Arlo Pro 3
High-quality security camera with spotlight and siren
The app includes useful features, such as pinch and zoom to get a better view
£549.99 FROM Arlo, arlo.com FEATURES 2K HDR, colour night vision, 160° viewing angle, smart hub, weatherproof
Arlo has been busy since its parent company, Netgear, spun it off as a separate business in 2018, and the latest addition to its range of security cameras is the Arlo Pro 3.
This new model steps up from the 1080p video recording of the Arlo Pro 2 and now offers 2K resolution (2560x1440), as well as a number of other new features. You can buy the Pro 3 as a two-camera kit for £549.99, a three-camera bundle for £749.99, or get four cameras for £899.99. (Add-on single cameras are £279.99.) It’s fair to say then that the Arlo Pro 3 is not a cheap option.
That said, the system certainly works hard to earn its keep. The compact little camera has a weatherproof casing so you can use it both indoors and outdoors, and there’s a magnetic mounting plate and screws included so you can attach it to a wall and get a good overview of your garden or driveway.
It also includes a siren and a spotlight to scare off intruders, a powerful
12X digital zoom, and colour night-vision mode for greater clarity in low-light conditions. The internal battery can be removed when you need to recharge it, but a really nice touch with this new model is the inclusion of a magnetic charging cable that simply clips onto the base of the camera when you need to quickly top up the battery.
Store charges
The Arlo app is easy to use and guides you through the installation process in only a few minutes. The 2K video quality is very good, and the app also includes some useful features, such as pinch to zoom so that you can quickly zoom in and out to get a better view on your smartphone screen.
Our only complaint is that Arlo is getting a bit mean with the cloud storage that it provides for your video recordings. Some of the other Arlo cameras allow you to store your video clips online for seven days free of charge, but the Arlo Pro 3 only includes a free threemonth trial period for online storage. After that you will only get live streaming and notifications from the camera. You’ll have to pay a subscription – starting at £2.49 for a single camera or £7.99 for up to five cameras – if you want to store your video clips and recordings online.
It is possible to store video clips on a USB storage device that can be connected to the SmartHub, but there’s still the risk that an intruder could smash or steal the hub, so many people will prefer online storage for their video recordings instead. That’s a bit irritating, because it feels like Arlo is forcing you to pay for a subscription in order to use the camera properly. However, the older Arlo Pro and Arlo Pro 2 models are still on sale if you’re looking for a less expensive option.