At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros “Water printing” technology keeps water from going where it isn’t needed New controller inspires much more confidence Can simplify your irrigation design, requiring fewer sprinkler heads Cons Watering doesn’t always hit the same mark from day to day Very weak event logging If you have an existing sprinkler system, you won’t be able to re-use those pipes Our Verdict I wouldn’t tear out my existing irrigation system to install Irrigreen, but it’s still worth a look for new homes where water is expensive or its use is restricted (which could be everywhere in the near future). Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today We took our inaugural look at the Irrigreen lawn irrigation system nearly two years ago. It’s an in-ground watering system with a unique approach to the way your sprinklers work. The manufacturer has made a handful of updates since then, including a wholesale redesign of its controller box, so we’ve re-evaluated the entire system. Before we get to the hands-on, let’s do a refresh on how and why Irrigreen is different from a traditional irrigation system. The product revolves around a smart pop-up sprinkler head that doesn’t spray water in a big circle; rather, it rotates like the hand of a clock as it “prints” water on the lawn, a few degrees at a time. This sprinkler head is based on the same design principle as an inkjet printer, which is no coincidence: Irrigreen co-founder and CTO Gary Kleinfelter helped pioneer the concept of inkjet printers and holds 35 patents on the technology. You set the maximum distance you want the spray to reach each step of the way. Mapping your yard is intuitive and straightforward and—dare I say—kind of fun. Irrigreen’s pop-up sprinkler head has 14 nozzles of varying sizes. The head can “throw” streams of water varying distances and adjust the degree of water pressure in real time, so that the spray pattern follows the precise contours of your lawn. (It’s shown here on a temporary stand for testing purposes.)Christopher Null/Foundry When the nozzle is facing north, you might spray to the maximum distance of about 30 feet (depending on your water pressure), but when you spray to the east, you might just want 15 feet of coverage because that’s where the wall of your house is. You can fine-tune your coverage zone as much as you’d like, the idea being that you can create a watering “map” that only hits your grass and plants and wastes no water on your paths and driveway. The linear spray also means that watering doesn’t overlap in the way traditional sprinklers do. A full rotation of the sprinkler head equates to 0.05 inches of water sprayed onto the lawn over the course of about 8 minutes, with multiple rotations adding to the soak level. The YouTube video below will make the concept a whole lot easier to understand. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart sprinkler controllers. None of the above has changed since our last review, and neither has the fact that installing an Irrigreen system requires trenching to install new water pipes in the ground. If you have a drip system for your flower beds you’ll need a separate setup to handle them. Irrigreen, however, still notes that most yards can get by with much less hardware than a traditional watering solution: Since its sprinkler heads are located centrally in the yard instead of at the edges of the lawn, you should be able to get by with fewer of them, and with less pipe required to connect them to your water source. How we tested the Irrigreen system Since a standard installation means digging up the yard, testing Irrigreen as a reviewer remains complicated, which is why Irrigreen provides a stopgap solution: Its digital sprinkler head can attach to a stand and a garden hose, allowing it to be placed on the lawn instead of buried underneath it. The Irrigreen Controller attaches normally to the sprinkler head via its control wire, giving testers the ability to put the solution through its paces without having to turn any earth. Again, things haven’t changed much on this front, even down to the fact that Irrigreen’s setup instructions are still largely nonexistent. A QR code directs you to Irrigreen’s website, where users can walk through the process in image form. Tip to Irrigreen: Building these instructions directly into the mobile app would be far more convenient for users than referring them to the website. Better printed instructions wouldn’t hurt, either. This new controller is a big improvement over Irrigreen’s first effort, which looked like a proof-of-concept prototype.Christopher Null/Foundry It’s during this setup process that I encountered what is arguably the biggest upgrade to the Irrigreen system: A brand-new control box that serves as the brains of the irrigation operation. The former Irrigreen controller was an industrial device built into a generic plastic case that lacked any sort of personality. The new Irrigreen Smart Controller 3 is comparatively a thing of beauty, featuring an engineered case and a streamlined interior, complete with a dot-matrix readout. Unlike the IG2, terminal posts are now hidden under a panel, keeping the interior of the box clean and uncluttered, and since controller cables can be daisy-chained to up to 16 sprinkler heads, you won’t need those anyway. In fact, you won’t likely need to deal with the box at all after initial setup, but if you do—since basic operations can be performed directly on the box, without the app—it’s much easier than before. Much like my experience with the IG2, I muddled my way through a not-at-all-complex setup and had things running in short order (albeit as a temporary setup just for this review). Irrigreen’s new app Irrigreen’s app has evolved over the last two years, but the concept remains the same. After onboarding to your Wi-Fi network (both 2.4- and 5GHz networks are supported now), you get to work configuring your zones. For each of your irrigation zones, you walk through a configuration that spins the sprinkler head through 360 degrees, while you set points on the app along the way that direct how far you’d like the water to be thrown in that direction, one step at a time. Irrigating your lawn with a sprinkler that sprays water on the grass like an injket printer sprays ink on paper is an ingenious concept.Christopher Null/Foundry This is done live, with water being sprayed while you fine-tune the distance. If water’s hitting the fence, you pull the dot corresponding to that direction back a few pixels, watching the water spray adjust in real time. Once you get things just right, it’s on to the next point. Irrigreen suggests working in 5-foot increments until you’ve gone full circle and covered the yard. After configuration, it’s time to set schedules. A bevy of scheduling options are available—certain days of the week, or only on even/odd days, for example—or you can let Irrigreen’s upgraded Auto Water system take over. Auto Water is a lot like Rachio’s Weather Intelligence, in that it takes local weather conditions and specific yard details into account to adjust the time between watering runs. Auto Water is either on for all schedules or off for all of them; you can’t manually water the lawn every Sunday night and let Auto Water do the rest. It’s difficult to tell how effective Auto Water will be without months of testing, but it does seem more capable than the more primitive version that shipped with the IG2, and it skipped runs in quick succession because it presumably knew the grass would already be wet. Irrigreen’s app lets you program watering schedules, taking current weather conditions into consideration,Christopher Null/Foundry Disappointingly, there’s no longer a good logging system to determine how much water is being used or whether watering runs have been skipped. The app tracks a week’s worth of usage (by day) while indicating when the last run happened; otherwise, there’s no way to drill down into watering cycles over a longer period of time. Another new feature is support for voice commands via Alexa: Users can now issue simple commands telling Irrigreen to start or stop watering certain zones at certain times. A handy “Quick Run” feature will also deliver 0.15 inches of water to a given zone on demand, if things are looking dry, although these runs oddly aren’t counted toward that day’s water usage total in the weekly logs. Irrigreen works well, though I did see some fluctuations in throw distance from day to day. When first calibrated, I had water tuned to hit just inches from a pathway, but on day two, the system was overspraying that point and watering a foot of the pavement. Irrigreen clearly requires some vigilance and fine-tuning to prevent such mishaps, which are presumably caused by shifts in water pressure. The more-expensive Irrigreen XP sprinkler heads, which cost an additional $90 each, are said to take that factor into account. The good news is that the price of Irrigreen hasn’t meaningfully changed: I priced out the same setup as last time around, with five standard sprinkler heads and a controller coming in at $3,330, compared to $3,280 for the IG2. That’s close enough to even for me, although it’s still pricey a system that will also require wholesale re-plumbing of your irrigation pipes to install. If you’re laying down irrigation on a new yard from scratch, the calculus will make a lot more sense. Should you buy an Irrigreen smart sprinkler system? The bottom line here really remains the same as my initial analysis: The upgrades to the controller box, new Alexa skills, and theoretically improved Auto Water system are welcome, particularly since they don’t come with a higher price tag attached. In today’s era of landscape water rationing (at least where I live), every drop of water we can save is important. Again, I can’t speak to the long-term viability of Irrigreen or its hardware (such as how well it will weather freezes), or whether it really will save the tens of thousands of gallons of water per month that it promises. But in a limited testing situation like this, it still shows plenty of promise (especially for new irrigation installations).

Watering our lawns and gardens is a thankless chore, and it can be particularly wasteful when done with a hose in one hand and a beer in the other. Irrigation systems have made home watering simpler and more efficient, and while the bulk of any sprinkler system revolves around plastic pipes (hoses and drippers with a drip irrigation system) and a set of motorized valves attached to the water supply, the brains of the operation has always been in the controller. For decades, sprinkler controllers have hardly been elegant devices. They typically consist of a rotary dial, a handful of switches, and perhaps a crude monochrome LCD. This is rapidly changing, as smart sprinkler controllers enter the market. These have come from two angles: Startups looking to disrupt the market with brand-new devices, and old-guard irrigation companies that have upgraded their gear with smart innards. Both approaches to date have shown some merit. Here are our takes on the best gear on the market today. Update November 6, 2024: We’ve added a link to our updated Irrigreen Precision Sprinkler System review, taking into account its new hardware and app following two years of manufacturer updates. The best smart sprinkler controllers Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller — Best smart sprinkler controller Pros Better Water Intelligence features improve conservation Revamped wire connectors make setup even faster Onboard controls offer easy access to manual runs Cons High-pitched squeal emanates from device Old Rachio units don’t get access to the same software treatment Expensive Best Prices Today: £350.02 at Amazon The world’s best smart sprinkler controller gets even better, with new features, better wireless connectivity, and smarter water management. (Note: There is also an 8-zone model that sells for less). Read our full Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller (16 zone) review Moen Smart Sprinkler Controller — Best smart sprinkler controller, runner-up Pros Endlessly configurable Add-on soil moisture monitor adds utility with no real added complexity Extremely detailed logging in the app Cons No physical controls Setup is rocky and archaic App can take some time to get used to Best Prices Today: £295.48 at Amazon This smart irrigation system has loads of options, especially around soil monitoring, but some will find all that flexibility difficult to wade through. Moen is in the midst of building out deep and wide smart plumbing ecosystem for the home, and while it’s not quite finished, no other manufacturer has anything comparable. Read our full Moen Smart Sprinkler Controller (16-zone) review Wyze Sprinkler Controller — Best budget-priced smart sprinkler controller Pros Cheap, a third the price of most other controllers on the market. Easy setup, especially if you just need the basics. Cons Limited to 8 zones Weatherproof housing costs extra Read our full Wyze Sprinkler Controller review Irrigreen Digital Sprinkler System — Most promising new contender Pros “Water printing” technology keeps water from going where it isn’t needed App is easy to navigate DIY is an available installation option Cons Must be installed from scratch, you can’t retrofit an existing sprinkler system Weather-driven automatic watering may not be fully baked A little rough around the edges; the Irrigreen controller, for example, is a circuit board in a box This recommendation comes with some caveats, but the Irrigreen system is so unique and innovative that it earns a qualified thumbs up. By adapting technology originally developed for inkjet printers, Irrigreen’s sprinkler system can “print” water onto your landscaping with a degree of precision that must be seen to believe, following the contours of your lawn and flowerbeds so that no water goes where it’s not needed. Tired of your sprinklers spraying water on your driveway, sidewalk, or the outside unit of your air conditioner or heat pump? That won’t happen with Irrigreen’s system. And where a conventional system would need 40 sprinkler heads to achieve full coverage of a given area, Irrigreen’s system can get the job done with just five. Now for those caveats: You can’t retrofit an existing sprinkler system, you must replace all of it. Also, Irrigreen’s controller hardware looks a little rough, and its app needs a few improvements. All that said, we’re enthusiastic about where this product is at today and what’s in store for its future via inevitable software and firmware updates. Read our full Irrigreen Digital Sprinkler System review Orbit B-hyve XD — Best hose-based smart sprinkler controller Pros Very inexpensive Smart functionality greatly eases the headache of scheduling via hardware Reasonably easy to use Cons We encountered headaches getting the Wi-Fi bridge to work properly Smart Watering features require the added-cost Wi-Fi bridge Best Prices Today: $34.98 at Lowes£89.17 at Amazon If you water your landscaping with a garden hose or a simple drip irrigation system, as opposed to an in-ground sprinkler system, Orbit’s second-generation B-hyve XD is vastly superior to conventional non-connected timers, and Orbit’s app can control several of them independently when you add the optional Bluetooth-to-Wi-Fi bridge, which we heartily recommend.  Read our full Orbit B-hyve XD review What to look for when shopping for a smart sprinkler controller Do you have a sprinkler system already? While there are a few smart irrigation controllers that will work with garden hoses or other off-the-rack equipment, most are designed to work with true irrigation controllers that connect to their own water supply and which feature motorized valves and dedicated tubing to control the flow of water. Installing a real sprinkler system can be a big task that requires professional help—particularly if you have a large yard or garden—but upgrading to a smart controller from a “dumb” one isn’t difficult. Consult with a landscaping expert first if you are installing a sprinkler system from scratch, in order to plan out your zones in advance. On-device controls: Probably the biggest single decision you need to make with a controller is whether you want a device that includes onboard controls, i.e., buttons and a readout directly on the controller that allow you to use it without an app. This can be handy if you have multiple people using the system or, especially, want to give a gardener access to the controller without having to set him or her up on the app. Systems without on-device controls generally lack any kind of display whatsoever except for a status light indicating whether it’s working, so remember you’ll need the app on your smartphone or tablet to do anything with it. Indoor/outdoor mounting: Are you mounting the unit inside or outside? If outside, you’ll need a weatherproof enclosure for the system. Some vendors sell separate indoor and outdoor versions of their controllers. Others sell an outdoor enclosure as a separate add-on. Number of zones: In irrigation parlance, a zone is an area controlled by a valve and its connected irrigation tubing. If you have four valves, you have four zones. Your controller needs to have enough capacity to support all the zones in your system. Eight zones is common, but units supporting as few as six zones and as many as 16 zones are currently on the market. Scheduling flexibility: How often do you want to water? Every day? Every other day? On specific days of the week? Not every controller can handle complex schedules, so look closely at your options before buying. A few controllers can even import legal watering restrictions information for your zip code, to ensure you aren’t watering on prohibited days. Notifications: It’s helpful to be notified when your watering system is running, but different products deal with the mechanics differently. Push notifications are common, but many only notify you when the watering has completed, not when it starts (which is arguably more useful). Other forms of notification (email, text) aren’t common, so consider a unit that supports IFTTT if you want to get fancy with notifications. “Smart” scheduling: Once of the great promises of smart watering systems is that they can take into account your local weather and environment to optimize your water delivery. We’ve found that these don’t work all that well (they have a tendency to over-water), though options that skip watering when it rains can be a bonus feature. Otherwise, there’s not too much of a need to put weight on so-called “smart” scheduling features. Smart-home hub support: Want to tie your sprinkler system into your smart-home hub? Sounds great, but the reality is that most smart sprinklers exist as islands today: Only a few connect to anything at all, though Amazon’s Alexa has a modicum of support. Expect this to change as these products mature.

Home security systems—once the exclusive domain of high-priced professional installers—have never been more affordable, and the hardware and software is simpler, more intuitive, and easier to set up than ever before. We have other roundups that name the best smart home hubs and components—everything from the best smart bulbs to the best smart speakers—but in this roundup, we name the best do-it-yourself home security systems. DIY home security systems come in a variety of types, ranging from standalone intrusion-detection setups to multi-input monitoring systems. They offer a sliding scale of protection levels from push-notifications on your smartphone to 24/7 professional monitoring capable of dispatching first responders in an emergency. Choosing the best option for your home and your budget can be tricky, but our roundup brings you the best of the field to make your selection simple. Why you should trust us TechHive’s editors and contributors have been building out their own smart homes for many years, and we continuously evaluate the latest hardware and software. We’ve experienced the great products, the not-so-great products, and everything in between. You can trust us to guide you to the right system for your needs. Update, November 5, 2024: We’ve updated our Arlo Home Security system review in its entirety to reflect our experience with the latest version Arlo’s latest software and firmware–Arlo Secure 5–as well as Arlo’s latest subscription options. The best DIY smart home systems Ring Alarm Pro (8-piece kit) — Best DIY home security system Pros Very easy to set up An integrated Wi-Fi 6 router renders it a fantastic value Good Wi-Fi performance, and its range can be expanded with Eero mesh nodes Expandable battery and broadband backup features Cons Falls a little short of being an all-purpose smart home hub Subscription required for local video processing and storage Zigbee radio is still dormant, and there’s no Thread radio Why we like the Ring Alarm Pro Even though Ring has switched its professional monitoring option to an à la carte plan that will result in a de facto $10-per-month price increase for most users in one year (existing users were grandfathered into a cheaper plan, so there cost won’t go up immediately), you won’t find a more comprehensive collection of products or a better value in DIY home security. Some plans include 24/7 recording for an unlimited number of Ring security cameras (a limited number of wired models). And the Ring Alarm Pro also features an integrated Eero Wi-Fi 6 mesh router. Given that Ring Alarm systems also have Z-Wave and Zigbee radios on board (although the Zigbee radios are currently dormant), they make for the beginnings of a kick-ass smart home hub, with the Works with Ring program adding support for numerous third-party products, including smart locks, garage-door controllers, in-wall light switches, smart thermostats, and other smart home devices. It’s not quite as powerful a smart home hub as a Samsung SmartThings Station, but it will take you most of the way there. Who should buy the Ring Alarm Pro The Ring Alarm Pro is for anyone looking for a smart home security system that offers the option of professional monitoring. Ring also makes best-in-class video doorbells and security cameras, and when you plug an inexpensive endurance-rated microSD card into the Ring Alarm Pro, you get local storage and processing of all the video those cameras capture. The hub also serves as a bridge for Ring’s smart lighting products. If you don’t need to upgrade your home’s Wi-Fi router, and you don’t mind using a discrete bridge for your Ring smart lighting products, take a long look at the Ring Alarm (2nd Generation), which has everything but the router and the bridge. Read our full Ring Alarm Pro (8-piece kit) review Abode Iota — Best DIY home security system, runner up Pros Setup is as streamlined as it gets, and its all-in-one design makes it even more foolproof Pricing is solid, at least for a smaller home Plenty of thoughtful extras, including wireless connectivity and battery backup Apple HomeKit compatible Cons Integrated camera’s 1080p resolution is no longer impressive Integrated siren isn’t as loud as we’d like Best Prices Today: £572.88 at Amazon Why we like the Abode Iota The Abode Iota takes the original Abode home security system we reviewed in 2018 and incorporates a 1080p security camera and motion sensor into a smal enclosure. Like the original Abode system, which remains on the market, the Iota can operate as a capable smart home hub, having Zigbee and Z-Wave radios on board; plus, LTE backup in case your usual broadband connection fails (this requires a subscription). It’s also compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, and IFTTT. Abode offers its own smart retrofit deadbolt, and its third-party device support is comparable to Ring’s, including control over Philips Hue smart lighting devices, Ecobee smart thermostats, and even Sonos speakers. You can monitor the system yourself, or sign up for professional monitoring at $24.99 per month or $229.99 per year. Who should buy the Abode Iota? The Abode Iota is a strong value because you’re getting a smart home/home security system and a home security camera all in one box. The Abode Iota is broadly compatible with all the important smart home ecosystems, and if you spring for a subscription, you’ll get LTE backup in case your usual broadband connection fails. The hub has a battery-backup feature that keeps it operating in the event of a power failure, too. Read our full Abode Iota review Arlo Home Security System — Best DIY home security system, 2nd runner-up Pros Sensors perform 6 functions in addition to reporting open/close state Professional monitoring available for as little as $10 per month (albeit with significant caveats) Attractive industrial design Cons Confusing array of subscription plans No third-party device support Arlo’s AI doesn’t add any value–yet Why we like Arlo Home Security Arlo is something of a rarity in DIY home security systems, in that you can opt to pay nothing for the product up front. Instead, you can finance an assembly of components over 3 years at zero percent interest, with the option of adding professional monitoring at a reasonable cost. We really like Arlo’s unique 8-function sensors that can detect if a door or window is opened, whether or not a room is occupied, if water is accumulating where it shouldn’t be, if ambient light levels indicate you forgot to turn a lamp on, and more. That said, Arlo’s array of subscription plans can be confusing, but our in-depth review lays all that out for you. Who should buy an Arlo Home Security System Whether or not cost is a barrier to entry for you, the Arlo Home Security System–especially with an optional professional monitoring plan–offers a comprehensive means of protecting your valuable property. Unlike the products from Ring and Abode, this system can’t also control smart home product, but it’s very easy to use and is very reasonably priced. Read our full Arlo Home Security System review SimpliSafe The Essentials — Best DIY home security system, 3rd runner-up Pros One of the quickest, easiest DIY setups you’ll encounter Attractive industrial design Self and professional monitoring options available Cons No support for smart lighting or any third-party products SimpliSafe can be slow to update key components (but SimpliSafe’s new indoor camera is great) Best professional monitoring plan is expensive at $30 per month Best Prices Today: $219.96 at SimpliSafe Why we like SimpliSafe SimpliSafe is an apt name for this sophisticated yet easy-to-use home security system. The starter kit we reviewed consists of a central hub, three door/window sensors, a motion sensor, a keypad for arming/disarming the system, and a wireless indoor security camera. You can customize your installation with anything else you might need, including indoor and outdoor cameras, a smart lock, glass-break sensors, leak and freeze sensors, a video doorbell, and more–and all these add-ons are very affordable. The hub has both battery and cellular backups, so you’re protected in the event of both power and broadband outages. You can use either the included keypad or a keyfob to arm and disarm the system. With SimpliSafe’s professional monitoring, $30 per month, an agent can use the system’s security cameras to verify and monitor a break-in and can even warn an intruder that they’ve been detected. Who should buy SimpliSafe Anyone looking for an affordable, strictly home security system–in other words, one that cannot also control the broader universe of smart home devices such as lighting, thermostats, and other home components should take a look at what SimpiSafe has to offer. This is one of the easiest to install alarm systems we’ve encountered, and it performs extremely well. But part of what makes it so simple is the fact that you can’t integrate any third-party products with it. Read our full SimpliSafe The Essentials review Minut Smart Home Alarm — Best security system for vacation rentals Pros Monitors noise levels Alerts to the sound of smoke/CO detector alarms Infrared occupancy sensor Temperature and humidity sensor Provides security without relying on cameras Cons Very limited smart home integration Third-party monitoring costs extra Why we like Minut This all-in-one device offers the assurance of home security without relying on privacy-intrusive home security cameras. In place of video, its onboard sensors monitor a room for the presence of crowds and high noise levels that indicate your guests are having a disruptive party with the potential for annoying your neighbors and increasing the likelihood of property damage. You can buy the device for $50, plus $120 per year for the ongoing service; or you can spend $180 for service and get the device at no cost. The higher-priced service includes some extra features that might or might not be worth your while. Who should buy Minut The Minut Home Security System is suited to any home, but it will be particularly attractive to people who own rental and vacation-rental properties. In addition to monitoring noise levels, it can detect temperature, the presence of cigarette smoke, and humidity levels that increase the risk of mold. The device can be integrated with Airbnb and other property-management systems, too. Read our full Minut Smart Home Alarm review What to look for when shopping for a DIY home security system Wired vs. wireless hub connection Many smart hubs must connect to your wireless router via an ethernet cable, which limits their placement and, of course, requires a free ethernet port on your router or switch. That can be an issue with puck-shaped routers that have just two ethernet ports–you’ll need to buy an ethernet switch to have enough ports. A smaller number of hubs are wireless and can be placed anywhere in range of the router, increasing your flexibility. Sensor range If your home is large or spread out, you’ll need to pay attention to the range that the hub’s sensors support. Hubs may support a wide array of connection protocols, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, and Zigbee, all of which have very different ranges. As with a wireless router, smart hub range can also be impacted by interference and device placement, and smart home devices themselves have different specs, as well. Take the time to look into the detailed specs to be sure sensors and third-party devices will work with your home’s infrastructure. Battery backup If the power goes out, your smart lights won’t be useful anyway; but other smart home features, like security sensors, rely on a hub that’s always powered on. Some smart home smart hubs feature battery backups (thanks to rechargeable or disposable cells). Even a short power outage can cause a significant delay while the hub reconnects, so a battery backup makes sense in many home environments. If you like everything else about a particular hub that lacks a battery backup option, consider investing in an uninterruptible power supply to plug it into. Mobile app usability You’ll probably be interacting with your hub primarily through its mobile app, so you’ll want one that’s intuitive and powerful, with all the key features you use front and center. App-store screen shots and, of course, our reviews can help you get a sense of what you’re dealing with on the app side of things. Overall complexity This is a companion consideration to the mobile app, relating primarily to the audience for whom the smart home system was developed. Is the system geared toward everyday users with limited customization needs? Or is it built with extreme flexibility in mind, to the point where the configuration decisions might overwhelm a novice user? Again, close attention to our reviews can help you gauge how comfortable you’re likely to feel with any system. Sensor support A companion consideration to the device support issue above, if you’re in the market for a DIY home security system, you’ll want one that supports all the sensors you need. Most security hubs only work with the sensors made by the same manufacturer, so you can’t mix and match as you would with a general-use smart home hub. Some security systems offer only a very narrow range of sensor types, while others have a wide variety to choose from. You’ll want motion and door/window sensors at a minimum. For added security, consider buying freeze, water leak, humidity, smoke and/or carbon monoxide sensors, garage-door, and glass-break sensors. Make sure the smart home hub you buy supports all the sensor types you wish to deploy. Cellular radio backup A security system that can be knocked out of commission by simply disabling your broadband connection doesn’t provide much protection. The best systems will include a cellular backup module that kicks in when your usual broadband connection drops. You should also carefully consider the battery backup consideration above, which is essential for dealing with power outages and is a standard feature on most security-focused hubs. Professional monitoring If you don’t want to monitor your own security system 24/7, you’ll at least want the option to engage with a professional security company that can keep tabs on it for you when you’re out on a walkabout. These invariably cost extra, which leads to our final consideration…. Service plan costs Service plan costs vary widely from system to system, and many vendors offer a range of plans to choose from. Some systems will work without a service plan at all, allowing you to self-monitor. Some require a plan to function at all. Also note that lower-tier service plans might provide only cloud storage for your security cameras. Wyze Labs offers one of the least-expensive plans: $9.99 per month with no long-term commitment, or $99.99 for a full year. Price out service plans carefully, taking the overall quality of the system into account, before you pull the trigger. Other notable smart home systems we’ve reviewed We’ve evaluated lots of other DIY smart home systems. If none of our top picks check all the boxes for you, take a look at these other products. Abode Smart Security Kit is virtually the same as the Abode Iota Security Kit, with the key difference being the integrated security camera integrated into the latter product. Both packages use the same accessories and sensors and support the same monitoring plans. Ecobee takes an interesting approach to home security, integrating its smart home hub into the company’s top-shelf smart thermostat. Ecobee also has a great home security camera, and the entire system is HomeKit compatible. Tapo H100 Smart Hub is a budget-priced home security that’s compatible with a very limited number of security products from the same manufacturer, and it doesn’t support security cameras at all. It’s main attraction is its low price tag. Roku Home Monitoring SE is yet another low-priced home security system, but with a twist: Roku sources this system from Wyze Labs and puts the Roku brand on it. Affordable professional monitoring is available. Wyze Home Monitoring is the same system as the Roku Home Monitoring SE, but Wyze manufactures both products. This is a low-cost security system with an extremely affordable professional monitoring subscription.

At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Sensors perform 6 functions in addition to reporting open/close state Professional monitoring available for as little as $10 per month (albeit with significant caveats) Attractive industrial design Cons Confusing array of subscription plans No third-party device support Arlo’s AI doesn’t add any value–yet Our Verdict Arlo’s home security system is highly flexible, and the company offers a variety of ways to pay for it and its related services. But buyers should take the time to understand just which arrangement is most appropriate for them. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Long known for its excellent home security cameras, Arlo introduced its first DIY home security system in late 2022. Distinguished by its multi-function sensors that can do everything from detect whether a door is open or closed to alerting you to a water leak, an Arlo Home Security System covers the basics and then some for most users. With Arlo’s move to add elements of artificial intelligence to its security system—in the form of Arlo Secure 5—we decided to take a fresh look at the product. Arlo Secure 5 isn’t a hardware product, it’s a new service offering within Arlo’s higher-tier subscription plans. Specifically, it leverages AI to “provide more meaningful, detailed alerts so users can make informed decisions about their security and safety.” The Arlo Home Security System is a compelling value and deserves to be compared to the second-generation Ring Alarm Security Kit. Arlo Secure 5 adds specific person recognition, meaning it can distinguish family, friends, neighbors, and other people whose faces you’ve stored in a library from strangers; vehicle recognition; again, tied to specific vehicles; and, finally, a feature called Custom Detection. This tool—still in beta at the time of our review—lets you train Arlo’s AI to identify just about anything. Arlo’s suggested use cases include “knowing if the garage door is open, lights were left on in the basement, or the dog is on the couch.” But since this is an AI feature, the sky is theoretically the limit. (I mean, you could train Arlo’s AI to tell you if the sky is blue.) Since AI is unlikely to be the first criterion security system buyers are likely to consider, let’s first talk about the hardware in the Arlo Home Security System. This has not changed since our previous review, so this coverage will look familiar. If you want to skip to our AI experience, click the relevant table of contents entry in the left-hand margin. Arlo’s innovative sensors can do a whole lot more than monitor whether a door or window is open or closed. Christopher Null/Foundry Specifications and other basics The system is designed around its impressive, sensor-filled hub, pictured at the top of this page. This small numeric keypad has more features than expected, including not just buttons for arming and disarming the system, but also an integrated siren, an onboard motion sensor of its own, and a smoke/CO alarm monitor that can listen for the telltale squeal of a standard smoke alarm. (Note that the hub does not itself detect the presence of smoke or carbon monoxide, you’ll need to provide those devices.) The other pieces of the Arlo Security System puzzle are its all-in-one sensors, each one a chicklet-shaped device that promises many different functions in a single gadget, including: Magnetic open/close sensing, for use with doors and windows Motion sensing Water leak detection Temperature change (freeze) detection Tilt detection (for use with garage doors) Ambient light intensity change detection Smoke/CO alarm listening (as described for the base station) A $200 starter kit includes the base station and two of these do-it-all sensors. An additional $100 gets you five additional sensors along with the base station, and there’s an add-on cellular/battery backup device ($80) to keep the system powered and connected to the internet for up to 12 hours should your power and/or broadband connection fail (you’ll need to pay for a subscription for internet backup, as I’ll explain later). You can expand the system with a plethora of other Arlo accessories, including security cameras, on an a la carte basis, but third-party devices are not supported. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart home systems. A $200 starter kit includes the base station and two of these do-it-all sensors. An additional $100 gets you five additional sensors along with the base station, and there’s an add-on cellular/battery backup device ($80) to keep the system powered and connected to the internet for up to 12 hours should your power and/or broadband connection fail (you’ll need to pay for a subscription for internet backup, as I’ll explain later). You can expand the system with a plethora of other Arlo accessories, including security cameras, on an a la carte basis, but third-party devices are not supported. From a hardware standpoint, the Arlo system is attractive and unobtrusive. The sensors are rather large, but they’re handsomely designed. They come with magnets when you deploy them as door/window sensors. The keypad is demure and slim, with illuminated buttons that provide an at-a-glance indication as to which mode the system is in: Home (monitors door/window sensors, but not motion sensors), Away (all sensors are monitored), or Standby (nothing is monitored). A red panic button is also available that sounds the hub’s onboard siren. This button can also alert emergency responders—if you opt for a professional monitoring plan, that is (more on this later). All the lights on the keypad illuminate when you pass near it thanks to the built-in motion sensor and quickly dim when you walk away. Installation, setup, and daily use Arlo Home Security System starter kits include the keypad/hub and two sensors; as such, they won’t be sufficient for most homes, but they can be readily expanded with other parts and accessories.Arlo True to its promise, Arlo sets up quickly and easily, following a download of the Arlo app and a quick QR code scan. Sensors are also quick to pair, though they must be snapped open to engage the coin cell battery inside before they auto-pair to the base station. Arlo devices communicate on their own proprietary sub-gigahertz band; the company says its sensors can be placed up to 500 feet away from the hub. Note that the Arlo hub itself connects to your Wi-Fi network via the 2.4GHz band only. For the most part, using the Arlo system is simple and intuitive in both the app and on the keypad. In the app, the three operational modes are replicated where expected on its home screen, and you can easily drill down to see log information for both the keypad and individual sensors by simply tapping on the relevant icon. A master log of all activity across the entire system can be found under the Feed tab. The information logged here depends on the mode you’ve put the system in, although this can be thoroughly customized. In Standby mode, for example, only changes in ambient lighting are logged. But if you prefer, you can change the system to also log motion events, water-leak detection, door and window open/close events, and more while in Standby mode. The other two modes can be customized in the same fashion. You can also create automations to arm/disarm on a schedule and more. The Arlo Home Security App allows users to completely customize and control the alarm system. Security cameras can also be integrated, depending on which subscription plan you sign up for.Christopher Null/Foundry Operationally, I encountered no real trouble with the system, except that occasionally open-door chimes—which are enabled by default—would not play. This turned out to be an intermittent problem, however, and it eventually began working correctly. Professional monitoring options As with most home security systems, you will need to sign up for one of Arlo’s subscription plans to unlock all this system’s features. The company sells various plans, and it can be confusing to understand what is and what is not included with each one. The bottom line is that there are two means of obtaining the professional monitoring service that is essential to a full-featured home security system, in which 24/7 remote operators are notified of emergency events in your home—medical, police, and fire—and can dispatch first responders accordingly. When you purchase the system, or at any point after, you can sign up for one of three subscription plans: Basic costs $7.99/month for one camera or $12.99/month for unlimited cameras and provides little more than a 30-day video history. The Plus plan at $17.99/month adds AI detection features, while the Premium plan at $24.99 per month adds professional monitoring. Paying by the year gets you a 20 percent discount; otherwise, there is no long-term contract, and you can cancel your subscription at any time. Each of the three services integrates support for Arlo’s security cameras and video doorbells, and the Premium plan includes cellular backup in the event your broadband connection fails. To take advantage of that service, however, you’ll need to also purchase Arlo’s Cellular & Battery Backup module. That device costs $79.99, and it snaps to the bottom of the system’s keypad. Alternatively, you can sign up for one of the company’s Arlo Total Security packages. These have no upfront costs: the cost of the hardware is included with a 36-month subscription. You can cancel the service and return the hardware within the first 30 days; after that, you are committed to paying for it. You’re essentially financing the hardware and the service—via the third-party financing outfit Affirm—at zero percent interest. After three years, you’ll need to sign up for a new professional monitoring plan—the service will not automatically renew. It’s worth noting that Arlo offers a one-year warranty on its hardware. So, in the unlikely event any of the components in the system should fail due to a manufacturing defect after that first year, you’ll remain on the hook to pay for the remaining two years even if parts of it are inoperable. Arlo Total Security plans Larger Arlo Home Security System bundles include a second keypad and a yard sign, but those accessories can also be purchased separately.Arlo There are currently three Arlo Total Security plans to choose from, two of which include professional monitoring. The entry-level Starter plan costs $9.99 per month for 36 months and includes Arlo’s keypad and two sensors, plus 24/7 monitoring. The $19.99-per-month Essential Video plan provides two cameras only (no keypad) with 30 days of video storage—but no monitoring. The third Arlo Total Security plan—Advanced Video—costs $29.99 per month for 36 months and does include a monitoring plan. The hardware in this kit includes the keypad, 5 sensors, two Arlo Pro 5S 2K security cameras, a doorbell camera, and 30 days of cloud storage for the cameras. Testing Arlo Secure 5’s AI features You can only get Arlo’s AI features, including its beta Custom Detection system, with a subscription plan that includes 24/7 monitoring. That includes the Plus and Premium security plans, and the Essential Video and Advanced Video Total Security plans. I attempted to test all these AI features, but Arlo doesn’t offer much guidance on how to set them up or use them. In lieu of instructions, Arlo directed me to a CNET article and said that using it “should be fairly straightforward.” Arlo’s AI system is not straightforward. To start with, it’s managed via Arlo’s web portal instead of its mobile app, which creates an extra obstacle. Arlo’s web portal isn’t nearly as user-friendly as its app, so it took some digging (and reading) just to figure out where the AI settings were buried. Eventually I uncovered them, under Settings, then under my location’s name, at the bottom of that page. Note however that without a supported plan, these options don’t show up at all. My first steps down this road didn’t go well, as I quickly found myself blocked when I was told “Person Recognition isn’t supported in your area,” with no added explanation. The Vehicle Recognition system proved more fruitful, as I was able to identify my wife’s car to Arlo, then get alerted whenever the car came and went from the garage. The catch: My car, parked next to hers, was also recognized by Arlo as her car any time I came and went (whenever her car was not present); this despite mine being both significantly larger and a different color. AI must be trained, of course, but there is no option in the system to correct an inaccurate vehicle recognition; so, Arlo always reports both cars as hers. The new Custom Detection system is the biggest draw of them all, but if Arlo couldn’t tell one car from another, I was immediately concerned about its ability to distinguish more nuanced objects. My first struggle was to try to figure out how I might test the system in a useful manner. Arlo already detects people, pets, vehicles, and packages, so using it for one of those cases didn’t make much sense. Neither did any of Arlo’s other suggested uses: whether a door was left open or the lights were on. Arlo makes sensors that can directly detect these conditions without having to train an AI on what an open door looks like versus a closed one. Using Custom Detection for these didn’t seem very logical. Ultimately, I created two Custom Detection rules (a maximum of three are allowed during the beta), borrowing an idea from the CNET story mentioned above, testing the system on a pet toy that is beloved by one of our cats and that is constantly moving around the house. I also went ahead and set up a rule to inform me if the lights were on, figuring I would throw Arlo a bone that it should easily pass. Setup is easy enough: You use Arlo’s camera to snap two photos: One with the positive “yes” state, and one with the “no.” Take a photo with the lights on, again with them off. Take a photo with the toy in place, another without it. This serves as the initial basis for training the AI, but there’s much more of that to come. It’s important to note that Arlo isn’t constantly scanning for these conditions, but rather only checks on them when another condition is triggered. Those triggers are limited: if motion is detected, if you change the mode on the alarm panel, or at specific times and days (or some combination of these). In other words, my “are the lights on?” detection doesn’t alert when the lights turn on. It only alerts if someone walks through the room and the lights happen to be on. This is an important distinction, because a standard Arlo sensor will tell you every time the light goes on or off. For most users, I expect the latter is a more useful proposition. It’s also important to note that, especially at first, Arlo’s AI gets a lot of detections wrong. Arguably, it is more often wrong than it is right. The system would sometimes conclude that the lights were on in the middle of the night. And all manner of objects—particularly our pets, or even myself—were deduced to be toys, or at least in the presence of toys. Users are intended to train Arlo on these false positives—this can be done on the web or through the app interface—but this is a slow, tedious, and overly chatty process. (At some point we can dispense with the uncloseable “Thanks, we’re learning!” pop-up.) As well, if you flip through Arlo’s feed, there’s no easy way to determine whether you have already trained the AI on an image—not even a checkmark in the corner—which means I often found myself tapping on an image only to discover that I’d already trained the AI on it. Ultimately, all that training didn’t do a lot of good. After more than a week of testing, Arlo was still finding phantom pet toys and detecting midnight lighting. It’s hard to calculate an overall accuracy rating, but in a single day I received more than 20 notifications about the pet toy, all of which were incorrect. Sure, this is a beta system, but there is still so much work to be done on it that I wonder if it will ever be ready for prime time. And again, I struggled to find a worthwhile use case for the technology that wasn’t covered better by other devices, whether that’s a simple sensor or a live camera feed. Should you buy an Arlo Home Security System? AI features aside (way aside), the Arlo Home Security System is a compelling value and deserves to be compared to the second-generation Ring Alarm Security Kit. Both systems can be built out with additional sensors and other components, but Ring offers the added advantage of third-party support for device classes that Ring itself does not manufacture (smoke detectors, smart locks, light switches and dimmers, and more). The Ring Alarm Pro is even more advanced and integrates a Wi-Fi 6 mesh router, but it costs significantly more. One of the features that renders Arlo’s offering so unique is the option to spread the cost of the system—and its related service—over a span of three years with zero percent interest. But I’d urge you to revisit the previously mentioned caveats, which don’t apply if you purchase the system outright. And for those comparing Arlo Home Security to Ring, be sure to consider Ring’s recent professional monitoring price increase. Updated November 5, 2024: This review was updated in its entirety to reflect our experience with Arlo Secure 5, the most recent firmware and software available for the Arlo Home Security System, including Arlo’s new AI features, which were in beta at the time. We didn’t change the bottom-line score for this product, but AI is not one of the reasons we think this is a good product.

Want to catch up on a favorite TV show without getting spoiled? Amazon Prime Video’s on the case, with an assist from generative AI.  Rolling out now to Amazon’s Fire TV devices, X-Ray Recaps will offer text recaps of a TV season, a particular episode, or even a portion of an episode, right up to the moment when you stopped watching—hence, no spoilers.  The feature is part of Prime Video’s X-Ray, the technology that provides a video overlay showing details on the actors in a scene, behind-the-scenes trivia, and so on.  This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best media streaming devices. For now, X-Ray Recaps is in beta, and it’s restricted to just Amazon MGM Studio Original shows, including Daisy Jones and the Six, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Wheel of Time, and The Boys.  To access the recaps, just click the “Recap” button on the title detail page, or open X-Ray while watching a video for recap options under the “In Scene” tab. Among the options are recaps of a current episode, a recap of the current season, or a recap the previous season.  Xray Recaps promise concise and spoiler-free summaries of TV seasons and even episodes you haven’t finished yet. Amazon You can also get a summary of an episode you haven’t finished yet, with the recap being “personalized down to the exact minute of where you are watching,” Amazon says.  X-Ray Recaps creates its summaries with help from a “combination” of AI models that analyze video segments of a given show as well as its subtitles and dialogue, all before churning out textual overviews of “key events, places, times, and conversations.”  And in case you’re worried about spoilers, Amazons says there are “guardrails” in place to keep the summaries “spoiler-free and concise.”  X-Ray Recaps could indeed come in handy for brushing up on a show without fear of having major plot points or surprises ruined, but for now, its usefulness is limited by the extremely narrow range of supported shows. The feature should become even better when it expands beyond just Fire TV users, although Amazon promises the feature will come to “additional devices” before the year is out. 

You know that moment when you’re watching a show like Arcane or Squid Game, and an incredible scene comes on that you want to share with your friends? For a long time, Netflix has prevented its subscribers from such actions, explaining its decision as copyright protection. It now seems that the service has had a change of heart and decided on a more flexible approach to sharing – and perhaps using fan engagement to encourage more views. Netflix Moments is a new, worldwide feature on the mobile app that allows you to capture and save scenes from productions you watch on the service. As Marian Lee, Netflix’s chief marketing officer, told Variety: You know that feeling when a scene, character, or line from a show or movie just sticks with you, and you can’t help but text your friends, ‘You have to watch this, it’s so good!’? Whether it’s sparking Halloween costume ideas or becoming a TikTok sensation, the incredible fandoms we see are a testament to what makes Netflix amazing. Our new campaign is all about celebrating these unforgettable moments, taking you back to the feeling you had when you first became obsessed with a great show on Netflix. If you want to know how to share scenes yourself, keep reading. How does Netflix Moments work? The Netflix Moments feature is available on the mobile app. If you want to save a scene while watching a movie or series, tap anywhere on the screen. A button called “Moments” will appear on the bottom bar. Select it, then choose “Save” and close the feature. Netflix And that’s pretty much it! Captured scenes will be saved on My Netflix tab. You can revisit them on your phone and share them via social media, text message or by copying the link. Netflix When you share a clip via social media, it won’t play as a video. It will appear in your post as a link which will send viewers to the marked scene on their own Netflix app. The Moments feature also works as a bookmark. When you turn on the series or movie again, it will start playing from the scene you captured with the Moments tool. Is Netflix Moments available on iOS? Yes. Netflix launched its new feature on iOS on 28 October 2024. Is Netflix Moments available on Android? For now, no. However, the service’s authorities announced that Netflix Moments will arrive on Android in the coming weeks. Is Netflix Moments available on a PC? Currently, no, and it’s unclear whether Netflix plans to roll out its new feature to other devices. However, if it does, we’ll let you know. This story was originally published on Tech Advisor, our sibling site.

At a glance Pros Innovative solar panels track the sun to maximize battery charging Dual-lens cameras deliver excellent 3K video with wide-angle and telephoto views Includes a base station with 16GB of storage, expandable to 16TB with a user-provided/installed SSD Cons Cost of the initial investment will be a barrier to entry for many You can’t buy single cameras (at least not at this time) Can’t be integrated into a broader home security system Our Verdict The S1 Pro’s rotating solar panels and crisp 3K video make it a solid choice for those who want hassle-free home security without monthly fees. The upfront cost is steep, but the bundle includes two dual-lens cameras with solar panels, and a base station with 16GB of storage that can be expanded to 16TB. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today In the crowded home security camera market, manufacturers must constantly push boundaries to differentiate their offerings. The Baseus S1 Pro steps into this competitive space with an innovative approach to power management: solar panels that automatically rotate to maximize their exposure to sunlight. This headline feature, along with some solid specs in a bundle that includes a second camera and a base station with 16GB of local storage, makes the S1 Pro a smart choice for eco-conscious security, subscription-averse buyers looking to minimize upkeep. At this time, however, Baseus is not selling the components a la carte, so you can’t buy a single camera; that means you can’t expand beyond two cameras unless you buy two more–along with a base station that you won’t be able to use. The solar panels on the Baseus S1 Pro automatically adjust up to 80 degrees left or right and 40 degrees vertically throughout the day to maximize their exposure to sunlight. Design and setup The S1 Pro system ships with two cameras and the H1 HomeStation hub for local storage. The cameras blend modern aesthetics with industrial durability, featuring a sturdy build that should translate to long outdoor life. The rotating solar panel crowns each unit, with dual lenses positioned below in a cylindrical housing. An IP67 rating indicates serious weather protection, rendering the cameras impervious to dust and able to withstand total submersion in water for a limited time. Setting up the system is refreshingly straightforward. The H1 HomeStation requires only power and a hardwired ethernet connection to your router (cable included). After downloading the Baseus Security app and following a few setup prompts, the HomeStation and cameras connected seamlessly to my network. The included mounting hardware accommodates various installation scenarios, though you’ll want to consider sun exposure when choosing camera positions to maximize the solar charging capability. The camera’s solar panel rotates throughout the day to maximize sun exposure. Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Features and performance The S1 Pro’s dual-lens system delivers impressive results that rival more expensive security cameras. The primary wide-angle lens captures footage at up to 3K resolution with a 120-degree field of view and 8x digital zoom. The secondary telephoto lens maintains the same viewing angle while providing 8x optical zoom for detailed long-range monitoring. Daytime footage shows excellent clarity and color accuracy. Motion appears smooth and natural, with the cameras capturing passing vehicles and pedestrians without the artifacting that often plagues wireless security cameras. The 3K resolution is particularly useful when zooming in to examine details in recorded footage. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras. Night vision comes in two distinct modes. Standard infrared delivers clear black-and-white footage up to 80 feet away, while color night vision provides more natural-looking results in low-light conditions. Though color night vision consumes more power, the solar charging system largely mitigates this drawback. Dual lenses enable wide-angle and telephoto views simultaneously.Michael Ansaldo/Foundry The S1 Pro brings something new to the security camera market with its clever approach to solar charging. Unlike fixed panels that depend on optimal mounting angles, these panels automatically adjust up to 80 degrees left or right and 40 degrees vertically throughout the day to maximize sun exposure. Baseus claims this increases charging efficiency by 30 percent compared to static panels, a figure that seems plausible based on my testing. This smart power management, combined with a substantial 13,400mAh battery on each camera, means you’ll rarely worry about power levels. With five levels of adjustment available through the app, I found motion detection performed reliably using the default middle sensitivity setting. The system leverages AI to reduce false alerts, doing a good job distinguishing between humans and environmental triggers like swaying branches. Rich notifications include thumbnail previews of detected motion, making it simple to assess alerts at a glance. This feature proved useful for quickly identifying package deliveries versus visitors at my front door. The app has an easily searchable event timeline, though it lacks the sophisticated person-recognition features found in some competing systems. The Baseus Security app provides an intuitive interface for viewing footage, sharing clips, and customizing features.Michael Ansaldo/Foundry Instead of pushing users toward cloud subscriptions, Baseus focuses on local storage via its H1 HomeStation hub, which comes with 16GB of eMMC storage–sufficient for roughly three months of recordings at default settings. Should you need more capacity, you can purchase and install up to a 16TB SSD. The Baseus Security app provides an intuitive interface for accessing live views and recorded footage. Switching between wide-angle and telephoto views requires just a tap, as both views are displayed simultaneously. The app also streamlines common tasks such as downloading clips and adjusting motion zones. On balance, it handles core functionality well without overwhelming you with complexity. Should you buy the Baseus S1 Pro? The bundle of two Baseus S1 Pro cameras and a Baseus HomeStation costs a hefty $430, but the package delivers value through genuine innovation, reliable performance, and local storage that means no ongoing costs in the form of a subscription. It’s a compelling package for users looking for high-res, wireless, battery-powered cameras that should never need to be plugged in once deployed. The combination of excellent video quality, reliable motion detection, innovative solar charging, and local storage forms a strong home-security foundation. Baseus exp, however, budget-conscious buyers or those needing features like cloud backup or smarter AI detection (like package and facial recognition) want to explore other options in our guide.

These days, ome security cameras are easy to install, easy to use, and incredibly affordable. They let you to keep an eye on your home–inside and out–from wherever you have internet access. They record video in response to motion, so you can review anything you didn’t catch when it happened, and many can distinguish between people, pets, and even cars. Close cousins of webcams, modern home security cameras require minimal installation and offer flexible setups and a range of security features, but deciding what to buy gets more daunting as this category grows ever more crowded–and sophisticated. Whether you’re looking to check on your kids and pets, or need a full-service sentinel with humans monitoring for intruders in real time, we’ll help find the right device for your needs. Don’t miss TechHive’s most-recommended video doorbells; you’ll find them at the preceding link. Updated November 4, 2024: We’ve added a link to our Baseus S1 Pro security camera review. The price tag for this camera seems high, but not when you take into account that it’s a bundle of two cameras and a base station that includes 16GB of local storage (expandable to 16TB with a user-provided/installed SSD). Why you should trust us TechHive’s editors and contributors have been testing home security cameras for many years, and we regularly evaluate the latest hardware, along with their accompanying mobile apps. We’ve checked out wired security cameras, battery-power cameras, outdoor cams, floodlight cams, pan-and-tilt cams, and more. You can trust us to guide you to the right home security camera for your needs. Our top picks for home security cameras Arlo Pro 5S 2K — Best home security camera overall Pros 2K video resolution B&W and color night vision (using its spotlight) Automatic zoom and tracking Dual-band Wi-Fi Cons Arlo Smart subscription required for cloud recording and to enable many of its best features Requires Arlo Pro Smart Hub to record video locally No Apple HomeKit support Price When Reviewed: £219.99 Best Prices Today: £219.99 at Arlo Why we like the Arlo Pro 5S 2K The Arlo Pro 5S 2K keeps the Arlo Pro series near the top of the market with such high-end features as dual-band Wi-Fi support, a low-power mode (which extends battery life by 30 percent by taking snapshots of detected activity instead of full video clips), and Arlo SecureLink technology, which provides a more secure connection to protect your data while further optimizing battery life. Who should buy the Arlo Pro 5S 2K While the Arlo Pro works just fine with Alexa and Google Home, it does not support Apple HomeKit, so Apple users should look elsewhere. Also, be sure to factor in the cost of an Arlo Secure subscription to get the most utility from this camera. Read our full Arlo Pro 5S 2K (model number VMC4060P) review Nest Cam (battery, 2021) — Best security camera for Google Nest smart homes Pros Arguably the easiest setup in the industry Attractive industrial design Can be installed indoors or out Can operate on either AC or battery power (or AC power with battery backup) Cons Anemic night vision Proprietary and too-short power cable Subscription required to get full value ($6/mo minimum) Best Prices Today: $179.99 at Google Nest Why we like the Nest Cam (battery, 2021) Nest has long offered some of our favorite security cameras, and the new-for-2021 Nest Cam (battery) is a versatile offering packed with great features. The camera is supremely easy to set up, and it delivers fabulous performance under any lighting condition. Also, it can be deployed indoors or out. Finally, you’ll appreciate having three hours of event history stored on the device since you won’t have to pay for a subscription unless you want more history. Who should buy the Nest Cam (battery, 2021) Naturally, Google Home users will get the most out the battery-powered Nest Cam, while Alexa and Apple HomeKit users should steer clear. And while the Nest Cam (battery) does boast on-device person, pet, and vehicle detection, a Nest Aware subscription is required to review recorded video events beyond the last few hours. Read our full Nest Cam (Battery) review Ring Stickup Cam Pro — Best indoor/outdoor home security camera for Ring/Alexa smart homes Pros Excellent performance, indoors and out Radar-based motion detection Available in battery, solar, and plug-in configurations Fantastic night vision, with the option of color Cons You can have Bird’s Eye View or Pre-Roll, but not both Not fully compatible with Google Home or Apple HomeKit 1080p resolution Price When Reviewed: £159.99 Best Prices Today: £158 at Ring£159 at AO£159 at John Lewis and Partners Why we like the Ring Stickup Cam Pro Yes, the Ring Stick Up Cam Pro is limited to 1080p resolution, but enabling HDR delivers gorgeous color-saturated images. Also, this camera has very strong night vision, with a color night vision option you might find you don’t even need. Who should buy the Ring Stickup Cam Pro This indoor/outdoor camera is a no-brainer for any Ring customer looking to expand their home security coverage. If you need just a single camera and can get by without so many advanced features, you’ll find a bevy of less-expensive options. The also-excellent Ring Spotlight Cam Pro has a very similar set of features, but its onboard spotlight boosts its price a little higher. Read our full Ring Stick Up Cam Pro review Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220) — Best value in indoor pan/tilt security cameras Pros Excellent image quality Onboard AI detection and tracking Budget price Cons Requires continuous electrical power No Homekit support Why we like the Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220) Cameras that have as many features and specifications comparable to the Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220) tend to cost a whole lot more than this budget-priced device does. It’s uncommon to get 2K resolution, onboard storage (albeit via a microSD card with a maximum capacity of 128GB that you must provide), and a pan/tilt motor for $35. It doesn’t support color night vision, either, but you can solve that shortcoming with a smart speaker and a smart bulb or smart light switch. This camera is a great value. Who should buy the Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220) This product is a great starting point for anyone looking to protect their home with home security cameras. Unless you’re firmly in Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem–or you already have a lot of another brand of home security camera–the Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220) should be on your short list. Read our full Eufy Security Indoor Cam (model C220) review Eufy SoloCam S340 — Best outdoor pan/tilt security camera Pros Dual lenses deliver excellent image quality Subscription service is truly optional Included solar panel means its onboard battery should never need manual charging Cons Eufy’s app can’t flip the camera’s feed, so it can’t be used on a table or countertop Battery must be charged while inside the camera Provided USB-C charging cable is only 10 feet long Best Prices Today: £179 at Amazon£179 at Currys£179.99 at Homebase UK Why we like the Eufy SoloCam S340 If you’re looking for an outdoor surveillance camera that can operate without depending AC power, the high-grade Eufy SoloCam S340 sports two high-resolution lenses: one is a 2K (2304 x 1296 pixels) telephoto, and the other is a 3K (2880 x 1620 pixels) wide-angle. And since it comes with a solar panel, you never need to worry about plugging it into a charger. A built-in motor enables the camera to pan a full 360 degrees and tilt over a 70-degree arc, and it will track the movement of anyone in its field of view. You can also program set up to four way points, so it will patrol a broad swath of your property. Who should buy the Eufy SoloCam S340 Anyone who needs to surveil large areas of property should consider this camera. That goes double for folks who hate the ongoing cost of a subscription to store your video recordings. Eufy has one if you want it, but it’s truly optional. The camera has 8GB of onboard storage, or you can spend another $150–plus the cost of a hard drive or SSD–and pick up the Eufy HomeBase 3, a NAS-like network storage device that can accommodate up to 16GB of encrypted storage. Read our full Eufy Security SoloCam S340 review Wyze Cam v4 — Best budget-priced indoor security camera Pros Carries over all the great features of the winning Wyze Cam v3 Pro Crystal clear image quality with smart detections that work well Supports 24/7 continuous recording to local microSD storage Cons Dependent on hardwired power (no battery option) Subscription required to unlock all its best features Why we like the Wyze Cam v4 Wyze Labs continues to build outstanding home security cameras that deliver a whole lot of bang for the buck. While this model doesn’t move the needle on video resolution compared to the Wyze Cam v3 Pro it replaces, you will get a faster Wi-Fi adapter (Wi-Fi 6), a microSD card slot that can host cards with twice as much capacity, and an even easier onboarding process. Who should buy the Wyze Cam v4 Even when Wyze Labs’ introductory offer expires and its price tag goes up to $36, the Wyze Cam v4 will remain one of the best values in indoor/outdoor home security cameras. You’ll want to sign up for a subscription plan to unlock all of its best features, but those are affordable, too, starting at $2.99 per month for a single camera. Read our full Wyze Cam v4 review Blink Mini 2 — Best budget-priced indoor security camera, runner-up Pros Can be deployed indoors or out Extremely compact size Great video quality Cons Cloud subscription required to unlock all its features Local storage requires separate purchase of Sync Module No audio detection No option to run on battery power Why we like the Blink Mini Amazon’s Blink Mini 2 brings more utility to the original Blink Mini with the addition of a weatherized enclosure, an LED spotlight for color night vision, person detection, and a wider field of view. Who should buy the Blink Mini Devoted Mini users and newcomers alike should find plenty to love with the Blink Mini 2. This camera is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. It’s also visually discrete and easy to install anywhere there’s access to AC power–but you’ll need to purchase a weatherized power supply if you’re deploying outdoors. Read our full Blink Mini 2 review Eufy Floodlight Camera E340 — Best security cam/floodlight combo Pros Dual high-resolution cameras Pan/tilt motor provides 360- x 120-degree field of view (HxV) Articulated, dimmable LED panels produce up to 2,000 lumens Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 adapter Cons Eufy doesn’t offer a strong home alarm system Onboard microSD storage limited to 128GB So-so industrial design Best Prices Today: £218 at Amazon£219 at Currys Why we like the Eufy Floodlight Camera E340 We’re growing increasingly fond of Eufy’s twin-lensed, pan/tilt security cameras. In this configuration, you’ll also get twin LED panels that produce a combined 2,000 lumens of brightness. For those times when you just want to enjoy an evening on the deck and don’t want it to look like a prison yard, those panels can be dimmed. The 3K wide-angle and 2K telephoto lenses capture crisp detail, and the pan/tilt motor they’re mounted to will cover every inch of your yard, panning 360 degrees and tilting over a 120-degree arc. Add up to a 128GB microSD card and you won’t need to worry about paying for a cloud storage subscription. Need more storage than that? Drop up to a 16GB hard drive or SSD in the Eufy HomeBase 3, park it on your network, and you can store your recordings that way. Who should buy the Eufy Floodlight Camera E340 If you’re looking for a camera that can monitor a wide expanse of your property coupled with flexible floodlights to illuminate it, the Eufy Floodlight Camera E340 is the product to buy. This camera can distinguish between people, pets, and vehicles, and you can set it to track the movement of any combination of those things. This camera will also cost less over its useful life because you won’t have to pay for a subscription to get more than live feeds from it, Eufy provides two excellent ways to store its recordings. Read our full Eufy Floodlight Cam E340 review Ring Floodlight Cam Pro — Best security cam/floodlight combo, runner-up Pros Unbeatable playback interface Birds-eye view of motion detection is unparalleled Affordable subscription plan Ring has one of the most complete home-security ecosystems on the market Cons No local storage; subscription required to get full use of the device ($3/mo for one camera; $10/mo for unlimited cameras) Must be electrically hardwired; there is no battery option Not as aesthetically pleasing as Netatmo’s Smart Security Camera Why we like the Ring Floodlight Cam Pro It doesn’t take much time using the Floodlight Cam Wired Pro to realize how incredibly powerful it is, starting with some of its impressive motion-detection features. The 3D Motion Detection with Bird’s Eye View feature is a game-changer. In addition to a great security camera, you also get dual floodlights that can illuminate your outdoor space with 2,000 lumens of brightness. Who should buy the Ring Floodlight Cam Pro It’s expensive at $250, but anyone deep into the Ring home security or Ring smart lighting ecosystems should give the Ring Floodlight Cam Pro serious consideration. Just be prepared to connect this cam to hardwired power, and a Ring Protect plan–while not strictly mandatory–is essential for reviewing recorded video events. Read our full Ring Floodlight Cam Pro review Blink Wired Floodlight Camera — Best budget-priced security camera/floodlight combo Pros Ultra-powerful spotlight Easy hardware installation Super affordable Cons Subscription required to view a live feed for more than 5 minutes, record and store video, and enable person detection Limited flexibility when it comes to aiming its camera and floodlights Industrial design trails Nest and Ring Why we like the Blink Wired Floodlight Camera Blink’s floodlight cam offers run-of-the-mill video resolution, but extremely bright outdoor lighting and an amazingly affordable price tag. You’ll need a subscription to record video to get the most value from it, but those plans are affordable. Who should buy the Blink Wired Floodlight Camera Need to have eyes on the outdoors while sticking to a strict budget? The Blink Wired Floodlight Camera is among the most affordably priced floodlight cams on the market, and it’s both easy to install and casts impressively bright light for the price. Read our full Blink Wired Floodlight Cam review Safemo Set P1 — Best solar-powered security camera kit Pros Solar power enables uninterrupted surveillance Excellent 4K image quality No cloud subscription required for AI features or video recording Cons Time-consuming installation No HomeKit support Currently no Android app Why we like the Safemo Set P1 Boasting advanced features, ease of use, and expandability, the Safemo Set P1 is a great option of anyone looking for a reliable security camera system. While the initial setup may require some patience, once installed, the cameras deliver high-quality video with timely, accurate alerts. Who should buy the Safemo Set P1 Thanks to its solar panels, the Safemo Set P1 can run almost indefinitely on solar power, making it ideal for those who want to install cameras in locations where wired power isn’t an option. Also, budget-minded shoppers will love that the Set P1 doesn’t require a cloud subscription for object detection. Read our full Safemo Set P1 review Baseus S1 Pro — Best solar-powered security camera kit, runner-up Pros Innovative solar panels track the sun to maximize battery charging Dual-lens cameras deliver excellent 3K video with wide-angle and telephoto views Includes a base station with 16GB of storage, expandable to 16TB with a user-provided/installed SSD Cons many You can’t buy single cameras (at least not at this time) Can’t be integrated into a broader home security system Why we like the Baseus S1 Pro The S1 Pro’s rotating solar panels and crisp 3K video make it a solid choice for those who want hassle-free home security without monthly fees. The upfront cost is steep, but the bundle includes two dual-lens cameras with solar panels, and a base station with 16GB of storage that can be expanded to 16TB. Who should buy the Baseus S1 Pro If you consider subscriptions for cloud storage to be anathema, and you want a security camera that delivers very high resolution with batteries that never need tending, the Baseus S1 Pro bundle’s dual lenses with up to 3K resolution and a base station with local storage could be just what you’re looking for. But if you think you might want more than two cameras, you should hold off until Baseus offers the cameras in singles without the base station. Read our full Baseus S1 Pro review What to look for when shopping for a home security camera Most home security cameras perform the same basic functions—they detect an event, record the event, and send you an alert—but they don’t all perform them the same way. And some cameras have special features that go beyond those basics. Here are some common features you’ll encounter while shopping and why they’re important. Alerts  Home security cameras push notifications to your smartphone when they detect events. Without watching the live feed all day, this is the only way to keep tabs on your home in relative real time. Depending on the camera, it may send text alerts when it detects motion, sound, a face (known or unrecognized), or all three. Some can send alerts to multiple people, usually anyone else in the household using that product’s app; others will send emails in addition to text messages as a failsafe in the event you can’t access your mobile device. Battery backup Power outages happen, and clever burglars cut electricity before breaking into your home. When that happens, your camera goes dark and, if there’s a crime taking place, you lose all forensic evidence. For this reason, some cameras can also run for a short time on battery power. It’s a feature worth looking for. There are also some models that run on battery power full time; you can either swap batteries as they’re depleted, or plug the camera into an AC outlet and recharge its battery that way. Environmental monitoring This is the feature that sets all-in-one home monitors apart from strictly security cameras. Though the home “vitals” that these units track vary by model—we’ve seen everything from motion to luminosity included in home health profiles—three tend to be ubiquitous: Temperature monitors for spikes and dips in indoor temperature and alerts when it falls outside a range you define. Humidity tracks relative humidity inside your home. Humidity outside optimal levels—usually defined as between 30 and 50 percent—can contribute to problems such as static electricity, sinus irritation, and mold growth. Air quality tracks pollutants ranging from cooking odors to carbon monoxide. However, most monitors don’t identify the pollutant in their alerts, merely warning that the air quality is “abnormal.” Because of that, this feature should not be considered a substitute for potentially life-saving devices like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. HomeKit Secure Video support This is a subset of Apple’s smart-home initiative, and while you don’t necessarily need to be an avowed Apple user to benefit from HomeKit Secure Video’s privacy-enhancing features, you will need to sign up for an Apple iCloud account and have a HomePod, a HomePod mini, or an Apple TV 4K. Where other types of security cameras send video to the cloud (often unencrypted), security cameras that support HomeKit Secure Video send thier video streams to one of those devices on your local network first. That device will process the video, performing tasks such as facial recognition and what have you, and then encrypting it before uploading it to your iCloud account. You can read more about HomeKit Secure Video on our sister site, Macworld. Integrated spotlight Like all cameras, home security cameras need adequate ambient light to capture clear images. While that is easy to come by during daylight hours, it’s in shorter supply as the sun goes down, often making it necessary to supplement with artificial ambient light. This can easily be accomplished with light fixtures inside your home and floodlights outdoors, but many cameras include an integrated spotlight that offers a few advantages. Because the spotlight is built into the camera, it directly lights the scene the camera is viewing, enabling the clearest possible image capture. And integrated spotlights can be configured to be triggered by motion detection, so they only switch on when a possible intruder is in view, eliminating the need to keep your home or yard lit up all night. As a bonus, being suddenly caught in the white hot glare of a spotlight is often enough to scare an intruder away. Local storage Some cameras include memory-card slots in lieu of, or in addition to, cloud storage, so you can store video right on the device. It’s an attractive feature as it can eliminate the cost of monthly storage fees. The downside (if there isn’t a cloud backup) is that if crooks steal your camera, they take your forensic evidence with it. Motion detection Assuming you’re monitoring your home when it’s empty, motion detection is one of the most desirable features in a security camera. Built-in sensors pick up movement within the camera’s field of view and trigger video recording. You’ll find an in-depth explanation of how motion detection works in this article. Because these sensors can be sensitive to any movement—even a shift in lighting or leaves blowing outside a window—it’s important the camera system also offer the ability to narrow the range of detection, adjust the sensor’s sensitivity, or otherwise customize this feature to cut down on false alerts. More and more security cameras now offer AI-powered motion detection that can identify people, pets, packages, and vehicles, allowing you to filter out such innocuous motion events as tree branches swaying in the wind or insects crawling across the camera lens. Such “advanced” motion-sensing functionality is often tied to a paid subscription plan, however. Night vision Most break-ins occur after dark, so this feature is nearly as important as motion detection. Technically, most home security cameras support infrared LED illumination, versus true night vision based on image intensification or thermal vision. Be that as it may, most cameras will switch to night vision automatically in low-light conditions, while others allow you to customize when and how it should be activated. Increasingly, cameras are equipped with full-color night vision, which enables video footage to capture important information that IR night vision can’t such as the color of an intruder’s clothing or vehicle. These cameras use hypersensitive light sensors, such as Starlight image sensors, which can reproduce color images in dimly lit environments, some as low as 0.0005 Lux (for reference, 0 Lux indicates no ambient lighting). To increase battery efficiency, some models include both black-and-white and color night vision, defaulting to black-and-white in low light and switching to color only when motion is detected. Pan/Tilt/Swivel Most security cameras can be manually tilted and swiveled to focus on a certain viewing area, but this is a purely set-it-and-forget it feature. A true pan/tilt camera is equipped with a motor so that you can move its lens—or even follow a moving object if you’re watching a live feed—using its app or browser-based app. Some cameras can even track a person moving within their field of view. Resolution No amount of security video will help you if it’s blurry, jittery, or otherwise distorted. Look for a camera that offers the highest possible resolution. There was a time when 720p (often referred to as “high definition” or HD) resolution was the standard, but most newer cameras now support 1080p (often referred to as “full HD”). Some models provide even higher resoution (2K or 4K), but keep in mind that higher-res cameras use more internet and Wi-Fi bandwidth as well as battery life (where applicable). Many cameras also offer a software zoom feature (which is not the same thing as having a physical zoom lens). Scheduling Scheduling features allow you to tell the camera to turn on and off, detect motion, and/or send alerts at specified times. This is useful when you, say, only want to be notified when your kids get home from school or just want to monitor your home when you’re away. It also reduces the amount of false alerts. Cameras that support geofencing can do this based on the location of your smartphone, activating themselves when you leave home and turning themselves off to enhance privacy while you’re home. Smart device integration If you have a home full of smart devices, consider looking for a security camera or an all-in-one home monitor that includes a Z-Wave, Zigbee, or—eventually a Thread—radio that can connect them. Support for an automation service like IFTTT is also useful. This allows the camera or monitor to react to various scenarios, such as taking a picture when your Nest Protect detects smoke, or telling your Philips Hue smart bulb to turn on when unexpected sounds are detected. Two-way audio While the idea of a security camera implies eyes-on monitoring, the ability to also hear what’s going on gives you a more complete picture of what’s happening on the home front when you’re away. It can also alert you to something occurring out of the camera’s field of vision. This feature can also allow you to speak through the camera, a great tool for remotely commanding an unruly pet or startling an intruder in the act. On some very low-end models, you might need to plug in a powered speaker for this feature to work. Viewing angle The camera’s field of view determines how much it can see. As you’re probably monitoring a single room, you want a wide viewing angle. Most current cameras fall in the 130-degree range. These wide angles can sometimes cause image distortion at the edges in the form of a fisheye effect, particularly when used in smaller rooms, but it’s not like you’re going to use a security to capture snapshots for your photo album. Frequently asked questions about home security cameras 1. What is cloud video storage, and how much does it cost? Many manufacturers offer cloud storage plans with their cameras. With one of these, your recorded video is sent to a remote server and stored for a predetermined time—usually anywhere from 24 hours to several weeks—and then deleted to make space for new videos. Though sometimes free, these cloud plans usually require a monthly subscription, but are worth it both for their convenience and if you want a surveillance record during a vacation or other extended time away from home. 2. Can security cameras recognize faces? A few newer cameras are experimenting with facial recognition. This feature could more accurately be called “facial identification,” as in practice it’s much better at distinguishing a face from, say, a lamp, than it is at actually distinguishing between one person’s face and another’s. If you opt for a camera with this feature, know that it typically learns faces through increasing exposure to them, so be prepared to spend a lot of time in front of the lens. 3. Can you access a security camera over the web? Many cameras can be accessed through a web portal. This is useful for times when you don’t have access to your mobile device or a wireless connection. The web app should closely mirror its mobile counterpart, so you don’t need to learn a whole new set of controls. 4. What’s the wireless range of a security camera? One of the benefits wireless cameras offer is the ability to move them around your home. Ideally, your home security camera should be able to maintain a Wi-Fi connection no matter how far you move it from your router, even in a large home. Some cameras come with an ethernet port as well, so you have the option of hardwiring it to your local network. A camera that supports power-over-ethernet (PoE) eliminates the need for an AC adapter and relies on just one cable (but your router or switch will also need to support PoE. Another alternative would be to use a PoE injector.) If you’re deploying a security camera beyond the range of your Wi-Fi network, models that connect instead to the same LTE network that your smartphone relies on are a good option, but they’re generally more expensive and you’ll need to pay your cellular provider for a data plan.  5. Are security cameras vulnerable to hackers?  There have been plenty of headlines about hackers compromising home cameras, baby monitors, and other Wi-Fi devices to spy on people, so be sure to check what steps has each manufacturer taken to eliminate this problem. Look for a camera that supports up-to-date wireless security protocols, such as WPA2, and make sure it encrypts internet transmission of your user name, your password, and the live feeds. Even better, opt for a security camera that supports end-to-end encryption, which ensures no third parties will be able to see your videos. Several security camera manufacturers, such as Ring, support end-to-end encryption. Never install a security camera (or a router or any other device on your home network) without changing its default user ID and password, and be sure to employ two-factor authentication if available. 6. Can you access your securty camera using a smartphone? Most of today’s home security camera’s are accessed primarily through a smartphone/tablet app. In addition to offering you a reliable way to view the camera’s live feed, it should offer plenty of options for customizing the way the camera performs. The ability to customize notifications, adjust motion and sound detection sensitivity, and set detection areas are some of the key features to look for. The app should also be intuitive and easy to master. Other notable security cameras we’ve tested We’ve evaluated many other home security cameras. If none of our top picks check all the boxes for you, take a look at these other products. We’ve also listed some security cameras that you should avoid. Baseus N1 security camera system: You can start with two cameras and a base station and add indoor or outdoor cameras as you need, but its digital zoom feature introduced significant visual distortion. But it’s hard to argue with its low price, and it was going for even less on Amazon last we checked. Blink Mini 2: Amazon’s diminutive security cam can be deployed indoors or, with its extra-cost weatherized power supply and cable, anywhere in your yard that you want to keep an eye on. Deep Sentinel DS2: Priced at $499, the Deep Sentinel DS2 security camera system is a significant investment, but it offers proactive threat deterrence you can’t get from many other DIY security camera, including live agents who monitor the camera feed in real time. Eufy Indoor Cam S350 and Eufy Solocam S340: Indoor and outdoor pan/tilt cameras respectively, both are outfitted with both wide-angle and telephoto lenses to deliver different views of the same scene simultaneously. Noorio T110: This pan-and-tilt camera provides a raft of security features and makes them easy to operate with a smartly designed app. It’s low price should only increase its appeal to new and seasoned security camera users. Reolink Argus 4 Pro: Do you need to keep an eye on a big parcel of property? This camera’s dual lenses deliver an ultra-wide 180-degree field of view without suffering from fish-eye distortion. Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam: This is your least-expensive option in pan/tilt cameras for those in the Ring ecosystem; unfortunately, it’s just not an ambitious effort from one of our favorite home security brands. Safemo Set P1: Safemo is new to the home security camera market, but its solar-powered two-camera system impressed us enough to win our coveted Editors’ Choice logo. Swann MaxRanger4K Solar Security System: MaxRange is a good name for his two-camera home security system. The cameras a 900MHz frequency band (Wi-Fi HaLow) to communicate with the included hub, endowing them with incredibly long range: up to 2,000 feet. SwitchBot Pan/Tilt Cam Plus 3K: If at first you don’t succeed and all that, but this is the fourth iteration of this camera, and we’re still not impressed. Wyze Cam Floodlight v2: Wyze has upgraded its entry-level floodlight camera with better resolution, stronger lights, and a lower price tag. And don’t miss our comparison of all the major security camera subscription plans.

Given up on trying to get Google Assistant to dim the lights or pull your drapes? If you’re an Android user, now’s your chance to give Gemini a spin with your smart home.  Google has just released an extension for the Gemini app that allows Google’s LLM to take charge of a wide range of smart gadgets, from smart lights and thermostats to smart shades and TVs.  For now, you’ll need the Android version of the Gemini app, and you’ll also need to be enrolled in Google’s Public Preview program.  Once you’ve enabled the Google Home extension on the Gemini app (this Google support page has all the details), you’ll be able to give smart home commands to Gemini that had previously been executed by Google Assistant.  For example, you’ll be able to say (or type) things like “Hey Google, it’s too bright in the kitchen,” or “Set the living room for a romantic date night,” and Gemini will take action, whether it means pulling your smart shades or dimming the lights and turning on the TV.  The new Google Home extension for Gemini doesn’t give the LLM total control of your smart home. For now, only the following categories are supported (according to Google):  Lights & power, like lights, outlets, and switches  Climate control, like air conditioning units, thermostats, heaters, and fans  Window coverings, like curtains, blinds, and shutters  Media devices, like TVs and speakers  Other smart devices, like washers, coffee makers, and vacuums  Google warns that Gemini’s smart-home control abilities are (for the moment, anyway) “for convenience only, not safety- or security-critical purposes.”  Specifically, Gemini can’t do anything with a security device that requires a PIN, stream video feeds from security cams, or perform “some” actions on gates, locks, doors, garage doors, and other security-related devices. Triggering routines is currently off-limits for Gemini, too. This actually isn’t the first time that Gemini’s been able to control smart home devices. The smart home-controlling conversation agents for the DIY Home Assistant platform got LLM integrations back in June, including for both ChatGPT and Google Gemini.   Just plug your Gemini API key into the proper Home Assistant extension, and you’ll be able to ask Gemini to dim the lights, turn on your smart TV, and more. (Give Gemini the right system prompt, and it may even play smart home-related games, like “Guess the number of smart lights that are on!”)  Google outlined its smart home plans for Gemini back in August, including the ability to describe the happenings in a Nest Cam video event, more “fluid” conversations with Google Assistant, and the ability to make home automation suggestions based on natural-language queries. 

No smart home is complete without a smart lock. They represent the biggest improvement to home security since the lock-and-key system was invented more than a thousand years ago. In many cases, smart locks dispense with physical keys altogether in favor of PINs, fingerprints, NFC devices, and apps. They deliver lots of other benefits, too. Most smart locks have logging systems, so you can keep track of who’s coming and going–and when. That’s incredibly useful whether you have a teenager who tends to break curfew or merely want to give temporary access to houseguests, service providers, or Airbnb guests. Smart locks are an incredible upgrade over the old way of doing things. These are our top picks in several categories. Why you should trust us TechHive’s editors and contributors have been testing smart locks since the very first models came to market, and we continuously evaluate the latest models along with their accompanying apps. We’ve tested keyless smart locks, retrofit locks, locks with keypads, Bluetooth-only locks, locks that support geofencing, and more. You can trust us to guide you to the right smart lock for your needs. Updated October 21, 2024: We’ve added a link to our Brinks Electronic Fingerprint/Keypad Deadbolt with Pro-Guard review. While this isn’t a true smart lock–you can’t control it with your phone over Bluetooth and it doesn’t have Wi-Fi connectivity–it’s very easy to use and its low price will be attractive to bargain hunters who don’t mind its simplicity. Our top picks for smart locks Level Lock+ Connect — Best smart lock overall Pros Understated industrial design that doesn’t scream “it’s a smart lock!” Supremely easy to install and set up Compatible with Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit (including Apple’s “home key” NFC tech Thread radio onboard for eventual Matter certification Cons No biometric security Pricey Why we like the Level Lock+ Connect Now bundled with the Level Connect Bluetooth-to-Wi-Fi bridge, the Level Lock+ Connect is fully compatible with all three of the major smart home platforms: Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit (including Apple’s “home key” NFC tech), and Google Home. The inclusion of the bridge also erases the biggest cons we had for this minimalist lock that looks as good as it operates. It remains our highest-rated smart lock–there is nothing better on the market today–and it could get even better when its Thread radio is activated, adding Matter compatibility. Who should buy the Level Lock+ Connect While the Level Lock+ Connect is now compatible with Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Home, we believe Apple users will have the best experience with this lock. The arrival of Matter compatibility will presumably iron out the kinks for Alexa and Google Home users, but Level’s promised Matter update (the lock is Matter-certified, but its Thread radio is still dormant). Read our full Level Lock+ (Level Connect bridge included) review Kwikset Halo Touch — Best mainstream smart lock Pros Effective operation with a top-notch fingerprint scanner Connects directly to Wi-Fi, no hub or bridge needed Smaller and more attractive exterior escutcheon compared to most of the competition Streamlined setup process Cons App becomes mired in lengthy delays every time a setting is changed Interior escutcheon is still industrial-class ugly Relatively expensive Why we like the Kwikset Halo Touch Kwikset has finally gotten into the biometrics game with the launch of the Halo Touch smart lock, and the lock benefits from a handsome exterior design, easy installation, a basic but fully-featured app, and–best of all–an effective, fast, and accurate fingerprint scanner. Who should buy the Kwikset Halo Touch Hey, we get it. Not everyone wants to spend big bucks on the absolute best product in any given category. That’s why we’ve made a distinction here between “best mainstream” (the Kwikset Halo) and “best overall” (the Level Lock+). The Kwikset’s lock isn’t compatible with Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem, but it doesn’t depend on a separate bridge to connect to your Wi-Fi network and it costs $110 less than Level’s offering–which doesn’t have a fingerprint reader. Read our full Kwikset Halo Touch review Wyze Lock Bolt — Best budget-priced smart lock Pros An amazing smart-home value Inclusion of a fingerprint reader is impressive at this price Worked perfectly throughout our evaluation You can establish temporary PIN codes from afar, even without Wi-Fi Cons Bluetooth only, no Wi-Fi connectivity Can’t be incorporated into a broader smart home system Uninspired industrial design Can’t detect if the door is open or closed No physical key Why we like the Wyze Lock Bolt At $70, Wyze Labs’ Lock Bolt Bluetooth smart lock is dirt cheap compared to what the rest of the smart lock industry has to offer. Even better, it even includes a few features even advanced smart locks tend to miss. Installation is easy, you can create temporary PIN codes from anywhere, a fingerprint reader is included (a rarity at this price), and best of all, the lock worked flawlessly during our testing process. Who should buy the Wyze Lock Bolt If you can do without Wi-Fi connectivity, the Wyze Lock Bolt is a phenomenal value for a full-fledged smart lock (this isn’t just a retrofit device), especially given that it includes a fingerprint reader. Just be aware that as a Bluetooth-only device, the Wyze Lock Bolt lacks support for geofencing, voice commands, or integrations with broader smart home ecosystems. Still, this lock is a great value for the money. Read our full Wyze Lock Bolt review Level Bolt Connect — Best retrofit smart lock Pros The champion of unobtrusive retrofit smart locks Very easy to set up and use Near flawless operation in daily use Cons Geofencing didn’t work Minimal activity logging iPhone users will need a HomeKit hub for away-from-home control Android phone users will need an Amazon Sidewalk bridge in order to control the lock while away from home Best Prices Today: £311.83 at Amazon Why we like the Level Bolt Level Home’s Level Bolt Connect is our favorite retrofit smart lock, thanks in large measure to its ability to disappear. The smart components of the Bolt hide inside your door, where they replace the interior mechanical elements of your existing deadbolt. You re-attach your existing interior and exterior components, so that your door’s overall aesthetic doesn’t change in the least. Who should buy the Level Bolt Now that it comes bundled with the Level Connect Bluetooth-to-Wi-Fi bridge, the Level Bolt Connect is compatible with all three of the major smart home ecosystems–Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Home–making it a great choice for those looking to retrofit their locks regardless of their smart home platform. Read our full Level Bolt (now marketed as Level Bolt+ Connect, which includes the Level Connect bridge)  review Lockly Vision Elite — Most sophisticated smart lock Pros Every feature you could want in a smart lock—and then some PIN Genie touchscreen is brilliant Top-shelf fingerprint scanner Wi-Fi bridge and second battery are included Cons Incredibly complex installation Not the prettiest lock on the block Dazzlingly expensive Why we like the Lockly Vision Elite Lockly’s $500 Vision Elite is the most expensive smart lock we’ve tested, but its mountain of features and solid operation make it worth consideration. You should also take into consideration that it eliminates the need for a video doorbell, and that it features both a numeric keypad, a fingerprint reader, and a conventional key cylinder. It is the most sophisticated smart lock we’ve seen, but it’s hard to hide all of its features behind a pretty facade. It’s also very expensive. Who should buy the Lockly Vision Elite You’ll need deep pockets to afford the Lockly Vision Elite, but it does double as a video doorbell, so it’s a great choice if you don’t already have a doorbell installed. The Lockly Vision Elite is also ideal if you prefer unlocking your door using a fingerprint reader. Read our full Lockly Vision Elite review What to look for when shopping for a smart lock As you’ve doubtless realized by now, not all smart locks are made alike. Some smart locks are designed to completely replace an old “dumb” lock, while others are meant to retrofit an existing lock. Some smart locks will let you create PINs for guests, while others can unlock automatically once you cross a virtual geofence. Here’s a guide to some of the key design options and features in the smart lock category. Smart home hub integration If you have an existing hub like the Wink Hub 2, Samsung SmartThings, or an Apple TV, you’ll want to ensure your chosen smart lock is compatible from the start. Many smart locks support Bluetooth, so they work with your phone, but lack the technology needed to connect with your home network. Some Bluetooth locks, like the Yale Assure system and the August Smart Lock, offer a radio module as an add-on to connect to your home network. If you’re using a smart home hub like the Samsung SmartThings or Wink Hub, look for a lock that supports Z-Wave or Zigbee, instead. Then there’s Matter, the new smart home standard that promises to unite the major smart home ecosystems. The good news is that smart locks are included in the Matter specification; the bad news is that for now, only a few Matter-enabled smart locks are available. We look forward to checking out more Matter smart locks in the weeks and months ahead. Entry means From apps and keypads to fingerprint readers and good, old-fashioned keys, there are myriad ways to unlock a smart lock. Make sure to pick a model that supports the entry method (or methods) you prefer. Power backup What do you do if the batteries inside the lock die—and you’re stuck outside? Some locks allow for emergency power to be applied should this happen. Yale’s Real Living locks feature external posts to which you can connect a 9-volt battery, giving you enough juice to get the door open. Other models retain the traditional key cylinder for backup. Geofencing Bad about manually locking the door when you leave? A geofencing system automatically locks the door when it detects your phone has left the vicinity, and can be set to automatically open up when it finds you’ve come home. Guest access features Most smart locks let you set up temporary keys for houseguests, which you can delete when they’ve returned home. Smarter systems even let you set time restrictions around when each access code can be used. Frequently asked questions about smart locks 1. What benefits do smart smart locks deliver? You can thank the hospitality industry for finally pushing locks into the digital age. Hotels learned long ago that keys are easily lost, expensive to replace, and simple to bypass, as thieves can pick locks or simply make copies of a key to allow for unfettered future access. On the flipside, hotel guests have readily accepted key cards (and in some cases, smartphone-based solutions) as the primary means of getting into their room. The electronic solution is just so much simpler. Lost hotel key card? Replacing it is no big deal. But the biggest benefit of electronic entry systems is that they are highly configurable. Digital locks can be changed at a moment’s notice (which is why that old hotel key card in your wallet isn’t good for anything), and the property owner can generate a record of when each door was opened. In a more advanced setting, different keys can be generated for the same lock, so a homeowner can tell when each member of the family came in, or when the housekeeper arrived. 2. How do you pick a smart lock? (No pun intended) This is a young and wildly immature space, and many products on the market are still extremely rough around the edges. Even top products can balk when dealing with old or stiff deadbolts, doors that don’t shut well, or environments where non-standard fixtures are in use. The bottom line is that it’s tough to declare that any product is universally perfect for every home. That said, here are some key considerations to take into account to help you narrow down your shopping list. 3. Are some smart locks smarter than others? Some “smart locks” don’t work with a smartphone app or any smart home networking hubs at all; they’re really just electronic locks that use a code instead of a key to open up. One step up from that, you’ll find Bluetooth-only locks. These work with a smartphone app, but can’t be monitored remotely or via a smart home system. That’s fine if you’re looking to get rid of the keys in your pocket, but less impressive if you want to make your entrance portals a true part of your home network. Finally, there are full-on smart locks that connect to your smart home system via Zigbee, Z-Wave, or Wi-Fi. 4. Do I need to completely replace my old lock to install a smart lock? You’re forgiven if you don’t want to replace your antique doorknob on your vintage Victorian with a metallic device that looks like it would be more at home keeping people out of a strip mall bank branch. A sizeable number of smart lock products don’t require you to replace all your existing hardware. Instead, they are installed on the inside of the door only, replacing only the interior part of the deadbolt. You can continue to use a standard key from the outside or open the lock via a smartphone app. Other smart locks we’ve reviewed recently We’ve evaluated many other smart locks. If none of our top picks check all the boxes for you, take a look at these other products. We’ve also listed some smart locks that you should avoid. Abode Smart Lock: There’s nothing remarkable about this retrofit smart lock–apart from it’s $130 sale price at launch–and our enthusiasm for it was further dampened when the first review unit we were sent turned out to be defective. Eufy Smart Lock E30: Matter over Thread support is this smart lock’s primary claim to fame, but we had difficulty incorporating it into any of the Matter smart home hubs we have on had. If that feature doesn’t matter to you, this lock has several other great features to recommend it. Eufy Video Smart Lock S330: This remarkable replacement smart lock features a touchscreen keypad, a fingerprint reader, and an integrated video doorbell. This lock’s gargantuan dimensions–and a few day-to-day operational glitches–temper our enthusiasm for this lock, but there’s no denying Eufy’s ambition level. Proscenic Smart Lock L60: Proscenic’s smart deadbolt proved to be a much more reliable product than its L40 smart lever lock (see link below). Proscenic Smart Lock L40: Kudos to Proscenic for stuffing this lock with features and keeping its price down, but numerous operational problems, including an erratic fingerprint reader that had a bad habit of locking out our reviewer, need to be addressed. Schlage Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt: This robustly built smart lock is compatible with nearly every modern smart home ecosystem: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit, including the latter’s “home key” NFC technology that allows you to unlock the door by holding your iPhone or Apple Watch next to it. Smonet Smart Lock: If you’re willing to deal with a tricky setup process and some operation hiccups, Smonet’s smart deadbolt is a reasonable and affordable Bluetooth lock with a Wi-Fi option. Securam EOS: Connectivity drops are a big problem with this otherwise innovative and solid smart lock. Lockly Duo: The Lockly Duo effectively combines a latch and deadbolt in a single smart unit, but the resulting device is enormous–and a bit wonky. Turbolock TL88: This Bluetooth-only, latch-style lock includes a quality fingerprint reader, but it’s short on tweakability. Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi + Keypad: Retrofit locks are an attractive option for enters who can’t change their locks and homeowners who don’t want to change the exterior aesthetic of their existing door hardware, but this Yale product took longer to install than a full replacement lock. Yale Assure Lock 2 Key-Free Touchscreen with Bluetooth: Yale is a strong player in the smart lock market, and its products are priced accordingly. This one is a Bluetooth only model, but you can add Wi-Fi connectivity with an $80 bridge.

At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Exterior component is sturdy and compact Outstanding fingerprint reader Very inexpensive Cons Interior escutcheon feels flimsy and is boring to look at Absence of wireless connectivity means no smart home integration Fingerprint registration means keeping an offline list Our Verdict This $80 lock won’t work with your phone—or your smart home system—but it is a sturdy and secure way to add PIN-, fingerprint-, or key-controlled access to your entry doors. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Brinks Electronic Fingerprint/Keypad Deadbolt with Pro-Guard Retailer Price £77.12 View Deal Hampton Products $79.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Brinks is probably the biggest name in the world of armored cars, so it stands to reason the company should be trustworthy enough to protect the door to your house, right? Well, don’t get too excited just yet: The Brinks Electronic Fingerprint/Keypad Deadbolt with Pro-Guard (whew!) door lock proudly bears the Brinks logo, but Hampton Products is the actual manufacturer. Hampton produces an array of locks and door hardware products that it markets under various brand names. No shade on Hampton, of course, but consumers should know who’s behind the gear they buy. If you don’t need true smart features, the Brinks Electronic Fingerprint/Keypad Deadbolt with Pro-Guard is a capable lock at a decent price. Specifications and details This lock is a straightforward product, but it straddles the line between commercial and residential applications. It’s not formally certified, but Hampton says the lock meets the commercial-class ANSI Grade 3 standards—the lowest ANSI commercial certification available for entry locks—and that “they do test to the same exact standards in the same exact methods.” The lock does not carry a BHMA certification (which is more typical for residential use). If you’d like to know more about ANSI and BHMA certification, you can read all about it at the preceding link. Mounting the fingerprint reader on top of the lock makes it much easier to register and later use fingerprints to unlock the door.Hampton Products Either way, the Pro-Guard tag in the product name is Hampton’s moniker for advanced security features in its Brinks hardware, including a steel deadbolt, pick- and drill-resistant pins, and an “anti-pry shield.” But it’s critical to note that while the device has a keypad and fingerprint reader, it is not a smart lock and has no wireless capabilities. That means that all lock programming and management must be done locally, via the keypad, which I’ll get to in detail in a bit. First, the hardware. Here, the lock also straddles commercial and residential applications without quite landing in either world. The relatively compact exterior escutcheon is available in three finishes (matte black, satin nickel, and Tuscan bronze) and features a curving design with scalloped edges that would feel right at home on most front doors. The Brinks Electronic Fingerprint/Keypad Deadbolt runs on four AA batteries housed in its interior escutcheon.Christopher Null/Foundry The large, physical numeric keypad buttons—and even larger lock button—however, detract from the otherwise upscale appearance. The white plastic chicklets look as though they’d be better suited to an airport than on a cul-de-sac. A fingerprint reader is located on the top of the escutcheon, positioned at a mostly horizontal angle, which makes it much more convenient to access than vertically positioned readers. Lastly, the lock can be opened with a physical. There is no port for emergency power if the lock’s batteries—four AA cells, not included—fail. Hampton says fresh batteries should last for up to two years with normal use. That shouldn’t be difficult to achieve, considering there are no power-sucking radios onboard. In contrast, the interior escutcheon is uninspired, a plasticky black brick with nothing much to distinguish it aside from a slim thumbturn. A tiny LED underneath the thumbturn turns green for a few seconds when the lock is opened and red when it is closed. Setup and installation Installation is straightforward, with only a tiny departure from the usual smart lock format. While the exterior escutcheon is connected to a thin plate on the inside of the door, it does so with three bolts instead of the usual two, with the bolts arranged in a triangle. The extra support does seem to help keep the lock in place better than most; in my testing, at least, it never listed throughout days of use. A single power cable connects from the exterior escutcheon to the interior escutcheon, which is connected to the frame with three tiny screws. Note that one of these screws is recessed inside a deep, narrow channel. I had to dig out a small, thin Philips screwdriver to get it seated because of its difficult placement. Three bolts secure the Brinks Electronic Fingerprint/Keypad Deadbolt with Pro-Guard’s interior and exterior escutcheons, which helps to ensure the lock doesn’t list to one side or the other over time.Christopher Null/Foundry Once installed, it’s time to start setting up access. Again, this lock has no traditional smart features, so all settings need to be made by entering a series of codes into the keypad. That includes everything from setting up PINs, enrolling fingerprints, and changing operational parameters like auto-locking. The lock can store 50 fingerprints, 50 PINs, and 50 additional single-use codes. Because the lock has no clock or connection to an external one, all PINs are all-or-nothing affairs. One-time-use codes, however, are automatically deleted either after one use or after 72 hours of their creation. Additional settings configurable through the keypad include auto-lock (0 to 99 seconds), vacation mode (which disables all PINs except the master code), and the ability to mute system sounds. A wrong-entry protection feature disables the system for 1 minute following 5 incorrect PINs or fingerprint scans. This function cannot be changed or disabled. The lock’s keypad isn’t the most attractive design we’ve seen in modern locks, but the buttons are backlit and they perform well. Christopher Null/Foundry To give you a sense of what working with the keypad is like, enrolling a PIN looks like this: Hold down the lock button for 3 seconds, enter the master code, press the lock button, press 3, press 1, enter the new PIN, press the lock button, enter the new PIN again, and then press the lock button one more time. It’s not necessarily complicated, but it does take time and requires significant attention to detail while following the broadsheet user manual (which is also available online, though it’s not the easiest document to read in PDF format). Enrolling fingerprints takes a similar approach, with one major twist of a hassle: Each fingerprint must be assigned to a fingerprint slot (1 to 50), and it’s up to you to remember whose fingerprint is assigned to each slot. I’d suggest creating a log, because should you need to delete a fingerprint down the road, you can do so only by providing the relevant slot number. Alternatively, you’ll need to delete all the fingerprints en masse and start over from scratch. Should you buy a Brinks Electronic Fingerprint/Keypad Deadbolt with Pro-Guard? The good news is that, in use, the lock works exceptionally well. The buttons might be ugly, but they’re large enough and set far enough apart to tap without making mistakes, and the illumination is bright enough to easily see at night. The fingerprint reader works perfectly, and it never missed a single scan during my testing. Since there’s no logging or remote access features, there isn’t much else to test. But what the lock does, it does well. Bottom line: If you don’t need true smart features, the Brinks Electronic Fingerprint/Keypad Deadbolt with Pro-Guard is a capable lock at a decent price that can free you from the tyranny of keys—as long as you understand what you’re getting.

For the past several years, Amazon has held a big September event to show off its latest hardware, and 2023’s presentation included a doozy: a new Alexa with ChatGPT-like conversational abilities.  It was an impressive demo, to be sure, and outgoing Amazon hardware chief David Limp (who has since been replaced by ex-Microsoft exec Panos Panay) said we’d get a preview of the new Alexa sometime in 2024.  But as the final weeks of 2024 tick off, there’s still no sign of the so-called “remarkable Alexa,” and it’s becoming increasingly clear that the promised preview won’t be happening anytime soon.  This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart speakers. Besides the lack of any clear timeline for the new Alexa, Amazon raised eyebrows by skipping its big hardware event this year, opting instead for a scaled-back unveiling of new Kindle models.  The latest we’re hearing about the revamped Alexa comes from Bloomberg, which reports that the “target” window for the “remarkable” Alexa rollout is now 2025.  The problems dogging the new Alexa have already been widely reported, and the Bloomberg story ticks them off yet again: answers that are “nowhere as good” as ChatGPT, “smarter, but not necessarily wiser” responses, plus “ongoing hallucinations” that “aren’t always wrong, but uncalled for,” according to the article.  Even worse, the AI-upgraded Alexa is said to be having trouble with its bread-and-butter smart home abilities, such as controlling smart lights, Bloomberg reports.  Reached for comment, Amazon gave the following statement to TechHive: “Our vision for Alexa remains the same—to build the world’s best personal assistant. Generative AI offers a huge opportunity to make Alexa even better for our customers. We have already integrated generative AI into different components of Alexa, and are working hard on implementation at scale—in the over half a billion Alexa-enabled devices already in homes around the world—to enable even more proactive, personal, and trusted assistance for our customers. We are excited about what we’re building and look forward to delivering it for our customers.” Amazon has publicly started that it hopes to charge extra for a “remarkable” version of Alexa with revamped AI abilities, perhaps as much as $5 to $10 a month. The “classic” Alexa would remain free.  But as early as January 2024, bad buzz began swirling around the new Alexa, with word that the revamped assistant was “deflecting answers” and “often giving unnecessarily long or inaccurate responses.”  Amazon is said to have turned to Anthropic’s Claude AI as well as AI tech from Mistral to boost the new Alexa’s performance, but the updated assistant still doesn’t appear ready for prime time.  One issue is the expectations game. While people expect hallucinations and long-winded answers from ChatGPT, a similar performance from the typically dependable Alexa could be seen as a “fiasco” for Amazon, Bloomberg points out.  Getting hallucination-prone LLMs to work reliably with smart device APIs is a notoriously difficult task, which is why you don’t see HAL-like voice assistants flipping on smart lights yet (outside of DIY platforms such as Home Assistant). Just consider Amazon rivals Apple and Google, both of which have been cautious about their AI plans for the smart home. Apple’s new Apple Intelligence functionality doesn’t come anywhere near the Apple Home app, for example, while Google’s Gemini AI will—in the short term, at least—be relegated to giving out automation suggestions and describing the goings-on in Nest video events.  So, while Amazon’s demos last year of a supercharged Alexa controlling the smart home by sussing out intentions from natural-language statements (like a robot vacuum scooting to the kitchen after you say “Alexa, it’s dirty in here”) were compelling, they don’t seem close to becoming reality, or at least not yet.

The remote control can make or break your streaming experience, which might explain why device makers are offering increasingly better ones, sometimes at an additional cost. The best streaming remotes do more than just control playback. Many also include remote-finder functions, programmable buttons, and shortcuts to popular features. Some even offer backlit keys or premium materials in their build. Having reviewed pretty much every streaming player on the market, I’ve become something of a remote control connoisseur. With so many companies now charging extra for their premium remotes—or restricting them to their higher-priced streaming players—I thought it’d be fun to pit them against one another. This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best media streamers. Alexa Voice Remote Pro Jared Newman / Foundry Standalone Price: $35 Compatible with: Fire TV streaming players and smart TVs Included with: Standalone purchase only Notable features: Two programmable buttons, smart backlighting, Bluetooth headphone shortcut Amazon’s premium Fire TV remote is comfier to hold than its standard pack-in remotes, with flat sides that don’t dig into your palms as much. It’s also the only Fire TV remote with programmable buttons, which you can set to launch a favorite app, jump to specific menu sections, or execute any Alexa voice command. (That last option becomes especially powerful when you combine it with Alexa Routines.) The remote’s backlit keys have a clever touch as well: They turn on automatically when you pick up the remote in a dark room, but stay off to save power in well-lit environments. Quick links to the Fire TV’s handy live channel guide and Bluetooth audio pairing help put this one over the top, though it’s too bad there are no Fire TV models that can directly trigger the remote finder function. (Instead, you have to ask an Alexa device or use the Fire TV mobile app.) Grade: A- Roku Voice Remote Pro Jared Newman / Foundry Standalone Price: $30 Compatible with: Roku streaming players and smart TVs Included with: Roku Ultra, Roku Pro Series TVs Notable features: Quick-launch button, hands-free control, rechargeable battery Roku has the best approach to programmable buttons on a streaming remote: Instead of making you memorize what that button does, it brings up a quick-launch menu to which you can assign two separate shortcuts (a favorite app, a home screen section, or any voice command) and access the search function. This is also the rare streaming remote with an internal battery—rechargeable via USB-C—and it’s well-rounded with other features such as a remote-finder function and backlit buttons. The remote even responds to hands-free “Hey Roku” voice commands, albeit with some reliability issues. But there’s also one big limitation, which also applies to every other Roku remote: It can’t control external soundbars or A/V systems over infrared; so, if your system doesn’t support HDMI-CEC, you’ll need another remote to adjust the volume. Longtime Roku users may also bemoan the lack of a headphone jack on this model, marring what is otherwise a solid remote overall. Grade: B+ Nvidia Shield Remote Jared Newman / Foundry Standalone price: $30 Included with: Nvidia Shield TV and Shield TV Pro (2019 models) Compatible with: Android TV and Google TV devices Notable features: Actual rewind and fast forward buttons. Why are Google TV device makers averse to putting direct playback control buttons on their remotes? On both the Google TV Streamer and Walmart’s Onn devices, you’re limited to clicking the directional pad for fast forward and rewind, and every app has different ways of changing the speed. All of which is to say that if you have a Google TV device and crave the consistency of actual fast forward and rewind buttons, the Nvidia Shield Remote is an interesting dark-horse pick. It has some other virtues as well, including backlit buttons and a satisfyingly weighty triangular design. While it’s ostensibly designed for the Shield TV, it worked just fine with the Google TV Streamer, with caveats: The menu button is non-programmable and the Netflix button doesn’t do anything—though you can customize both using a third-party app—and the remote-finder function only works with the Shield . Grade: B- Siri remote for Apple TV 4K Jared Newman / Foundry Standalone price: $60 Included with: Apple TV 4K (second-gen and up), Apple TV HDs sold from late 2021 onward Compatible with: All Apple TV boxes from 2015 onward Notable features: Aluminum housing, touch-sensitive directional pad Apple’s streaming remote could bolster any argument that the company favors form over function. While its aluminum chassis is admittedly quite luxurious, it’s light on the features you’ll find on most other premium streaming remotes. There’s no backlighting, no dedicated fast forward or rewind buttons, and no programmable functions. (On the flip side, the lack of sponsored buttons for streaming services is quite refreshing.) The remote-finder function is the biggest letdown. If your Apple TV remote slips between the couch cushions, the only way to locate it is by opening the virtual remote app on an iPhone or iPad, and then staring at a Bluetooth-based proximity indicator as you wander aimlessly around the living room. Apple, please: Just put a button on the box and a speaker in the remote like everyone else. The saving grace is Apple’s touch-sensitive directional pad, which lets you glide through menus and skip through videos with swipe gestures. It takes getting used to, but it’s hard going back to anything else once you do. Grade: C Google TV Streamer remote Jared Newman / Foundry Standalone price: $20 Included with: Google TV Streamer Compatible with: Google TV Streamer and Chromecast with Google TV dongles Notable features: Input switcher, customizable YouTube shortcuts, Hazel color option Google’s premium streaming box doesn’t have a vastly different remote from its earlier Chromecast with Google TV dongles, but it does add a programmable button that you can set to launch a favorite app, pop open a Google Home control panel, or switch inputs. It feels a bit limited, though, as you can’t map it to specific menu sections or voice commands. Oddly enough, the Google TV Streamer remote’s most unique traits are also available on the company’s earlier Chromecast with TV dongles: The YouTube shortcut button can be programmed to launch YouTube TV or the YouTube app’s Music section, and you can use the remote to switch TV inputs (albeit at the cost of using the programmable button for anything else). Otherwise, the remote-finder function is a nice addition, and the optional Hazel colorway is a welcome change from the black-and-white world of so many other streaming remotes. The absence of backlighting, however, is a bit of a letdown—much like the Google TV Streamer itself. Grade: C- Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter for more streaming TV advice.

At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Very bright, in both white and color Can be trimmed to fit (or extended) Lots of presets and programming options Very affordable Cons Power supply can support only 100 feet of lights No Apple Home, IFTTT, or Matter support Splicing is required in limited scenarios Our Verdict Home Depot makes some of the least expensive permanent holiday lights you’ll find, but you won’t need to make very many sacrifices if you mount its Hampton Bay Permanent String Lights on your home. That said, their biggest limitation–a maximum length of 100 feet–will be a showstopper for some. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Given the hassle associated with decorating your home with holiday lighting, it’s no surprise that manufacturers are falling over themselves to offer smart—and permanent—solutions. Home Depot is the latest player in the game, with its Hampton Bay Permanent String Lights. They’re a bargain at $99 for a 50-foot length, especially given how bright they are. Nevertheless, you should be prepared to accept some compromises in your pursuit of value. Specs and details The good news is that Home Depot uses RGBWIC LEDs in this product, as is the trend these days. That means each puck is outfitted with discrete red, blue, green, white, and warm-white diodes. What’s more, the manufacturer says the pucks can produce white light with up to 50 lumens of brightness (when producing white). That’s brighter than the Enbrighten Eternity Lights (33 lumens) and the Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights 2 (40 lumens) we reviewed earlier. The lights have a white color temperature ranging from a very warm 2200 Kelvin to an icy 6500 K. But the Hampton Bay lights are available only in 50-foot lengths (in white only), and there are only 30 pucks on a strand (spaced 19.7 inches apart). Both the Enbrighten and Govee products deliver 36 pucks on a strand, they’re available in 50- and 100-foot SKUs, and you can choose between white or black cables. Govee also offers a 150-foot strand. If you want more than 50 feet of Home Depot’s lights, you’ll need to wait until early December for its extension kits to arrive in stores. When those kits arrive, you’ll be able to add up to three extensions at $29.97 each to add up to 50 more feet. If you need more than 100 feet of lights, you’ll need to buy another starter kit with a power supply. On the bright side, no pun intended, getting 100 feet of permanent string lights will cost less from Home Depot ($189.88) than either Enbrighten ($249.99) or Govee ($299.99). The pucks in the Hampton Bay Permanent String Lights can produce white light with up to 50 lumens of brightness. That’s brighter than the competition. On the other hand, while looking at Home Depot’s user manual, (yeah, I read those), I was surprised to see that the required tools include a wire stripper and a side cutter (aka diagonal cutting pliers, or as my dad used to call them, “dykes”). Fortunately, those tools are needed only if you want to shorten a light string, because you’ll need to splice either a female or male connector to the cut end (depending on which end of the string you cut). The manual goes so far as to include this caution statement: “Cutting and joining the wires should only be done by a qualified professional.” Home Depot uses RGBWIC LEDs.Michael Brown/Foundry As scary as that might sound, it’s an improvement over the Govee product, which you can’t cut at all. Shortening the Enbrighten product, meanwhile, is a simple matter of cutting it with a sharp tool and attaching a cap (you must leave at least four lights on the strand to shorten it, and the cut end can’t be left in standing water). On the downside, you can’t reconnect the cut end of Enbrighten lights. The Hubspace lights connect to a smallish power brick and an inline remote control with buttons for on/off, dimming, and recalling lighting scenes. The remote has an integrated microphone, so you can synchronize your lighting to music or ambient sounds, although I can’t say I was overly impressed with this feature. It’s activated by pressing a Party Mode button in the app, but the resulting flashing and color changing didn’t seem to have much to do with the music I played—including the jangly Talking Heads hit “(Nothing But) Flowers.” This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart lighting. The power supply and the remote control carry a weatherization rating of IP65, which our IP code decoder article explains renders them impervious to dust ingress and able to withstand water jets from a spray nozzle (but not a power washer). The string lights themselves are more weather resistant, with an IP code of 67 indicating they can withstand immersion in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. That’s more than enough to withstand any storm; just don’t leave the string in a gutter. The power supply with the Hampton Bay Permanent String Lights can power up to 100 feet of lights (50 feet in the $99 starter kit and up to three extension kits, which cost $29.97 each). There’s also an in-line remote control. Michael Brown/Foundry The light strings come in 16.4-inch segments (three in the starter kit) with DIN-style connectors (male at one end, female at the other). You also get a 9.8-foot extension cable, so you won’t be running LED strings up the wall from your outdoor outlet. There’s a captive screw-on protector for the end of the final string, and two extras are provided for the splicing components should you shorten the run. Set up and installation As with any outdoor lights, you’ll want to plug in the power supply and add the product to your Wi-Fi network (only 2.4GHz networks are supported) before you put them up. You don’t want to go through the trouble of installing the lights only to discover that they can’t reach your router. You can also fall back to Bluetooth control, although that’s not as practical. Be sure to plug the power supply into a weatherized outlet (it has two-prong plug on a 3.5-foot cable on one side). You’ll connect the remote control to the other side, and the extension cable to the remote. The power brick and the remote have screw holes so you can secure them to the side of your house to keep them out of the dirt. Cable clips and screws are provided so you can secure the cables to the same, so they don’t flap in the wind or snag anything. The cables have with male and female DIN connections that are well protected from the elements.  Michael Brown/Foundry Home Depot, Govee, and Enbrighten all have the same good idea for installing the light pucks themselves: They use peel-and-stick pads to hold them into place until you can permanently secure them with screws. But Enbrighten has the best solution: They attach the pads to sockets, which you stick to the surface and then secure with a single screw. With the socket in place, you snap the light puck into the socket. Voilà! The screw is hidden from sight. Home Depot puts the pads on the light pucks themselves, which you then permanently attach using two screws. Govee takes a similarly less-elegant—and more time-consuming—approach. Believe me, when you’re perched atop a 20-foot extension ladder (or higher, as the case may be), you’ll want to be down from there as soon as possible. I did have one moment of panic once I’d hung all the first string of lights: I tested them beforehand, to rule out any problems, but I then disconnected them so I could install one strand at a time and not struggle with the full 50-foot length. I connected a second length and then decided to plug the lights in to see how they looked before I finished the third string. Well, the first string lit up, but not the second. Oh-oh, I thought to myself. A quick check of the Hubspace app provided relief: If you add or remove any lights, you need to unplug the power supply and plug it back in. This action causes the system to recalibrate its power output according to the length of the string. The individual light pucks have adhesive pads for temporary mounting, so they’ll stay in place while you put in the screws for permanence. Michael Brown/Foundry Scheduling and programming Once the installation is done, you’ll want to configure them using the Hubspace app (available for Android and iOS). You can give the lights a custom name and assign them to a virtual room in your home. This is the same app that Home Depot uses for all its smart home products. But when it comes to operating the lights on a schedule, and you have other Hubspace lights—we’ve reviewed the company’s Hampton Bay Landscape Spotlights and Hampton Bay Landscape Floodlight so far—you’ll need to create a schedule for each product individually. In other words, you can’t create a single schedule that controls all your Hubspace lights. The Hubspace app makes it very easy to program the lights to operate on a schedule, including sunset/sunrise settings.Michael Brown/Foundry The scheduling restriction seemed like a drawback to me at first, but when I went through the process, I realized it’s a benefit because this enables you to program each light to turn on with specific presets: brightness, color or white color temperature, a lighting scene, or a lighting pattern (more on that in a bit). You’ll find all the scheduling options you’d expect in a lighting application, including on at sunset and off at sunrise (including up to 4 hours before and after), including for specific days, for your specific location. You can also choose preset lighting scenes to turn on and off at chosen times. One feature the app does not support is geolocation, so you won’t be able to program the lights to turn on when you leave and off when you return. The Hub Space app has lots of preset lighting effects, but you can also program each light puck to behave a certain way.Michael Brown/Foundry With the app open to its home screen, you can turn the lights on and off with a touch of an icon, as well as adjust their color and brightness, but you’ll want to take full advantage of the many lighting scenes that are available, including ones geared to the seasons, holidays, moods, and more. You can program up to three patterns, with each puck individually addressable in terms of color, white color temperature, brightness, gradient (a series of pucks start as one color and cycling to another on a color wheel), and effects (animated variations in motion and brightness). The one thing you might find confusing about this is that you need to ensure you deselect each puck after you’ve programmed it and before you move on to the next one or the next set; otherwise, your new choices will apply to all of them. Here’s just a few of the preset lighting scenes you can use with the Hampton Bay Permanent String Lights.Michael Brown/Foundry If you don’t have your phone handy, Hubspace products are also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, so you can use voice commands for basic functions (that, of course, requires the lights to be connected to your Wi-Fi network). And if you’re out of earshot of your smart speaker, you can also turn the lights on and off, brighten or dim them, or activate lighting scenes with buttons on the inline remote control. The lights are not Matter certified, however, nor are they compatible with the Apple Home ecosystem. For most people, and lots of Apple users, the former limitation will be less important than the latter. Should you buy Hampton Bay Permanent String Lights? Home Depot’s Hubspace line of smart home products deliver more features than you might expect to find for the price. While none of them have been exceptional compared to the competition, the Hampton Bay Permanent String Lights comes closest to being on par with the best products in their category. The requirement to splice a connector to the end of a cut light string is one of the biggest differentiators, and it ends up being in Home Depot’s favor. The need for wire-cutting and splicing tools sounds intimidating—and it is—but it’s also entirely optional. You might not need to do it at all. When all is said and done on that score, Home Depot lets you re-use cut strings where Enbrighten and Govee don’t. That gives you a lot more flexibility. On the other hand, some will find the Hampton Bay’s 100-foot limit to be a showstopper. While you can deploy multiple sets of transformers and lights and group them together in the Hubspace app, you’ll need an outdoor outlet for each transformer, and those might not be in locations that makes it simple to extend a run. You also can’t program two 100-foot runs as a single 200-foot run. But the value proposition here bears repeating: A 50-foot run of these Hampton Bay lights costs $60 less than the same length of Enbrighten’s product, and $80 less than Govee’s offering. And you won’t need to give up much.

An external streaming device is the best way to access online video services without replacing your entire TV. By plugging one of these devices into your TV’s HDMI port, you’ll be able to use apps like Netflix and Hulu, possibly with a faster and smoother experience than your TV’s built-in software. But between Roku, Fire TV, Google TV, and Apple TV, picking a streaming device can be overwhelming. We’ve reviewed them all and have come up with a list of recommendations for every need and budget. Why you should trust us As TechHive’s resident cord-cutting expert, I’ve reviewed practically every streaming device that’s come out over the past decade, and I’ve been a cord-cutter myself since 2008. Beyond just product reviews, I write a weekly column about streaming and over-the-air TV for TechHive, along with a weekly cord cutting newsletter for more than 30,000 subscribers. Few other writers are as familiar with how these streaming devices and their underlying operation systems perform. Update, October 31, 2024: We’ve added a link to Jared Newman’s picks for the best media streamer remote controls. Best media streaming players for every budget Roku Streaming Stick 4K — Best media streamer for most people Pros Fast, fluid performance with dependable Wi-Fi connectivity Easy-to-operate interface with powerful voice control features Full of nice touches that other cheap streamers lack, such as AirPlay and a Replay button Cons Discovering and tracking shows could be easier No Dolby Atmos support or IR control for external sound systems Only supports wireless connections Price When Reviewed: £49.99 Why we like the Roku Streaming Stick 4K Roku still offers the simplest platform for streaming, and it’s loaded with thoughtful touches (like the “Replay” button that jumps back 10 seconds and temporarily turns on closed captions). At $50 (and often on sale for less), the Streaming Stick 4K hits the sweet spot in Roku’s device lineup, with a better remote than the budget Express model and the same Dolby Vision support as the $100 Roku Ultra. It narrowly beats out the $40 Roku Express 4K+, which lacks Dolby Vision HDR support and has a less-portable design. Who should buy the Roku Streaming Stick 4K While other streaming platforms are more aggressive about recommending movies and shows directly from the home screen, Roku’s main menu is still a traditional grid of app icons, akin to what you’d see on a smartphone. It’s indicative of how Roku values simplicity above all else. If you feel the same way, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is for you. Read our full Roku Streaming Stick 4K review Walmart Onn Google TV 4K Pro — Best media streamer for most people, runner-up Pros Excellent performance for the price Remote is loaded with useful features Google TV is great for finding things to watch Cons Hands-free voice control is a bust Home screen needs better streaming service tie-ins Can’t control volume from your phone while casting Why we like the Walmart Onn Google TV 4K Pro Walmart’s Onn Google TV 4K Pro resets expectations for what a $50 streaming device can deliver. The small box features a chipset that includes a Quad-core Cortex-A55 CPU and Mali-G31 MP3 GPU; 32GB of storage; a Wi-Fi 6 adapter, plus a 100Mbps ethernet port; and a USB-A port for connecting external storage drives, wired game controllers, and other accessories. It comes with a great remote control with backlit buttons–some of which are re-assignable–and the box itself has a remote-finder feature. All that horsepower makes for an extremely responsive user experience, and great voice search features make it easy for you to find what you want to watch. Walmart would like you to think its box is a great smart speaker, too; regrettably, that is its weakest link. Who should buy the Walmart Onn Google TV 4K Pro Like Walmart’s budget-priced media streamer, the Onn Google TV Pro is particularly well suited to TV watchers who are invested in Google’s entertainment ecosystem. This streamer’s remote has dedicated buttons for Google TV’s free streaming channels and YouTube (the latter of which can be remapped to YouTube TV or YouTube Music), as well as preset buttons for Netflix, Disney+, and Paramount+. Home theater buffs, meanwhile, will appreciate the support for Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos object-based surround sound. Read our full Walmart Onn Google TV 4K Pro review Walmart Onn 4K Google TV Streaming Box (2023 model) — Best budget-priced streamer Pros Feature-rich remote Google TV software makes sense of streaming Super cheap even without sale prices Cons Performance can drag on occasion No Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos support Google TV guide still has some blind spots Price When Reviewed: Not available in the UK Why we like the Walmart Onn 4K Streaming Box At a regular price of $20, Walmart’s 4K streaming puck is an unbeatable value, and its button-packed remote has handy shortcuts to the settings menu, live TV guide, and even an input switcher. It runs Google TV, whose home screen does an excellent job recommending movies and shows to watch. It also plays nicely with various Google services, so you can use Google Photos albums as screensavers, control Google Home devices with the voice remote, and play music across your TV and other Chromecast devices at the same time. Who should buy the Walmart Onn 4K Streaming Box Those who are deeply invested in Google’s ecosystem will appreciate this budget streaming option, and it may also appeal to tech enthusiasts who want to sideload Android apps or remap the remote control’s buttons. Unless you need Dolby Vision and Atmos support, this is a better buy than Google’s own 4K Chromecast dongle. Read our full Walmart Onn 4K Google TV Streaming Box (2023 model) review Apple TV 4K (2022) (64GB) — Best high-end media streamer Pros Uncluttered, ad-free interface Performance is speedier than ever AirPlay, AirPods, and iCloud integration are nice to have Cons No remote-finder function Dual home screens can be confusing Remote gesture controls, while useful, might confound some users Price When Reviewed: £149 Best Prices Today: £149 at Amazon£149 at Apple£149 at argos.co.uk Why we like the Apple TV 4K No other streaming device can touch the Apple TV 4K’s speed, fluidity, and overall feeling of classiness. The aluminum remote is slick, the home screen is free of obnoxious banner ads, and the tvOS software is brimming with useful features. (One underrated example: Inputting passwords by dictating each letter into the voice remote.) Apple’s TV app is a highlight as well, as it helps you save shows for later and jump directly back into what you’ve been watching in most apps. At $129, the third-gen model has a lower price than its predecessors, and it’s no longer out-of-whack with other high-end streamers despite being better in almost every way. Who should buy the Apple TV 4K The Apple TV 4K is nearly thrice the price of capable streaming dongles from other companies, so it’s not going to be for everyone, but it’s a worthwhile splurge for your main TV. Additional benefits also accrue to folks who are deeply invested in Apple’s ecosystem, with features like iCloud Photos screensavers and simple pairing with AirPods for private listening. This model provides Wi-Fi connectivity only. If you want it hardwired to your network, you’ll need to step up to the $149 128GB model. Read our full Apple TV 4K (3rd-generation, 2022) (64GB, model A2737) review Amazon Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) — best media streamer with voice control Pros Unparalleled voice control features Powerful remote; the “Recents” button is a revelation Super-fast app load times Cons The home screen is a disaster Upscaling isn’t a major improvement Costs more than most other high-end streaming boxes Price When Reviewed: £139.99 Best Prices Today: £139.99 at Amazon£139.99 at argos.co.uk£139.99 at Currys Why we like the Fire TV Cube (3rd gen) Amazon’s high-end streaming box is a niche pick, but it’s the only streaming device that you can control entirely by voice. With its built-in far-field microphones, you can use “Alexa” voice commands to launch programs, scroll through menus, select highlighted items, and jump back to the home screen. It’s also Amazon’s speediest streamer by a wide margin. Who should buy the Fire TV Cube (3rd gen) For anyone who’s unable to use a traditional TV remote, the Fire TV Cube is without peer. Voice control is also just a handy way to avoid Amazon’s chaotic, ad-ridden home screen. For smart home owners in the Alexa ecosystem, this box will eliminate the need to have an Alexa speaker in their home theater. Read our full Amazon Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) review Other devices we’ve tested Amazon’s Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K, and Fire TV Stick 4K Max are all strong values, especially when they’re on sale, but their menu systems are difficult to navigate and bogged down by advertising. (You may even see ads instead of your selected screensaver.) They’re only worth considering if you’re deeply into the Amazon ecosystem. The Fire TV Stick Lite, meanwhile, should be avoided by pretty much everyone. If you want a Fire TV device, get the non-Lite version so you can control TV volume and power without a separate remote. The Roku Express 4K+ is a solid budget streamer for $30, but the Streaming Stick 4K is only $10 more for Dolby Vision and a more portable design that plugs directly into the TV without an HDMI cable. Avoid the basic Roku Express and the Walmart-exclusive Roku SE, neither of which have voice, volume, or TV power controls on their remote. Saving a handful of dollars isn’t worth suffering through those omissions. The Roku Ultra may appeal to Roku fans who want ethernet connectivity, USB media playback, and Bluetooth. But if you just want Roku’s best remote, you can buy the Voice Remote Pro separately to use with any Roku player. The Nvidia Shield TV and Shield TV Pro have devoted fanbases for good reason: They’re speedy streaming devices with impressive 4K upscaling and all the flexibility that Android TV allows. But for most folks, we hesitate to recommend a device that is now five years old and hasn’t received a software update since 2022. The Chromecast with Google TV 4K is worth considering over Walmart’s Onn 4K Streaming Box if Dolby Vision and Atmos support are must-haves and you want the same Google TV software, but it’s a lot pricier at $50. There’s not much reason to consider the HD version instead. The TiVo Stream 4K is now four years old and no longer worth considering as TiVo focuses more on smart TV software. Frequently asked questions about media streamers 1. Are streaming boxes better than streaming sticks? Set-top boxes tend to be faster, but streaming sticks have come a long way on performance while still costing a lot less. 2. Do I need HDR, HDR10+, or Dolby Vision support? And what about Dolby Atmos? If your TV supports these formats, buying a compatible streaming device will ensure that you get the richest color detail possible while watching supported content. Same goes on the immersive audio front if you have an Atmos speaker system. Just be aware that not all streaming services support these formats, and those that do will probably charge extra for it. 3. Can I control my soundbar or A/V receiver with a streaming remote? Most streaming devices can control external soundbars and receivers over HDMI-CEC. But if your sound system requires infrared control, be sure to choose a streaming device that supports this. (Roku players, notably, do not.) Otherwise you’ll need to juggle separate remotes. 4. Can I cast or mirror my smartphone screen to a streaming device? Apple TV and Roku devices support AirPlay, which allows you to stream audio and video from iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Google TV devices support Chromecast, which lets you play content from supported iOS and Android apps, but only allows for full-screen mirroring from Android devices and the Chrome browser. 5. What can I connect to a streaming device? Some streaming devices offer ethernet ports or ethernet adapters, which can be more reliable than Wi-Fi if your home is set up for wired ethernet. Streaming devices with USB ports can also be useful for playing media from external drives or using wired game controllers. 6. Can I use headphones with my streaming device? Most streaming devices support Bluetooth headphones and earbuds, with the exception of Roku’s Streaming Sticks and Express players. That said, you can use Roku’s mobile app to listen privately through headphones instead. 7. Which streaming device has the best app selection? These days, it’s rare to see any major gaps in app support on the major streaming platforms. That said, some live TV streaming services work better with specific streaming devices on features like launching channels by voice and finding content from the home screen. 8. Can I use a streaming device while traveling? Yes. Roku, Fire TV, and Apple TV streaming devices even have captive portal support, so you can log into guest Wi-Fi networks that have a web-based confirmation page. That doesn’t necessarily mean you can use every streaming service while traveling. Hulu + Live TV, for example, doesn’t allow you to use the service away from your primary residence. 9. How much storage do I need on my streaming device? All major streaming platforms now have the ability to automatically offload apps that you haven’t used in a while, making storage less of a concern than it once was. That said, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max and Fire TV Cube have 16GB of storage, which should be more than enough for streaming apps, and the Apple TV 4K has 64GB of storage in its base model. You’d only need more than that for gaming. How we test streaming devices Our testing involves using the streaming devices to play a variety of programs, switching between apps to measure load times, and comparing the availability of various features. We pay special attention to remote control functionality—as this is the primary way people interact with their televisions—along with the orderliness and efficiency of each device’s menu system. Preference in streaming platforms is inherently subjective, but we make sure to flag things that users are sure to dislike, such as overly aggressive advertising or promotional content that gets in the way of watching your desired shows.