The Arlo Pro 4 is the system’s backbone, delivering a major advantage over the identical Arlo Pro 3 which it has essentially replaced despite being well-specified and competent. The Arlo Pro 4 is a reliable camera that performs admirably. It’s one of the best cameras available with options for how and what you can shoot day or night, as well as the capacity to do so in 2K quality. Here you can read Arlo Pro 4 review.
There are a number of functions included, however the most require subscriptions, adding to the already high price of the camera. Keep an eye out for sales so you can save some money and make everything even better. However, pricing aside, it’s a flexible system, simple to set up, and incredibly flexible in its approach to home security, making it well worth consideration as the basis of a new system, a standalone device, or an addition to an existing Arlo setup.
The updated Arlo Pro camera, which replaced the Pro 3 that was previously available, is here. The Pro 4’s one advantage over the Pro 3 is that it doesn’t require a base station to function, but that is all. Yes, without a doubt, is the quick response to that. The Arlo Pro 4 is a shining example of how high the bar is set by Arlo. It records videos in great 2K with the addition of auto-tracking, 12x digital zoom, powerful motion-activated floodlight, and people, vehicle, and animal recognition.
Arlo Pro 4 review: Design and Setup
The Arlo Pro 4 is available in both black and white and all-black finishes. It’s not too big and measures 89 x 52 x 78.4mm, so it won’t be much of an eyesore wherever you decide to put it. Additionally, it is entirely wireless, so complicated installation is not required. The camera comes with everything you need to utilize it.
Along with the quick start manual, you also receive an Arlo monitoring decal, a wall mount, a rechargeable battery, a magnetic charging cable, and a wall mount screw kit. The camera is UV and weather-resistant, so you can install it on an exterior wall of your home. It also has motion-activated lighting that illuminates shadowy areas at night.
You’ll need to download the Arlo smartphone app, which is available for iOS and Android, to set it up. we have removed the lens using the button on the bottom of the gadget, inserted the rechargeable battery, and then connected the camera to the magnetic charging wire that was included. After that, we selected Add New Device after watching the LED light flash blue. we are to choose the camera’s model, provide my Wi-Fi password, and then give the thing a name. The remainder of the technology is configured for you by the app; the entire process took me around 5 minutes.
Arlo Pro 4 review: Video Quality
Particularly at this price, a security camera ought to produce high-quality footage. The Arlo Pro 4 does well compared to other security cameras, but it is still constrained by the requirement to take into account slow, high-latency connections. As a result, you can anticipate that movies will be full of artifacts and smeary details, but thanks to the 2K resolution, details are undoubtedly on the sharper end for security cameras. Colors are typically a little muted when using the normal settings, however, when the spotlight is on at night, the camera reproduces colors well.
Even with the IR light or spotlight on, the image at night gets much murkier and loses a lot of the detail you would expect during the day. Depending on where the camera is positioned, it does appear to sacrifice detail in the brighter parts of the frame, but I think it’s a worthwhile trade-off.
Arlo Pro 4 review: App
The Arlo app offers a straightforward UI that is easy to understand and use. When you first open it, you’ll find a list of the Arlo security cameras you have in your house, along with a picture of the most recent motion that was captured next to each one. From here, you can rapidly change the camera’s settings, such as the speaker and microphone level, whether to activate the siren or the spotlight, or even to set up geofencing (shared via your smartphone), which will control the camera’s on/off a response to your location.
The Mode tab lets you manage how a camera acts when you’re home or away, while the Library tab displays previous footage in chronological order. The camera can be paired with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, or Apple HomeKit, albeit the latter requires a SmartHub as we’ve already discussed. This guarantees that you can use the camera for some home automation and watch video from the camera on your TV or a connected smart display.
Arlo Pro 4 review: Smart Home Integration
Arlo offers a wonderful, wide variety of smart home integrations, supporting the ecosystems of Amazon, Google, Apple, and IFTTT. Nearly all of these are available right out of the box, but Apple HomeKit stands out because it is only compatible with Arlo SmartHubs and only supports HomeKit rather than HomeKit Secure Video. This is a crucial distinction because it determines whether you can record videos using your iCloud account or just access the camera through the Home app.
In my opinion, Alexa offers the finest automation experience when it comes to using the camera, and in this case, Google Home allowed IFTTT to make up for its shortcomings in automation triggers. I lacked access to a SmartHub or Base Station, so I was unable to test HomeKit with this camera.
Arlo Pro 4 review: Storage and Subscription Fees
If you have an Arlo Ultra or Arlo Ultra 2. The Secure plan allows you to store unlimited footage in up to 2K resolution for 30 days. Both Secure and Secure Plus provide you access to a variety of capabilities not available on cameras without a subscription, with the additional benefit of Emergency Response calls with Secure Plus. The ability to save recordings, rich notifications, smart object identification, activity zones, Smoke/CO Alarm Detection, and more features are only accessible with a subscription.
The addition of the Emergency Response call buttons doesn’t seem worth the additional $4.99/month in the absence of a 4K camera, but it is entirely a matter of personal opinion. The Secure plan allows you to store unlimited footage in up to 2K resolution for 30 days.
Both Secure and Secure Plus provide you access to a variety of capabilities not available on cameras without a subscription, with the additional benefit of Emergency Response calls with Secure Plus. The ability to save recordings, rich notifications, smart object identification, activity zones, Smoke/CO Alarm Detection, and more features are only accessible with a subscription. The addition of the Emergency Response call buttons doesn’t seem worth the additional $4.99/month in the absence of a 4K camera, but it is entirely a matter of personal opinion.
Arlo Pro 4 review: Battery Life
According to Arlo, the Arlo Pro 4’s battery will endure for three to six months. We put the camera through rigorous testing for our evaluation, so we can’t confirm how rapidly “normal use” depletes the battery. The amount of motion detection, how frequently Live View is utilized, whether the spotlight or siren is engaged, and how frequently the two-way microphone and speaker are used are all likely to affect how long the battery lasts.
Since the Arlo Pro 4’s batteries can be swapped, you may buy a second battery to replace the damaged one rather than having to disable the camera while it charges. Using the included USB cord and power adapter, we discovered that it took about three and a half hours to recharge the battery.
Conclusion
One of the top indoor/outdoor security cameras available is the Arlo Pro 4. It’s an outstanding value at just $200 with stunning 2K video, precise smart recognition, a slick interface, and the potential to integrate with a variety of smart devices. Most of its better capabilities require a cloud subscription, but even this is competitively priced, making the Arlo Pro 4 an easy product to recommend to anyone seeking a high-end smart home security solution. However, the Arlo Pro 4 doesn’t provide any local storage unless you purchase the SmartHub separately, so in the case that your internet connection is lost, you won’t be able to save any video.
