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We liked
The compact and circular design is unobtrusive and quite easy to accommodate, especially if you are dispensing with the optional Ethernet cable. It’s also very easy to set up and quite simple to use.
Video resolution can be set to Full HD quality, provided your network is up to the task of streaming it, so picture quality is another strong point.
Incorporating a microSD slot is another significant advantage that eliminates the need for a monthly subscription to cloud storage, while offering a better sense of security.
Users of Google alerts and Picasa will also appreciate the integration that this camera offers with those two services.
We disliked
The all-plastic build quality is not reassuring. Most of the security cameras we have tested use metal in the bracket or stand, and this camera feels a little vulnerable without that reinforcement.
It is also fiddly to install with two cables to pin out of the way. Of course, you can disregard the Ethernet cable if you plan to use a Wi-Fi connection, but we found the Wi-Fi connectivity to be particularly weak and unreliable.
We also found it a pain to have to input a password every time we wanted to adjust, or even check the live view of this camera. At times, the app is not the easiest piece of software to understand either.
Final verdict
With its appealing design, microSD storage slot and the surprise bonus of an audio out jack, this little camera is a cut above the most basic IP cameras. The 1080p video quality is decent too, capturing video clips which are reasonably crisp.
While it is easy to set up, Samsung’s camera is not the most user-friendly design we’ve tested, but it does offer enough flexibility to suit many commercial and domestic situations. The fact that it’s backed by a major brand, with good integration with products like SmartThings, Google alerts and Picasa is also reassuring.
For a fairly modest outlay, this security camera delivers a good set of features, and a reliable performance – provided you use the Ethernet cable and not Wi-Fi, that is.
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