Being secure in your home is one of the main reasons for starting a smart home, alongside ease of use and automation. One of the best ways to increase security is to have a security camera installed, either inside or outside the home. And luckily, you don't necessarily need to spend a bunch of money to do so.
While spending hundreds of dollars can give you all the features you didn't know you needed and the best design, it doesn't change the core functionality of a security camera. The budget security cameras listed below may be cheap, but they will still help you have greater security in your home. Some may even have a lot of features you're looking for in the higher-end models. All the cameras shown here come in under $60. Let's check them out.
When it comes to smart homes and working with voice assistants such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, the Eufy Indoor Solo would be the better choice. Like other cameras on this list, it doesn't have automatically moving parts, but it can respond to "Hey Google."
While this camera is only indoor capable, it has 2k resolution, which helps identify people and objects in the video playback. The cloud playback and the camera's retail price are higher than Wyze's, but you have to pay for the extra smart home feature.
Like Wyze, though, there is a version of this camera that moves: The Eufy Pan and Tilt 2K. This camera allows for a 360-degree view with two-way audio, alarm siren support, and Homekit support. Utilizing Homekit is almost unheard of at these low price points. Also note that Homekit Secure Video only records in up to 1080p resolution.
While you could place the Wyze cameras outside, it doesn't mean they are the best for the job. That's where the Zosi C190 comes in. These cameras look like standard NVR cameras, but they were built with weatherproofing to survive the elements. Also, they are nearly impossible to steal without considerable surrounding damage.
The Zosi camera has bright white LEDs on the front of the lens that helps it see up to 80ft at night. However, that long-range is countered by a much narrower 90-degree field of view. In addition, you can use smartphone and computer apps to view the camera field on a more prominent display. Lastly, the only smart assistant support you'll get is through Amazon smart displays.
The Zosi C190 isn't the most fully-featured camera, but if you need to add a cheap camera to your Alexa-enabled smart home, this is the one.
Some of these cameras have varying features, but the Aqara Camera Hub G2H may have the most unique feature of them all: Being a Zigbee-enabled smart home hub. That's right, just by having this security camera, you can connect a host of other Aqara smart home accessories through it. But, again, that's unique and something you only see with higher-end smart home security systems.
The Aqara Camera hub has a 140-degree field of view, 1080p HD resolution, and night vision. Some of those specs are super exciting, but that's not the purpose of buying this camera.
**How much does a basic security camera cost? **
As mentioned above, security cameras can range from $30 to a couple of hundred dollars. The ones listed here are all capable of streaming video to your phone and maybe other devices within a price range of $30 to $65. These are available for those who want to place many cameras in their home without sinking their wallet or investing in a whole ecosystem.
What security cameras do not have a monthly fee?
Any cameras listed above can be used without a monthly fee, mainly if you include a microSD memory card. Although, you can leverage the additional subscription model for features that include cloud recording and past viewings.
What is the easiest security camera to install?
From this list, the Wyze camera is one of the most straightforward cameras to install, as you don't have to worry about too many smart features. For example, you don't have to worry about a smart assistant; just connect the camera to the app via a QR code, and you're all set to go.
Which camera in this list catches your eye and your wallet? Do you care about all the extra features if you're going cheap, or do you just need quality video recording?
Keyan Riddick is a freelance writer based in the mountains on North Carolina. When he isn't writing you can find him behind the lens of his camera doing portrait photography, to distract him from the latest existential crisis.
Few things ruin a quiet evening faster than a robot vacuum roaring through the living room. Most of us end up pausing the cleaning run, which defeats the whole purpose of owning one. Matic thinks it has the answer with its new Serene robot vacuum, and the big selling point is how little noise it makes.
The Matic Serene runs at 52 decibels even when cleaning at full power. To put that in perspective, Matic compares it to the hum of your refrigerator. It is available now for $1,695, which is $200 more than the original Matic’s current price.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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