The Gardyn Studio 2 is here: A first look and our first impressions

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Are you an apartment dweller who dreams of a lush garden and endless access to seasonal produce? If you don't have the backyard fit for such dreams, you could bring your garden inside. Gardyn's indoor hydroponic systems allow you to grow fresh produce and flowers inside your home.

Mashable Deputy Shopping Editor Miller Kern tested the Gardyn Studio and was able to grow salads and burger toppings all from her apartment. Now, Gardyn is launching the second generation of its apartment-sized system: the Studio 2. We went hands-on with the new Studio 2 ahead of its launch.

The Gardyn Studio 2 is made for apartment dwellers, taking up about 1.4 square feet of space and standing 4.5 feet tall. Like the previous generation of Studio, it can grow up to 16 plants at once and self waters with a five-gallon tank. It has an included LED light to provide the right amount of light for the plants.

The new Studio 2 is similar to the original Studio with a few key upgrades. The new Gardyn system has no-clean columns with sealed silicone modules to prevent build-up and minimize maintenance.

The 24/7 camera included on the Studio 2 has upgraded HD, which lets users and Gardyn's built-in AI system get a better picture for health monitoring. Plus, it now has sunrise and sunset lighting that mimics the natural life cycle.

The Studio 2 will launch at $549, a $50 increase from the previous Gardyn Studio. It will be available at Amazon and The Home Depot and starts shipping on Oct. 15.

Gardyn Studio 2 first impressions

I've only had the Gardyn Studio 2 set up in my apartment for a week, so it doesn't look nearly as lush as Kern's does now that hers is fully grown. However, I am pleased with the system and just how easy it is. Setup was a breeze — far easier than a piece of Ikea furniture. The hardest part was the number of trips to the sink to fill up the five-gallon tank.

The starter kit is exceptionally easy. No gardening gloves or potting soil are required. You plug in yPods to the system, which then automatically get watered. Using Gardyn's built-in AI assistant, Kelby, doesn't require much thought — Kelby takes care of the watering and light and sends reminders about when to distribute plant food.

I was looking forward to trying the Gardyn Studio 2, especially with the new lighting; however, one thing to note about the Gardyn is that it's really bright. Before I embarked on testing, Kern warned me that the Gardyn Studio was extremely bright.

She's right. Even with Studio 2's sunrise and sunset lighting, it's still so bright even when dimmed 50 percent. Plus, for recommended plant growth, you need to have the lights on around the clock, which could disrupt your home's ambient lighting.

It's a worthy sacrifice for all the fresh produce you're growing, but definitely something to consider before buying and placing in your home.

While there aren't a ton of differences between the Gardyn Studio and Studio 2, that's not necessarily a bad thing. In our review of the Gardyn Studio, we were impressed by its efficacy and ease, and we expect the same from the Studio 2.