Following on from the impressive Argus security camera, Reolink has released the Reolink Argus 2, a totally wireless security camera that promises 1080p HD footage, motion detection, night vision, a two-way speaker system, and an inbuilt alarm.
What’s more, it’s offering all this for $129.99 (about £90, AU$160). That’s significantly cheaper than the Hive View, the Nest Cam IQ, and the Argus 2’s direct competitor the Arlo Pro 2.
Now, this cheap price does mean you’ll be making some compromises. The Reolink Argus 2 doesn’t have any integration with smart home setups like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or IFTTT which the Arlo Pro 2 does have. This is in the works, but according to a Reolink spokesperson "the exact timeline is not set yet".
Battery power for months
Also, while the Reolink Argus 2 claims to be ‘weatherproof’, it’s certified to IP65, which isn't totally waterproof. This is the same of level of waterproofing that the Arlo Pro 2 offers, and it basically means it can take a rain storm but you shouldn't submerge it in water. You should be fine to mount it outside though.
The wireless nature of the Argus is one of its biggest draws, and was ultimately what caused its predecessor, the original Argus to be an Indiegogo success story.
The rechargeable battery on board the Argus 2 should last between four and six months, and you’ll get notifications when the battery is low so you can recharge. If you’ve put the camera up outdoors and out of reach, there is an option to buy an additional solar panel for just $29.99 (about £20, AU$40) so you never need to recharge the camera.
Adding to the affordability is the fact that the Reolink Argus 2 has a microSD card slot for on-board video recording, saving you the subscription fees that come with video recording on many of the security cameras available on the market at the moment.
That said, storing its footage locally does make the Argus 2 vulnerable to tampering in a way which a camera that automatically uploads its footage to the cloud wouldn't be susceptible to.
Of course, a cheap product is only good value if it’s a good product, but given how impressed we were with the original Argus, we’ve got high hopes for the Argus 2. You’ll be able to read our full thoughts once we’ve had a camera in for review, but for now it looks like totally wireless security cameras have taken a step towards being more affordable.
- Want to know what your other options are? Check out: The best security camera systems for home and business in 2018
