Home security has become much more affordable over the last several years. Not only can homeowners purchase multiple inexpensive wireless cameras that can be controlled via smartphone app or computer, but they can also buy a simple, less-expensive indoor camera that can be placed indoors or outside, depending on the situation.
Outdoor security cameras are used to deter intruders and provide extra security for residential properties. In most cases, an outdoor security camera is much more expensive than an indoor security camera. However, this does not mean that outdoor security cameras are inferior. They simply offer a different type of security solution, and it is important to know the differences between the two when purchasing a camera.
Top Picks
Whether you are looking to protect your home or office, there are many different types of outdoor security cameras available on the market today.
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Best Overall: Arlo Pro 4
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Most Affordable: WYZE Cam v3
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Best for Real-Time Monitoring: Arlo Ultra 2
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Best 4K Camera: Lorex 4K
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Easiest to Install: Ring Stick Up
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Best Affordable Floodlight: Wyze Cam Floodlight
Best Outdoor Security Cameras
With all the outdoor cameras on the market, choosing one that will protect your home and family is tough.
1. Arlo Pro 4
The Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight has a 2K camera and offers 1080p HD video in both color and black-and-white.
It also offers 1080p security video and two-way audio in both standard and wideband modes. The camera has a wide-angle lens, which makes it ideal for taking pictures of large spaces.
It has two-way audio and a speaker that lets you listen to what’s going on around you while watching the live stream. It works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and HomeKit. You can also connect it to third-party smart devices such as cameras, doorbells, smart locks, thermostats, baby monitors, and smoke detectors.
It offers an IP address, so you can easily access the live stream from anywhere in the world.
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What We Like
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If you need a reliable, easy-to-use, and affordable outdoor camera to cover a large area, the Arlo Pro 4 is one of the best options. Its night vision capability can see up to 100 feet in front of the camera and the built-in speaker allows you to listen for motion.
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It connects easily to Alexa and Google Assistant for voice commands and can easily be integrated into your home security system. You can also download clips from the camera directly to your phone so you can review footage later.
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The camera uses Wi-Fi to allow you to monitor your home, even if you’re away. But what really sets this camera apart is its price: It’s the best outdoor camera we’ve seen for under $200.
What We Did Not Like
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Arlo Pro 4 is a great wireless outdoor security camera. It’s affordable, easy to set up, and has lots of features. Plus, the app is free and works well. But what we didn’t like so much was how slow the app is when you use it.
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It takes a while to find the video feed, and even when you do, the video is a bit slow. If you want to watch your footage on a smartphone, it’s probably not the camera for you. It’s more like a home security system that just happens to let you view your videos on a phone.
2. WYZE Cam v3
The camera also has Wi-Fi, which means you can access and control it from your phone or tablet without needing a separate app.
Best of all, the Wyze Cam V3 Pro is packed with useful features such as voice control, night vision, and motion detection that aren't normally included in cameras this inexpensive. It can be used to detect, track, and record anything happening around it, even when you're not present. The V3 Pro can be operated with your phone, but if you prefer not to use your smartphone, the camera also works with an app for remote control and monitoring.
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What We Like
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It’s been quite a few months since the last update to this list. I’m not sure if that means that we’ve run out of great options or that we’ve run out of new ideas. There’s no shortage of outdoor security cameras, but I think that WYZE Cam v3 is the best one in terms of value. This system has been steadily improving over the years.
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Back in 2016, it included only 720p resolution. Now it has 1080p resolution, and you can even get a 1080p Wi-Fi-enabled model. The latest version adds night vision, a new remote feature, and new colors to make it easier to tell your camera what you’re watching. That said, it has a couple of issues. One is that the night vision uses infrared, which isn’t the best choice for wide-angle viewing of your surroundings.
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The other is that the Wi-Fi is weak, making it harder to communicate with the camera. Still, the WYZE Cam v3 is the cheapest 1080p Wi-Fi outdoor security camera you’ll find.
What We Did Not Like
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The Wyze Cam v3.0 does not have a night-vision feature. It’s possible to purchase a third-party NVG accessory for $40-$50, but it would be nice to have this built into the camera itself.
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Some users have reported that the camera has trouble detecting motion during low light. The most likely cause for this is that the unit needs more time to warm up, so try turning the camera off and on again if it starts to detect motion too slowly during low light.
3. Arlo Ultra 2
We like the Arlo Go 2’s high-quality 1080p video and crisp, natural color. It can store up to 200 clips of 30 seconds each, or up to 50 clips of 15 seconds each. It’s one of the few cameras that has a built-in spotlight, letting you spot intruders even in dark conditions. And it can use multiple devices to connect to, including your cell phone.
It can also automatically send an alert when motion is detected, and you can use the camera’s microphone to communicate with it. And if something does happen while you're away, the included mobile app is compatible with a wide variety of smart devices.
The Arlo Go 2 records 1080p video, and it captures crisp images in low light with a 5.0-megapixel CMOS sensor. It automatically switches between the two, and it has a 140-degree field of view. You can choose from a 16GB or 32GB internal storage option.
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What We Like
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The biggest improvement, of course, is that Arlo decided to replace the proprietary Wi-Fi that powered the previous model with the 802.11a/b/g/n standard that we’ve all become used to, and Arlo has made it very easy to pair the new camera with your router.
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The second big change is that Arlo moved to a new chipset for image processing. The Ultra 2 uses the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 410 chip, which improves video quality and performance. With the new chip, the camera can capture four times more frames per second and take 4K videos at 60 frames per second.
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The system also has an improved battery life and can be powered by either a solar panel or a battery. The new battery can store enough energy for roughly three months, and the company claims that you’ll get about six weeks of use out of a single charge.
What We Did Not Like
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We found ourselves frequently losing connection to the camera and having to manually reconnect, which slowed down everything.
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It’s also got a few small improvements over the Ultra. For one, it now has a two-way audio channel that lets you communicate with people outside of your home, and it offers additional views of the scene, including a front-facing view and a “close-up” view.
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Despite its many improvements, the Arlo Ultra 2 HD is still a bit too expensive for what you get, and it’s still not as good as a dedicated camera. It’s still a great camera for someone who wants an indoor security camera that can stream live footage to multiple devices and also let them watch and talk with whoever is on the other end of their phone.
How to Choose The Best Outdoor Security Cameras
Outdoor security cameras are a great way to make your property safer. Here’s how to pick the best cameras for your needs.
Quality and Performance
Your security camera needs to be able to capture clear images with bright colors. It also needs to have a wide viewing angle and high-quality night vision.
The cameras you choose need to be capable of recording video. This can be accomplished with either a digital or analog camera. Digital cameras record images as numbers, while analog cameras record them as pictures.
You will need to test out the cameras to make sure they are capable of recording good quality images. You will want to pay attention to the picture resolution and color depth. The higher the resolution and color depth, the better.
Battery Life
You will want to consider the camera’s battery life. You should look for models that are capable of lasting up to eight hours on a single charge.
Most outdoor security cameras have batteries that last for up to 10 hours. This is important because you want to be sure that your camera has enough battery life to capture clear images for the entire day.
Price
Most outdoor security cameras start at around . If you want to buy one that’s more expensive, you may want to consider a Wi-Fi outdoor security camera that can connect to your smartphone and stream live footage to your device.
Features
The last thing you need to decide is what features you want. If you have a lot of time to spare, you can spend hours looking at different models and trying to figure out which one has all the features you want. But if you're like most people, you'll probably want a camera that's simple to use and doesn't take up too much space.
FAQs
Outdoor security cameras are an essential investment for home security. There are several questions you need to think about when purchasing one.
1. How Are Videos Stored on Security Cameras?
Video footage stored on security cameras can be viewed on computers, smartphones, or tablets. You can download this footage to your device using software, and you can also send this footage directly to your smartphone or tablet. Most models come with a microSD card slot for this purpose.
2. Are Motion and Sound Detection Necessary?
Motion and sound detection are two ways that security cameras can alert you to possible intruders. While some models can alert you with both motion and sound, others only provide one or the other. Make sure that you choose the best option for your needs.
Conclusion
There’s a huge amount of choice out there when it comes to selecting an outdoor security camera. In this article we’ll cover the important factors to consider when choosing the best security camera for your home. We’ll also give you a list of the top outdoor security cameras for 2024, based on all the research we’ve conducted.