The Best Home Security Cameras I Tried

Although up to 2K at 20 frames per second and the field of view of 133 degrees is not clear, this camera has a small image sensor, so it produces rich video and has an impressive night view. The basics are solid, with AI recognition that can classify subjects into people, cars, animals, and packages with minimal errors.

The real reason to think about it is that the camera doubles as a Matter controller and a Thread border router. If you are sick of yours robotic lawnmowers or your outdoor smart lighting is struggling to stay connected or isn’t as compliant as you’d like, this camera can help. It can also work as a Zigbee hub for Aqara devices, and will continue to work, even when your Wi-Fi goes down. There are Wi-Fi and PoE versions of this camera. Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) support makes it easy to use with a third-party client on your NAS or with Home Assistant.

On the left side, the Aqara app is wide and rough around the edges. It may take a while to get it set up the way you want, and things like event filtering, SMS or email notifications, and video sharing require registration. If you want to use HSV, you’ll also need a HomeKit-enabled device, such as a HomePod Mini or Apple TVand iCloud storage system. But none of this matters.

For indoors, the pan and tilt Camera Hub G3 is worth checking out, and if you’re just looking for something basic, Aqara G100 Camera ($40) it is very cheap.

Photo: Simon Hill

I tried again recently IC Realtime tools, including IPMX-E40F-W2 ($492) and IPFX-D80V-IRW3 ($858) dome cameras, a large bullet camera, and a video doorbell. These cameras are very smart, AI-based, and offer a very secure recording system when connected to an NVR. But they are also very expensive and probably more expensive than most ordinary houses. You can pick up some brands at Amazon or Best Buy, but they are usually sold through wholesalers and retailers.