When you’re looking for a surveillance camera, you quickly realize that there are countless options out there. From semi-professional solutions to ultra-cheap devices costing only a few hundred kronor. If you’re not just after a standalone unit, it’s important to choose a manufacturer that offers the hardware and services you need and may want to grow into. For me, Reolink is a new acquaintance in this area.
Troublesome Installation
I set up the new Argus b350 camera at a summer house in Norrland, where it communicates with me via a 4G modem. The installation wasn’t straightforward, perhaps because I first tested the unit in another location, which complicated things.
I followed the instructions to reset the unit and switch the Wi-Fi network it was supposed to connect to, but I was then forced through a long and frustrating process. A loud voice instructs me in English through the various steps, trapping me in a 30-minute loop without making progress. The voice is so loud and irritating that I had to wrap the camera in a towel just to bear it (and avoid waking up the whole village). Eventually, after several resets, I managed to correctly link the camera to the app.
Tight USB Port
Once the camera was recognized in the app on my account, it was time to mount it on the wall. The mount didn’t feel particularly well-made, but I managed to get the camera in place. However, the USB-C connector is a bit unusual. It’s very narrow, which means not just any USB-C cable will fit. The first time I connected Reolink’s solar panel (which is not included by default), I hadn’t pressed the cable hard enough.
Once I was back home, 650 kilometers away, I quickly realized that the camera wasn’t charging. This revealed another major drawback of the Reolink Argus b350: the battery drains very quickly. From 60 percent at start, it went completely dead after just over a week. Not acceptable!
On my next trip up north, I managed to insert the USB cable after a bit of force. The solar panel has been charging the camera since, and three weeks later, I’ve had a constant charge of 90-100 percent.
A Slightly Faded Image
Enough about the installation—how does the camera perform once in place? The image quality is decent, though it doesn’t quite reach the level of comparable cameras from Ring and Arlo, which I had for comparison. The exposure looks somewhat washed out and pale, and the sharpness is lacking. You can mark areas in the image where you don’t want the motion sensor to trigger the camera, but this feature works only so-so. There are quite a few false alarms, and adjusting the sensitivity doesn’t seem to make a big difference.
The built-in spotlight and IR light are good, making the camera usable at night as well.
Like most similar cameras on the market, you’ll have to pay if you want to store recordings in the cloud. Reolink’s standard subscription costs 4.19$ per month, giving you 30 days of storage for up to five cameras. Or double the price if you need more cameras (up to 10) and 80GB of storage space.
Good Two-Way Communication
However, you don’t need a subscription to receive notifications informing you about movement in front of the camera. Many other brands charge extra for this feature. Another advantage of the camera is its two-way communication, and you can even play pre-recorded messages through the speaker to scare away intruders. Of course, you can also trigger an alarm from the app.
After a few months with the Reolink Argus b350, I see no reason to choose this camera over, for example, the Ring Spotlight Cam Plus (which I tested at the same time). Ring’s model offers better image quality, significantly better battery life, and costs less. It’s also easier to install and use, much like Arlo’s models. When choosing a platform to expand with more cameras in the future, this becomes even more crucial.
Reolink’s camera isn’t terrible in every aspect. It provides a stable connection, a decent image, and some good features. But it’s not enough to earn top marks.
Specifications
Manufacturer: Reolink
Tested: August 2024
Price: $180 at Computersalg
Resolution: 4K
Connectivity: Wi-Fi (2.4 & 5 GHz)
Field of view: 55-125 degrees
Local storage: Yes (Micro SD)
Night vision: Yes (Spotlight and IR)
Protection rating: IP65
Cloud storage: Yes (Reolink cloud with subscription)
Extras: Solar panel available as an add-on
