Sales of the best security cameras are skyrocketing, which may come as no surprise in a world where uncertainty is growing. In the last several years, almost one in five Britons have installed wireless video doorbells, and over 17 percent of us have placed domestic video cameras at our houses, per a recent report by research firm Savanta. But how can you choose the best home security cameras when there are so many different brands, models, and features available?
According to Stephanie Fort, AO.com’s home security specialist, “some of the most searched-for security brands right now are Ring, Tapo, Blink, Arlo, and Eufy.” “Ring, in particular, offers an extensive range of home security kits that include cameras, doorbells, and alarms—almost all of which are equipped with Amazon Alexa.
Due to its concentration on creating an ecosystem that is replete with light switches, bulbs, sensors, and cameras, Tapo is also becoming more and more known for its “smart tech” capabilities.
Below are my reviews of the top security cameras from Ring, Tapo, and all the other well-known brands, along with some professional guidance on selecting the finest one.
1.EufyCam 3 S330
All of the capabilities we anticipate from a high-end model, such as face recognition, cloud and local storage, color night vision, and an integrated spotlight, are available on the Eufy Cam 3 S330. Although it doesn’t support HomeKit or IFTTT, the integrated solar charging panels are a big benefit. Conveniently, Eufy also offers the camera in bundles of two, three, or four, with the cost per device decreasing as you purchase more.
The Eufy Cam 3 S330 is a great option if you need to capture people, animals, and cars on or around your property in high definition. Additionally, you won’t have to worry about moving it to recharge the battery because it has a solar charging panel, so you can put it wherever you like.
All bundles of EufyCam 3 units include with the necessary HomeBase 3 hub and power adapter, mounting brackets and hardware, LAN cable, USB-C charging cable, and user manual. You can pick between a pack of two three or four units. The cost of an add-on camera is good, and an additional can be used to purchase a 1TB 2.5-inch storage drive (we go into greater depth about storage alternatives below).
With dimensions of 2.6 by 2.6 by 5.1 inches (HWD) and an IP67 waterproof rating, this white semi-rectangular camera housing can withstand any outdoor environment. Though you can always bring the camera with you, a solar panel integrated in the top maintains the internal battery full assuming it receives two hours of direct sunlight per day.
The lens assembly, two microphones, a spotlight, light and motion sensors, and a status LED that flashes red when the battery is low, solid blue while the camera is charging, and solid red when it is streaming or recording are all located on the front of the device. Inside are a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio and a 100dB siren; a speaker is located on the bottom. A rubber cover that shields the USB-C charging port, a sync button, and a threaded mounting hole are located on the back.
2.Eufy Floodlight Cam E340
First, a little housekeeping: The telephoto camera on the Eufy Security Floodlight Cam E340 can record in up to 2K quality and pick up details from up to 50 feet away, while the wide-angle camera records in 3K resolution.
I changed out one of my backyard floodlights, which was already positioned well for monitoring, in order to test the Eufy Floodlight Camera E340. Every time we take the dog outside at night or spend time on that side of the yard—where the grill is—my spouse and I switch on these lights. Since the lights were frequently used, it seemed sense to replace them with a floodlight camera.
To test the Eufy Floodlight Camera E340, I replaced one of my backyard floodlights, which was already in the ideal position for surveillance. My husband and I turn on these lights each time we take the dog out at night or whenever we’re hanging out on that side of the yard, which is where the grill is. The lights got a lot of use, and replacing them with a floodlight camera was a no-brainer.
Since we were installing the Floodlight Camera E340 using pre-existing cabling, setting it up was as simple as replacing an outdoor lighting fixture. Since this camera needs to be installed wiredly in order to function, you will need to run electrical wires to the desired location if there isn’t already wiring there.
The Eufy Security app handled the remaining installation steps when the camera was installed. If this is your first Eufy camera, you will need to purchase one in order for it to work with the floodlight. We currently have a Eufy HomeBase 3 at home, which serves as both a hub and local storage for this camera.
This floodlight camera can record continuously because it is powered on and can be configured with expandable storage, but you can also opt to record specific occurrences. Records can be kept on a microSD card with a maximum capacity of 128GB or on the HomeBase S380. It makes a significant difference that you may increase the SSD support to 16TB with the HomeBase.
3.Google Nest Cam
The goal of the Nest Cam is to be versatile without sacrificing usability. It has a strong design, a large number of intelligent functions, and is rated for both indoor and outdoor use. It runs on batteries. Is it the greatest, though? It’s undoubtedly among the greatest, Wee.
Given that its specifications range from unique to mid-range. In comparison to some of the smaller security cameras available on the market, it is also a touch bulky. What Google does provide, and what very few others provide as well, are activity zones, great and mostly free object identification, and some free video storage. We were first dissatisfied with the lack of assistance outside of Nest, however a number of improvements in recent years has also made the cam compatible with Amazon Alexa and Echos, solving our primary complaint. The result is a camera that’s very easy to recommend for homes that don’t have a security cam yet.
The Nest Cam, which has an IP54 rating to withstand milder outdoor weather—though you’ll need to keep it sheltered from extremely stormy conditions—is officially known as the “Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery),” but that’s a mouthful to type, so we’ll just call it the Nest Cam. It runs on batteries, but if you’d prefer a wired outside installation, you can purchase a weatherproof power cord to go with it.
The camera attaches magnetically to the included base with ease. At 14 ounces, it weighs about a pound, but the magnet seems powerful enough to hold the camera firmly in place on the base. The width of the Nest Cam is 3.27 inches, and although the design is sleek and simple, those stats add up to a chunky feeling device.
With features like 6x digital zoom, two-way audio, a 130-degree diagonal field of view, night vision, and 1080p HD video, this Nest Cam offers all the camera specs you could ask for. These specs don’t really stick out. No, that is not really better technology than what you need for backyard surveillance. Although 2K would have been a far better resolution at these costs, HD is still plenty for most viewing purposes.
A larger field of view would have been nice, especially considering how little adjustable the camera is on the magnetic stand. To see my living room and not the ceiling, I had to find the perfect height shelf. This is marginally improved by the indoor stand.
4.Reolink Argus 3 Ultra
When 4K resolution TVs and cameras first hit the market 10 years ago, the IT community was a hive of activity as production companies started releasing material tailored for this incredibly clear format. Ten years later, 4K is still on the leading edge of image resolution, which is ironic considering that 2K and 1080p cameras, TVs, and monitors are still widely used and relatively common. Nevertheless, there is just one product category—home security cameras—where 4K image resolution is uncommon. Thus, it is peculiar that the Reolink Argus 3 Ultra is a 4K UHD camera. Its remarkable pricing of slightly under is another plus.
the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro as the top security camera overall, with the Reolink Argus 3 wireless outdoor home security camera coming in second. Although the Argus 3 Ultra offers many excellent qualities, a few shortcomings prevented it from achieving the top spot. As you can see, one of them was definitely not image clarity.
Starting with the unboxing and setup and working your way through the features and applications is the most sensible method to take you through the Reolink Argus 3 Ultra’s paces. After that, I’ll go over a few problems I experienced with it so you can determine if this is the finest home security camera for your requirements.
This camera is very simple to set up. You crack open a little rubber flap on the bottom of the unit, toggle the power switch to “ON.” Then, you open the app and tap a blue plus button to add the camera.
From there, you interact with the app and camera by following easy steps that are led by speech and visual cues. Everything is actually pretty simple, and you are held up by the proverbial hand at every turn. Despite the fact that I’m very tech-savvy and that my son helped me with a lot of my testing, I’m sure that even a novice could turn on this camera and link it to a phone and network. Despite how simple it was, I’ll discuss my issues with the interface later.
Say you’re looking for a pleasant ending? Even if the 4K UHD resolution isn’t as revolutionary as it once was, it still makes a significant impact. I tested this 4K, 8-megapixel camera by reading license plates across the street and reading book spine names clearly across a room. Even when there was a lot of motion being recorded, I never noticed any blurring because the camera is sharp and the lag time is minimal.
5.Ring Spotlight Cam Pro
With Ring’s Spotlight Cam Pro, a security camera gets one of the greatest features from its top-tier video doorbell. As a result, there are fewer false alarms as the system can detect movement more accurately. With its 375-lumen spotlight, 1080p video, and many powering options, the Spotlight Cam Pro is an ideal choice for dimly lit places where a floodlight would be excessive.
Over several weeks, I installed and operated the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro to monitor the side of my house with a gate that frequently receives traffic. To find out more information and to determine whether the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro is among the best outdoor security cameras for your house, continue reading our review.
Compared to the earlier Spotlight Cam Plus, the Spotlight Cam Pro has a more sophisticated design. The Pro features a fine mesh speaker grille that is tastefully tilted towards the front of the camera, in place of a bulbous plastic dome at the bottom.The camera and several infrared lights are housed inside a sizable black rectangle on the front. There are two curved LED bars on each side that, according to the manufacturer, can emit 750 lumens total. If you place the camera closer to the ground or in a small space, like a patio, the two lights are more than bright enough. The spotlights are less effective the higher up the camera is mounted. The lighting on the Ring Floodlight Cam Pro is 2000 lumens, for comparison.
There are two battery bays within the Spotlight Cam Pro; one battery is included in the package, but extra batteries can be bought for apiece. The batteries have two status lights to indicate their level of charge and a tiny microUSB connector at one end, just like the batteries found in some of Ring’s video doorbells. Eventually, I hope to see Ring update the batteries and replace the outdated microUSB port with the more modern and widely utilized USB-C port.
The Spotlight Cam Pro’s lower piece can be twisted to change the batteries, and it can be held in place by tightening a tiny Philips head screw. Like with its video, I would have liked if Ring had made this a security screw instead.
A little knob on the back of the Spotlight Cam Pro pops into an adjustable foundation. It was manageable enough, but not nearly as straightforward as the Nest Cam (battery), which secures the camera in place with a powerful magnet.
How to choose the best home security camera for you
First, decide if you want a smart security camera that you can install inside your house or if you need a weatherproof camera that you can use outside.
It is also necessary to take into account the camera’s power source. While some operate on batteries, some require mains power, so you might need to hire an expert to install them. Seek for home security cameras that have interchangeable batteries so you can get extras and make sure the camera doesn’t stop working for several hours when the battery has to be recharged.
Another crucial factor is the caliber of the footage that the home security camera captures. While some record in higher resolutions of 2k and 4k, many home security cameras record in Full HD. Although most homes don’t require Full HD, if you want to install the camera high, you may see a large area with its field of view. With higher quality cameras, you will be able to enlarge the video while maintaining clarity of details like license plates.
How we test home security cameras
We’ve examined and tested a number of critical elements pertaining to functionality, aesthetics, and practicality to make sure the home security cameras we’ve reviewed can be fairly compared.
We evaluated each camera based on how well it captured daytime and nighttime footage, how well the two-way speak functions worked, and how easy it was to arm and disable the device. We also wanted to know how simple it was to set up and install each model, how effective the cameras were at sending motion notifications, and whether the AI features that were supposed to determine whether the activity was caused by a person, an animal, a car, or another source were accurate.