According to the company, if you do so, you’ll get a text message within five seconds, a phone call within 30 seconds and authorities will be notified within a minute. That allows you time to stop a false alarm and not waste moments in case of a real emergency. That said, as long as there isn’t a power outage, monitoring seems to work well (and even if there is, Wyze still at least has a battery backup to maintain the local security measures).
For more help with buying security cameras from Wyze and other top brands, visit our complete security camera buying guide. This little cutie came with a nice array of features, which you’ll also find in many of the best wireless indoor cameras on the market. Other than that, though, I was extremely happy with the Wyze Cam v3 Pro. It certainly packs a lot of great features and powerful security capabilities into a tiny package. Retailing for only $53.99, I’d argue this camera is every bit as good as some of the ones I’ve seen for twice that amount. Speaking of — let’s take a look and see how it compares to some other cameras in its class.
As of this writing, the first-generation Wyze Cams are no longer available, and its software is no longer compatible with the rest of Wyze’s products. But Wyze Cam v3 Pro is a solid replacement, especially since it’s built for both indoor wyze thermostat and outdoor use. I no longer have to use a separate outdoor cover to use Wyze Cams outside, for example, which is a subtle but much-appreciated improvement. Ring does have one advantage, though, which is called Advanced Pre-Roll.
There’s still no battery power option, so you’ll need to keep the camera plugged in, and you’ll feel the strong upsell pressure here, as recording 12-second clips five minutes apart really isn’t of much value to anyone. Its cloud service pricing is also almost as cheap—and as capable—as they come. Wyze has updated its app to make navigating wyze thermostat these many features easier, and the work shows. Setup is quick; just scan a QR code displayed on your phone using the camera and make a few simple selections. Live video loads quickly, and recordings—driven by motion detection—are placed directly below the feed, with high-quality thumbnails for each clip, each denoted with its length.
The Wyze Cam Outdoor v2 is one of the cheapest outdoor security cameras with decent low-light performance and smart detection features. This battery-powered camera has basic wyze home security weatherproofing and can be mounted anywhere you like since it runs on battery power. It also brings a few improvements, such as color night vision and a wider field of view.
If you won’t benefit from the enhanced image quality, the standard Wyze Cam v3 remains a top-tier camera. But if another $20 won’t break the bank, the v3 Pro is worth the upgrade. Better resolution might not sound all that essential–until you’re struggling to figure out if that’s a neighbor in the distance… or someone with more nefarious intentions.
Products in the lineup tend to be a bit expensive and — like most other smart home cameras — lock many features behind a monthly subscription called Arlo Secure. Unfolding the camera also reveals a microSD card slot that takes cards up to 32GB in size. That enables you to turn on 24/7 recording, enough for up to three days of non-stop recordings at least.
Additionally, the V3 has an IP65 weatherproof rating, which makes it suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The Verge has also questioned Bitdefender’s decision not to disclose the security issues earlier. The company’s disclosure timeline provided in its white paper clearly shows that it quite consistently attempted to get Wyze to heed its warnings about the security flaw. But if Bitdefender understood these serious consumer risks for three years, why wait around for Wyze to get on the same page if the company seemed unresponsive? We reached out to the security company for a better understanding of this and will update our story if they respond. If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
Scan the QR code on the base of the camera to connect it to your network in seconds. Although the camera and cable are water-resistant and could potentially be used outdoors, the power adapter is indoors-only, so you will need to place your Wyze Cam V3 in reach of an outlet. Meanwhile, If you are a Wyze user and are worried about the security of your camera, you can head to the company’s official portal to check for the latest firmware.
However, it would frequently hang up when connecting to the live stream view – so I would simply restart the app to fix it. As a security camera, it’s quite basic, because there’s no distinction between what it detects, nor are there custom detection zones that can be set to reduce notifications. There are options to create time-lapse clips, along with scheduled recordings. There are better video doorbells, but the Wyze Video Doorbell Pro (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is your best option under $100. It’s easy to install, can be wired or rely on a battery, and comes with a plug-in chime that doubles as a Wi-Fi extender.