria 4X sensor is on the bottom of the handle. Place it on skin in your treatment area and it checks for a safe tone to unlock the device. All intensity levels are safe for Fitzpatrick types I to IV. It’s up to you to choose your most comfortable intensity level. More on that later.

The Prestige sensor is a bit more advanced because you can’t use the high IPL levels on darker skin.

The sensor is the small window above the larger flash window. It also checks for a safe tone and flashes red if it detects a tone that’s too dark (Fitzpatrick type VI). It periodically checks your skin tone during treatment too.

The Prestige also has an advanced sensor. Press the magnifier button and it checks then suggests the best level for your tone. But you stay in control and can adjust it down a notch if it feels too intense.

How intense are they?

All hail Tria! (the Tria is most powerful)

Both the Tria 4X and the Prestige have 5 intensity levels. 1 is low and 5 is high, but because the Tria 4X is a laser, it’s much more powerful than the Prestige.

The Tria 4X is around 3 times more powerful than the Prestige.

• The power density output of the Tria 4X ranges from 7 to 22 J/cm².
• The Prestige ranges from 2.4 to 6.5 J/cm².

The Tria 4X is the strongest of all home-use light energy hair removal devices. Based on the acknowledgement the stronger intensity the better your results, it follows that the Tria 4X promises the longest-lasting results of all home-use laser and IPL hair removal systems. This means, although you’ll need top-up sessions, you’ll likely need fewer or much less frequently overall .

Sounds great! Loads of people choose the Tria 4X over any IPL hair removal systems because it’s more powerful. They want the best possible results in the shortest time.

However, there’s some important stuff in the next sections which may change your mind! Keep reading to learn more.

Do they hurt?

This depends on the individual. But based on the user feedback it’s fair to say there are more reports of pain with the Tria 4X laser.

Very few online reviewers say the Prestige is painful. Most that do have darker skin tones. Those that mention sensation describe it as an uncomfortable tinging sensation that’s much more bearable than waxing or epilating. Many more say it’s pain-free.

For the Tria 4X, it’s notably different. For a start, Tria call the intensity settings “comfort levels”. Uhoh. A notable number of negative, neutral and positive reviewers say it hurts. The pain varies but it’s a hot topic in the online feedback.

So, why does it hurt more than the Prestige?

Just like the Prestige, the Tria laser targets melanin in the dark hair follicle. But the Tria’s higher intensities create much more heat and thus damage. It’s this increased heat which means it can hurt.

Some reviewers use Tria’s SmoothStart Calming Gel, or the cheaper alternatives ice or lidocaine gel to numb their skin. Overall, the pain-factor feedback is a much bigger percentage compared to the Prestige and other home IPL reviews.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to know if you’ll feel pain. But be aware it’s possible and weigh this up in your decision.

Which is best for legs & large areas?

The modes and speed of the Tria 4X laser and the Lumea Prestige IPL are very different. Therefore, this section is a must-read if you want to be fuzz-free all over your body.

Let’s look at the Tria 4X first.

Tria 4X laser – not for large areas

The Tria 4X covers a tiny 5mm area each pulse.  Because it’s such a small movement, you must have a close-up view of the treatment area. Therefore, you’ll need a helpful assistant for backs of legs and knees.

And the battery is limited to 30 mins of use (or 500 to 600 zaps). One full leg needs 2 to 4 charging cycles so could take a total of 10 hours including charging time! This means you need a way to track or mark off where you’ve zapped. Then wait 2 hours for it to charge and pick up where you left off.

For large areas like legs or torso it takes a lot of time, organisation and commitment to complete your treatments. But it’s manageable for small areas done in 30 minutes.

It’s easy to treat your face and underarms by yourself. A very thorough bikini line requires some bending and twisting, or a friendly assistant. And you can treat your face and a couple of small areas with one charge e.g. your upper lip, chin, jawline and a pair of underarms or both sides of the bikini line.

So, what about the Prestige?

Lumea Prestige – perfect for all body areas

The Prestige is the perfect choice for face, small and large areas or full body treatments done in one session. It takes me 35 to 40 minutes for the whole lot (using corded with mains-power).

And that’s because it has some special features.

Firstly, there’s no need to wait for the Prestige to charge. Use it non-stop with mains-power and finish a full body treatment in one sitting. Swap to cordless just for tricky, hard to reach areas or on small areas in the privacy of the bathroom.

Second, it’s got different size and shape flash windows ranging in size from 2 cm² to 4.1 cm². Waaay bigger than the Tria 4X. Some are curved too (no other device has these). They fit the contours of your body so it’s much easier to get good contact and a flash without any fuss. It’s easy to ‘glide’ over your skin too. I love the large curved-in body window because it’s perfect for legs,knobbly-knees, and torso (bum too!)

And finally, it’s fast to cover your skin in flashes so you won’t get bored or lose your place. It flashes every 2 seconds on level 5 (when corded). Keep the trigger pressed and slide the Prestige over your skin the height of the flash window each time. The curved attachment makes it easy to get a flash. It’s just awesome for your legs. I can meticulously cover a full body in around 40 minutes.

And with a bit of twisting, bending and a full-length mirror you can see and reach most body areas by yourself i.e. backs of legs and knees.

It’s one of the best choices for large areas or full body treatments done in one session.

Customer Support

The customer support from both Philips UK and Tria Beauty UK is excellent. The information on the websites is clear and they give access to the latest user manuals.

However I do find Triabeauty.co.uk’s information on ‘permanent hair removal’ confusing. You can learn more on this in the full review here. In contrast, Philips don’t use the misleading word ‘permanent’ anywhere. Instead they say “Smoothness month after month” maintained with monthly top-ups.

The customer service teams provide responsive and comprehensive pre and post-sales support. Contact them via phone, email and social media. Philips also have online chat.

You get a 2 year warranty from Philips and a 1-year warranty from Tria. But simply buy from CurrentBody.com for 2 years at no extra cost.

I love the Philips 100-day money back guarantee. The recommended start-up stage is 8 weeks so it gives you plenty of time to see great results from the Prestige. Philips honour the guarantee no matter where you buy the Prestige.

Tria Beauty give a 60-day money back guarantee. You must buy from an authorised seller i.e. check Amazon purchses first! Tria recently reduced the guarantee from 90-days. That’s a bit shorter than the start-up phase duration. However, buy from CurrentBody.com again for the full 90-day money back guarantee.

The results

First, let’s check the start-up regimen for both.

Use the Prestige for 4 or 5 sessions every 2 weeks (taking up to 8 weeks) to get smooth skin. Then less frequent touch-ups every 4 to 8 weeks to maintain your results.

Use the Tria for 8 sessions, one every 2 weeks, or until you’re satisfied. It takes up to 3 months to see significant results. Then you can do touch-ups or additional treatments as you need them.

It can take a session or two to see any change. After between 2 to 5 sessions you’ll see a gradual reduction in the number and thickness of your hairs. Hair grows slower and becomes finer, softer and lighter too. You’ll need to shave less frequently. Bald patches start to appear until all your skin is silky smooth.

Both devices give you permanent hair reduction. Tria say the 4X laser gives you permanent hair removal. However, based on the evidence they’ve shared I feel this is creative marketing hype.

Regardless, with both devices you must keep up with the top-up sessions or the hair grows back. You may find you need these even less frequently after you’ve done several sessions.

Which is more effort?

Let’s compare an example of each.

To treat your face and underarms with the Tria you’ll need 8 x 30-minute sessions over around 3 months. So, that’s 4 hours over 3 months (or 14 weeks).

You’ll need double this (at least) for several small areas at 8 hours over 3 months.

To treat your full body with the Prestige you’ll need 5 x 40-minute sessions over 8 weeks. So, that’s rounded to 3.5 hours over 8 weeks.

Results vary by individual, but this comparison shows the Tria demands more time and committment than the Prestige, especially for treating multiple body areas or your whole body! Yikes.

And don’t forget. You must do less frequent top-ups too. It’s likely you’ll need fewer in total with the Tria. However, the overall time and effort is likely similar to the Prestige because those sessions are sooo much faster.

What’s the online feedback?

Around 30% of the Lumea Prestige reviews are from users who received a free trial device. There are two trials from Amazon Vine and Philips.co.uk.  The trial periods were long enough to get helpful feedback on ease of use and results.

The majority of reviews for both devices are good quality, with consistent average scores and sentiment across review sources. Here’s a quick summary of what the online reviews like and don’t like.

Let’s start with the Tria 4X.

And now the Lumea Prestige:

Tria 4X laser vs Philips Lumea Prestige comparison table

So, which should you buy?

Both are excellent choices, but for different reasons.

The Tria 4X laser is best suited to face and small body areas. It’s a tough choice to ignore because it’s the most powerful home device. As such, it promises your best results in fewer sessions. However, you’ll compromise with increased overall time and effort, and potentially find it hurts! Read the full review for more information and photos.

The Prestige is suited to face and all body areas. It’s a top choice for full body sessions because it’s fast, precise and one of the most powerful home IPL devices. You may need more sessions than with the Tria. But likely no more time and effort overall because the sessions are so quick. The Lumea Prestige is in a different league. If you can afford it, buy it. Read the full review for more information and photos.

Here’s what I like:

And what could be improved:

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