Customer Ratings & Reviews

Excellent bundle! This set comes with everything I needed to create a secure system around my house. The set up is so easy, installing was a breeze and no wires or difficult gadgets needed at all. It connects well with Alexa ( which for me is perfect) and also with Google home. The images are impressive. You can easily see details like clothes brands and small details. It also have dual voice system so you can speak through the cameras. No need to worry about weather and battery life is amazing!!! I highly recommend this set! Ahhh before I forget it also comes with a yard sign!

I’m really happy with this Arlo Ultra 4K kit so far. The video quality is excellent, and the wide field of view covers a lot more area than I expected. Setup was straightforward and the charging station is convenient with multiple cameras. Motion alerts are quick and the footage is clear enough to actually be useful. The only downside is that some features work best with a subscription, but overall it’s a solid upgrade if you want high-quality wireless cameras.

We just moved into our new home, and having the Arlo Ultra 3rd Gen 4K HDR cameras gives us incredible peace of mind. The setup was quick, the picture quality is unreal — crystal-clear even at night — and the wide 180° view covers everything around our property. I love how smart it is — it detects people, cars, even packages, and sends instant alerts to my phone. The color night vision and spotlight are strong enough to see every detail, and the two-way audio sounds crisp and clear. It just feels good knowing our family is safe and protected, whether we’re home or away. Arlo really took security to the next level with this one. Definitely worth every dollar.

This bundles has everything I need in a security camera system. The 4K quality cameras are a game changer. It’s a night and day difference in spotting faces, license plates, etc. There’s also color night vision. The Smart Hub is also amazing bringing great long range performance and extended battery life. The magnetic mounts are also a cool addition making set up really simple without drilling or wires. It also comes with a dual battery charger to make sure the batteries are always ready to swap out. This is definitely one of the best security camera kits for your home.

These Arlo cameras are great. They look stylish and high quality, easy to install. The battery lasts a long time and the picture quality is very good. I like using the app and it is very convenient to watch videos when I am not at home.

I loved this bundle! It came with everything we need to set up our house secured. To install we just followed the instructions on the little book and everything was okay

Image quality is really good even at night. With solar panels they are completely maintenance free and on the other end my drive way was lasting 3 weeks at a time with heavy traffic. Being able set up zones is nice though that requires a subscription. Overall it was easy to set up and use.

I will start this off by saying I’ve been using Arlo cameras of various iterations since 2016. I’ve generally always been happy with their quality and the quality of the app. That has not changed with Ultra cameras and they deliver a significant image quality improvement over the Pro models I’ve used in the past. It’s an excellent system that performs well. That being said, I’m getting a little fed up with their subscription model and I think they make you pay more for things you don’t necessarily need. The cameras are excellent, yes, but the monthly or yearly cost is a significant consideration. This Ultra 3rd Generation bundle includes 3 cameras, a base station, 2 magnetic mounts, one screw mount, 4 batteries, and a dual battery charger. The cameras are about the same size as my Pro 4 models they are replacing and they’re all IP65 rated. The batteries are loaded by ejecting the camera from the housing via a button on the bottom. They all connect wirelessly to the base station, which needs to be positioned next to your router or some other wired connection point. The base station is compact and hides pretty easily. Mounting the cameras was fairly straightforward with the included mounting hardware. The magnetic mounts are convenient and make it easy to position the cameras, though it also makes them easy to get taken. I used the 2 magnetic mounts on my back and side yard cameras and the short screw mount on my front door. The initial setup via the Arlo app had a few hitches - the base station required a firmware update that failed and forced me to do a factory reset to reconnect to it. 2 out of the 3 cameras connected easily and were up and running after a short firmware update. The 3rd camera I had to pair manually using the sync button and even that failed until I swapped out the battery with a different one (I had pre-charged all 4 of them prior to this). After I finally got through all of that though the connections have been solid on all 3 cameras. The Arlo Secure app manages the cameras and provides notifications based on your settings. There’s a lot you can do in the app and you can really dial the system in so it’s automatic based on time of day, location, or even what is being detected. It also lets you change settings on the camera live FOV, image quality, and you can line detection zones. With all of these options the app can feel a bit daunting at first, but it’s worth diving into everything and it’s all laid out very logically. The upgrade to image quality with the 4K Ultra cameras was immediately noticeable to me. The cameras have a super wide FOV up to 180 degrees, but this can be dialed back to 155 or 120. The detail and clarity are excellent both during the day and at night. During the day, video is very crisp and clear. It’s a little grainier at night with the color night vision, but still clear enough to identify people and animals. The cameras have built-in spot lights that are bright and those in themselves can act a sort of deterrent. The cameras also have built-in microphones that allow for two-way communication - this works pretty well and the audio from the camera is clear enough for anyone speaking to it outside, but there’s about a 2-3 second delay when the live feed is active for both video and audio. The motion detection is good and the Arlo app has a feature now where it will caption things it catches now. An example would be ‘Person enters silver car’. I previously had issues with my Pro 4 cameras getting a lot of false triggers on my front door camera and so far I haven't had that issue with the new Ultra camera. I haven’t had the cameras long enough to really evaluate their battery life, but in the few days I’ve had them and each of them triggering a couple of alerts every day they’re all above 98%. I have had issues with the battery on my front door camera running down previously due to the higher number of triggers and recordings and was previously using a solar panel to keep that one’s battery charged. Unfortunately, the new Ultra cameras charge over USB-C and don’t have the same magnetic charging port that the Pro 4’s did, so I’ll have to replace that solar panel at some point. It is a more universal charging method though, which I can appreciate. For all the positive things I have to say about the Arlo Ultra cameras, the one thing that really brings it all down is the subscription model. The cameras do come with a 1-month subscription, but after that it’s $20 per month, or $18 per month if you pay annually and that’s the cheapest it gets. Most other cameras have a good base plan that starts around $10 per month and while what Arlo offers for $20 per month is good, they really need to have a lower tier option - maybe something with less recording history or fewer AI features. It used to be a long time ago you didn’t even have to pay for a subscription at all and you still got 7 days of video history. You can technically use these without a subscription, but you only get basic motion alerts and live streaming - no clip recording. The price might make a little more sense if you’re all in on the Arlo ecosystem and utilize their sensors too, but for cameras-only it’s just too much in my opinion and if i wasn’t so rooted into Arlo I’d consider switching. Overall, I’m very happy with the performance of the Arlo Ultra cameras and I think it’s a great system, but I Arlo needs to do better on their subscription offering and I think either cutting the current subscription price by $5 or offering a slightly cut-down tier for $10 per month would go a long way to provide real value.

The Arlo Ultra 3 is the latest version of the 4K camera system within Arlo’s security system lineup. Having had experience with several of their systems including the Pro 3, Pro 5, Ultra 2, Essential cameras, I was curious to see how the latest 4K version performed given some inconsistencies experienced in the past. IN THE BOX: - 3 x Ultra 3 4K Cameras - VMB5000 Smart Hub (Same Hub as Ultra 2) - 4 x Rechargeable Batteries - 1 x Dual Charging Station - 1 x Wall Mount - 2 x Magnetic Mounts - 1 x Ethernet Cable - 2 x Power Adapters - 1 x Yard Sign - Quick Start Guide SETUP: Setting up the Ultra 3 system is very simple. Whether you are doing a fresh installation or adding these cameras to an existing smart hub, it should only take a few minutes. Since the included hub is the same model as our existing system, we opted to use the current hub which allowed the new camera to be added within minutes. If you’re going a fresh installation then you’ll, Step 1: Connect the smart hub to power and your router. Step 2: Download the Arlo Secure app and follow the instructions to create an account and begin pairing cameras. Step 3: Pair cameras by pressing the “sync” button inside the camera housing. The battery must be installed and charged. Step 4: Mount cameras in desired locations after charging. Adjust base station/camera location for optimal connection strength. Done! The hub includes a slot for a Micro SD card which allows for saving video locally. This is a nice feature for those who don’t want to only have access to video via the cloud. BUILD QUALITY: The Ultra 3 uses the same overall design and build quality as the previous generations of their cameras which isn’t a bad thing. They hold very very well to outdoor conditions when mounted under soffits or under some sort of cover. The cameras are water resistant so should they be exposed it shouldn’t harm them but I would recommend mounting under a covered location. The cameras can be used with either the magnetic or threaded mounts. One thing I don’t like about the magnetic mounts is the fact that they use plastic on the backside to mount. If you don’t set the screw perfectly you may break it while sliding it onto the screw head. Once this happens, the mount becomes useless unless you adhesive it to a surface. FEATURES/VIDEO QUALITY: The Ultra 3 is able to provide 4K, HDR quality just like the Ultra 2 that I have been using. Comparing the last generation to this current one, the quality is very similar. It features color night vision and the LED spotlight is bright enough to assist in low light situations although I wouldn’t want to rely on it for very dim areas. The Ultra 3 is a 180 degree field of view which means you can mount the camera centrally on a wall and it will see nearly everything. If you plan on mounting these cameras near objects (gutters, soffits, posts, etc.) keep in mind that these may impact the cameras overall night time performance given it still uses IR which can reflect off surfaces. You can digitally crop the image in the app to remove this from being visible but it could impact person or movement detection. The camera features 2-way, noise cancelling audio communication. It works for speaking and the siren/emergency feature in which you can sound a loud noise to all cameras simultaneously. The Ultra 3 has Dual Band Wifi with 2.4GHZ and 5GHZ frequencies which allows for faster data transfer and/or more stable connections. I would recommend trying to keep the base centrally located within a larger house or one with multiple stories as the cameras' live image quality and communication does diminish with distance and walls. One issue we also encountered this time was trying to add a second camera angle within about 8” of another camera. This did not work due to the interference between the two cameras. Moving the second camera about 10 feet away fixed this issue and both seem to work without interference now. APP: After using the Arlo Secure App for years now, I still think the app isn’t the most intuitive. The app has gotten more reliable over time. The features within the app are pretty good with lots of customization which can be done through the website login as well. The live view picture quality is pretty good but not full resolution. My family has a few “allowed” users under the main account and one thing I wish the secondary users had access to is the local file storage that is stored on the base station. Only the main account holder seems to have access. This system comes with a free trial to the paid plan but since we already had this, we already have access to all of the features available. DISLIKES/PROBLEMS: The biggest issue with the Arlo cameras in general is the inconsistent clip recording length based on the motion and camera detection. This has been an issue going back to the Pro 3 and Ultra 2 I first used. If the camera detentions motion, person, etc. it will start to record but for how long? That varies. Sometimes it will be 30 seconds, sometimes it will be 15 seconds, sometimes it runs for minutes with no motion after the first couple seconds or sometimes it stops recording too early with movement still going on. The range of the sensors on the cameras are roughly 25 feet. If you have them mounted higher off the ground near the gutter, this range is probably more like 15-20 feet reliably. You can adjust the sensitivity settings within the app and create zones but it doesn’t always work. Another complaint I have is the price of Arlo’s accessories and subscription plans. The cost to buy accessories for the cameras is high. $50 for a 25-foot charging cable or $40 for two magnetic mounts is ridiculous. Thankfully third parties have come to the rescue and offered reasonable priced options that work just as well. The subscription plans are required for full use of the camera's features which isn’t surprising anymore but with the cost of the system, one would think they would offer more of a trial period or a lower monthly subscription cost. Just budget for the Plus plan because the cloud storage and the motion detection features are almost a must on these systems. It’s just unfortunate to pay over $200 a year to use all the features of this camera kit. OVERALL: The Arlo Ultra 3 is a decent security system that is an incremental improvement over the Ultra 2 released a couple years ago. I still believe there are other options available that offer more reliable performance with similar image quality. It’s a great DIY security system that can help you protect your house and investments but it’s not perfect and can make false detections or miss detections entirely. I would recommend the Ultra 3 if the extra resolution would be beneficial to your use case but the updated Pro 6 is still a solid option. The smart integration with Amazon Alexa, or Google Home is a nice integration with smarter homes. Just keep in mind the extra cost for adding cameras, accessories, or the subscription service to get all the features for these systems.

Great cameras! Very easy to use. Incredibly strong magnet. And high quality footage. I love them!

Full disclosure, I have been an owner and user of Arlo security cameras since they released their first-generation camera system as well as several different generations and versions of their cameras for the better part of a decade. And during that time, I have also ventured outside of the Arlo security cameras with several different brands however, and my spouse would agree, not only are we more impressed with Arlo’s hardware and options but, for both of us, it’s about the software and features they continue to set, in my opinion, the industry standard and excel in technological advancements. This continues to remain true with Arlo’s latest Ultra 3rd Generation security camera bundle which continues their commitment to high-end, wire-free, user friendly home security monitoring and recording. While sticking with and advancing their flagship 4K HDR resolution that sets the Ultra series aside from other versions, this third-generation Ultra model focuses on refining performance, connectivity, and usability not only from its predecessor but also from their competitors. This bundle includes three cameras, 4 batteries and a dual charger for minimal potential down time, and their enhanced dual-band Wi-Fi smart hub that you can install a micro-SD in for local storage which is a welcome upgrade as some previous versions of the hub did not have this option. After charging the batteries, connecting the smart hub and installing/upgrading the pre-existing cameras to my current system, I was ready to test it all out and compare them to my previous generation and competition. Perhaps one of my favorite things about the Arlo line is the layout and user interface of their smartphone application. In comparison to other manufacturers, I have always found their app more user friendly from the initial set up to everyday usage. My wife, who is not as tech saavy as I am, feels the same way and actually tells me she hates using the other security camera apps hence why she was actually excited about me replacing and upgrading where existing cameras were already located at our house. The Ultra 3 camera’s 4K High Dynamic Range (HDR) video provides incredibly sharp footage and is perfect for users who prioritize high visual detail. Combine their high-end video with the 180° field of view with advanced de-warping to minimize the “fisheye” effect, I personally haven’t seen or used home security cameras with clearer footage. The cameras and software are also packed with additional technology which is even more impressive than the video itself. This includes enhanced motion detection using dual motion sensors which works great with their object and person detection, again, better than the other brands I have used over the years. Using the integrated LED spotlight on each of the cameras, they can illuminate the scene enabling the camera to record full-color video at night or in the dark making details like clothing color or vehicle features much easier to identify than traditional black-and-white infrared footage. Although not required, one important option I would suggest investing in is their smart artificial intelligence (AI) detection that requires a minimal subscription and a free trial period. The system uses AI to distinguish between people, vehicles, packages, and animals, significantly reducing irrelevant alerts and ensuring you are notified only about genuine security events. This has reduced the amount of “false alarms” significantly considering we have trees and flags in some of our monitored areas that move often when the winds are high. This AI pairs well with the auto-zoom and tracking features that can focus in on moving objects allowing you to see more details on potential threats. Overall, the Arlo Ultra line of security cameras delivers the most user friendly yet technologically advanced wire-free security experiences on the market. The clarity of the 4K video is excellent for capturing fine details, and the 180° view provides exceptional coverage and the color night vision is amazing. I would recommend their security monitoring systems to anyone in the market for a durable, incredibly made, high-end and user-friendly product.

I have a few issues, charging with 1st kit, 2 different cube chargers 2 different volt/amp ratings, battery docking station requires and Hub requires one, directions are vague, incomplete, problems with solar panel, 1 was bad out of box, these units have outdoor weather related issues on cloudy days and in chicagoland area of severe cold, solar panels wont charge below 32F. Information on all these details was not available at time if Purchase

I have been using Arlo cameras for a few years for my home security. The Ultra 3 have some great improvements all around. From the wider field of view, HDR, and USB port. I think the best way to describe using them, is that they are low maintenance, which should be a great selling point for anyone in the market for cameras. Once you have things set up, the only thing you need to worry about is the battery. Even in busy areas though, the battery life has been great for me. The camera I put in my driveway sees the most traffic. So, it does use a bit more battery than my backyard camera. But both have been doing very well. I purchased a solar panel charger for the driveway camera, so I don't have to worry about it at all. It just stays in its mount and lets me know of any activity. - Setup and Software One of my favorite things about the Arlo cameras, is that setup is also very easy. The app will easily walk you through the process. Once you have the cameras paired and updated, you can customize a dashboard with your available cameras for easy access. After you have your cameras in place, you can set activity zones that allow you to only get notified based on. For instance, I set a zone for my driveway, but not in the street, so I don't get notifications for every car that passes by, just any activity in my driveway. In those zones, the cameras can identify certain things, like people, animals, or vehicles to let you know what sort of activity it's seeing. I also appreciate the notifications that include little GIF-like previews of what activity it detected. - Hardware The Ultra 3 cameras themselves are a nice upgrade for me as well. I especially like that the cameras now have USB C ports. Making charging them even easier. The swapable batteries have always been nice, and the included charging base is very useful for keeping an extra battery or two ready, if needed. The image quality is great too. Including the color night vision. I really like that Arlo continues to improve with firmware updates as well. I think the only thing I don't really like about this setup is having to use a base station. While it's easy to set up and use, I would rather not have an additional piece of hardware that I have to try and position to where it's out of the way, but still in range. Pros: Excellent features, great video quality, two-way audio, USB C charging, nice charging dock Cons: Requires the base station. Subscription is also required for some of the rich notifications and object detection, although the pricing is not bad.

I have been a long-time owner of Arlo cameras, dating back to the Pro 2 model, and later added the first Ultra 2K camera when it came out. Arlo has continuously updated and improved their cameras with each new model, and the new Ultra 4K HDR camera continues that trend. Because it’s 4K, it does require the Arlo hub, which provides a wireless connection to the cameras, and the hub is wired via the included ethernet cable directly to either your internet modem, or in my case, a mesh Wi-Fi router. Fortunately, the Ultra 3-Camera Wireless 4K HDR Security Camera (3rd Gen) Bundle comes with everything you will need to set up the entire surveillance system for your home or small business. Last but not least, the bundle comes with a sturdy yard sign, warning intruders that you’re protected by Arlo surveillance. The system does require an internet connection for full functionality. Included in the package are three wireless 4K HDR cameras (with battery and spotlight-capable), the Arlo Smarthub, a dual battery charger, cables and power plugs, and even a spare camera battery. Also included are two magnetic camera mounts, and a swivel post mount. Setup instructions are simple and easy-to-understand by scanning a QR code on the box to initially set up the required Arlo Secure smartphone app, which will guide you through the remainder of the installation. I was did have to perform firmware updates during my installation. I should mention that the Arlo Secure smartphone app ties all my cameras into one convenient monitoring system, including the older Arlo cameras that I bought years ago. An optional solar panel can be attached to each camera separately, eliminating the need to ever manually recharge the batteries. Built into the app is the option of sharing any or all your cameras with anyone with your explicit permission, provided they install the app on their smartphone as well. Arlo includes a 30-day full trial of their multi-featured Secure Plan, which turns your system into a powerhouse security system. I won’t elaborate on every feature with the paid plan, but even if you do not select a plan, you can still use your smartphone app to view your cameras at any time, day or night. Even without cloud storage included with a security plan, video can be captured to a micro-SD card located in the base of the Smarthub. The numerous features of the camera and the system are listed and described in the product description, so I won’t repeat those here. While home security is a major reason for owning such a system, one could easily discover other uses. We initially purchased our first Arlo camera to keep an eye on our pets when we were away from home. The system can be integrated into your smart home, using apps like Amazon Alexa or Google Home, just to name a few. One of the features I appreciate most is the 180-degree field of view with this particular camera. I can now see the entire street in front of our home, including the driveway and sidewalks leading up to the front door. One can alternatively choose Wide (155 deg.) and Full (120 deg.). We used the second 4K HDR camera overlooking our backyard, and finally the third camera inside the home looking at the front door. It is so convenient to be able to check the status of our home any time we are away. The 4K image quality looks sharp and contrasty with good color, although it does tend to degrade as you zoom in on the app. Night vision similarly looks good as well, with options to "see in the dark" using infrared and aided by optional spotlights. The Arlo Ultra Security Camera bundle and app is a mature product, and Arlo has a proven reputation for manufacturing reliable and functional surveillance products for your home. You can trust you’re getting the latest technology, e.g. dual band Wi-Fi for reliable connections, weather sealing for outdoor use, etc. Purchasing the package bundle not only simplifies installation, but it also saves money. Highly recommended!

Arlo makes an excellent line of affordable high-quality home security cameras. Setup is straight forward and super simple, with a walk-thru wizard from within the Arlo secure app. I was uncertain if this new Arlo Ultra gen 3 would be compatible with a previous Arlo Ultra gen 2 hub or if I would have to maintain 2 different systems. Fortunately the existing 5 camera system was capable of easily clicking the “+” add device button. One niggle I’d seen before remains, that being initial battery charge, + add device, but instead of auto sense and setup the camera, each of the 3 required manual setup, as easy as taping the red Sync button adjacent to the USB-C port on the bottom of the unit. Image quality is slightly improved from the Arlo Ultra gen 2 4k UHD cameras of 2-years prior, however HDR and low-light resolution appears more noticeable to me. My wife is a camera junkie, monitoring the system outdoor / indoor frequently throughout thee day, primarily in-house local NVR. We use a hybrid tri-system ecosystem, between USB-C wired and wireless Ubiquiti UniFi cams, as well as Eufy and Arlo wireless integrated systems. I do notice a slight delay on all 3 WiFi systems, which is to be expected compared to PoE hard-wired systems strongly preferred, yet seldom practical. Of primary interest here, and a great benefit for us is the Apple HomeKit integration, something UniFi does NOT offer. I was hopeful to have footage recorded without the Arlo subscription, but not accessible out-of-the-box. Oddly, just 1 of the 3 (2nd one paired ) offered an option to name it in Apple HomeKit, though all 3 automagically appear alongside existing Arlo cams. I was unable to get these to Work with Apple HKSV Secure Video service, perhaps because Arlo does not support RTSP real-time streaming protocol. I am embarking on using Home Assistant and Scryptd and will write a new review later if successful. PROS: +4k UHD res +USB-C charging +superb build quality +wireless connectivity +wide angle field of view +stronger WiFi than Eufy cams CONS: -Arlo account required for recording -Approximately 2 second delay (likely my wifi) -All 3 required manual pairing (maybe hub location) CONCLUSION: This is a mixed bag for me. The image quality is impeccable, setup is an absolute breeze, the Arlo Secure app is well polished, and easily armed. It offers privacy zones, motion alert notifications, everything that you would expect. The main downside is the requirement for a monthly or annual subscription to unlock the full suite of features. More work is required if you’d like to sidestep their monthly fees, yet hope to review recorded content outside of using the micro-SD card (not included) inserted in the base station. BUY if you do not have the ability to run Ethernet and want simplicity of wireless cameras with pristine 4k UHD HDR images, BUT bypass this system if you do not plan to subscribe to Arlo’s monthly plan.

I have experience with an Arlo Essential Outdoor security camera already so when I saw Arlo was dropping a 4k set with the Smart Hub I decided to give it a try. It comes with four camera batteries and a two place charger so I charged all four batteries before I attempted to connect them to the app. Took a couple hours per pair to charge so allow time for that. The included quick start guide was a little thin on info but it didn’t matter because the Arlo app walks you through the setup process step by step. Only snag I ran into was when it asked me to exit the app and make sure my mobile device and the Smart Hub were connected on the same wifi. The Smart Hub is connected by an included Ethernet cable to my router and it emits a wifi signal but when I attempted to join that signal it asked for a password that I didn’t have. A quick internet search revealed that many people tried to do what I did and nobody found the password because it’s not needed. Just make sure your mobile device is connected to your normal wifi and that’s all it wanted. It wasn’t very clear in the instructions but now you know not to do that! Once the hub was set up then I was able to add each camera from the kit. I was also able to add my Essentials Outdoor camera since it’s compatible with the Smart Hub. The set comes with a free 30 day trial so you can try out many of the features but the trial only applies to the cameras in the kit, my Essentials Outdoor camera would only show a live view and send motion detections, cameras will not save video clips without purchasing a subscription. The Smart Hub has a slot for a micro SD card, I added a card and formatted it but I still wasn’t able to save clips to it without a subscription. The kit comes with two magnetic mounts and one screw on mount. The magnetic mounts only need one screw each to mount so they’re pretty quick to install. I didn’t want to drill holes just yet so I improvised a mount using a Best Buy Insignia Action Camera suction cup mount to a smooth aluminum column on my front porch and mounted the other two cameras on tripods in my garage and basement. I set up the cameras to detect people, vehicles, animals, and packages. Those settings are per camera so you can select just what you need to minimize false triggers. I also enabled the zoom feature with allows the camera to zoom in when it detects motion. My camera on the porch is looking back at the front door and has a window in view. If it sees the reflection of a car driving by it will first zoom towards the window and then zoom towards the street as the actual car comes into its view so that seems to work. Be careful choosing your mounting locations if you want to minimize that. You can also set up zones that the camera will ignore if you’re getting too many false alarms from a reflection like that or a plant blowing in the breeze. I did set up facial recognition. It asked me to upload a few pictures of people I wanted it to recognize and I noticed not long after that it was naming the people in the motion already. That’s cool and creepy at the same time! It has a harder time identifying a person wearing a hat but that may be because my camera is mounted up near the porch ceiling and the ideal mounting height was listed as being about chest level. I understand it can identify vehicles as well but I don’t have any cameras facing the road at the moment. These cameras record motion events only, if you wanted to enable continuous video recording then you have to purchase AC power cables separately to power the cameras and it requires an additional subscription currently listed at a cost of either $14.99 for 14 days or $29.99 for 30 days PER CAMERA. It only records to the cloud, there’s no way to download video clips, and it only records in 1080p. This is probably not the camera set to buy if you want to record 24/7 365. Battery life on the cameras is determined by how often they are triggered by motion to record. My camera at the front door went from 100% to 90% in four days since we use that door the most, my camera in the garage was at 96% in the same span since it wasn’t triggered as often. My camera in the basement however was facing my 3D printer while it was running and the larger movements kept triggering motion events so it’s down to 60% already after logging just over 300 motion events per day over the same four day span. Picture quality is good, identifying people on the porch or vehicles passing is possible but don’t expect to read license plate numbers on cars driving past. I’m not sure how I feel about the magnetic mounts. They do make for an easy 1 screw install but they would also be easy to grab and walk away with if they’re mounted low enough to reach. Each camera has a 1/4-20 threaded hole so they could be mounted using that if you purchase additional screw mounts. I think this set would be good for someone that wants to monitor a job site or if you have contractors working inside your home. With them not requiring wiring of any sort to each camera they could be mounted anywhere within range of the Smart Hub and keep track of the workers or materials. They are all equipped with mics and speakers making two way communication possible. There’s about a three second lag to the video but the audio has very little delay. Everything is done through the app, it’s fairly easy to navigate. It took me a minute to find the motion detection settings since they’re located under the settings (click the person icon at the top left of the home page) then select locations and plans. I kept looking for it under the camera settings but it’s not there. Smart detection settings are there also. Package detection works well for me. Actually, every day where I leave for work I get a notification that a package has been detected since my lunchbox is squarish shaped. My wife leaving with her tote bag is detected as a person or my son leaving for school with a backpack is only detected as a person. I did have a delay sometimes of up to a minute between motion and the notification appearing on my mobile device. The set has an option for custom detection so it can notify you if something like a gate in its view is left open. I wasn’t able to test that since my fence is removed right now for a remodel. I think this a good camera set for a very specific use case but you’re going to have to be ok with maintaining a subscription to access anything other than live views. Probably not the camera set you want if you’d like to record 24/7.

This new Arlo Ultra 3-Camera System is exactly what I hoped it would be and more. Fast, super high quality, reliable, and easy to manage. It got here quickly, and is securely packed with everything fitted tightly in custom inserts. It’s so well packed that once you take it all out, it won’t be easy to put it back exactly the same way, lol. The box includes three Ultra 4K HDR cameras, four rechargeable batteries, a dual charging station, an Arlo SmartHub, two power cords (one for the base and one for the charger), two magnetic wall mounts, a yard sign with an aluminum post and screws if you want to mount it to a wall, a window sticker, and a quick-start guide. Everything is wrapped and protected perfectly. It took about five to ten minutes just to get all the plastic and film off, which honestly made it feel like I was unboxing something high-end, not just opening a box of electronics. Right away you can tell these are built extremely well. The cameras feel solid, heavy in a good way, and the finish looks like it’s made to last outside through any kind of weather. And as an existing Arlo customer, who has used their cameras for some time, I can tell you that they do endure the rough Midwest climate very well. The design feels really well thought out too. The new concave magnetic mounts are especially nice. Instead of just sticking to the side, the camera sits slightly into the mount, which lets you tilt it in pretty much any direction you want, up, down, or side to side, without feeling like you’re forcing it. The magnets are strong, and the connection feels secure but still easy to remove when you need to swap batteries. Setup is pretty easy, but it might help to have a friend help if you plan to install the camera to anywhere you need to get a ladder to reach. You just download the Arlo Secure app, plug in the SmartHub, and follow the on-screen instructions. The app walks you through every step, and you can even see live video while you’re adjusting each camera so you can get your angles perfect before locking them in. Everything connected the first time without any issues. I’d recommend fully charging all the batteries before setting things up. The dual charging dock only holds two at a time, which is fine, but since this set includes four batteries total, it would’ve been great if they made a three or four slot charger. That said, having an extra battery in the box is a big plus because you can always keep one charged and ready to go. It doesn’t come with a separate USB-C cable for direct charging, but that’s easy enough to work around if you already have one. I’ve been using Arlo cameras for several years now and have always trusted their reliability, and this system definitely lives up to that same standard. The build quality, the software, and the ease of use are all top of the line. Once these are mounted and connected, and you have your app set up, you really don’t have to do much else.. They just monitor things and keep you more secure than you were before. The app tells you when the batteries get low, and it only takes a minute to swap them out. Everything about this setup feels well made of the highest quality. The picture quality is absolutely incredible. The 4K HDR image is bright, crisp, and detailed, and the 180-degree field of view covers a huge area without losing clarity at the edges. You can zoom in right from the app and still see everything clearly, which makes it great for checking details like license plates or faces, or animals in your yard. The built-in spotlight is bright enough to light up a driveway or backyard, and it helps the color night vision stay full and vibrant even in complete darkness. The siren is loud and effective if you ever need to trigger it manually. Audio performance is excellent too. I tested it out with my friend and the two-way talk feature sounds clear both ways, and it feels natural when you’re using it. It was a windy day, and I’ll say that the dual microphones cut down on wind and background noise really well, which makes it much easier to have a conversation with somebody at your front door. The Arlo Secure app is powerful and full of options. You can set up routines that arm or disarm automatically when you leave or come home, or change motion sensitivity depending on the time of day. You can set up custom zones so you only get alerts from the areas you care about, and you can share access with family members or roommates so everyone in the household can check the cameras when needed. It integrates perfectly with Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home, and SmartThings, so if you already have smart devices, it fits right in. I’ve been an Arlo Secure subscriber for a long time, and I really like the features it includes. It can tell the difference between people, animals, vehicles, and packages, and the notifications are very accurate. I get almost no false alerts.. Except on windy days, there are a few plants that trigger it, occasionally. The cloud storage and playback work smoothly, and I like that you can scroll through clips quickly without lag or long load times. One of my favorite things about this system is how it captures wildlife. I live in an area where I get a lot of deer, rabbits, and other animals, and it’s honestly amazing to see them come through in such high detail. The 4K video makes it feel like you’re watching them in person. Motion detection is sensitive but you can adjust that, and over time you’ll find what works best for each camera. The whole system just feels premium. The design looks sleek, the app works fast, and the video feed loads quickly. The cameras can easily be repositioned if you ever want to monitor a different spot, and as long as they stay in range of your SmartHub’s Wi-Fi, they work just fine in new locations. The included yard sign is a nice touch. It has an aluminum stake, comes in a few pieces that connect together, and can either be staked into the ground or mounted flat to a wall with the screws that come with it. The window sticker is a bonus too. It looks clean and adds a nice layer of visibility to let people know your property is monitored. Overall, this Arlo Ultra 3-Camera 4K HDR system is everything I could ask for in a high-end security setup. The cameras are strong, durable, and produce amazing image quality both day and night. The app is full of features but still easy to use. The sound, the light, the motion detection, the battery life, the accessories, really , everything is perfect. It all feels complete and well thought out. I’m extremely happy with this system and I’m confident saying this is one of the best and most reliable home security camera systems you can get right now.

In the event that you desire a premium, low-hassle, outdoor camera system, the Arlo Ultra 3-Camera Wireless 4K HDR (3rd Gen) bundle has most of the basics and most of the nice-to-haves. Once these are installed on and about a front porch, a side gate and a back yard, it is only the sharpness of the image, how fast the alerts appear when tuned, and how user friendly the entire system is in everyday life that is noticeable. Setup is straightforward. SmartHub is connected to your router using Ethernet and then the app pairing flow takes you through the process, and then each camera is attached to a magnetic mount. The magnets are powerful the white finish appears neat. The placement of your hubs should be planned because the cameras communicate with the hub and not your Wi-Fi, the range varies depending on where you place your hub and what walls are in place. After everything is set, the app is good at leading the sensitivity and motion zones to avoid being flooded with notifications. The leader is video quality. The quality of true 4K with HDR is impressive, the sun and shadows on the same picture can be managed even better than 2K/1080p cameras. Faces remain readable even when they are several meters away at the point where lower cost cameras blur information and object edges appear to be sharp enough to be useful. At night license plates are still a challenge due to either glare or fast motion but with good angle and with a spotlight on you should be able to capture at least some plate characters especially in those spots where I tend to only get partial characters with 2K cameras. Night performance is strong. The in-built spotlight provides you with a color night vision when motion-triggered and this comes in handy when it comes to clothing colour and car paint in videos. IR footage is also clean and has a good contrast, and the camera does not blow out the objects that are close to the camera provided that you hold it a little higher than the eye level. HDR is more successful in subduing porch lights and car headlights than most of the competitors I have tried. The distinction between toy and tool is in alerts and AI detection, and the ones of Arlo are solid. Detection of people, vehicles, animals, and packages are usually precise, and the full-color notifications having a thumbnail preview are time-saving. Activity zones eliminate street traffic and waving trees. Simply realize that the most outstanding features are at the back of the Arlo Secure subscription. It will not provide cloud recording, smart detection, and easy sharing that most of the people will desire to get without it. It has local storage on the hub when you add a card and is able to access local clips remotely, although this is slower and more prone to pickiness than the cloud. The battery life will depend on the position of the camera and the chattiness of the motion settings. At medium sensitivity (spotlight on, 4K recording enabled) you can get going without charging for couple of months a camera on an empty backyard further switching down the dialing motion sensitivity and stricter zones could get more. Two-way audio is better than average. The two microphones minimize wind noises considerably, and voices sound loud enough to use the cameras as a front door intercom. The inbuilt siren is more than sufficient to attract attention over a short distance, although it will not take the place of a full-fledged alarm siren. Auto Zoom & Tracking is a very welcome addition when one passes through the frame; it is not flawless, but it assists in keeping the objects in focus in the busy scenes. Reliability has been good. The hub-based model appears to aid in consistency and minimizes Wi-Fi congestion to the cameras, but introduces the additional box to your installation, and uses that as the single point of failure. Live view normally launches within a few seconds, clip playback also launches fast on a modern phone. The application is refined, a little intrusive with regards to subscriptions when first starting, and the timeline view enables one to scroll through a day of events with ease. The cameras are covered by smart home integration. With live views and arming/disarming, Alexa and Google assistant live up to the expectations. HomeKit functionality is region and hub dependent, and therefore, compatibility should be confirmed before that is a necessity. Geofencing and auto-arming schedules are a great idea after installation, and I did not have any problems with two or more people sharing an account. The magnetic bases are easy to mount, but a more secure screw in mount can be considered in case the cameras are accessible. Point the cameras a bit downwards and avoid placing reflective surfaces in the foreground so that it is not glare inducing when we are at night. Try medium motion sensitivity first then add zones and refine until false notifications die down. In case of using local storage, do a test remote access using cellular data when you are still at home. What I liked Clear 4K HDR video with really handy detail and expansive field of view. Night vision in color with a bright and responding spotlight. Prompt notifications and precise smart detection with the subscription. Good design, convenient installation, and a good hub connection. Powerful two-way sound and convenient in-built siren. What could be better The Arlo Secure subscription has the best features. There is a significant battery hit at crowded entries with 4K and spotlight on. Hub placement Hubs of thick wall can have shorter range. Magnetic mounts are easy to use and not resistant to theft. Access to local storage only can be less smooth and slow than cloud. When you desire a high quality, completely wireless system with the best image, reliable alerts, and you can afford the subscription of the smart features, this bundle is worth the price. In that you do not want to pay every month, or your installation locations are too distant to access a Wi-Fi connection, then maybe you want to consider a simpler Wi-Fi camera or a wired PoE system. With the majority of households, however, three Ultras would capture the critical angles in a manner that is clear enough and actually capable of identifying people and events, rather than just making motion happen.

The Arlo Ultra 3-Camera Wireless System is a wireless security camera system that works well for a cost. This system has a base station with a MicroSD slot for local storage and secure connections to the wireless cameras. The batteries are large and fairly heavy. After a week’s use, I’m seeing battery percentages between 80 and 87%. It seems like these batteries will last maybe 5-6 weeks before needing to be recharged. I think I’m going to get the solar chargers to reduce or hopefully eliminate manual charging. The Cameras: The camera are made of thick plastic and have a very solid feel to them. They are quite heavy for their size with the batteries installed. There is a USB-C power connector on the bottom of the camera so you can charge the battery in the camera. Or you can use the included charger and extra battery and just change the battery as required. Additionally, as noted earlier, there is a solar charger that can eliminate the need to worry about the batteries. These fixed cameras do an excellent job recognizing movement and recording until it stops. I initially had a lot of trouble connecting the cameras to the base station. They would not connect until I reset the Base Station. Once I did that, the connection process worked but had additional issues with the setup. The biggest being the app would not display a picture in the setup screen intended to help you position the camera. I would just cancel that step and go to the live video feed for each camera to position. Also, it couldn't automatically detect the cameras. I had to cancel that and do the manual setup that required opening up the cameras and pushing a connect button. The App: Once the camera is mounted, you can go into the app. Along the bottom of the home screen are 5 icons – Dashboard (Home Screen), Feed, Emergency, Devices, and Routines. The Dashboard allows you to quickly arm or disarm the cameras based on the routines you set up under the Routines section. The feed is where you go to see the recordings that the cameras have taken, the Emergency icon allows you to quickly contact first responders in the event of an Emergency (Premium subscription required) The Devices screen is where you add/remove cameras, adjust settings, view live video and interact with visitors thru the cameras. The first thing I did was adjust the sensitivity of the camera and create detection zones to reduce the number of alerts I was receiving from cars driving by and people walking on the sidewalks. I get the alerts fairly quickly. I do have other cameras that are quicker to send alerts, but this one is not bad. One thing that has been bad is the amount of time it takes to download the videos to view. Sometimes I sit there for minutes on end waiting to view the videos I was just alerted to. This has been the worst part of the Arlo system so far. It takes way too long to view the uploaded videos to the app. I have fast internet at home and at work and I don’t have this issue with my other camera systems. I have a feeling this issue is caused by Arlo’s servers being slow to feed the videos. To get the most out of the camera, you need to get one of Arlo’s subscription plans. Without one, you can get alerts, view the camera live feeds and speak/listen through the cameras. You can save videos locally, but I haven’t been able to try that feature. With the Plus subscription, you get cloud storage to save recorded video, and your notifications can identify motion (person, animal, packages, cars, etc). You can save and share clips from the cloud. You also get discounts on future equipment purchases as well as extended warranties and priority support. If you get the Premium Plan, you also get 24/7 Professional Monitoring and the Emergency Response function in the apps. You also get a few other perks. This is a good camera system. It’s a bit on the costly side. I actually prefer the essential cameras to the Ultra. They are more cost effective and work just as well. The one benefit of the Ultra system is the SD card in the base station that can save videos locally. I believe it also increases the wireless connection range for larger homes. If you want to save locally or you have a larger home, this could be for you. If you plan on getting the subscription, I can’t see a reason to recommend this system over the Essential cameras.

I’m really impressed with this camera system! The 4K video quality is amazing — super clear both day and night. Setup was quick and simple, and the app is very intuitive to use. I love that it comes with a dual charging station, so I can always keep extra batteries ready. The cameras look sleek, connect reliably, and give me real peace of mind knowing everything around my home is protected. Definitely worth the price for the quality and features you get. Highly recommend!