Arlo Essential review: an affordable indoor/outdoor security cam - TechHive

At a glance

Expert’s Rating

Pros

Wire-free indoor/outdoor installation
Multiple types of AI detection
Budget price

Cons

Requires a subscription to unlock full capabilities
1080p resolution
No local storage option

Our Verdict

The second generation of the Arlo Essential Wireless Security Camera (model VMC2050-100NAS) is an impressive entry-level device with detection features competitive with pricier cameras, including those in Arlo’s Pro line.

Best Prices Today: Arlo Essential Wireless Security Camera (model VMC2050-100NAS)

$45.00

In the few years since Arlo launched its Essential line of entry-level security cameras, brands like Wyze and Blink have considerably undercut their competitors on price. The current Wyze Cam v3 Pro, for example, lists for $50; that’s roughly half the price of the original Essential Indoor Camera. It’s not too surprising, then, that Arlo’s second generation of Essential cameras arrives at more budget-friendly prices.

To wit, the revamped Arlo Essential reviewed here costs just $49.99, nearly 40 percent less than Arlo’s first outdoor Essential cam, which sold for $130 back in 2020. However, most of the specs of the first-generation camera have been carried over here, including a 130-degree field of view, 1080p video resolution, a built-in motion-activated spotlight, color night vision, 12x digital zoom, and two-way audio with noise cancellation. Cosmetically, it’s similar, too; it has the same white casing, black face, and pod-like design, but it’s only about half as long as the original.

The Arlo Essential Camera puts much of what users love about the Arlo experience within reach of more modest budgets.

Note that while Arlo calls this model simply the Arlo Essential on its website and identifies it as an indoor/outdoor camera, but its accompanying documentation labels it the “Arlo Essential Outdoor Camera, 2nd Generation.” And you’ll want to know that the camera doesn’t come with a base for setting it up on a table. To install the camera, therefore, you’ll need to drill a pair of pilot holes into a wall and then secure a mounting plate using the supplied screws and wall anchors. Next, you’ll screw the mount to the back of the camera and slide the camera onto the plate. No tabletop stand is included with the camera. If that’s a problem take a look at the second-gen Arlo Essential Indoor ($39.99 for the HD version, $79.99 for the 2K model), which has a tabletop stand, but it lacks the spotlight and battery (it must be plugged in for power). On the bright side, both indoor models come with privacy shutters to cover their lenses when you’re at home.

This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras.

Arlo Essential Outdoor Camera — The Arlo Secure app provides many options to control how the camera responds to detected activity.

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

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The camera works with the same Arlo Secure app as the Arlo Pro line. When you tap the plus sign on the app’s home screen to add a device, the app automatically recognizes the camera and prompts you through some steps to connect it to your wireless network.

As with other Arlo cameras, an Arlo Secure subscription is required to enable AI-powered detection of people, vehicles, packages, and pets; smart notifications; sound recognition for smoke alarms; and smart activity zones, as well as to save video clips to the cloud. The basic Secure plan costs $4.99 a month for one camera or $12.99 a month for all your Arlo cameras. The $17.99/month Arlo Secure Plus plan adds the ability to call emergency responders from within the Arlo app. For $24.99 a month, you can add 24/7 professional monitoring with Arlo’s Safe & Secure Pro plan.

I found using the Arlo Essential Camera about as easy as any of Arlo’s Pro cams. This is largely thanks to the Arlo Secure app’s system of operational modes, which gives you control over how your cameras respond to motion or sound in different situations. Arm Away mode provides the highest level of security by activating all your connected Arlo cameras with motion triggers when you’re not at home. Arm Home scales back security while you’re still on the premises, arming only those devices you select, such as your outdoor cameras. Standby mode is meant to be used when you want to minimize or disable monitoring. Each mode comes with preset rules around triggers, devices, and actions, but they can all be customized with additional rules to tailor them to your needs.

Michael Ansaldo/IDG

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These modes can be activated with a tap from the Arlo Secure dashboard. You can also add automations to automatically change modes based on a schedule or upon detecting when you leave or arrive at your home.

The video quality is very good, and all the clips I captured were sharp enough to capture details like facial features and license plate numbers. The app gives you the flexibility to record clips for a fixed length between 10 seconds to 2 minutes, or to let the recording run until the activity stops (up to 5 minutes). In addition to recording detected events, the camera can ward off unwanted visitors with its integrated spotlight and siren. Both of these can be manually activated as well when viewing the live stream.

Should you buy the Arlo Essential Outdoor Camera?

Arlo’s Pro products consistently rank among the best–and priciest–home security cameras. The new Essential Camera effectively puts much of what users love about the Arlo experience within reach of more modest budgets. If you want enhanced resolution, Arlo also offers a 2K version of the Essential Camera for $99.99, which is still an incredible value. In either case, you get a top-tier camera without breaking the bank.