Reolink’s 2K security camera offers good wire-free video quality with local storage and Google Home integration but misses a few key features found in rivals. Smart home security has become a highly competitive part of the tech sector in recent years. From household names such as Google and Logitech to niche brands like Eufy and Reolink, there is plenty of choice out there if you want to keep an eye on your home. Reolink follows in Eufy’s footsteps by providing a variety of different types of camera to suit different needs, whilst unifying them under the roof of a single app.
What is a Reolink Argus 3?
Reolink’s Argus 3 Pro is practically identical to the standard, with a few notable differences. The camera itself is a little heavier and comes with a front-facing camera. The box also sports a brand-new, colorful logo that largely matches the series’ look, which is great for the home security market.
How to connect a Reolink camera to your home
To begin, unpack the box and find the camera you’ll be using. Once you’ve gotten everything out of the way, open the box and remove the two screws holding the camera in place. Next, connect the camera to your home via a simple Brita water purifier. Follow the identical instructions for any other devices you’ll be use-ing with the home.
Installation
If you plan on using the camera more than just as a doorbell or nightlight, you should be able to connect it to your home via the included wall plug. Since most of us prefer to set up our houses as we normally do, that wall plug will match the color scheme and be our primary connection point. If you don’t need or use the camera that much, you can simply connect it to your home via the included wall plug and power it on. The camera will come on automatically when the power is switched on, so long as you set it to On.
App & performance
Reolink’s Pro line of home security cameras excel at what they do best: making real-time video and serving as a complete solution for home security. The camera itself is pretty basic, with a single lens and no optical zoom. However, its combination with a smart home device like the Nest Learning Nook can make it even more feature-rich. One of the highlights of the pro line is its combination of camera, smart home and cloud services. This can be a little limiting when building a complete solution, but it’s easily remedied with the addition of a home automation app. The Nest app, currently available for iOS and Android, includes tons of useful home automation features, such as the ability to set alerts and set schedules, set the timer, create and edit households and more. It’s easy to use and lets you set up things like an automated kitchen timer, set the timer for the morning and set the timer for evening. Another neat feature is the ability to create “rooftop igloos,” which can help to greatly reduce centralization of devices throughout the house. All you need to do is to connect the Nest Learning Nook to your roof, and you’ve got yourself a complete app solution for every level of security.
Video quality
Because we’re talking about home security cameras, we’ll take a look at the video quality in the yards. First, we have the standard video quality, which you’ll see on almost all home security cameras. This is the best you can get, and it’s what you’ll see on almost all models. However, if you want a little more clarity in your images, you can also look at the high-res version. This will give you a much more detailed image and will create images that are highly pixels-per-inch (pppp) efficient.
Google Home integration
You may have heard about Google Home, and now it’s time to pick up the phone and take it for a test drive. Google Home is nothing but a voice-controlled camera, but it comes with a lot of useful features such as search, weather data and even the ability to create a playlist. You can pair Google Home with your home security camera to create a complete home security system. The camera will send notifications to the home, Google Home will call the user, and the camera will call the user back with live events.
Value for money
The price of a home security camera is often going to be the most important factor when it comes to deciding whether or not to buy it. When you’re deciding between budget and luxury models, you want to make sure you put your money where your mouth is. That way, you’re saving money, not having to buy a ton of different things, and having something that will work for you for a set price. The premium models on the market tend to have more functionality, including a full range of extra features. The most premium models will often come with a 24/7 live feed, a dedicated Google Home assistant, or a pro-level camera. You’re also likely to find a few models that come with a subscription for extra features. That being said, if you want to save money and/or have extra money to spend, we recommend looking into the best home security system.
Final words
When it comes to choosing the best home security camera, it’s important to look at a lot of different aspects. From video quality to the range of home automation options, you want to pick a camera that gives you everything you need. To make sure you get a good deal on a home security camera, make sure you shop around to different retailers and see what you can find for a better price.