Security cameras have become commonplace in and around homes, as people use them to keep tabs on their property and help police solve crimes.
Security cameras have become commonplace in and around homes, as people use them to keep tabs on their property and help police solve crimes.
But selecting the right camera system, setting it up correctly and maintaining the cameras is critical for them to be effective.
“It’s a very efficient way of investigating crimes,” said Maj. James Curry with the Fairfax County Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division.
With Black Friday and Cyber Monday around the corner, one popular buy is camera systems. Curry said it’s important to choose the right system for your home.
Many cameras send video wirelessly through hubs or the internet, but for outdoor cameras, you’ll need to decide whether you want battery-powered cameras or cameras wired to power.
“In these critical moments, if we have the ability to reach out to as many people as possible, look through your surveillance footage, tell us what you saw, it puts us on the right track,” he said.
For wired cameras, getting electricity to them safely may require an electrician, though some companies offer floodlight replacements or power-over-ethernet options that use a single cable for both power and video.
Other decisions include whether you want a system that saves video locally or to pay a monthly fee for cloud storage.
“Night vision is huge. The storage you can go through hard wired, or you can certainly look at cloud storages. There’s so many different opportunities,” Curry said.
Curry stressed that saving video is key and recommended factoring in subscription costs.
“Some of the things that we often see is people put a lot of time and effort into purchasing these cameras, but then don’t pay for any subscriptions for the surveillance footage, whether it’s cloud-based or elsewhere,” he said.
Once a system is chosen, placement is critical. Curry suggested walking around your home and thinking like a criminal.
“Take a full 360 around the house,” Curry said. “We want to look for the blind spots. We want to cover the entryways. We want to consider the windows and certainly your backyards.”
He advised against placing cameras behind glass because reflections can ruin the image.
“Unfortunately, if you have a light source outside, it’s going to interfere … with the window and that camera,” he said.
Mount cameras high enough to prevent tampering. And if you choose battery-powered cameras, maintenance is key.
“The biggest thing we run into is the battery issue. A lot of folks forget to replace their batteries, and their cameras are dead,” Curry said. “So they’re pretty much useless.”
Curry also recommended keeping neighbors’ privacy in mind and talking with them about placement concerns.
“We always have to make sure that we’re keeping in mind our own privacy,” he said.
Many cameras come with detection features that can alert you to people or even sounds. Curry said those can be helpful for security.
In Fairfax County, residents can register their cameras with police, so detectives can reach out if a crime or missing person’s case happens nearby. Doing so does not give the department live access to your cameras.
“This is simply letting us know that this exists in the community. We can reach out to you, and rather than having a detective or an officer knock on your door, we can just do things more efficiently and hopefully help solve whatever crime that might be, or help find whatever missing person you might be looking for,” he said.
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Google is betting that AI can justify the high price of its smart home security camera subscriptions. The idea is that with AI, your notifications would read more like a human looked outside and told you what they saw. And instead of you scrolling through endless video footage to see what happened, AI can summarize the day for you. Sounds good, right? Sounds great to me.
If you already read my Nest Cam Outdoor (wired, 2nd gen) review, you’ll know the reality, as I experienced it, is underwhelming. Notifications, generated by Google’s Gemini AI chatbot, constantly misidentified my pets and gave weird and wrong descriptions of events taking place in triggered recordings. Daily summaries of my family’s comings and goings made it sound like my house was being mobbed with people and animals. None of it helped justify the pricey cloud storage service that the Google Home Premium (formerly Nest Aware) subscriptions otherwise are. And without those subscriptions, the Nest Cam Outdoor just doesn’t do enough to make it worth buying over some of the more capable, less cloud-reliant alternatives out there.
Does the Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 3rd gen) fare any better? Well, the AI features are still broken the same way, but it may still be a better purchase, depending on how deep your roots are within the walled garden of the Google Home ecosystem. If you’re not a big Google Home user, though, it’s best to look elsewhere.
Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 3rd gen)
Janky AI summaries and spendy subscription aside, the Nest Doorbell is good enough if you’re deep in the Google Home ecosystem.
Clear, wide field of view
Nice integration with Google Home speakers and displays
Attractive design
Quick notifications
Inconsistent AI notifications
AI summaries are useless
Expensive hardware and subscriptions
No local storage
The Nest Doorbell might be the nicest-looking video doorbell on the market. Its slender, bar-shaped housing is rounded on both ends, curving tightly around the camera and the LED ring-lit doorbell button. The whole thing has the same gentle, pleasingly symmetrical vibe that characterizes the other Google Nest cameras. It’s a lot nicer to look at than chunky, blocky video doorbells from the likes of Ring or Eufy.
Beyond the pretty design, Google’s third-gen wired doorbell has solid specs like a 2K resolution camera sensor with a generous 166-degree diagonal field of view that spreads out over a square aspect ratio. It captures HDR video at 30 frames per second; clips come in vibrant color during the day and, using infrared LEDs, black and white at night. The Nest Doorbell also has a microphone and speaker that enables two-way audio. Connectivity-wise, the camera uses both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy. Thanks to that fast Wi-Fi and its always-on nature, its live feed loads almost instantly in the Google Home app.
Installation is straightforward, assuming you’ve got the requisite doorbell wiring by your door. The Nest Doorbell comes with a mounting plate and a second angled adapter that you can use if you want to have the camera pointing more toward people at your door. Google includes wire extenders if you need them, and the Google Home app, which you use for setup, guides you through installation.
It’s easy to connect the Nest Doorbell to the Google Home app—the only place you’ll ever use it, since this is exclusively a Google Home-compatible product—but a word of advice: Setup requires a QR code included in the box. Lose it and you’ll have to undo all of your physical installation work to get at the same QR code on the back of the doorbell itself.
Once set up, it works like most other video doorbells. You’ll get notifications when someone presses its button, or when the Nest Doorbell detects the sorts of objects—people, pets, and vehicles—you’ve set it to notify you about. Unfortunately, you’ll need a subscription if you want those notifications to feature a zoomed-in preview of whatever triggered the recording, as well as for package detection. Seems stingy, but I guess thumbnail images and machine-learning cardboard box recognition don’t grow on trees?
Despite those omissions, Google is more generous with free features for the Nest Doorbell than the Nest Cam Outdoor. It works with existing mechanical and digital chimes, for instance, and if you don’t have a functioning chime (like me) then you’ve also got the option to use Google’s smart speakers or displays. They can be configured to announce when someone has rang your doorbell and—in the case of the Google Nest Hub or Hub Max—start streaming the camera’s live feed. Through the display you can also chat with the person who rang your doorbell or, if you’re not into chatting, pick an automated response such as one telling a delivery person to leave the payload there.
In testing, my second-generation Nest Hub was fairly quick to announce that someone had pressed the button, and chatting back and forth with them was easy enough. The only problem was that I had to deal with the Nest Hub itself, which has an interface that’s absolutely sluggish in 2025. Still, it’s a cool integration. Now, if only I could get it to do this on the Google TV-equipped OLED TV in my basement.
And that’s it for the Nest Doorbell, sans subscription. There’s no local recording, although Google did bump the amount of time it’ll keep a recorded event on its servers from a scant three hours in the previous Nest Doorbell to a still-meager six hours. Either way, it’s paltry compared to the free local storage offered for video doorbells from the likes of Eufy, Reolink, Blink, and Aqara.
If you want more out of the Nest Doorbell, you’ll have to pay for a $10 or $20 per month Google Home Premium subscription. That’ll give you more cloud video storage history—to the tune of 30 days or 60 days, respectively, with the latter also adding 10 days of 24/7 recording that you can search using Gemini.
The lower Standard tier also gets you facial recognition, package detection, and alerts if one of your Google Home devices hears glass breaking or smoke alarms. Those features, as well as local storage, are all things the Reolink Elite I recently reviewed offers for free. In fact, the only thing this subscription nets you that you can’t get with a lot of other cameras is a feature called “Help me create,” which lets you create automations by describing them in a text box in the Google Home app. It worked well for creating simple automations, although one thing that bothers me is that if you ask it to do something that Google Home’s automations aren’t capable of, Gemini won’t tell you that. It’ll just deliver a non-functioning automation.
Eventually, the Standard plan will also include a wide rollout of Gemini to smart speakers. That includes features like Gemini Live, Google’s LLM-powered assistant’s back-and-forth voice chatting feature. As of this review, it’s best to hold off on the subscription if you want access to Gemini on your speakers, as that’s only available to some in early access.
You have to subscribe to the $20/month Google Home Premium Advanced plan to get the headlining AI camera features like daily summaries and AI-created notifications for events. You can read a lot more about my issues with these features over in my review of the Nest Cam Outdoor, but to summarize: Google’s AI system has a tendency to misinterpret what’s happening in front of it, confidently misidentifies animals, and its summaries often describe a person coming and going in a way that makes it seem like I’m having a house party every day.
That said, the system seems more accurate in the context of a video doorbell, perhaps because the camera is closer to the ground and can see what’s in front of it more clearly. Or maybe it’s just because what happens in front of my house is a lot more routine than in the backyard—it’s not trying to make sense of dogs going in and out or people doing yardwork or taking out the trash. Gemini still called my cat a dog sometimes, but it accurately called out when most packages were delivered and even noted that one was from Amazon.
These features are slick when they work, and—again—like I said in my Nest Cam Outdoor review, they’re a clear technological leap forward for home security cameras. But Google’s AI descriptions are still wrong often enough that it’s like paying $20 a month to beta test, and that just doesn’t feel good to me. Heck, even when they aren’t flat wrong, they’re not much more useful than the generic, non-AI descriptors of “Person,” “Person with Package,” or “Activity or animal” of the subscription-free experience. Also, AI video search might be very cool, but as the Reolink Elite shows, you can get similar AI search from an on-device AI model. Like with local video storage, it feels like Google could make a camera with on-device AI search for free, and just didn’t do it because, well, more money via subscriptions is better than less money without them.
The Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 3rd gen) serves a pretty specific niche—people heavily invested in the Google Home ecosystem—very well. If you have a home full of Google Nest speakers and smart displays and you love using Google Gemini for things, you’ll probably like the Nest Doorbell. And if you’re already paying for a spendy Google Home Premium plan and don’t have a Nest Doorbell or you’ve only got the first-generation model, it’s a no-brainer.
But for anyone else, the Nest Doorbell isn’t meaningfully useful on its own, and the Google Home Premium subscription is a raw deal at a time when your weary dollar won’t go as far as it used to. It’s hard to feel good about paying $20 a month for useless AI summaries, or for AI-written notifications that can be slightly more helpful than generic “person spotted” alerts when I’m canceling streaming services to save money. I’d much rather buy one of the many cheaper alternative video doorbells that offer local video storage and reactivate my Netflix account for a couple more months with the money I saved.
The latest version of the Google Nest Cam Outdoor (wired, 2nd gen)—yeah, that’s the name—is a real Jekyll and Hyde of a product. The hardware and software interface are expertly crafted and a delight to use. But once you start looking more closely at Google’s AI-forward security camera, it gets ugly and annoying.
The $150 Nest Cam Outdoor’s biggest problem is that it’s not cheap to use. Like Ring and Arlo, Google’s security camera subscription plans have gotten more expensive than ever in recent years, pressing at the boundaries of what’s affordable for people in a time when everything else is also harder to pay for. And until now, it’s done so without adding any tangible benefit.
The calculus has changed a bit for Google. The company’s subscription service, now called Google Home Premium instead of Nest Aware, has expanded beyond its core product—a month or two of cloud video storage—to become a full-on smart home suite, complete with Gemini as a buddy. I didn’t get to test Gemini’s smart speaker features, as they’re in the midst of a timid early access rollout I’m not part of, but I did get to test the AI portion of this new experience that’s come to Google’s cameras. And so far, at least, it is very much not worth $10 or $20 a month.
Google Nest Cam Outdoor (wired, 2nd Gen, 2025)
Great camera hardware is hindered by subscription features that aren’t worth their asking price.
Searchable video history
Up to 60 days of video storage
Clear and crisp video
No need to worry about battery life
Easy to install
Too many paywalled features
Inaccurate AI summaries
AI notifications aren’t that useful
“Wired” means plugging into an outlet
Footage is constantly sent to Google
As bad as the AI features are, there are real things to like about the Nest Cam Outdoor, especially if you’ve enjoyed these cameras in the past. Its video feed, now in 2K resolution, is sharper than ever and delivers accurate colors by day and crisp, black-and-white infrared-lit images by night, making it easy to tell who someone is on camera. It records HDR footage at 30 fps and has a broad 152-degree diagonal field of view. That’s up from the 130-degree FOV of its battery-powered predecessor and makes it better for covering a large area like my backyard. Because the camera connects to the base magnetically, it’s very easy to point it where you want to. It’s also just a nice-looking piece of hardware, even if Google hasn’t really updated its appearance in many years.
There’s no floodlight on the new Nest Cam Outdoor—instead, a pair of infrared LEDs light up the area as far as 20 feet in front of the camera at night. It’s got a speaker and microphone inside so you can chat with people via Google Home on an iOS or Android device. Its microphone does a good job picking up voices on the other end, and its speaker is clear, but not any louder than those of other cameras like this.
Installation is as dead simple as that of an outdoor wired camera can be. You don’t connect this product directly to your house; a short cable sprouts from the device itself and runs through a magnetic base that you mount to your exterior wall using a couple of screws. You plug that short cable into a longer one, which you’ll then need to route through a window, door, or hole in the wall to an interior outlet. You can also plug it into an outdoor outlet, of course, if you’re not concerned about it being so easy to get to. Either way, it’s not as elegantly wire-free as battery-powered or hardwired cameras are, but at least it’s easy to set up.
As for its software, you’ll configure and use the camera via the clean, easy-to-navigate Google Home app. There are several features standard on security cameras like this; you can set up specific zones for different recording and notification behaviors on the screen, or crop the image closer and keep it that way. If you want to talk to someone in sight of the camera, you can do that, and it’ll come through nice and clear. It’s easy to poke through recorded events, which sit just below the camera’s live feed in the app. The camera’s settings are few but useful, including options to configure night vision or rotate the chassis 180 degrees if it’s mounted upside-down.
The Nest Cam Outdoor, with or without a paid subscription, does the everyday security camera things well. It never took more than 10 seconds for the Google Home app to notify me when something happened in my backyard, and it was generally good at identifying animals and people—although there’s an asterisk on that animal part, which I’ll get to later. It also does something I wish every camera did: it stops sending notifications if it detects the same kind of event repeatedly in a short span of time, so your phone won’t just buzz incessantly when someone is doing yard work. While I wish there were a way to tweak how this works or turn it off entirely, it’s a welcome feature.
The product does lack a few features that are common on this type of camera. Unlike the similarly priced Reolink Altas and cheaper Ring Outdoor Cam, there’s no siren, nor do you get the option to black out sections of the image—for example, if you don’t want the camera to record your neighbors’ houses. The most disappointing thing is that Google continues to refuse to offer local storage. You get six hours of cloud-based video history—that is, you can see any clips the camera recorded in the past six hours, which is double what the company had offered in the past and still not enough to make up for the omission of local storage. Anything more, and you’re on the hook for a subscription plan that’s only cheaper than streaming TV because it costs too much now.
Google has always lost me at its security camera storage approach, and that’s not just because of the price—$10 a month for 30 days of history and $20 a month for 60 days’ worth is heftier than Ring’s subscriptions, though roughly in line with what Arlo asks for. It’s fine for companies to charge for cloud storage, but only if there are other options—see the microSD card slots of the old Netatmo Presence or the Reolink Elite, or hub storage approaches like Eufy’s HomeBase. In all of those cases, you can browse your local storage via those companies’ apps. In the case of both Netatmo and Reolink, even if you’re having trouble seeing recordings in the app, you can always snatch the microSD card and look at recordings on your computer. The very existence of all of that as baseline-free features makes Google’s cloud subscription-only approach seem deeply cynical.
Of course, as I said above, there’s more to Google Home Premium than just cloud video storage. If you pay for the pricier Google Home Premium Advanced plan, you get the promise of AI features that let you pinpoint specific moments by searching your video history using vague, natural language in the Google Home app. You can also opt into 10 days of searchable, 24/7 video history and get AI summaries that resemble Apple Intelligence summaries on iOS. (We know how well those work.)
The absolute best part of all of this is that you can search that continuously recorded footage, and it will pick up clips even if they weren’t actually recorded as events. Toss out searches like “person carrying a box” or “me in a hat,” and you’ll get real matches. But don’t expect miracles—I wanted to see if it could tell me where I’d left my phone, so I asked if it had seen anyone leave a phone outside. It surfaced three clips of me walking outside and looking at my phone from days prior, but not a moment from that day when I had set a smartphone on a table in front of the camera. When I asked, “What about today?” it responded, “I don’t track personal items like phones.” Rude!
Google’s system does a decent job sending notifications when it sees a person or an animal, as cameras have for many years; the difference now is that it also tells you what they’re doing. So instead of “person spotted” or whatever, it says “a person exited the house,” or it might say that “a cat walked along the path towards the house.” It gets the details wrong a lot, though, like telling me a person left the house when they’ve only opened the door to let dogs out to pee, or repeatedly misidentifying the pets—dogs as cats and vice versa.
I could live with those issues, but things are more broken when you get to the “Home Brief” feature, which did surprisingly well, like when it said a person (me) was “observed carrying an Amazon package” in the garage, although it also said I set the box down, which I didn’t. Another time, it, uh, made it seem like my house was under siege:
“Wednesday began with a black cat running towards the house and sitting by the door in the morning. Several dogs, including a brown and white one and a black dog, were also seen walking along the path and into the yard. Around midday, various dogs, including a black dog and a brown dog wearing a blue vest, were observed walking along the path.
In the afternoon, a person wearing a teal jacket departed the house, followed shortly by someone with a backpack entering. The evening saw a cat exiting the house, and later, multiple instances of people exiting the house, sometimes accompanied by a dog. A person was also seen carrying a box and a bag, sitting down to look into the box, before another person in a hoodie entered. The day concluded with more arrivals, including a person carrying an object and someone with a backpack entering the house.”
Cue the Star Wars: The Last Jedi meme in which Luke tells Rey, “Impressive; every word in that sentence is wrong.” The black cat was actually my dog. There weren’t several or various dogs; just two. The person in a teal jacket and the one with a backpack were the same. And that bit at the end was me taking out the trash—I never sat down or looked into the box I was taking out to the recycling bin.
I like the idea of this feature, but the execution—as ever, when AI isn’t ready for the task it’s being given—comes off sloppy and unfinished. Some of the problems could be fixed with wording tweaks to account for the fact that the AI system isn’t recognizing that when a person leaves the frame and another person enters a couple of minutes later wearing the same-colored clothes, it’s probably the same person. And it would be more useful if it only called out unusual occurrences, and if Google’s facial recognition were better at identifying me—it correctly did so a few times throughout my week of testing and otherwise only saw “a person.”
All of this is undeniably a meaningful step forward for smart home security cameras and digital smart home assistants. But it’s also so flawed, and there are so many free alternatives that are almost as good—Reolink, for example, recently debuted a similar AI search feature for some of its cameras that’s not quite as robust but is free and on-device—that it’s not worth $20 a month.
What about the $10-per-month “Standard” plan that gets you 30 days of event history, no 24/7 recording, and fewer new AI features? It does unlock facial recognition (unless you live in Illinois) and notifications for things like when you’ve left your garage door open, which I tested and which, like the AI summaries, was often wrong, telling me the garage door had opened when, in fact, it had not. To its credit, it did tell me the one time I left the door open, notifying me five times, at five-minute intervals, that I’d done so.
Oh, you also get access to Gemini via smart speakers, but again, that’s in early access for now. You’ll also get notifications if a Google smart speaker or Nest camera has heard an alarm (smoke or carbon monoxide) or breaking glass. The best new feature that comes with this subscription, though, is “Help me create,” a button in the Google Home app’s automations tab that tasks AI with creating automations for you, based on descriptions you type into a text field. Of all the AI features I tried with the Nest Cam Outdoor, this one might have worked the best, creating automations that did a great job approximating what I was going for, even with vague descriptions like “Make it look like there’s a party happening if the backyard camera detects an unfamiliar face.” The automation was far from the fake party that Kevin McCallister threw to ward off The Wet Bandits in Home Alone; it announced “It’s party time” on all my Google Home speakers and set all the lights to turn on and off in a one-minute cycle. It’s not what I would’ve done, but it took five seconds to enable and was, maybe, good enough to make someone think twice about breaking in.
Google’s AI isn’t ready to pull its weight
It’s easy to see what Google is going for with the AI upgrade to its smart home ecosystem. I would love to be able to casually ask a digital assistant where I left my phone or what time my kid got home and have it give me an accurate answer right away. It would be great if the AI models peering through my security cameras could tell me if something truly unusual happened, rather than making a mundane day of me doing a little tidying up in my garage or backyard sound like a full-on home invasion. Hell, it’d be nice just to have it tell me when it sees my dogs at the back door so I don’t have to stand there waiting for them to be done peeing.
Looking at the Google Nest Cam Outdoor not as a security camera but as eyes for Google’s Gemini AI system to see with makes a spendy subscription start to make sense—kind of—if it offers all the things I described above. But it doesn’t, and I can’t bring myself to pay $20 every month for an AI model that lies to me so often about what’s happening around my house. Especially not at a time when I’ve canceled almost every streaming service I love because I can’t afford them, and I don’t buy steak because it costs nearly double what it used to. If I’m going to spend a bunch of money on something these days, it had better be good. And the Google Nest Cam Outdoor just isn’t, with or without a subscription.
Those looking to keep an eye on their home when they’re away need look no further than Blink cameras. These are some of our favorite security cameras, and the most affordable of the bundle is on sale for even less right now. You can get two Blink Mini 2 cams for only $28, which is the cheapest we’ve seen.
That’s a discount of 60 percent, which is certainly nothing to shake at. This is also a better price than the $35 we saw for the cameras during Prime Day. Amazon recently revealed a newer version of the Blink Mini that records 2K footage, but the 1080p Blink Mini 2 can still get the job done.
Blink
You can snap up a pair of Blink Mini 2 cameras for less than the bundle cost during Prime Day.
The Blink Mini 2 is our pick for the best budget security camera. It’s easy to set up and it integrates neatly into the Alexa smart home ecosystem. While you need a Blink Subscription for cloud storage ($3 for one camera, $10 for as many as you like), you can pick up a Sync Module 2 or Sync Module XR to store Blink Mini 2 footage locally. A Blink Subscription also enables specialized detection and alerts (e.g. for people and pets) and features like periodic photo captures.
The Blink Mini 2 is weather resistant, though you’ll need an adapter to use it outdoors. Additionally, you can use the Mini 2 as a plug-in chime that sounds when someone presses a Blink Video Doorbell.
Those looking to keep an eye on their home when they’re away need look no further than Blink cameras. These are some of our favorite security cameras, and the most affordable of the bundle is on sale for even less right now. You can get two Blink Mini 2 cams for only $28, which is the cheapest we’ve seen.
That’s a discount of 60 percent, which is certainly nothing to shake at. This is also a better price than the $35 we saw for the cameras during Prime Day. Amazon recently revealed a newer version of the Blink Mini that records 2K footage, but the 1080p Blink Mini 2 can still get the job done.
Blink
You can snap up a pair of Blink Mini 2 cameras for less than the bundle cost during Prime Day.
The Blink Mini 2 is our pick for the best budget security camera. It’s easy to set up and it integrates neatly into the Alexa smart home ecosystem. While you need a Blink Subscription for cloud storage ($3 for one camera, $10 for as many as you like), you can pick up a Sync Module 2 or Sync Module XR to store Blink Mini 2 footage locally. A Blink Subscription also enables specialized detection and alerts (e.g. for people and pets) and features like periodic photo captures.
The Blink Mini 2 is weather resistant, though you’ll need an adapter to use it outdoors. Additionally, you can use the Mini 2 as a plug-in chime that sounds when someone presses a Blink Video Doorbell.
Prime Day sales are a great opportunity to nab an expensive bit of shiny new tech you’ve been eying — it’s also an excellent time to get a discount on smaller electronics and accessories. For this list, we compared what’s on sale right now with the stuff we recommend in our guides. For less than $50 each, we found deals on some of our favorite tech including batteries, iPhone paraphernalia, mice, earbuds, speakers, holiday gifts and smart home gear. Some deals require you to be a Prime member, others are open to anyone with half a Benjamin earmarked for Amazon. Here are the best October Prime Day tech deals under $50.
Best Prime Day deals under $50
Instant Pot
Amazon Echo Pop Kids for $33 ($17 off with Prime): Among the announcements for the new Echo devices, Amazon did not include new Echo Pop Kids models, so this is still the most current model for now. It’s good for smaller spaces, not necessarily audio fidelity, and it comes with six months of free access to Amazon Kids as well as early access to Alexa+.
Apple MagSafe charger (25W, 2m) for $35 ($14 off): The latest version of Apple’s MagSafe puck is Qi2.2-certified and supports up to 25W of wireless power when paired with a 30W adapter. The two-meter cable length on this particular model gives you more flexibility on where you can use it: in bed, on the couch, at your desk and elsewhere. Note that it dipped as low as $29 earlier this week.
Blink Video Doorbell for $35 ($35 off): True, Amazon just announced new Blink devices, but those won’t hit the market until after Prime Day is over. If you want a video doorbell right now at an impressively low price, this should serve. We’ve tested Blink security devices before and have been impressed by what you get for such a small price.
Ring Battery Doorbell for $50 ($50 off): At $49.99 this juuust qualifies as an under $50 tech deal. If you don’t have doorbell wires at your front entrance, you can still have a camera to capture all the package deliveries and neighborhood animal sightings with the Ring Battery Doorbell. It records video in HD with more vertical coverage than the last model, so you can see people from head to toe. Just note that newer Ring devices are on the way.
Anker 622 5K magnetic power bank with stand for $34 ($14 off with Prime): This 0.5-inch thick power bank attaches magnetically to iPhones and won’t get in your way when you’re using your phone. It also has a built-in stand so you can watch videos, make FaceTime calls and more hands-free while your phone is powering up.
Ring Indoor Cam for $25 ($25 off): While we thought the Blink Mini 2 was a better overall indoor camera in our guide, we do like the Ring app, which is ideal for beginners. Plus you get access to the Ring Neighbors app which is a fascinating glimpse into your neighborhood’s Ring-captured events.
Amazon Smart Plug for $13 ($12 off): We named this the best smart plug for Alexa users because it hooks up painlessly and stays connected reliably. Use it to control lamps or your holiday lights using programs and schedules in the Alexa app, or just your voice by talking to your Echo Dot or other Alexa-enabled listener.
Levoit Mini Core-P air purifier for $40 ($10 off with Prime): This is the mini version of the top pick in our guide to air purifiers. It has a three-stage filter (pre, activated carbon and particle filters) though that particle filter is not a true HEPA filter. But it’s rated at 250 square feet and can help clear the air in your office or other small room.
Echo Pop smart speaker for $25 ($15 off): The half sphere Pop is the most affordable Echo speaker in Amazon’s lineup. The sound won’t be as full as its larger siblings, but will do a fine job of bringing Alexa’s help to smaller rooms. Just note that it went as low as $18 for Black Friday and October Prime Day last year.
Roku Streaming Stick Plus 2025 for $29 ($11 off): This is our top pick for the best streaming device for accessing free and live content. The dongle supports 4K video and HDR and doesn’t need to be plugged into the wall for power. It’s a great way to access any streaming service you could ask for: Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max and many more.
Roku Streaming Stick HD for $20 ($10 off): If you don’t care about 4K (or your screen resolution isn’t that high anyway) you can still get the same simple-to-use Roku OS with this device. The best thing about Roku streaming sticks is the access to all the free content — so this is an affordable way to get it.
Blink
Blink Outdoor 4 security camera for $35 ($45 off): We named this the best choice for Alexa users in our guide to security cameras. It works seamlessly with Alexa devices like the Echo speakers and Show displays. Plus it can run for up to two years on a set of AA batteries and we found the motion detection to be spot on.
Leebein 2025 electric spin scrubber for $40 ($30 off with Prime): This is an updated version of the electric scrubber we love that makes shower cleaning easier than ever before. It comes with seven brush heads so you can use it to clean all kinds of surfaces, and its adjustable arm length makes it easier to clean hard-to-reach spots. It’s IPX7 waterproof and recharges via USB-C.
Jisulife Life7 handheld fan for $25 ($4 off with Prime): This handy little fan is a must-have if you live in a warm climate or have a tropical vacation planned anytime soon. It can be used as a table or handheld fan and even be worn around the neck so you don’t have to hold it at all. Its 5,000 mAh battery allows it to last hours on a single charge, and the small display in the middle of the fan’s blades shows its remaining battery level.
Amazon Echo Spot for $50 ($30 off): Amazon brought the Echo Spot smart alarm clock back from the dead last year with a new design and improved speakers. In addition to being able to control smart home devices and respond to voice commands, the Echo Spot can also act as a Wi-Fi extender for those that have Eero systems. It went as low as $45 for Black Friday last year.
Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam $40 ($20 off): If you like the idea of being able to move the camera around to follow the action in your home, you may want to get a pan-and-tilt option like this one. We will again note that new Ring devices are on the way, but if you don’t have to have the latest thing and just want to see what your dog gets up to while you’re gone, you may want to snag this 33 percent discount.
JLab Go Air Pop+ for $17.49 ($12 off): JLab earbuds pop up in a few of our guides including the best running headphones and best budget buds. The Pop+ earbuds are smaller and lighter than the previous model, and the app’s preset EQ modes let you customize your sound. Total battery life with the case comes in at more than 35 hours.
Anker USB-C to USB-C cable (10FT,100W) for $10 ($2 off): Having a bad cable is almost as bad as not having a cable at all. We’re big fans of Anker’s cords. This one is a generous 10 feet and can deliver up to 100W of power. While it can transfer data, it does so slowly, so don’t grab this one for that purpose. This is $1 more than it sold for as a Prime-exclusive in July.
Amazon’s (thrice) yearly Prime Day sales are a great opportunity to nab discounts on expensive stuff like TVs and laptops — it’s also an excellent time for sales on smaller electronics and accessories. For this list, we compared what’s on sale right now (a full five days before the sale even starts) with the stuff we recommend in our guides. For less than $50 each, we found deals on some of our favorite tech including , , , , and . Some deals require you to be a Prime member, others are open to anyone with half a Benjamin earmarked for Amazon. Here are the best October Prime Day tech deals under $50.
Best Prime Day deals under $50
Instant Pot
Amazon Echo Pop Kids for $33 ($17 off with Prime): Among the announcements for the new Echo devices, Amazon did not include new Echo Pop Kids models, so this is still the most current model for now. It’s good for smaller spaces, not necessarily audio fidelity, and it comes with six months of free access to Amazon Kids as well as early access to Alexa+.
Apple MagSafe charger (25W, 2m) for $35 ($14 off): The latest version of Apple’s MagSafe puck is Qi2.2-certified and supports up to 25W of wireless power when paired with a 30W adapter. The two-meter cable length on this particular model gives you more flexibility on where you can use it: in bed, on the couch, at your desk and elsewhere. Note that it dipped as low as $29 earlier this week.
Blink Video Doorbell for $35 ($35 off): True, Amazon just announced new Blink devices, but those won’t hit the market until after Prime Day is over. If you want a video doorbell right now at an impressively low price, this should serve. We’ve tested Blink security devices before and have been impressed by what you get for such a small price.
Belkin 4-Port Charger Block for $47 ($43 off): Here’s a handy charger from our guide to the best MacBook accessories. It’s comparable to the adapter Apple includes with its laptops, but it has four ports in total (two USB-C and two USB-A). Plus it’s cheaper than buying Apple’s brick, especially now.
Ring Battery Doorbell for $50 ($50 off): At $49.99 this juuust qualifies as an under $50 tech deal. If you don’t have doorbell wires at your front entrance, you can still have a camera to capture all the package deliveries and neighborhood animal sightings with the Ring Battery Doorbell. It records video in HD with more vertical coverage than the last model, so you can see people from head to toe. Just note that newer Ring devices are on the way.
: A three pack is also on sale and squeezes in just under the $50 mark.
Anker 622 5K magnetic power bank with stand for $34 ($14 off with Prime): This 0.5-inch thick power bank attaches magnetically to iPhones and won’t get in your way when you’re using your phone. It also has a built-in stand so you can watch videos, make FaceTime calls and more hands-free while your phone is powering up.
: While we thought the Blink Mini 2 was a better overall indoor camera , we do like the Ring app, which is ideal for beginners. Plus you get access to the Ring Neighbors app which is a fascinating glimpse into your neighborhood’s Ring-captured events.
Amazon Smart Plug for $13 ($12 off): We named this the best smart plug for Alexa users because it hooks up painlessly and stays connected reliably. Use it to control lamps or your holiday lights using programs and schedules in the Alexa app, or just your voice by talking to your Echo Dot or other Alexa-enabled listener.
Levoit Mini Core-P air purifier for $40 ($10 off with Prime): This is the mini version of the top pick in our guide to air purifiers. It has a three-stage filter (pre, activated carbon and particle filters) though that particle filter is not a true HEPA filter. But it’s rated at 250 square feet and can help clear the air in your office or other small room.
Echo Pop smart speaker for $25 ($15 off): The half sphere Pop is the most affordable Echo speaker in Amazon’s lineup. The sound won’t be as full as its larger siblings, but will do a fine job of bringing Alexa’s help to smaller rooms. Just note that it went as low as $18 for Black Friday and October Prime Day last year.
Roku Streaming Stick Plus 2025 for $29 ($11 off): This is our top pick for the best streaming device for accessing free and live content. The dongle supports 4K video and HDR and doesn’t need to be plugged into the wall for power. It’s a great way to access any streaming service you could ask for: Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max and many more.
Roku Streaming Stick HD for $20 ($10 off): If you don’t care about 4K (or your screen resolution isn’t that high anyway) you can still get the same simple-to-use Roku OS with this device. The best thing about Roku streaming sticks is the access to all the free content — so this is an affordable way to get it.
Blink
Blink Outdoor 4 security camera for $35 ($45 off): We named this the best choice for Alexa users in our guide to security cameras. It works seamlessly with Alexa devices like the Echo speakers and Show displays. Plus it can run for up to two years on a set of AA batteries and we found the motion detection to be spot on.
Leebein 2025 electric spin scrubber for $40 ($30 off with Prime): This is an updated version of the electric scrubber we love that makes shower cleaning easier than ever before. It comes with seven brush heads so you can use it to clean all kinds of surfaces, and its adjustable arm length makes it easier to clean hard-to-reach spots. It’s IPX7 waterproof and recharges via USB-C.
Jisulife Life7 handheld fan for $25 ($4 off with Prime): This handy little fan is a must-have if you live in a warm climate or have a tropical vacation planned anytime soon. It can be used as a table or handheld fan and even be worn around the neck so you don’t have to hold it at all. Its 5,000 mAh battery allows it to last hours on a single charge, and the small display in the middle of the fan’s blades shows its remaining battery level.
Amazon Echo Spot for $50 ($30 off): Amazon brought the Echo Spot smart alarm clock back from the dead last year with a new design and improved speakers. In addition to being able to control smart home devices and respond to voice commands, the Echo Spot can also act as a Wi-Fi extender for those that have Eero systems. It went as low as $45 for Black Friday last year.
Blink Outdoor 4 security camera for $35 ($45 off): We named this the best choice for Alexa users in our guide to security cameras. It works seamlessly with Alexa devices like the Echo speakers and Show displays. Plus it can run for up to two years on a set of AA batteries and we found the motion detection to be spot on.
: Having a bad cable is almost as bad as not having a cable at all. We’re big fans of Anker’s cords. This one is a generous 10 feet and can deliver up to 100W of power. While it can transfer data, it does so slowly, so don’t grab this one for that purpose. This is $1 more than it sold for as a Prime-exclusive in July.
We’re still a few days away from the official start to Amazon’s October Prime Day sale, but we’re already seeing plenty of discounts that are already live — including tech deals for under $50. You can snap up some of our favorite Mac accessories, smart plugs, power banks, security cameras and more. The gear here is pulled from our own guides and reviews — products and brands we’ve tried ourselves and currently recommend. If you want to stock up on smaller tech without spending too much, this list of the best Prime Day deals under $50 is a great place to start.
Best Prime Day deals under $50
Apple
Apple MagSafe charger (25W, 2m) for $29 ($20 off): The latest version of Apple’s MagSafe puck is Qi2.2-certified and supports up to 25W of wireless power when paired with a 30W adapter. The two-meter cable length on this particular model gives you more flexibility on where you can use it: in bed, on the couch, at your desk and elsewhere.
: Among the announcements for the new Echo devices, Amazon did not include new Echo Pop Kids models, so this is still the most current model for now. It’s good for smaller spaces, not necessarily audio fidelity, and it comes with six months of free access to Amazon Kids as well as early access to Alexa+.
Instant Pot Vortex 2-QT Mini for $38 ($22 off with Prime): The budget model from our may not be large but its two-quart basket is enough to reheat leftovers for two or cook up a batch of frozen appetizers. And, because of its small size, it doesn’t take up a ton of space on your countertops — ideal for a small kitchen.
: True, Amazon just announced , but those won’t hit the market until after Prime Day is over. If you want a video doorbell right now at an impressively low price, this should serve. We’ve tested Blink before and have been impressed by what you get for such a small price.
: Here’s a handy charger from our guide to the best . It’s comparable to the adapter Apple includes with its laptops, but it has four ports in total (two USB-C and two USB-A). Plus it’s cheaper than buying Apple’s brick, especially now.
Ring Battery Doorbell for $50 ($50 off): At $49.99 this juuust qualifies as an under $50 tech deal. If you don’t have doorbell wires at your front entrance, you can still have a camera to capture all the package deliveries and neighborhood animal sightings with the Ring Battery Doorbell. It records video in HD with more vertical coverage than the last model, so you can see people from head to toe. Just note that newer Ring devices are on the way.
Anker 622 5K magnetic power bank with stand for $34 ($14 off with Prime): This 0.5-inch thick power bank attaches magnetically to iPhones and won’t get in your way when you’re using your phone. It also has a built-in stand so you can watch videos, make FaceTime calls and more hands-free while your phone is powering up.
Amazon Smart Plug for $13 ($12 off): We named this the best smart plug for Alexa users because it hooks up painlessly and stays connected reliably. Use it to control lamps or your holiday lights using programs and schedules in the Alexa app, or just your voice by talking to your Echo Dot or other Alexa-enabled listener.
Levoit Mini Core-P air purifier for $40 ($10 off with Prime): This is the mini version of the top pick in our guide to air purifiers. It has a three-stage filter (pre, activated carbon and particle filters) though that particle filter is not a true HEPA filter. But it’s rated at 250 square feet and can help clear the air in your office or other small room.
Echo Pop smart speaker for $25 ($15 off): The half sphere Pop is the most affordable Echo speaker in Amazon’s lineup. The sound won’t be as full as its larger siblings, but will do a fine job of bringing Alexa’s help to smaller rooms. Just note that it went as low as $18 for Black Friday and October Prime Day last year.
Roku Streaming Stick Plus 2025 for $29 ($11 off): This is our top pick for the best streaming device for accessing free and live content. The dongle supports 4K video and HDR and doesn’t need to be plugged into the wall for power. It’s a great way to access any streaming service you could ask for: Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max and many more.
: If you don’t care about 4K (or your screen resolution isn’t that high anyway) you can still get the same simple-to-use Roku OS with this device. The best thing about Roku streaming sticks is the access to all the free content — so this is an affordable way to get it.
Blink
Blink Outdoor 4 security camera for $35 ($45 off): We named this the best choice for Alexa users in our guide to security cameras. It works seamlessly with Alexa devices like the Echo speakers and Show displays. Plus it can run for up to two years on a set of AA batteries and we found the motion detection to be spot on.
Leebein 2025 electric spin scrubber for $40 ($30 off with Prime): This is an updated version of the electric scrubber we love that makes shower cleaning easier than ever before. It comes with seven brush heads so you can use it to clean all kinds of surfaces, and its adjustable arm length makes it easier to clean hard-to-reach spots. It’s IPX7 waterproof and recharges via USB-C.
Jisulife Life7 handheld fan for $25 ($4 off with Prime): This handy little fan is a must-have if you live in a warm climate or have a tropical vacation planned anytime soon. It can be used as a table or handheld fan and even be worn around the neck so you don’t have to hold it at all. Its 5,000 mAh battery allows it to last hours on a single charge, and the small display in the middle of the fan’s blades shows its remaining battery level.
Amazon Echo Spot for $50 ($30 off): Amazon brought the Echo Spot smart alarm clock back from the dead last year with a new design and improved speakers. In addition to being able to control smart home devices and respond to voice commands, the Echo Spot can also act as a Wi-Fi extender for those that have Eero systems. It went as low as $45 for Black Friday last year.
Blink Outdoor 4 security camera for $35 ($45 off): We named this the best choice for Alexa users in our guide to security cameras. It works seamlessly with Alexa devices like the Echo speakers and Show displays. Plus it can run for up to two years on a set of AA batteries and we found the motion detection to be spot on.
October Prime Day is right around the corner, but you can grab some good deals today. Blink security cameras are almost always on sale during Amazon’s shopping events, and this time is no different. One of the best deals at the moment is on a duo of Blink Mini 2 cameras, which you can get for only $35. That’s half off and a record-low price, not to mention less than what you’d typically pay for one full price. It’s also Engadget’s pick for the best budget security camera.
This is the newest (2024) model of Blink’s budget wired model. The camera is well-suited for nighttime video: It has a built-in LED spotlight, color night vision and a low-light sensor. Day or night, it records in sharp 1080p resolution. It also has a wider field of view than its predecessor.
Blink
The Blink Mini 2 is primarily designed for indoor use. But you can use it outdoors, too. You’ll just need to fork over $10 for a weather-resistant adapter. Wherever you use the camera, it works with Alexa and supports two-way audio. (“Hello, doggy, I’ll be home soon.”)
It also supports person detection. (That’s a neat feature that differentiates between people and other types of movement.) However, the feature requires a Blink Subscription Plan. They start at $3 per month or $30 per year for one device.
The camera is available in black or white. Both colors are available for the $35 Prime Day deal, but they can’t be mixed unless you buy each separately. It’s worth noting that this deal is open to anyone — no Prime subscription necessary. You can also save on a bunch of other Blink (and Ring) security gear. The Blink Outdoor 4 cameras are some of our favorites, and most configurations are on sale for Prime Day, including bundles like this three-camera system that’s 61 percent off.
I remember when I had a car. I was living in Queens, and avoiding tickets was an absolute nightmare—that is, until I was informed of a neighborhood cheat code. There was a street sort of near where I lived where I could just leave my car—no alternate side parking, predetermined hours, nothing. Naturally, I went straight there and parked my car and tried my best to forget that I had one until I needed it. I thought about that car every single day. Was it still there? Had it been smashed to pieces? Abducted by aliens? Did a pack of wild rats chew their way in and declare it “Ratopia”? My point is, there’s an anxiety to leaving your car places, whether we want there to be or not, and though we can’t be omnipresent, a watchful eye would be the next best thing.
In that vein, a new solar-powered security camera from Baseus—the same company that makes these intriguing wireless headphones and earbuds launched at IFA this month—seems specially designed for people who want to leave their car for long periods but also keep an eye on it. Baseus is billing the PrimeTrip VD1 dashcam (which is actually two cameras for the front and back of your car) as the first to offer a “hardwire-free parking monitor.” That’s thanks to what it calls a “Solar Sync System” that uses a small, high-efficiency solar panel to juice up the camera’s battery, allowing it to remain powered without being charged by a car battery.
It’s not completely set it and forget it, though. According to Baseus, the PrimeTrip VD1 has 14 days of standby parking monitoring, which is still a pretty solid amount of juice for a camera that doesn’t even need to be plugged in. To help give it longevity, Baseus equipped the camera with a motion sensor, so it’s not recording all the time. Instead, it will flick on when motion or impact is detected, and will then automatically record 30-second clips from both front and rear cameras. Baseus says its camera can store up to 20 events, or a total of 40 clips. That footage can’t be watched remotely (there’s no 5G on this thing), but it can be downloaded via Wi-Fi to an app. You should also know that there is a difference in front and rear camera resolution; the front is 4K, and the rear camera is 1080p.
I don’t own a car anymore, but if I did, this feels like a solution I may actually opt for, especially because I can’t really afford a car with built-in security like the kind Tesla puts in its EVs. It may not give you total peace of mind while you’re away from your vehicle for long periods, but a helping hand (or at least confirmation that someone stole your catalytic converter) doesn’t hurt.
Reolink rolled out a new smart home security camera at IFA 2025 that the company says can see beyond its dual camera lenses. It’s called the TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi, and it looks kind of like the Reolink Elite Floodlight WiFi, a camera I recently reviewed, but with a ball-shaped camera housing that rotates to see things that three sensors above them have detected.
This sensor-based approach gives the camera a 270-degree detection range at any given time, according to a press release that Reolink emailed to Gizmodo. The three motion sensors wrap around the front and sides of the unit. A representative I spoke with at Reolink’s IFA booth suggested installing the camera on the corner of your home, surveying a driveway that stretches from the street to a garage farther back, a scene impossible for one fixed-view camera to cover—the TrackFlex could detect that a car is entering the driveway, swivel to face it, then watch it as it drives to the garage.
Like other Reolink cameras, this one stores recordings locally, either with microSD cards (up to 512GB) or Reolink’s NVR and Home Hub devices. Saving videos to a network-attached storage (NAS) device via FTP is also an option. This is Reolink, so expect to be assaulted with options in the company’s app.
As for the TrackFlex’s dual cameras, they’re not recording one broad field of view like the Elite Floodlight WiFi. Instead, one is a standard wide view while the other is a 6x zoom, capable of capturing a lot more zoomed-in detail than the wide lens can. The two floodlights looked exactly like those of the Elite, and can articulate to point up or down, or to bathe a wider area in light. They also offer the same brightness and temperature adjustment as the Elite.
The camera uses the company’s new local AI system called ReoNeura Core, which enables the TrackFlex to do the same sorts of natural language video search that we’re seeing with a lot of other connected-camera AI systems. (See SwitchBot’s new AI Hub.) So, if you want to search your locally stored video for a moment, like when a person with a brown shirt walked into your garage last, you can do that. The Reolink rep I spoke with took me to a pair of displays that showed me what was happening behind the scenes.
On the left, it was a view of what a user might see while using the event notifications screen; you see the camera’s live feed. While on the right, a list of events with descriptions that were mostly pretty accurate—there were people interacting at a convention, and others were walking around in the background—but it got some details wrong. We weren’t at an outdoor event, for example (although it was quite bright in there).
Meanwhile, on the right, the screen showed individual characteristics of the things the model was identifying. Seeing everyone broken down by their attributes had a very police-station-surveillance vibe. ReoNeuro identified one person as a middle-aged male wearing a green, short-sleeve shirt, along with a hat and a bag. In the bottom panel, another middle-aged male—although that person definitely looked younger than me, and I’m still in my prime, I swear—is identified as wearing a long-sleeve shirt with pants, both blue, and as having short hair. All of that detail is effectively keywords for your searches later, and they all seem like things you’d type if you’re looking for specific events that you know the TrackFlex recorded.
But woof, it’s more than a little unnerving to see this in action, and it felt a little off-key to have a Reolink rep so proudly showing it to me. It’s great that this is all happening on device, as I’d rather that than have it happening in a cloud server over which I have no control. It’s convenient and there’s no doubt that I want the convenience of casually searching my footage, but that sure didn’t stop seeing how the sausage is made from giving me the willies.
Smart home cameras are just better when they’re wired. Yes, it’s a pain in the ass to install them, but if you can manage it, you’ll never have to change a battery or climb a ladder to get a camera down and charge it, or wait very long for its video feed to load in an app. If they’ve got a wired internet connection, all the better, but as Wi-Fi cameras with wired power go, the $220 Reolink Elite Floodlight WiFi camera is one of the best.
The Elite Floodlight WiFi reminds me a lot of Google’s Nest Cam with floodlight, at least as looks are concerned, thanks to its curvy white plastic and two articulating floodlights with frosted white covers. One big difference is that the Elite Floodlight WiFi uses two separate camera sensors, their footage stitched together to form one long, 180-degree field of view.
Reolink Elite Floodlight Floodlight WiFi
Reolink’s Elite Floodlight WiFi is a easy to install wired camera with seemingly endless customization and no need for an internet connection.
Pros
Crisp, clear video
Tons of customizability
Local video
No subscription or internet connection required
Easy setup and installation
Stable, reliable Wi-Fi
Cons
No microSD card included
No cloud storage options
FTP storage requires managing
No wired internet connection
Limited smart home support
It also uses 5GHz Wi-Fi, which means it can transmit clearer, higher-bitrate video to your phone for its live feed and to your local FTP or real-time streaming protocol (RTSP) server, if you’ve got such a thing on your home network. If you don’t, not to worry: the camera also saves footage to an SD card that you can access from the Reolink app.
Initial setup involves powering the camera with an included USB-C cable, then downloading the Reolink app to your iOS or Android device and scanning a QR code on the Elite Floodlight WiFi. The app walks you through connecting to the camera and configuring its Wi-Fi setup—it uses 2.4GHz or 5GHz Wi-Fi 6—for a few minutes, then you’re ready to install the camera.
The camera’s app-guided installation is clear and straightforward, and very doable if you’ve set up cameras or floodlights before. It involves screwing a base plate onto the wall or soffit, hanging the camera from a hook on the plate, connecting it to your home using color-coded wires—ideally after you’ve shut off power to those wires so you don’t electrocute yourself!—and then screwing the camera onto the plate. All in all, I got the camera up and running within about 30 minutes.
After setup, I ran it through some paces and found that the Elite Floodlight WiFi consistently delivered motion notifications from the Reolink app within about four seconds. That’s way faster than any of the battery-powered cameras I currently have installed, including the Reolink Altas that I recently reviewed, which all frequently take 10 or more seconds to tell me they’ve spotted something or someone.
4K resolution never means you’re getting the kind of video quality you’d see in something like a decent smartphone camera, but the Elite Floodlight WiFi gets closer than most. Reolink bills it as a 4K camera, but you can ignore that as marketing speak—it records 5120 x 1,552 resolution video, which is not an apples-to-apples comparison to, say, a 4K monitor. Still, the image it shows you, even when streaming straight from the camera, is crisp enough to see details through the patio table in the screenshots above, day and night.
My backyard is always lit thanks to a bright street light next to my house, which makes it hard to tell much of a difference between the Elite Floodlight WiFi’s footage with and without infrared. That said, Reolink’s software brightens the dark area from the screenshots (below) enough that you could at least tell if a person is moving in that area. And the floodlights do a good job of lighting the space in front of the camera almost as well as daylight, although it can wash out details depending on where an object in view is, so you’ll want to be careful how you choose to angle them.
The Elite Floodlight WiFi is nice and sturdy, with an IP66 weather rating that should mean it’s safe from dust intrusion and jets of water. Two violent wind-and-rain storms pummeled it during my testing, and it’s no worse for the wear; the camera portion didn’t even seem to budge on its ball joint. It also reliably sent me notifications while I was away on a camping trip—mostly about a rabbit that took our absence as an opportunity to dig around in our garden for tasty vittles.
If you live somewhere with actual winter temperatures, you might pause on hitting the buy button—the Elite Floodlight WiFi is rated to operate up to as high as 131 degrees Fahrenheit, but only as low as 14 degrees. Incredibly—as I have learned (not first-hand, thankfully) since moving to the upper Midwest—break-ins still happen when the season is at its most treacherously cold.
No cloud subscription required—or available
Most of the big-name smart home cameras rely heavily on cloud services for their features, and in many cases that includes accessing your recordings. While some—but not all—offer local recording too, you may still need a subscription to access machine-learning-powered (or AI-powered, if you must) detection features that let you choose what actually triggers the camera’s notifications and recordings. That’s not the case with the Elite Floodlight WiFi, which handles all of that on-device, and isn’t covered under any of Reolink’s cloud subscription plans in the US.
That makes this camera a boon if you’re looking for a way to capture what’s happening around your home without shipping the footage off to some distant server you have no control over. Of course, you’ll want to at least put the Elite Floodlight WiFi on your home network if you want easy access to its recordings and live feed via the app, and it does need an internet connection for smartphone notifications.
As for storing the Elite Floodlight WiFi’s monitoring and recording, you’ve got options. The camera’s underside has a microSD card slot tucked behind a screwed-in panel that’s accessible in software using the Reolink app. You can configure the camera for exclusively events-based recording or for continuous recording, and there’s an option to encrypt its video files so that if someone happens by with a screwdriver and steals the card, they wouldn’t be able to view its recordings.
The Elite Floodlight WiFi also supports saving files to a computer or network-attached storage (NAS) via FTP, but you’ll need to consider storage space. The app can overwrite one file or alternatively overwrite between two files, but there’s no built-in mechanism for, say, overwriting the oldest file once your FTP server’s space has filled up. Instead, you’re left manually deleting files or hunting down scripts that can automate the process for you.
Setting the Elite Floodlight WiFi up to use RTSP requires using a PC or Mac; you can’t configure with the smartphone app. Still, that’s better than the Altas, which requires you to buy a $99 Reolink Home Hub to get RTSP operational.
While it’s nice that this camera is so useful without a cloud storage service, there are conveniences you’ll miss out on, like having a professional monitoring service that can contact the police on your behalf or even employ call center reps to try to ward off would-be intruders by talking through your camera to them. And although you can remotely access recordings saved to a microSD card inserted into the Elite Floodlight WiFi, that won’t work if your home internet happens to have gone down when you try to look. Then again, you also don’t necessarily have to worry about the camera volunteering your recordings for unpleasant police state-style surveillance, either.
The Reolink app is about as user-friendly as security camera software gets, with a main screen that shows you its live feed, complete with current bitrate and buttons for things like turning on the floodlight or manually recording a clip.
Go into the Elite Floodlight WiFi’s settings, and you’re treated to a staggering number of options. Like its battery-powered Altas sibling, the camera allows you to customize seemingly every aspect of its detection and recording, from the resolution of the videos to when you’d like it to record, alert, or notify you—and what triggers each of those things to happen. Video too bright or dim? You can tweak that. Think the floodlight is too intense or overly cool? The app has brightness and warmth sliders, too. You can even record your own custom audio for the siren, which is a very fun feature that I wish every piece of smart home tech that makes any noise had. The siren isn’t especially loud, but anyone in the Elite Floodlight WiFi’s field of view should be able to hear it.
With such a wide camera feed, it’s hard not to point the Elite Floodlight WiFi outside of the area you actually want to record, something Reolink handles with a feature it calls Smart Event Detection Zones. With it, you can set the camera to record or blare its siren only when someone crosses a virtual line, enters an area you’ve defined, or even loiters in a region of the camera’s view for longer than an amount of time you determine. And if you want to be a good, privacy-respecting neighbor, you can exclude specific areas from recording or even black out portions of the feed.
At the risk of making the Elite Floodlight WiFi sound like a person trying to describe their greatest weakness in a job interview, Reolink almost offers too many options. The menu system feels a little convoluted—some of the options, like for the floodlight, should all be in one place, yet they aren’t—and it’s hard to remember where everything is, but easy to make a change that has an unintended consequence. I wouldn’t give up any of the options, but they stand to be better organized.
Also, if you’re hoping to connect the Elite Floodlight WiFi to the smart home system of your choice, prepare to be disappointed. This camera only connects to Google Home, which is a shame if you, like me, are already too deeply invested in a different ecosystem to turn back. Still, Reolink offers a robust enough set of features in its own app that I only sometimes missed having all my camera feeds in one app.
Worth it if you’re tired of the cloud
The Reolink Elite Floodlight Camera is a great, reliable way to cover a huge region of your home’s yard or the area around a business. Its onboard object recognition, speedy delivery of notifications, fast Wi-Fi connection, and deep well of customization combine with its cloud subscription-free and internet-not-required operation to be one of the best wired security cameras you can buy today.
Those who like the convenience of cloud storage may not find everything they want here, but they also might want to try anyway. Yes, it’s pricier, at $219.99, than similar floodlight alternatives offered by Arlo and Ring, but considering the ever-increasing price of those companies’ subscriptions, it may not be long before you make up the difference. Plus, with local storage via a microSD card that’s accessible even away from home, you may find that the experience of using it is nearly identical to that of more well-known brands, minus some of the trappings of cloud-based AI features or remote monitoring.
For instance, at the time I researched this article, Costco was selling a Ring Battery Doorbell bundled with an Indoor Cam for $209.99, and Best Buy had the same package on sale for $184.99 ($25 off). Reflecting their different business models, on Costco’s website only two video doorbells came up, the second as part of a Eufy security package. By contrast, on Best Buy’s site, 41 choices came up, featuring additional brands such as as Google Nest.
Wired vs. WiFi and smart home compatibility
Product specs are critical considerations when choosing a home security system, and one of the most important choices to make is whether you want to go with a wired solution—which has been around since day one in the home security industry—versus WiFi, whereby your products connect via your home’s wireless internet connection.
Wired home security systems run on electrical power, with footage from your camera transmitted to and stored on a central hub (either in the home or offsite) via an ethernet or coax cable. The pros of this solution include clear, reliable video and audio signals and constant power to the cameras. Cons are that the system components are fixed in place and require lengthy wiring, which, according to FJ Security, can cost $900 to $1,600 to install if you live in Ontario.
Wireless security solutions tied to your home’s WiFi are typically battery-powered, with video and audio either stored in an onboard micro SD card or shared with an onsite storage product or a cloud storage option. Advantages of this approach include relatively easy installation and connectivity with such smart-home platforms as Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung Smart Things and Apple Home. Drawbacks include limited signal range (tied to how good a connection you get from your router) and batteries that need changing. However, there are exceptions for the latter, with companies like Eufy coming out with solar-powered outdoor video cameras.
Of course, smart home functionality opens up a range of opportunities, from controlling your home security devices via the platform you are using (as an alternative to the manufacturer’s app) to integrating these products with other smart home devices. For example, one potential automation would be to connect your home camera with your smart home lights so that, in the event of a break-in, the lights begin flashing.
From an insider’s perspective, Peterfi says, “Wireless is the most prevalent. It’s probably your quickest, easiest install.” And follow-up maintenance is minimal, as owners just need to stay on top of swapping in new batteries for products that use them.
Security system features and specs
Apart from weighing whether to go with a wired or wireless system or one that’s smart or analog, overall it’s important to wrap your head around which product specifications really matter vis-à-vis choosing a home security solution that gives you peace of mind. And certainly there are enough tech specs to make your head spin. Here are just a few to look for:
Cost.An obvious one for MoneySense readers! It’s important to factor in the lifetime cost of setting up a security system in your home. Consider that you can purchase a single WiFi light bulb camera for as little as $17.70 or spend $50 per month for a solution tied to a contract that, over a three-year period, adds up to $2,400 before tax—and much more if you decide to continue using the service. Yet another cost consideration is that companies like Eufy, Ring and Arlo offer security bundles that could save you 20% to 35% compared to purchasing the products individually.
Video quality. The clearer the picture, the easier it is to literally get a good picture of what’s going on. You can find security systems ranging from 1080p (pixels) to super-sharp 4K resolution.
Night vision. Even though most home burglaries occur during the day, the fact remains that it’s harder to identify suspects at night. And cameras equipped with night vision using infrared technology essentially turn night into day in terms of the picture produced.
Smart home compatibility. If you already use smart home gadgets, it may make sense to connect your security equipment to the same network.
Product diversity. Today’s security solutions aren’t just about cameras—they include everything from door locks to doorbells to lighting to air quality sensors and smoke alarms.
Can installing a security system get you a discount on home insurance?
Yes, it can. An insurance discount isn’t the main reason for getting a home security system, of course, but it doesn’t hurt. The key detail, though, is that insurers only give discounts for centrally monitored home alarm systems.
“A monitored home alarm system can be a great addition to insuring the safety of your home and belongings,” says Matt Hands, VP of insurance at Ratehub.ca. (Both Ratehub.ca and MoneySense.ca are owned by Ratehub Inc.) “Not only can it help deter and prevent break-ins, but depending on your insurance provider it may entitle you to a discount of anywhere from 10% to 15% off your home insurance premium.”
Hands adds that not all insurers offer a home-alarm discount. “If an alarm is something you are considering installing and the discount is important to you, it’s best to shop the market to find the right insurance provider that fits your needs.”
—Jaclyn Law
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In our home, functionality won out
After conducting our research and weighing the considerations outlined in this article, my wife and I decided to install a Eufy home security system made by Anker. What appealed to us was that, unlike the security company that charged the previous home owners $800 in annual fees, Eufy’s solution has no monthly cost, unless you opt for its cloud storage solution, which is USD$2.99 (no Canadian price provided) per camera.
Maryland’s Prince George’s County is now taking applications for security camera reimbursement, roughly 13 months after initially approving the plan.
Maryland’s Prince George’s County is now taking applications for security camera reimbursement, roughly 13 months after initially approving the plan.
The rebate program offers residents, businesses and other organizations up to $200 for new camera system purchases, and $100 to help offset the subscription costs to store the video footage.
No residents on Agnew’s Hillcrest Heights block have a surveillance system facing out onto the street; to this day, Agnew’s killing remains unsolved.
Originally, the rebate program was intended to be countywide, but budget difficulties forced the county to narrow the scope of where it is being offered.
For now, the program will only be open to certain police-identified priority areas in Langley Park, as well as Walker Mill and Glassmanor, which are both within a few miles of Agnew’s neighborhood where he was fatally shot.
When searching for the finest outdoor security cameras of 2024, prioritising weather resistance, high-resolution footage, and effective night vision is crucial. Additionally, weighing your budget against potential subscription costs for premium features, such as cloud storage and person detection, is important.
Fortunately, there’s a diverse array of outdoor security cameras catering to various needs and budgets. Top-tier offerings like those from Ring or more budget-friendly options like Wyze provide ample choices, all highly rated and suitable for safeguarding your residence.
Interestingly, some top-notch outdoor security cameras also serve as floodlights, offering dual functionality. While several models boast wireless setups for hassle-free installation, a few require wired connections, ensuring uninterrupted monitoring.
Below is a curated list of the best outdoor security cameras of 2024. Each excels in its own right, tailored to specific preferences and financial constraints. Examining each closely will help determine the perfect fit for your home’s security needs.
Best Outdoor Security Camera
Arlo Pro 4
Price: $140
Pros
Sharp footage
No hub is required for set up
Cons
Specs are similar to its predecessor
The spotlight is required for colour night vision
The Arlo Pro 3 was a long-standing favourite for outdoor security cameras, but with the arrival of the Arlo Pro 4 and its new additions, it’s claimed the top spot. Retaining the impressive 2K video resolution and a wide 160-degree viewing angle from its predecessor, this model also boasts a weatherproof design with colour night vision, a built-in LED spotlight, and a siren for immediate danger alerts.
What sets this model apart is its independence from a hub to connect with your home’s Wi-Fi network, streamlining the setup process significantly. Even better, it not only matches the exceptional performance of the Arlo Pro 3 in securing your home but also arrives with a lower starting price. A single Arlo Pro 4 camera begins at $200, a significant drop from the Arlo Pro 3’s $500 for a 2K camera system.
Best Premium Outdoor Security Camera
Arlo Pro 5S 2K
Price: $160
Pros
Footage is in 2K
Impressive 160 degree field of view
Cons
Expensive
Similar to the Arlo Pro 4, which is cheaper
The Arlo Pro 5S 2K doesn’t compromise on features. Boasting a 2K video camera, expansive field of view, stylish design, and colour night vision, its performance stands among the best. However, this exceptional performance comes with a price tag, as the Arlo Pro 5S 2K is priced at $250.
While it’s one of the more expensive security cameras on the market, if cost isn’t a concern, it’s worth considering. Offering all the features of the esteemed Arlo Pro 4, it also introduces Dual-Band Wi-Fi for simplified setup, SecureLink Connectivity ensuring protection during power outages, and a Low Power Mode boosting battery life by 30%.
Although it remains closely aligned with its more affordable counterpart in many ways, it stands out as an excellent choice for those who are seeking the most advanced outdoor security camera out there.
Best Budget Outdoor Security Camera
Wyze Cam v3
Price: $31
Pros
Affordable
A lot of security controls
Cons
Has an integrated power cord
Night vision stands as a crucial aspect for any outdoor security camera, especially in scenarios like potential break-ins where darkness might conceal important details. Amongst these top camera selections, Wyze’s indoor/outdoor cam stands out, notably equipped with a Starlight Sensor. This feature enables full-colour nighttime video recording, enhancing visibility during low-light situations.
This wired camera embodies the smart functionalities characteristic of Wyze’s offerings. It integrates motion and sound sensors for alerts, customizable detection zones, adjustable sensitivity settings to optimise performance, and two-way audio capabilities for communication. Compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, it also syncs with IFTTT (If This Then That) for creating intricate routines based on camera alerts.
Despite its designation as an indoor/outdoor camera, it’s built to withstand various weather conditions with its IP65 resistance rating, ensuring durability against outdoor elements.
Best Wireless Outdoor Security Camera
Ring Spotlight Cam Pro
Price: $230
Pros
Two-way audio
Has an LED spotlight designed for effective lighting
Cons
You should get the Ring Protect plan
Amazon’s update to the Ring Spotlight Cam presents an appealing choice for those seeking ample illumination without opting for a full floodlight camera. The cam features powerful LED lights on both sides that can sync with motion detection, providing substantial brightness for porches, patios, or driveways.
The Spotlight Cam Pro encompasses a variety of features within its design, offering essentials such as 1080p video, night vision, and two-way audio. Beyond the basics, Ring includes additional functionalities like a controllable siren, advanced 3D motion detection, and a unique “Bird’s Eye” view option, providing a visual model of a subject’s potential path. Its battery-powered operation with an option to connect to an outlet adds to its versatility.
Similar to other Ring cameras, acquiring a Ring Protect plan becomes essential for video storage and sharing. Nevertheless, this wireless security cam stands out as one of the most comprehensive options available currently.
Best Floodlight Security Camera
Blink Wired Floodlight Camera
Price: $50
Pros
Affordable
Produces 2,600 lumens of brightness
Blink’s Wired Floodlight Camera emerges as a standout amongst its outdoor camera lineup, delivering impressive functionality at a wallet-friendly price. Despite its affordability, this new addition to the Blink family offers a robust set of features.
True to its name, the Wired Floodlight Camera isn’t solely an outdoor camera—it doubles as a high-powered floodlight, emitting a substantial 2,600 lumens of LED light. Equipped with motion detection, a wired connection ensuring constant power, and colour night vision, it delivers comprehensive performance. Its slightly bulkier design owes largely to the substantial floodlights positioned above the camera.
For those seeking an outdoor camera that’s both cost-effective and potent, with strikingly bright floodlights, Blink’s camera warrants serious consideration. However, if a more streamlined design is your preference, the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro, mentioned earlier, might be worth revisiting.
Best Indoor/Outdoor Security Camera
Ring Stick Up Cam Pro
Price: $180
Pros
Very easy installation process
1080p that has HDR support
Cons
Expensive
Doesn’t have a privacy shutter
The Ring Stick Up Cam Pro commands a higher price, but its value justifies the investment. This versatile camera is designed for both indoor and outdoor use, offering exceptional flexibility. Its weatherproof construction ensures durability, while the camera boasts HDR video capabilities and records in 1080p. Additionally, it supports two-way audio and boasts a hassle-free wire-free setup.
One minor drawback is the absence of a built-in privacy shutter, which might concern indoor users. However, you can easily manage alerts and disarm the camera via the Ring smartphone app. This limitation might not affect outdoor installations significantly. A Ring subscription is recommended for accessing advanced features like cloud storage and smart alerts.
Despite these minor concerns, this indoor/outdoor camera impresses on many fronts. Users already invested in Ring products will appreciate its seamless integration into their smart home ecosystem. Newcomers to Ring will find its high-quality imagery, straightforward setup, and wide 155-degree viewing angle particularly appealing.
Final Words
When selecting the best outdoor security cameras in 2024, focusing on durability, features, and pricing is crucial. The market offers diverse options catering to various needs and budgets. Whether it’s the Arlo Pro 4’s affordability and robust features, the premium performance of the Arlo Pro 5S 2K, the budget-friendly Wyze Cam v3 with its innovative night vision, the versatile Ring Spotlight Cam Pro, the Blink Wired Floodlight Camera’s cost-effective brilliance, or the flexible Ring Stick Up Cam Pro, each camera brings unique strengths to the table.
From weatherproof designs to enhanced night vision and seamless integration into smart home ecosystems, these top picks offer a blend of functionality and reliability. With that being said you’ll need to reflect on your own individual preferences and requirements before being able to make the perfect choice for safeguarding your own home in 2024.
