Gabe: Does having 4K on your home security camera actually make a difference?
Well, Arlo is betting yes with their Arlo Ultra 4K Home Security camera.
Does it actually work?
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If you'd like to see a list of our favorite home security cameras, google Security Baron,
best home security cameras.
If you have a question about today's review, leave us a comment and I'll get back to you.
Arlo is making a big splash with the Ultra 4K home security camera, but I have a couple
of questions.
One, are we really ready for it?
Two, is it actually ready for the market?
I want to note that we ordered ours off Amazon and received it when it was generally available
to the public.
However, there are some people that got it a couple of weeks ahead of us.
You've seen a lot of their issues coming to the front in the past couple of weeks like
battery life, general connectivity issues, and concerns about the 4K streaming.
We're going to address those issues and more with our Security Baron necessary features
test.
Here at Security Baron, we think that every security camera should have stellar video
quality, two-way audio, night vision, local and cloud storage, smart platform integration,
artificial intelligence, convenient and value.
Stellar video quality is a Security Baron necessary feature.
Our baseline is 1080.
The Arlo Ultra 4K does shoot in 1080.
It does have an amazing 180 degree field of view that you can also change to 155 or even
down to 120, which we like to have those options.
Huge caveat -- it doesn't shoot in 4K and that's what we're expecting.
We went through the phone for a long time trying to make sure we weren't doing anything
wrong.
It kept asking us to upgrade.
We would try to upgrade and you just cannot produce a 4K video right now with the Arlo
Ultra 4K.
When it comes to a stellar video quality, we have to give it full marks.
We want to note very clearly that we were not able to produce that 4K resolution in
our test.
Two-way audio is a Secure Baron necessary feature.
Fortunately, with the Arlo Ultra 4K Security Camera, you have that capability.
You can talk to whoever's in a room and they can talk back to you with the speakers and
microphones that are built-in.
When it comes to two-way audio and the Security Brando necessary features test, the Arlo Ultra
gets full marks.
Night vision is an important Security Baron necessary feature.
There's a really interesting approach that the Arlo Ultra 4K takes to it.
It basically gives you two infrared LEDs for your more typical night vision.
We will say that it does look pretty good, but just as too infrared LED centered.
What really distinguishes, it has an integrated spotlight.
When it detects motion in the dark, it switches from that night vision to a color night vision.
That spotlight works really well to give you a nice saturated full color night vision.
When it comes to night vision on the Arlo Ultra 4K Home Security Camera, we give it
full marks.
Local and cloud storage is a Security Baron necessary feature.
Fortunately, with the Arlo Ultra 4K, you do get both.
On the cloud side, you have 7-, 30- and even 60-day options for cloud storage.
When it comes to local storage, it's different in that the local storage isn't actually in
the camera itself, but rather in the Arlo Smart Hub.
There is a space for micro SD card.
You can place that in the Arlo Smart Hub and get your local storage option.
When it comes to local and cloud storage for the Arlo Ultra 4K Security Camera, we give
it full marks.
Smart platform integration is a Security Baron necessary feature.
Fortunately, with the Arlo Ultra 4K, you do get that smart platform integration with Amazon
Alexa and Google Assistant.
When it comes to smart platform integration, the Arlo Ultra gets full marks.
Artificial intelligence is one of the more fun Security Baron necessary features.
Fortunately, the Arlo Ultra 4K comes with a host of capacities when it comes to that,
like person detection, pet detection, package detection and vehicle detection.
On top of that, you get auto zooming and auto tracking.
We can definitely capture what happens in the space even if the people and whatnot are
moving in that space.
When it comes to artificial intelligence and the Security Baron safe features test, we
give the Arlo Ultra 4K full marks.
Convenience is a Security Baron necessary feature.
With the Arlo Ultra 4K, I had a split experience.
When it comes to installation, the process was simple.
I downloaded the app, I set up the Smart Hub, I installed the battery in the camera and
I was ready to go.
I was probably done within 15 minutes.
However, on the other hand, there were two specific examples I have just relate in to
the daily use of the camera that basically give you cause for concern.
One is the battery life.
I would lose about 25 percent of the battery life per day.
This is supposed to be a wireless camera.
You can see the concerns I have there.
The second issue I found plaguing my experience was the connectivity.
A primary aspect of using any home security camera is the ability to livestream.
If you cannot connect every time with your camera, you're going to be annoyed.
Those are my concerns, and for that I give the Arlo Ultra 4K half marks when it comes
to convenience.
Value is a Security Baron's Necessary Features and the Arlo Ultra 4K does have a ton of new
features, like color night vision.
It has some significant artificial intelligence capabilities, but it doesn't do the number
one thing that people are looking at when they look at the words, "Arlo Ultra 4K," and
that is produce 4K video.
When you look at that and the fact that it's a $400 camera that doesn't do maybe the primary
thing it says it's going to do, we have to give it zero marks when it comes to value
in the Security Baron's Necessary Features Test.
In addition to the Security Baron's Necessary Features Test, it's useful to really give
a full rundown of the features and monthly payment options with the Arlo Ultra 4K.
When you buy the Ultra, you do get a year of the Arlo Smart Plan.
With the Arlo Smart Plan, it's $2.99 per camera or $29 a year.
With that, you get custom activity zones, advanced AI features like person detection
and pet detection, and lock screen notifications.
With the lock screen notifications, you'll basically get a small clip uploaded to your
phone that you can watch, that tells you exactly what's going on in your home or it'll store
it in that 30-day video history that comes with the Arlo Smart Plan.
Arlo's Smart Premier costs $9.99 per month, but it gives you everything from the Arlo
Smart Plan for up to 10 cameras.
In addition to having that 30-day video history, custom activity zones, advanced AI, and lock
screen notifications, you'll also get e911, emergency dialing services.
You can actually call the police directly through Arlo Smart.
The final option for the Arlo program is the Arlo's Smart Elite monthly subscription.
That's $14.99 a month, but with that you get coverage of up to 20 cameras, 60-days video
history, lock screen notifications, advanced AI detection, custom activity zones, and that
e911 emergency call service.
Wait, quick break, the Arlo Ultra 4K comes with HDR.
We're wondering is that something you're looking forward to in future cameras, the HDR function.
Let us know in the comments below.
Al right, let's get back to the video.
Taking a look at the design of the Arlo Ultra 4K security camera, you'll note that it does
have that really common black-and-white aesthetic that you're going to see with a lot of security
cameras.
You've got a pretty shiny white plastic for most of the camera itself.
You've got this black lens and face.
It's pretty shiny and glossy.
The lens does protrude a bit out from the face.
It is not flush, which it's something I tend to like personally.
Going into the elements of it, you have speakers, microphones, LED sensors.
You've got this light, which we imagine it comes handy with the color night vision in
your lens.
Turning it around, you have your space for screwing it in if you're trying to put it
outdoors.
You could even screw it in somewhere indoors.
You've got your magnetic mount.
I'm a sucker for a magnet.
If we look at the bottom, you'll note that it actually charges via magnetic plate, which
it's something pretty cool.
This button here helps you to take off this entire white portion and install the battery.
It is a removable battery, and you'll place that directly in using this button here.
I take it, push it like that, boom.
I can take it off.
That's our look at the design of the Arlo Ultra 4K home security camera.
Let's see how well they work on the mobile application.
Here we are checking out the Baron Ultra, as we've named this camera.
I want to show some of the functionality of the mobile application.
You'll note immediately I'm already having a connection issue with the livestream.
I've been speaking, trying to livestream, and you're not able to capture that.
Of course, this is possibly an element of just how my network is working.
For now, it's almost immediate.
This is a pretty good, very little lag, shot now.
It's so inconsistent with the Arlo.
That has been a concern of ours since we un-boxed it, began using it.
I want to go in and show that you do have these elements like talking, two-way audio.
These are all here.
Let's look directly at the settings.
We tap on the gear button here.
You'll see it says Baron Ultra, the battery's at 30 percent, it's connected to the Baron
SmartHub.
We already had a smart hub for our Arlo Pro 2s, but it was a different type of hub and
we want to just check it out and turn those off.
If you look, it's got a camera LED, device info, device utilities, and you can look at
your video settings.
If I want to do the 4K streaming, I need to click here.
I can turn on auto zoom and tracking.
There's various low-light settings, power management, video mode.
Let's go back and look at that video now that we've changed it to 4K.
Here we are, looking at it in a full screen.
I'll turn back so we can get a different angle.
This the streaming in 4K.
It does seem to have improved a bit since our first foray.
You note here, I can record directly here.
Now, I'm recording this video.
I can tap on microphone.
If you note, there is a number on the bottom right.
If I click on that number, it goes into the clips that it has recorded.
I can click, hit play, and now I'm watching an old recording of myself that it just took.
That's something to note, when looking at the Baron Ultra, or your particular Arlo Ultra
4K camera.
Now, I want to show you the cooler elements that you can do when you have the Arlo Smart
Plan which is Activity Zones.
You can add an activity zone.
We note here that there's a box on the screen.
I can bring this box and this will actually just let me know exactly where I want to focus
the camera's attention in terms of checking for motion.
That's pretty cool.
If I want to adjust this, upper right-hand corner, boom.
Now we know it'll just check for that.
I can change the name of this motion zone.
Let's say, Baron zone.
Voila!
Now, I'm ready to go with my activity zone.
This is me checking out the Arlo Ultra 4K through the mobile application.
Just to be clear, the Arlo Ultra 4K was not able to shoot in 4K.
When we shot all of the videos for this review, the highest resolution we could get was 1920
x 1080.
We could not produce or reproduce any Arlo 4K shots.
We just want to make that clear.
Anything you see today it's just 1080.
Let's get back to the video.
Here I am checking out the video quality on the Arlo Ultra 4K.
You also have this immense 180-degree field of view so you're capturing absolutely everything
going on in this space.
I want to go ahead and give it our handy dandy globe test.
I don't even have to move it over because realistically, it's going to capture everything
here.
Here we go, give it a little spin, and let's see what we've got.
OK, all right.
Now, you can see what's happening, Africa and Asia.
We're just really impressed with this video quality with the Arlo Ultra 4K home security
camera.
Here we are checking out the night vision on the Arlo Ultra 4K home security camera.
You have this super bright light that comes on that allows for color night vision.
You could just use the LED infrared sensors that come built in, but with this bright light,
you are alerting everyone to the fact they're being recorded.
It's like a spotlight function.
That is useful for some people that want to alert people to, "Hey, I'm watching you.
I know what's going on.
I can see your face really clearly."
But you may not also want this option.
I think you can turn it off in the settings.
It's something to be cognizant of when you're looking at the Arlo Ultra 4K.
Is it great to see this color night vision?
Sure.
Do I want everyone to know that I'm watching with color night vision?
Maybe not.
Let's go ahead and give it a globe test.
[globe spinning]
Gabe: There we go.
Australia and Asia, looking there, see it pretty well.
That's the night vision on the Arlo Ultra 4K home security camera.
Let's do a recap of how the Arlo Ultra 4K home security camera performed on the Security
Baron Necessary Features test.
Stellar video quality?
Full marks.
However, we want to make perfectly clear that it's only because it hits our benchmark of
1080p and 120-degree field of view.
It does not provide the 4K that you would expect with a camera called Arlo Ultra 4K.
Two-way audio?
Full marks.
The Arlo Ultra 4K camera has two-way audio that allows for a conversation between those
in the room and those watching the room.
Night vision?
Full marks.
The Arlo Ultra 4K home security camera comes with two infrared LED sensors that allows
for solid night vision.
Those are augmented with the integrated spotlight that allows for full-color night vision.
Local and cloud storage?
Full marks.
The Arlo Ultra 4K home security camera has a local storage option with a micro-SD card
and various cloud storage options, including a free one.
Smart platform integration?
Full marks.
The Arlo Ultra 4K comes ready to work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
Artificial Intelligence?
Full marks.
The Arlo Ultra 4K camera comes with person, package, and pet detection, along with advanced
features allowing for tracking and auto zoom.
Convenience?
Half marks.
While it was super simple to set-up, we did have concerns about its battery life and livestreaming.
Value?
Zero marks.
When you have something called the Arlo Ultra 4K and you sell it for $400, people generally
want that 4K.
We've spoken a lot about the Arlo 4K, its capacity, and you want to know, "Is it right
for me?"
In terms of what it's capable of, we've not seen anything like the Arlo Ultra.
We're really excited about what could happen if it actually worked.
But that's the thing -- it doesn't actually work.
You have a camera with a host of new features but you call it the Arlo Ultra 4K, and then
you don't actually produce that 4K video quality, what am I to think?
How am I to recommend a camera like that?
I can't do it, won't do it.
Nah, son.
Nada.
That's not what we're going to do until you have a clean re-release of the product and
the firmware that makes me know I'm going to get a 4K video when I want it.
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Gabe: That concludes our initial review of the Arlo Ultra 4K home security camera.
If you appreciated today's video, give us a like and hit that subscribe button.
As always, this is Gabe at Security Baron.
Be secure.
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