Tech that: Arlo Essential 2K Camera + Doorbell
Arlo security cameras are among the top of their class when it comes to quality. Is the essential range value for money?
Available at Arlo.com, Amazon, Argos and Currys
Price: Cameras from £109.99 / Doorbell from £114.99
What is it?
Arlo security cameras are among the top of their class when it comes to quality. The essential range brings Arlo’s expertise down into a form factor that doesn’t break the bank.
Plus points
• Setup for both products is plug and play. Sync them with the Arlo app, mount the cameras in the right position and you’re good to go!
• Both cameras have a built-in rechargeable battery which charges via USB C. You also have the option to hardwire them too.
• App is easy enough to use but also advanced enough to allow you to change settings on a granular level.
• I found that with heavy use, checking it multiple times a day, I got around a month’s worth of battery from each product. Arlo says you can get 4-6months with lighter usage.
• Motion detection is available and works well. Recordings are stored in the cloud so even if the camera is stolen, you’ll have the footage.
• Picture quality on the camera is good enough in most conditions. If you need more picture accuracy and higher resolution, then Arlo sells higher-tiered products which cater to that.
• A built-in spotlight is activated during the night to help you get clearer shots of any motion detected.
Nil points
• One major issue I found (and I’m sure it can be fixed with a software update) is that if multiple people have the Arlo app on their phone, it will arm the cameras as soon as they leave the house, even though others may still be inside the house. This may be a feature or user error on my end, but I hope it gets fixed.
• To gain features such as cloud video storage, people/animal detection, activity zones and more you’ll need to pay at least £5 per month for the Arlo Secure subscription. Some rival cameras provide this for free.
• There isn’t any local storage on the device to save recordings. This can be a con for some people but I’m happy with mine being stored in the cloud.
Rating: ✡✡✡✡
Verdict: Overall, the Arlo Essential 2K Camera and Video Doorbell provide top quality performance and features and packages them in a shell which feels very high end for the price.
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