Reolink Home Security Cameras Review

A Little Background on Reolink

Reolink got its start in 2009, but their product line back then was far different from what we see from the brand today. Before, they only had security camera systems connected to a local recording device, usually a DVR or NVR. You also wouldn’t find Wi-Fi cameras – much less battery-powered cameras – if you browsed Reolink’s catalog in 2009.

Things slowly evolved for Reolink, but it quickly grew as a brand some time in 2016 when it successfully launched its first-ever wire-free camera: The Reolink Argus. Back then, it was being pegged by the public as a cheaper copycat of the Arlo Wire-Free, released just a couple of years prior. However, having tested the camera ourselves, we knew that it was more than just a cheap copy. In fact, it can do things the Arlo Wire-Free couldn’t, like connect to Wi-Fi directly; the original Arlo cameras required a hub.

The Argus became one of Reolink’s most successful products, as evidenced by the fact that it’s still one of the brand’s main product lines with several updated versions and iterations. But of course, Reolink’s catalog has also evolved tremendously. No matter what type of camera you’re looking for, it’s likely they have a solution for you. Battery-operated, Wi-Fi, PoE, even cellular connectivity – they’re all available from Reolink now.

Reolink Cameras

All of the Reolink cameras we tested run on Wi-Fi, work indoors or out, and are compatible with a Reolink Solar Panel – except for the E1 Outdoor, which is wired. But it’s important to note that there are many differences among the three cameras we chose – differences we really wanted to dive into and understand.

It’s also important to understand the differences we found between Reolink and its high-profile competitors, like Ring, Arlo, and the artificially intelligent1 Google Nest Cams.

And, as with any security camera we review, we’re also looking for drawbacks – things we encounter that might harm the user experience, or bugs within the camera’s software that the company hasn’t fixed yet – to learn exactly what it’s like to live and interact with these cameras day to day. So without further ado, let’s kick things off with the Reolink Argus 2.

The Experience with Reolink Argus 2

Reolink Argus 2 Camera with Protective Sleeve

The Argus 2 was the first successor of the original Argus, but it has also been discontinued as well. However, we opted to keep this part of the review to give you context on how Argus cameras improved over time. If you want to skip over to the current cameras offered by Reolink, hop on over to the section “Our Experience with the Reolink Argus Pro.”

Right off the bat, we were impressed with the design of the Argus 2. It’s sleek and modern looking and didn’t feel out of place or obtrusive when we mounted it. And we tried it in a few different locations. Since it’s battery-operated, there are no wires to contend with and since it’s weatherproof, it could live inside or out.

There is one thing to note if you’re thinking about using this camera outdoors. The Argus 2 comes with a stretchy silicone cover to give it an extra layer of protection when it’s out in the elements. For our outdoor tests, we just slipped the cover on, made a couple of adjustments, and chuckled because it looked like a mushroom wearing a hat. Jokes aside, it did remind us a little of the SimpliCam Outdoor Kit, which you can read about in our latest SimpliCam review.

Reolink Argus 2 Unboxing

Our second impression of this battery-powered camera was that it would look quite nice in someone’s garage or shed, as an outdoor camera where one might not have a power outlet available.

But, for now, we decided we were going to place our Argus 2 inside our home, and admire it from the couch, where we seem to frequently find ourselves lately.

For that, all we really had to do was take the unit out of the box, flick it on, peel off the protective seals, sync it with the home Wi-Fi, download the Reolink app on our phone, and scan the QR code on the back of the camera. It sounds like a lot as we type it out, but the entire process from start to finish took about five minutes. Honestly, that’s one of the things we appreciate about Reolink and many other manufacturers of DIY-friendly home security products these days. Everything is really easy.

Reolink Argus 2 App Setup

Once it was all set up and ready to go, it was time to watch and learn. Check out the image resolution below!

Argus 2 Camera Resolution

Not a bad view, eh? This camera’s field of vision is 120 degrees, providing us with clear, sharp views in industry-standard 1080p HD resolution.

As we set up our camera and pulled up the live view on our phones, our initial thoughts were: Wow, the picture is fantastic! We saw video and image quality that falls right in line with Reolink’s major-market rival cameras like Google Nest, and is light years better than the picture produced from brands like Wyze or Blink (but Blink is a decent little starter cam, too).

From there, we messed around with the playback options a little and noticed one really cool feature with Reolink: You can adjust the playback speed on the video to double or quadruple time so you can quickly scrub through footage to find exactly what you’re looking for. This is a really nice feature if you’re setting your camera up in a high-traffic area where it will be recording a lot of action.

Reolink Cloud Plans

We don’t recall ever having the option of adjusting playback speed in any other security camera we’ve reviewed. But we definitely see where this could come in handy! For instance, need to catch some details of a porch pirate? Slowing the playback speed will help with gathering crucial evidence.

Then, we began testing out the notifications we were getting from our camera. We wanted to see how long it took for the app to display our camera’s view once we tapped on the alert, as this usually tells us a lot about how the camera will function overall.

Reolink Argus 2 Timeline

Aside from a few hiccups caused by inconsistencies in our Wi-Fi network, everything worked pretty smoothly. We can’t really hold that against Reolink, though. When you’re using a WiFi-reliant camera like the Argus 2, you’re always going to run into a few buffering and loading delays. Don’t worry though, nine times out of ten these problems go away almost as quickly as they show up.

Reolink Mobile App Interface

We should note that a big part of our recent hands-on review of Ring’s Wi-Fi security cameras involved investigating those same occasional slowdowns – and there, we observed a similar pattern.

As an example, while testing the Ring Stick Up Camera, which shares some similar characteristics with Reolink Argus 2, we found that it took four seconds on average to pull up its live feed in its app. But on a particularly busy time of day, when the kids are out of school and begin running blindly toward the closest available electronic device, we did see some buffering there. Again, these were brief, minor hiccups, and they did not affect the overall performance of the camera.

All this is to say: There are many factors involved in camera connectivity, and if you experience slow response, keep in mind it may have nothing to do with the camera itself.

Plus, you can always visit Reolink’s customer service page to ask questions and request tech support help to find out what might be going on.

What we don’t recommend, however, is trying to get help through Live Chat. We tried this several times. It’s all bots, plain and simple. Not a human in the bunch. Their answers point to links to other help pages and FAQs on the site. Save your time and send a help desk request instead.

Smart Home Automation

Connecting to our Amazon Alexa device was another no-sweat task with our Argus 2, thanks to the app’s Smart Home tab. When we started hearing some peculiar pitter-patters above us, we told our Echo Show, “Show me the Reolink Argus 2.” We were greeted by this adorable but very naughty face:

Reolink Argus 2 Displayed on Alexa

Our Conclusions on Argus 2

Reolink Argus 2

This spaceship-esque camera of ours had a lot going for it! In our tests, we ooh-ed and aah-ed at the crystal-clear resolution. We appreciated its sleek design and contemporary appeal. And we loved how easy it was to customize our motion, push notifications, and other settings in the Reolink app.

Argus 2 Mobile App Settings

And boy, did we enjoy the lack of wires. We’ve seen the downsides of other battery-operated cameras, like having to wait for the battery to recharge, or having to use a screwdriver (or – the horror – a drill!) to remove it. But one thing’s for sure: Reolink does make installation a breeze.

Would we recommend the Argus 2? Well, that depends on what you need your security cameras for.

For high tech features? No. This probably isn’t the camera for you. If you’re looking for core functionality, though, you’re going to find it tough to find faults.

If you are looking for features, we would point you in the direction of Google Nest or Arlo. Those cameras are jam-packed with features that will make even the most tech savvy salivate. Just keep in mind that you’re going to be paying for all of those bells and whistles — their equipment isn’t cheap.

A Note on Reolink Storage

Before we dive into our next review, the Reolink Argus Eco, we want to pivot for a moment. Both of our Reolink cameras gave us two options for video storage: a subscription to Reolink’s cloud plan, or an input for a Micro SD card2. We chose the standard subscription model, for a breezy $4.99 per month, for 30 days of video storage for up to 5 cameras.

Argus Storage Plan Overview

Keep in mind, though, that in order to use these cameras day to day and monitor our home from our phones, we were not required to buy any storage plan at all. Like several other camera brands we’ve reviewed, Reolink offers a basic cloud storage plan for free. We like free!

Also, another thing we liked: no contracts and no long-term commitment. This is par for the course in DIY security cameras these days, but worth a mention.

Reolink Cloud Storage Breakdown

One more thing to note before we introduce you to Argus 3: Reolink’s cloud subscription only works with some Reolink camera models. They are Argus 3, Argus 2, Argus 2E, Argus Pro, Argus PT, Argus Eco, Reolink Go, E1, E1 Pro, E1 Outdoor, and E1 Zoom.

Reolink Argus 2E: The Full Experience

Reolink Argus 2E displayed on the front porch

The replacement for the original Argus 2, the Argus 2E is an upgrade in many respects. For one, it doesn’t have to wear its wetsuit when it plays outside. Thanks to the IP65 weatherproofing, the 2E is fully capable as-is indoors and out.

As far as performance, the Argus 2E handled just as well in my typical battery of tests as its predecessors. It also doesn’t look much different than the original Argus 2, but there is one noticeable difference: Reolink Argus 2E doesn’t come with as many brackets and other mounting accessories as Argus 2.

Reolink Argus 2E above front porch

The similarities mount when you look at the installation options on the 2E. There, you’ll find you can use a solar panel for continuous power if you don’t want to rely solely on the rechargeable battery pack. This isn’t necessarily a “wireless” solution, as you’re still plugging in a power source, but having a camera that runs on solar energy is just about the easiest way to use home security cameras every day without missing crucial activity.

Of course, you’ll still encounter some interference on this one, just like pretty much every other wireless camera available. Recordings might look choppy at certain times of day (or night), but the problem wasn’t excessive with the Argus 2E. Here’s some sample footage to give you a better picture:

Beyond video quality, here’s something that might surprise you: Reolink Argus 2E is cheaper than Argus 2, at just $62.99. You might notice the 2E is missing a magnetic mounting bracket, which was included in the Argus 2, Argus 3, and Argus 3 Pro packaging. The 2E has a plastic surface mount and a ball-joint mount, both of which make displaying the camera pretty easy. But when it comes to accessories and hardware, this one’s a little more barebones than the others. Just something to keep in mind.

The Experience with the Argus 3

Reolink Argus 3

The Reolink Argus 3 has to be among the most flexible cameras we’ve ever used. With a built-in rechargeable battery, an integrated spotlight, and solar power compatibility, the Argus 3 is happy indoors and out, and thanks to its 2K resolution, you’ll see everything it captures  in stunning detail.

That flexibility is especially apparent as soon as we opened the box and saw no power cord in sight. For smart home geeks like us, this is pretty neat: All we needed to install our camera was some simple hardware, two mounts (one magnetic, the other ball-joint), and its faithful companion, our Reolink Solar Panel.

Reolink Argus 3 Parts

Indeed, we were excited to try out our newly purchased solar panel with all of our Reolink cameras – they’re all compatible, by the way – but we started with Argus 3.

Now, here’s where the fun begins. Anyone who’s even minimally aware of solar technology knows that somewhere in the installation process, you do have to plug in the solar panel to the camera in order to harness its power. That, friends, is just one of those unavoidable realities of most smart home technology.

Installing the Reolink Argus 3

So installing Argus 3, for us, involved some drilling, mounting and ladder-climbing. But the reward was far worth the effort; this configuration can stay put for as long as we’d like, without the need to climb back up and dismount the camera to recharge the battery. This is the kind of fix-it-and-forget-it installation process that really speaks to busy people like us.

With installation locked down, we proceeded to pull up our live feed and see what kind of picture this camera produced.

As we were doing this late in the day, our first live view allowed us to see the performance of our Argus 3’s integrated spotlight – a feature absent from previous Reolink cameras – as night fell.

Evidently, our daughter had been walking within range of the camera, triggering the light – and, in turn, nearly being blinded. OK, that’s a bit dramatic, but that light is super bright, isn’t it?

Reolink Argus 3 Outside at Night

We’ve noticed this glare issue before – specifically when we reviewed the Ring Spotlight Camera. While we will say floodlights are great for intruder deterrent, they can cause issues with your camera’s functionality. If you’re noticing glare that’s interfering with the picture, you might try moving your camera up higher. As long as the light is shining on objects that are further away, you should be fine.

Let’s say a would-be intruder was lurking out there in our backyard. It’s very possible that said intruder would be swiftly scared off by the spotlight (surprise, you’re on camera!). We’ve found that lights work as an effective crime deterrent, so we were glad to see Argus 3’s integrated spotlight.

Reolink Argus 3 4-Panel View

Turning back to the app, we took a moment to put our Argus 3 in context with the rest of our home, thanks to Reolink’s four-panel live display option. We like to call this our own private command center. This is the kind of real-time security insight Reolink does very well; the kind that can give you a truly comprehensive view, in full HD, day or night, at the touch of a button.

After a few more deep dives into the app, we turned our attention to the design of the camera itself. Immediately we were reminded of Arlo’s selection of cameras that we happen to have extensive experience testing and reviewing.

Reolink Argus 3 (left) vs. Arlo Pro 3

While almost identical to one another in design, we did find a few key differences between Arlo and Reolink. Both delivered high-quality 1080p HD and night vision video, but with Arlo, we did have a more reliable motion detection experience. Just another thing to keep in mind.

Of course, that extra dose of smart motion sensing does mean you’re going to pay a bit more per camera. Specifically, you’ll pay around $200 for an Arlo Pro 3, as opposed to $99.99 for Argus 3 (now discontinued). So if you’re trying to keep your budget well below that $200 threshold, we found Reolink to be a viable, easy-to-use alternative to Arlo, which is generally a pricier brand. You can also check out our up-to-date list of the best “cheap” security cameras for more affordable options.

Our Conclusions on Argus 3

Reolink Argus 3 and Box

The feature-heavy Argus 3 made clear, to us, that Reolink is swiftly becoming a viable competitor in the security camera space. From the integrated spotlight and battery to the sleek design and superb video resolution, we think this camera handily holds its own among its closest rivals, including Blink camera system.

As with all wireless and battery-powered cameras we review, we tend to keep coming back to flexibility. In addition to handling the essentials of home security with ease, we believed Reolink Argus 3’s best asset is its ability to acclimate with almost any outdoor environment, delivering high-quality video thanks to 1080p HD resolution and color night vision.

We do, however, want to harken back to one critical observation: Argus 3’s spotlight gave us some glare in our tests. Our child’s proximity to the camera meant that the spotlight was beamed directly at her. By doing this, we could be inadvertently setting up the camera to blur the face of someone who doesn’t belong there. It’s something we’ve seen before, and it’s a pretty easy fix. But this is definitely something to consider.

For those and numerous other reasons, we’re quite comfortable recommending Reolink Argus 3 as a highly effective, flexible outdoor security camera. We recommend checking out our in-depth review of Reolink Argus 3 camera to learn more about our hands-on experience with the device.

The Experience with Reolink Argus 3 Pro

Reolink Argus 3 Pro Closeup

Reolink took one of their best cameras and made it better in the form of the Argus 3 Pro. Its 2K 4MP resolution is two times clearer than standard 1080p, and its color night vision makes sure you’re capturing all the important details no matter the time of day.

Pro, however, comes with a power cord – an understandable omission from Argus 3, since the camera is solar compatible and has an easily removable battery pack. In fact, when we installed the original Argus 3, our average usage of the camera amounted to 10% per day of battery life, which means we’d have approximately 10 days before we’d need to detach the camera from its perch (not hard to do at all) and recharge the battery.

Charging the Reolink Argus 3 Pro

That’s a nice, strong battery pack, in our view – certainly not any weaker than Ring cameras’ battery packs. But with Reolink, we realized we’re going to need some backup for Pro. This is a higher-resolution camera, for one, so it’s going to need more power – which means it’s going to need to be charged more often than its original sibling.

Just as above, this cam is also compatible with a Reolink Solar Panel, which was helpful to know. Of course, installing solar panels can be a tricky job for some homeowners, sometimes a bit more difficult than installing security cameras themselves; you’ll still have to plug the panel into the camera, so keep that in mind with this one.

But for the camera itself, all we needed was some simple hardware, two mounts (one magnetic, the other ball-joint), and a safety strap just in case.

In our full Reolink Argus 3 Pro review, we had a bit more know-how going into the installation phase thanks to our previous run-ins with Argus 3. We had the same magnetic and ball-joint brackets for mounting, and they even threw in a simple, plastic surface bracket, too.

The Reolink Argus 3 Pro

As we tested the camera’s might, we noted that the video quality improvements don’t stop at daytime resolution; we were really impressed with our night vision footage on this camera, too.

As the sun set each evening of our tests, we watched the camera record in full color at night, illuminating even the dimmest crevices of our yard without worrying the device could be easily stolen, damaged, or disconnected.

Reolink Argus 3 Pro

And in another neat upgrade, Reolink Argus 3 Pro gives us person/vehicle detection. It’s a sensible step up from PIR motion sensing, a technology we tested repeatedly in previous Reolink models. Results were mixed, but we’ll just say this: There’s a lot more we, as homeowners, can learn from a camera like this.

With person/vehicle detection, we can learn right away through intelligent alerts who (or what) has entered our space. What’s up with that unfamiliar car that’s been parked out on our curb for hours? UPS says they delivered my package, but where is it? We can check in to make sure nothing goes awry while we’re gone, and if it does, we can take action swiftly and smartly.

Here’s some sample footage you can view:

With “Pro” in the name, you might expect these cameras to be way more expensive than their layperson counterparts. That’s not the case here, though. The Argus 3 Pro is currently going for just $118.99 — only a few more bucks than the original. We always find Reolink cameras to be relatively inexpensive for what they offer, and Argus 3 Pro was no different for us.

The Experience with Reolink Argus Eco

Reolink Argus Eco Closeup

We were immediately impressed by the Argus Eco’s sleek design and it’s rugged, durable exterior. It’s battery operated — which means no wires — but that can be a double edged sword.

From our experience reviewing similar battery-powered models, that outdoor cameras can get tricky when it comes to controlling battery life. Ambient (a prettier word for unpredictable) noise might trigger a camera hundreds, if not thousands of times a day. That excess barrage of alerts is going to run down your battery, probably a lot faster than you want.

Reolink Argus Eco – Installed

So, remembering this, we made sure to go into our app and customize our camera’s settings before we were inundated with unnecessary notifications and had to climb right back up that ladder and take the darn thing down to recharge the battery.

Argus Eco in Our Driveway

Through more than a few nasty Midwestern rainstorms indicative of summer’s end, this camera held up like a charm, incurring no damage and requiring no adjustments. So that’s another advantage this camera offers.

There’s also a great deal of customization we could play around with on the Argus Eco. We could choose to schedule our alerts for certain times of the day, we could view our battery’s status, and we could even adjust the sensitivity of our motion sensor to reduce the occurrence of false alarms. We liked the flexibility here.

Reolink Camera Sensitivity Options

And again, because it runs on a battery, you can go fully wire-free. No wires to bury or obscure. And since it’s so easy to pop out the battery and recharge it, we weren’t anticipating big headaches when the battery needed a recharge.

So, we’ll say this: if you can live with a camera that doesn’t always respond to alerts as quickly as other models in its price point, like the Ring Spotlight – but that still stacks up against the competition in video quality and resolution – we think you will get a lot out of the Argus Eco camera, for many years to come.

The Experience with Reolink E1 Outdoor

Reolink E1 Outdoor Closeup

After seeing almost all there is to see with the Argus line, we were excited to test a new face in the Reolink lineup – the pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) E1 outdoor. PTZ cameras are always fun to test, and this is one of our favorites.

You can read our full hands-on experience with E1 Outdoor here. But to be brief, we think you’ll really appreciate the whole-room coverage with E1 that many peers in this category lack, thanks to that PTZ lens. We’re getting 355-degree pan action, which we can control easily through the app in a joystick-like fashion, and poise our camera onto a different zone of our space at any time.

This all looked pretty spectacular when it came time to view footage, too. This E1 has 5MP image quality, which we don’t see every day in a home security camera – especially for under $100.

Check out some of our test footage from the E1 Outdoor:

Like the Argus 3 Pro above, E1 Outdoor camera deciphers between people and vehicles in its motion detection, which we’re seeing more and more as a mainstay. It did so pretty well for us, though we did have to turn down the sensitivity of our motion sensor from the default setting. This one is sensitive, so you might want to check your sensitivity slider in your Reolink app so you’re not flooded with unwanted motion alerts on your phone.

Reolink E1 Outdoor Motion Sensitivity

Though we did run into a few hiccups setting up and installing this camera – it is wired, with no battery pack, so you might have a bit of creative wiring to do – in the end, the E1 performed well. If you have a doorbell camera on your front door like we do, we found that using the E1 as a secondary set of eyes on our front porch helped us visualize exactly what kind of package had been delivered, instead of just an alert that we’d received one. Always a nice touch.

Reolink E1 Outdoor Installed

Elsewhere, we encountered some momentary confusion about a claim of “auto tracking” in the camera’s packaging, and our best advice there is not to dwell on this too much; it might be a software upgrade the brand plans to add later.

But as we’ve come to expect from previous Reolink cameras, we found the same smart home compatibility, equipment durability, and slightly laggy but overall normal performance between the E1 Outdoor camera and our app.

Reolink vs. Arlo vs. Nest Cam vs. Ring

Reolink has such a huge lineup, but let’s take one of their best products, the Reolink Argus Eco, and compare it with some of the best battery-powered indoor/outdoor cameras in the market. That way you can decide which brands offer the best flagship security camera, and from there, choose the brand in which you’ll build out your security camera system.

For this, let’s compare the Argus Eco with the Arlo Pro 4, Nest Cam IQ, and Ring Stick Up Cam Battery.

Overall, we think the Reolink Argus E is a solid option, but compared to the heavy-hitters we pitted against it, it falls just a little bit short. While the options from Arlo, Nest, and Ring offer smart features like person detection and activity zones, the Argus Eco relies on PIR (passive infrared) motion detection. It can be reliable, but those smart features from the other brands are simply better.

That said, if we throw the Argus 3 Pro in the mix, it would have ranked ahead of the Ring Stick Up Cam battery. It has a 2K HD resolution, smart motion detection, and an affordable price tag to match.

Of course, you have to consider the quality of the brand, especially if you’re planning to build out a security camera system. So here’s our final thoughts on Reolink.

Final Thoughts: Reolink Cameras

Reolink Cameras

We’re going to get right to the point. These are good cameras. Reolink’s products are made with solid, durable equipment, and when it comes to features and app functionality, their cameras are top-notch.

In our extensive tests and everyday usage of Reolink’s Argus 2E and Argus Eco security cameras, we did, unfortunately, encounter occasionally serious but mostly minor delays3 between notification and live view.

Reolink Argus Cameras

We also know that all three of these Reolink cameras fall in or around a mid-range price when stacked next to the top DIY security brands. At $62.99, we found the Argus 2E to be a fairly good deal for a camera with this much flexibility.

With the $118.99 Argus 3 pro, we’re going into the triple digits, which might be a turn-off for some folks. But do consider the added features that make this camera a big player in flexibility, not to mention the design upgrades that give the camera a more modern look and feel. Its stylish appearance made us even bigger fans, and so did its durable, weatherproof build.

We’d be remiss, though, if we didn’t conclude that the $74.99 Eco is an even better deal. Compare it, say, to the $130 Arlo Essential camera, which can take a few punches but is not nearly as weather-resistant and durable as our Eco is. That’s almost twice the price! Nothing to sneeze at, and with Eco, we still enjoyed really spectacular 1080p HD video that was easily comparable to Arlo Essential.

With that said, here’s a pricing breakdown of Reolink’s cameras:

Reolink Camera Costs: A Snapshot

With an intuitive app, plenty of customization options, reasonable prices, and reliable equipment – all very crucial factors – we think that overall, Reolink is a great option to consider for home security.

Reolink FAQs