Verdict
maintain what ’s great about the Arlo organization , include a brilliant app , unproblematic control condition and excellent fresh notifications , the Arlo Essential 2 K Outdoor Camera gives a cheap way to get into the system . Well - progress and subject of shooting high - timber 2 K television during the day and decent ( if not a lilliputian soft ) full - colouration video at night , this camera cuts the price but not the quality . The main thing likely to contain people back is the relatively high subscription costs .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
If you wish the idea of Arlo security cameras but have been put off by the relatively high-pitched prices , the Arlo Essential 2 K Outdoor Camera could be the stage set that tempts you into the ecosystem .
With a two - pack cost the same as a singlePro 5camera , this set of 2 K video cameras gives you the same strong-arm control and catching abilities in a much cheaper bundle .
There are some small-scale restriction , but at this price , who ’s complaining ?
Design and installation
Available as a two - camp for £ 199.99 or a three - ingroup for £ 259.99 , the Arlo Essential 2 K Outdoor Camera is far brassy and more low-priced than the previous wireless ambit of cameras . curiously , it ’s not available as a single tv camera in the UK , although you could buy just one camera in the US .
To keep the price down , some difference of opinion in the design , compare to the regular range of Arlo cameras , have been made ; there ’s nothing in particular concerning about what ’s change , and I ’d argue that some alterations are for the well .
First , the dead body of the television camera has had an overhaul . While the tv camera still have that distinctive lozenge shape , the Arlo Essential 2 K Outdoor Camera is taller than it is deep ; the Pro 5 was longer but light .
Part of the change is because the camera now has an desegregate battery . The limit is that the camera has to be removed for charging , and you ca n’t just trade batteries ; however , how many people actually had spare batteries and did this ?
This could mean a full-grown number for longevity , as you ca n’t supervene upon a battery that has died . That said , given that the battery should n’t have to be charged very often , it ’s potential that you ’ll upgrade the camera before the battery has any noticeable problem .
Rather than the proprietary charismatic charger that the old organisation used , the Essential camera use standardUSB - C , with the port protect by a rubber , waterproofed cover . This is a welcome alteration , as you’re able to utilise any USB - C cable system .
If you do n’t need to charge the tv camera on a regular basis , then there ’s an optional solar panel that plugs into the USB - C port , keep the television camera top up .
Arlo provides a mount in the corner . This has two part : a mounting wall bracket has to be screwed to a desirable vertical control surface , and then there ’s a moveable ball joint that screws into the back of the photographic camera . It ’s moderately easy to install , and then to focus the tv camera where you want it .
As with recent Arlo cameras , the Arlo Essential 2 K Outdoor Camera can be connected to your Wi - Fi web or to an Arlo SmartHub if you have one . I just used the app to get in touch the camera to my domicile Wi - Fi .
Features
Once plug in to Wi - Fi , the Arlo Essential 2 K Outdoor Camera appears as a gimmick in the app , alongside any other Arlo cameras or doorbells that you have . you could see a live stream from the devices Thomas Nelson Page , or you could knock the camera to go into a more elaborated page that include a scrollable leaning of issue .
To view an event , you need an Arlo Secure subscription plan . It ’s £ 4.49 a calendar month ( or £ 44.90 a twelvemonth ) for a single camera , with 30 - days of television history ; Secure Multi - Cam add financial support for up to four tv camera and costs £ 10.99 a month ( 109.99 ) a yr ; and Secure Plus unlocks unlimited camera support , boosts history to 60 days , and ups the maximum recording lineament to 4 K ( 4 K cameras require ) and costs £ 14.99 a calendar month ( £ 149.99 a year ) .
That ’s quite a lot of money , although the advantage is that Arlo Secure is very safe , and the system is simple to expend .
One of the benefits that Arlo Secure bring is smart presentment . With these enable , you could choose to be alerted for your choice of masses , vehicle , animals or all other motions . signal detection quality is very good , and being capable to cut down on warning signal to only get significant notifications makes the camera more utile .
There ’s a further option to sum up natural process zones , with only motility inside a zona being immortalize . With this camera , zones are orthogonal and resizable at any of the four corners ; with the Pro 5 , zones have six command points , which makes them a piffling more flexible and able-bodied to check around more complex layouts .
Even with activity zones and impudent notifications , it ’s important to point the camera so that it ’s not in a very busy expanse . With PIR motion detection used first to pick up move , the photographic camera can drain its battery tight if it ’s woken up too often .
hold over when the camera can and ca n’t track record is handled via the app , which has aside , Home and Standby musical mode , similar to an alarm organization . For each mode , you’re able to choose which camera are active and which ones are off . Manual control is utilitarian , but you’re able to automatise modes usingIFTTT , or via the app with both schedules and geolocation supported .
Arlo now only endure geolocation at one placement , whereas the sure-enough app used to let you see to it each gimmick based on its emplacement . There is a workaround : useSmartThings , which lets you turn individual cameras on and off , including the Arlo Essential 2 K Outdoor Camera . The only restriction with SmartThings at the moment is that I could n’t get it to exhibit the live watercourse from the television camera .
I could pullulate the telecasting to an Alexa - powered saucy display , such as theEcho Hub , or a Google saucy display .
Recorded telecasting is available in the app , either by tap an single camera or going to the Feed discussion section , which shows a thumbnail inclination for all equipment . This list can be filtered by day of the month , twist , and event character ( somebody , animal , vehicle , or other apparent movement ) . All clipping can be viewed or download .
Video quality
The Arlo Essential 2 K Outdoor Camera has a 130 - degree field of sentiment , which is slightly less than the 160 - degree field of study on the Arlo Pro 5 . I establish that with the photographic camera mounted on my garden office , signal towards the house , I could capture a lot of my garden ; sure as shooting , enough to see what ’s bump .
Recording at 2560×1440 , the Arlo Essential 2 K Outdoor Camera is capable of shoot incisive images , particularly during the day . Compared to the Pro 5 , the daytime footage was n’t quite as vibrant and a touch soft , but it ’s easy to make out individuals and see what ’s going on .
At night , the Arlo Essential 2 K Outdoor Camera can turn on its public eye and shoot full - colour night vision . The image sensor used is n’t quite as good as the one on the Pro 5 , so there ’s quite a bit of noise introduce into the image and okay detail , such as lawns , are eradicated . It ’s also hard to discover a still frame that shows someone in sharp item , although I could clear see what was befall .
Battery life
Battery life is quoted at between four and six month , although a lot of this bet on how often the photographic camera has to wake up to record video .
In my experience with the photographic camera , I found that it lose around 1 % a day , so that ’s just over three months . If you place the camera somewhere busier , then ask it to drain faster .
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
Taking everything neat about Arlo , including the app and powerful cloud service , and distilling it into a chintzy gimmick , these cameras are a great budget choice to the primary range .
If you want the good night - time video character , then thePro 5camera is a better option . Those who do n’t want to be saddled with monthly subscription price should prefer for an alternate photographic camera , too .
Final Thoughts
The price of these cameras make the Arlo Essential 2 K Outdoor Camera quite an attractive proposal . For the most part , the cameras are good : knifelike daytime video , an fantabulous app and simple controls for setting what the camera can and ca n’t give notice you about , plus when enter can or ca n’t happen .
dark - fourth dimension visual sensation interim behind that of thePro 5 , and the relatively high monetary value of the swarm subscription may put some hoi polloi off . For alternatives , see my guidebook to thebest outdoor security camera .
Trusted Score
How we test
Unlike other sites , we screen every security photographic camera we review thoroughly over an extended period of time . We use industry standard tests to compare features properly . We ’ll always differentiate you what we find . We never , ever , accept money to review a mathematical product .
get out more about how we screen in ourethics insurance policy .
FAQs
No , but without an Arlo Secure subscription , you ca n’t register video , and you get more canonic motility sensing .
No , this camera has an integrated battery .
