It also benefits from facial recognition. The Google Nest Cam (battery) is a versatile home security camera that you can use outside or indoors thanks to its rechargeable battery.
Read our full review: Arlo Ultra 2 (opens in new tab) Both these Arlo cameras record in 2k, so they still offer detailed footage but are more affordable.
If that's slightly out of your price range, consider the Arlo Pro 3 (opens in new tab), which also comes with a base station for local storage, or the Arlo Pro 4 (opens in new tab), which connects directly to your home Wi-Fi network. There is the ability to store footage locally on a micro SD card in the base station, but you can't view these videos through the Arlo app. If you want to store video to review at a later date, you'll need to subscribe to Arlo Secure at an extra cost per month if you're going to continue storing footage in 4K and making use of the various smart features. However, the Arlo Ultra 2 will set you back a fair amount (it comes in different camera configurations). It's also compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, and HomeKit, and has a range of smart features that help reduce the number of alerts the camera sends you. It builds on the Arlo Ultra (opens in new tab) with support for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-F bands and an increased range, which should end connectivity issues. The footage the Arlo Ultra 2 records is extremely clear and detailed and in color during the day and night, thanks to a built-in LED. The Arlo Ultra 2, which records in 4K, offers just this and is excellent for mounting high-up on your property, for example looking over your driveway, ensuring you can still read a car number plate on the drive. Looking for a home security camera that ensures tiny details are visible in the footage it records, even if the camera's field of view is in a large area. Read our full review: Eufy SoloCam E40 (opens in new tab) Those compromises aside, it’s excellent value for money. However, the battery is built-in, so when it needs recharging, the camera will be out of action. However, the battery life isn’t as long as with the Euf圜am 2 (above), although, at around four months, it’s comparable to cameras from rival brands such as Arlo and Ring. However, while this is in color during the day, it’s only in black and white at night, as the camera lacks any form of spotlight that can illuminate the video. The video it records is detailed, with a resolution of 2K. It has 8GB of memory built into the camera itself, where videos are stored - Eufy says this equates to about a month’s worth of footage, based on 30 detections a day, with each video lasting 10 seconds.
However, if you’re after a home security camera with local storage, the Eufy SoloCam E40 is the best on the market in our eyes right now. Many of the best home security cameras on the market require an ongoing cost in the form of a subscription to a cloud storage service, where video clips can be stored and reviewed later. Read our full review: Anker Eufycam 2 (opens in new tab) It gives you complete control with no overhead cost. However, it does offer integration with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri.īottom line? If you want a system that doesn't cost anything to maintain but still lets you keep a close eye on your home when you're not there, the Eufycam 2 is excellent. It can identify if humans triggered a motion alert, although it can't identify animals, vehicles, or other sources like Arlo's home security cameras can. It also stores all of its encoded clips directly to the included BaseStation in your living room, which means you don't have to worry about someone somewhere else in the world looking at footage from your property. It's double the battery life of top-of-the-range cameras from Arlo and Ring, which is handy considering the battery isn't swappable, so the camera will be out of action when it needs recharging. The claimed 365-day battery life is the longest of any home security camera we've tested. While it doesn't offer the highest recording resolution (you'll need the Euf圜am 2 Pro (opens in new tab) for 2k video), and there's no color footage at night, for most people, this home security camera hits the sweet spot between price and features. In the crowded world of home security cameras, the Anker Eufycam 2 is a solid mid-range option at an affordable price.