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Arlo Essential Wire-Free

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Power source
Video and Audio
Storage options
Durability
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12 Verified Hands-On Reviews

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Expert reviews [12]

83
Total expert reviews: 12
  • with a score: 11
  • without a score: 1
Highest score by techguide.com.au
95
Average score based on 12 reviews
83
Lowest score by hardwarezone.com.sg
75

Score distribution:

80-100
60-80
40-60
20-40
0-20
80
Arlo's smart doorbell gets a wireless upgrade
The Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wire-Free is a battery-powered video doorbell that offers excellent video quality and works with a wide range of smart home devices. It is a great alternative to wired video doorbells and offers features like HDR video, motion detection, and integration with voice assistants.
+ pros
  • Sharp HDR video: The Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wire-Free offers excellent video quality with bright colors and detailed images.
  • Easy installation: The battery-powered design makes installation hassle-free without the need for dealing with wires.
  • Interoperability with smart home devices: The doorbell works with various smart home devices, including Alexa, Google Assistant, and SmartThings.
- cons
  • Requires a subscription for advanced features: To access features like video history and advanced object detection, users need to subscribe to an Arlo Smart plan.
  • No local storage options: Unlike some competitors, the doorbell does not offer local storage for video recordings.
  • No Pre-Roll video capture: The doorbell lacks the ability to capture video footage before an event occurs, unlike the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus.
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Expert consensus

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free Smart Doorbell is a highly regarded product that offers flexibility in power source options, superior video and audio capabilities, flexible storage options, and durability, making it a highly recommended choice for users who prioritize convenience and high-quality video capture.

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free Smart Doorbell is a highly regarded product that offers flexibility in power source options, making it suitable for different use cases. It can be connected to existing doorbell wiring for uninterrupted functionality or used with its built-in rechargeable battery for a wire-free installation.

The battery life, lasting up to six months, is impressive compared to other battery-powered doorbells on the market.

The video and audio capabilities of the Arlo Essential Wire-Free Doorbell receive positive reviews. It offers a high video resolution of 1536 x 1536 pixels, providing sharp and detailed footage. The 1:1 aspect ratio and 180-degree field of view offer a wide perspective, allowing users to see more of their surroundings and anyone approaching the door.

The night vision capabilities ensure clear video footage even in low-light or dark conditions.

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free is highly regarded for its superior video quality and audio capabilities. It captures clear and detailed images, even in challenging lighting conditions, thanks to its high-resolution sensor and HDR feature. The doorbell is suitable for users who prioritize sharp and detailed footage, wide field of view, night vision capabilities, and high-quality video capture in various lighting conditions.

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free offers two storage options for recorded footage: cloud storage and local storage. With an Arlo Smart plan subscription, users can access 30 days of video history and enjoy 2K recording. Alternatively, users can opt for local storage by connecting the doorbell to an Arlo Smart Hub with an attached USB storage drive.

This provides a physical backup of videos, giving users control over their video storage without the need for a subscription.

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell is designed to be durable and withstand various weather conditions. It is weather-resistant and certified to handle extreme temperatures, rain, and other harsh weather conditions. Reviewers have mentioned using the doorbell for weeks or months without any issues, suggesting its reliability and durability for everyday use.

Overall, the Arlo Essential Wire-Free Smart Doorbell is a highly recommended product that offers flexibility in power source options, superior video and audio capabilities, flexible storage options, and durability. It is suitable for users who prioritize convenience, sharp and detailed footage, wide field of view, night vision capabilities, and high-quality video capture in various lighting conditions.

Power source

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free Smart Doorbell offers the flexibility of connecting to existing wiring or using a built-in rechargeable battery, with a battery life of up to six months.

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free Smart Doorbell offers two power source options: connecting it to existing doorbell wiring or using the built-in rechargeable battery. If power is available, connecting it to existing wiring ensures a continuous power supply. On the other hand, the built-in battery provides a wire-free installation option.

The battery life of the Arlo Essential Wire-Free Doorbell can vary depending on usage. Arlo claims it can last up to six months on a single charge, but reviewers have reported a range of two to three months with heavy usage. Factors such as frequent activations, motion detection, live view, and the number of notifications received can impact battery life.

Warmer temperatures tend to extend battery life, while colder temperatures may slightly reduce it.

Overall, the Arlo Essential Wire-Free Doorbell provides flexibility in power source options, making it suitable for different use cases. It can be connected to existing wiring for a continuous power supply, ideal for users who want uninterrupted functionality. Alternatively, the built-in battery allows for a wire-free installation, making it convenient for those without existing doorbell wiring or who prefer a simpler setup.

The battery life, lasting up to six months, is impressive compared to other battery-powered doorbells on the market.

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Video and Audio

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free Smart Doorbell receives positive reviews for its high-resolution video, wide field of view, night vision capabilities, and superior audio quality.

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free Smart Doorbell receives positive reviews for its video and audio capabilities. It offers a maximum video resolution of 1536 x 1536 pixels, which is higher than many other security cameras on the market. This resolution provides sharp and detailed footage, allowing users to see objects like doormats and bricks in the path.

The 1:1 aspect ratio of the resolution also provides a wide field of view.

The doorbell offers a generous 180-degree field of view, the largest among video doorbells tested by experts. This wide angle allows users to see more of their surroundings and provides a better view of anyone approaching the door.

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free Doorbell also offers night vision capabilities, allowing for clear video footage even in low-light or dark conditions. This ensures that users can monitor their front door and capture any activity or motion during the night.

In terms of video quality, the Arlo Essential Wire-Free receives praise for its clarity and sharpness. The high-resolution sensor captures clear and detailed images, even in the back of the picture. The camera's extra resolution compared to rivals allows for clear and sharp video, especially during the day.

The HDR feature balances out scenes when lighting is uneven, resulting in high-quality video capture, even in challenging lighting conditions.

Overall, the Arlo Essential Wire-Free is highly regarded for its superior video quality and audio capabilities. It is suitable for users who prioritize sharp and detailed footage, wide field of view, night vision capabilities, and high-quality video capture in various lighting conditions.

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Storage options

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free offers both cloud and local storage options for recorded footage, allowing users to choose between convenience and physical backup.

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free offers two storage options for recorded footage: cloud storage and local storage. With a subscription to an Arlo Smart plan, users can access 30 days of video history and enjoy 2K recording for a single camera. This allows for convenient access to recorded footage from anywhere using the Arlo app on mobile devices.

Alternatively, users can opt for local storage by connecting the Arlo Essential Wire-Free to an Arlo Smart Hub with an attached USB storage drive. This provides a physical backup of videos, but it's important to note that monitoring these backups from a phone is not possible. Users would need to physically remove the microSD card and view it on another device.

In terms of local storage capacity, the Arlo Essential Wire-Free supports microSD cards of various sizes, allowing users to choose the desired storage capacity. This gives users control over their video storage without the need for an Arlo Smart subscription.

For cloud storage, the specific storage capacity is not mentioned in the available information, but it is stated that video recordings can be securely saved online for up to 30 days with an Arlo Smart subscription. This allows users to go back and view the recordings at a later date on their smartphones or tablets using the Arlo app.

Overall, the Arlo Essential Wire-Free provides flexible storage options for recorded footage, catering to both convenience and physical backup needs. The choice between cloud storage and local storage depends on the user's preferences and specific use cases. Cloud storage offers accessibility and remote access to footage, while local storage provides a physical backup and potential cost savings on subscriptions.

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Durability

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell is a durable and weather-resistant device that can withstand extreme temperatures and harsh weather conditions, making it reliable for everyday use.

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell is designed to be durable and withstand various weather conditions. It is weather-resistant and certified to handle extreme temperatures, rain, and other harsh weather conditions. While there is no specific information available on its durability, reviewers have mentioned using the doorbell for weeks or months without any issues.

This suggests that the Arlo Essential Wire-Free is built to be reliable and durable for everyday use. Whether it's protecting your home from heat, cold, rain, or sun, this video doorbell is designed to handle the elements and keep your home safe and secure.

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Position in ranking

We maintain a monthly ranking that sums up expert recommendations for all smart doorbells.

Rank Change Price Smart Doorbell
The Verge
TechRadar
Tom's Guide
Reviews.org
Wirecutter
Digital Trends
SafeWise
CNET
Security
PCMag
1
- $143
Google Nest Doorbell (battery)
The Google Nest Doorbell (battery) offers flexible power options, good video quality, and durable construction, making it a reliable choice for enhancing home security.
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4
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1
1
2
3
8
2
- $120
Google Nest Hello
The Google Nest Hello smart doorbell is highly praised for its video and audio capabilities, offering clear footage, wide field of view, night vision, and reliable communication with visitors, making it one of the best options on the market.
1
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1
1
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3
- $98
Arlo Video Doorbell 2nd Gen
-
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5
-
1
-
1
4
- $230
Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2
The Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 is a wired-only doorbell with impressive video and audio capabilities, flexible storage options, and durable construction, making it a recommended choice for users with existing wiring and a desire for detailed footage and remote communication with visitors.
6
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6
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3
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1
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Arlo Essential Wire-Free ranks #13 out of 14 in this month's ranking:
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