Google introduced latest model of Nest Cam outdoor, smart security camera with battery power. On the other hand most popular Arlo introduced new Arlo Pro 4 that connects direct to your home wifi. Which one gives you better value between Arlo Pro 4 and Google Nest Cam outdoor?
Nest Cam Outdoor
In 2014, Google bolstered its electronic devices division by acquiring Nest Labs for a hefty sum of $3.2 billion. Since then, one of its most sought-after products in the home security camera market has been the Nest Cam. The Nest Cam Outdoor is the latest iteration, which is powered by a rechargeable battery and can be used indoors as well. Additionally, wired versions of the Nest Cam Indoor and Nest Floodlight Cam Outdoor have been released to the market.
US Products
Google’s products are typically priced higher than their competitors, but they offer exceptional quality that justifies the expense. This holds true for Nest cam products as well. Despite the influx of cheaper Chinese alternatives, many consumers still prefer US-made products that prioritize quality.
One such competitor to Nest Cam Outdoor is Netgear’s Arlo Pro series, a California-based company. Their most recent offering is the Arlo Pro 5s, a wire-free camera. This Arlo Pro 5s features the same as its previous version Arlo Pro 4 with two enhancements features including dual band wifi and SecureLink connectivity feature. Check here also Arlo vs Reolink wire-free cameras. Both Google Nest Cam and Arlo Pro 4 are most popular and best wireless outdoor cameras, premium home cameras available in the market today.
In this article, we will review several popular models of Arlo security cameras and compare them to the Nest Cam Outdoor.
Both Nest Cam and Arlo products carry a higher price tag compared to Chinese alternatives like Eufy. See also Comparison between Arlo vs Eufy floodlight cameras.
What this product does
The Google Nest Cam is a home security camera that is designed to help you monitor your home when you are away. It is a Wi-Fi-enabled camera that can stream live video and audio to your Smartphone, tablet, or computer. With the Nest app, you can receive alerts when the camera detects motion or sound, and you can even speak through the camera’s built-in speaker and microphone to communicate with people in the room.
The latest version of the Google Nest Cam is the Nest Cam (battery), which was released in 2021. It is a wire-free camera that can be placed anywhere in your home and has a rechargeable battery that lasts up to three months on a single charge.
Competitors
Competitors for the Google Nest Cam include other popular home security cameras such as the Arlo Pro, Ring Stick Up Cam, and Wyze Cam. These cameras offer similar features and functionality to the Nest Cam, but they may differ in terms of design, price, and performance.
Backup in case of outage
The Nest Cam Outdoor is an intelligent security camera equipped with a 110-degree PIR sensor that can accurately differentiate between human, animal, and vehicle movement. When the camera detects any event, you will receive a snapshot image alert on your mobile device. Even if you miss an event, the free service allows you to view the last 3 hours of recorded footage.
In the event of a power outage or a disruption in your wifi connection, the camera is designed to store events in its built-in memory, allowing you to view events that occurred up to an hour prior. Unlike some other security cameras that offer a local memory slot for larger storage capacity, such as Eufy’s 30-day event storage without a cloud storage plan, the Nest Cam Outdoor does not offer this option.
The Nest Cam Outdoor is weatherproof and can be powered by rechargeable batteries while still maintaining a data connection through its built-in dual-band wifi adapter. To access 24/7 live view, a wired connection is necessary, as the camera’s battery cannot sustain continuous use with live view enabled. Subscribing to the Nest Aware service will provide 30 days of event video history, while the free service includes 3 hours of event video history.
See also affordable Blink vs Arlo security cameras.
Highlights
- Crisp 1080p @30 fps recording resolution with HDR feature and H.264 encoding
- ½.8 inch 2MP CMOS image sensor
- Fixed lens with wide 130 degree diagonal field of view angle and is 16:9 aspect ratio and you can zoom in with app
- Comes with 8 pcs of high power 850nm IR LEDs for night vision with HDR
- Two way audio communication with high quality speaker and microphone with noise cancellation
- PIR sensor with single motion detection 110 degree field of view range up to 25ft (7.5m)
- Smart different alerts for human, animal and vehicle or you can upgrade with Nest Aware plan
- 802.11a/b/g/n wifi connectivity support dual band 2.4GHz and 5GHz and support latest WPA3 security encryption
- Bluetooth Low Energy
- Security features including On-device Machine Learning, auto firmware update, up to 128-bit AES encryption etc
- 6 Ah Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery with 3.3ft ft charging cable and USB-A power adapter
- IP54 rated weatherproof
Cons
- Need to subscribe Nest aware to unlock all nest features
- No local memory storage like micro SD Card, but only built-in memory for 1 hour event storage when power outage
Now we compare this nest cam outdoor with most popular Arlo. Which Arlo to compare since Arlo have various models of wire-free cameras?
Arlo vs Nest cam outdoor
Let’s now compare the Nest Cam Outdoor with one of its main competitors, Arlo. In terms of popularity, Arlo is a well-known brand in the home security camera market and has a loyal following among consumers who are looking for a high-quality and versatile home security camera system.
However, with Arlo offering several models of wire-free cameras, which one should we compare it to?
Arlo wire-free cameras
Arlo has released a few series of wire-free outdoor security cameras, with the three most recent products being the Arlo Pro 3, Arlo Pro 4 (and the update version is Arlo Pro 5s), and Arlo Ultra 2. What sets these products apart from each other? Both the Arlo Pro 3 and Pro 4 offer a 4MP resolution, while the Arlo Ultra 2 doubles that resolution. For a detailed comparison of specifications, please refer to Table 2 below.
Arlo Pro 4/ 5s
Arlo Pro 4 and Pro 5s are similar to the Google Nest Cam outdoor. The Arlo Pro 4 / Pro 5s are wireless camera systems that are designed to help you monitor your home when you are away. They are Wi-Fi-enabled cameras that can stream live video and audio to your Smartphone, tablet, or computer. With the Arlo app, you can receive alerts when the camera detects motion or sound, and you can even speak through the camera’s built-in speaker and microphone to communicate with people in the room.
The Arlo Pro 4 and Pro 5s offer some unique features such as a wider field of view, 2K HDR video, and a built-in spotlight. It also has a rechargeable battery that lasts up to six months on a single charge, and it can be used indoors or outdoors. Arlo Pro 4 /5s are widely available and can be purchased from the Arlo website, Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailers.
In terms of performance, the Arlo Pro 4 / Pro 5s have received positive reviews from users, with many praising its video quality, ease of use, and reliability. However, some users have reported issues with the app and the camera’s motion detection.
Besides different specs and features, as general all the three products have the same specs as highlighted below:
Highlights
- All the three products come with fixed lens, not varifocal lens but the size of image CMOS sensor is different
- All the three products come with 12x digital zoom you can zoom in from mobile device with arlo app installed, the field of view angle different for Arlo Ultra 2
- All three products support digital version of WDR (HDR) to challenge two extreme light conditions (bright and shadow) in the same frame for best image balance
- The maximum recording resolution up to 2K / 4MP, but for Arlo ultra up to 4K. all support H.264 and H.265 compression format
- Come with spotlights: 42Lux @1m with 6500K color temperature
- Color night vision with spotlight ON and support B/W night vision with high power IR LEDs with IR Cut filter
- Full duplex two way audio with built-in speaker and microphone
- Single band wifi 802.11b/g/n connectivity
- Battery power up to 6-months life
- Motion detection with PIR sensor, 130 degree horizontal view angle with auto tracking and auto zoom in for motion detection live view
- All come with built-in siren
- With smart home, all the three products can work with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant.
- Weatherproof, water and dust resistant
- Product dimension is the same, 89 mm x 52 mm x 78.4 mm
Cons
- Require cloud storage plan to playback recorded video event footages, no local memory storage except connect to Arlo hub with USB disk
Take a look at Table 2 below to see the detailed specification differences. Note that the main difference between the Arlo Pro 3 and Arlo Pro 4 is their wireless connectivity to your existing Wi-Fi network. Unlike the Arlo Pro 3, the Arlo Pro 4 doesn’t need to connect to a smart hub and can connect directly to your home’s Wi-Fi network. However, this convenience comes at a higher price point compared to the Arlo Pro 3. To determine the best value for your money, you may also want to compare the Wyze vs. Arlo outdoor cameras.
Aside from the direct connection to your Wi-Fi network, all other features for the Arlo Pro 3 and Arlo Pro 4 are the same. On the other hand, the Arlo Ultra 2 needs to connect to an Arlo smart hub and cannot connect directly to your Wi-Fi network. For a comparison between the Arlo Pro 4 and Arlo Ultra 2, please refer to the last two columns in the table below.
You’ll notice that the Arlo Ultra 2 offers a maximum 4K resolution, which is double the resolution of both the Arlo Pro 3 and Pro 4.
Table 2
| Wire-free Arlo models | Arlo Pro 3 | Arlo Pro 4 | Arlo Ultra 2 |
| Image sensor | 4MP 1/3” image sensor | 4MP 1/3” image sensor | 8MP, 1/2inch |
| Fixed Lens view angle | 160 degree diagonal | 160 degree diagonal | 180 degree diagonal |
| Recording resolution | 4MP (2560 x 1440); 1080p; 720p | 4MP (2560 x 1440); 1080p; 720p | 8MP; 4MP; 1080p; 720p |
| Motion sensor | Single motion sensor | Single motion sensor | Dual motion sensor |
| Audio | Two way audio full duplex with noise and echo cancellation | Two way audio full duplex with noise and echo cancellation | Two way audio full duplex with dual microphone array with wind and noise & echo cancellation |
| Connectivity | Wifi 802.11b/g/n | Wifi 802.11b/g/n | Wifi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth Low Energy BLE 4.2 |
| Power | Rechargeable battery – 6 months battery life, full charge 3.5hrs | Rechargeable battery – 6 months battery life, full charge 3.5hrs | Rechargeable battery – 6 months battery life, full charge 2.9 hrs |
| Connect directly to wifi network? | No | Yes | No |
| Price | From $119.99 | From $179.99 | From $249.99 |
Now, we take arlo pro 4 and compare it with nest cam outdoor. You may also like Nest doorbell vs Arlo doorbell.
Arlo vs Google Nest Cam Outdoor
When it comes to top-notch wire-free outdoor security cameras, Arlo and Nest are two well-known brands that offer exceptional performance and smart plans, including integration with emergency security services like 911. But which one provides the best value?
To help you make an informed decision, check out the following table comparing their features and specifications.
The camera
It’s worth noting that neither product provides detailed information about the lens, including focal length or aperture width. Arlo Pro 4 utilizes a slightly narrower image sensor compared to Nest, but its maximum resolution is twice as detailed as Nest’s.
A higher resolution camera is undoubtedly superior when it comes to capturing sharp image details, especially when zooming in via a Smartphone app. Arlo Pro 4 boasts a denser resolution, resulting in sharper image details even at higher magnification levels.
In terms of coverage, Arlo Pro 4 offers a wider angle lens with an impressive view angle of approximately 160 degrees diagonally, which can cover the entire area in front of the camera, albeit with a slightly curved perspective. The Nest, on the other hand, offers a slightly narrower but still very wide angle that provides adequate viewing angles.
When it comes to camera resolution, Arlo provides better value with its higher recording resolution.
Night vision
Both camera models offer black and white night vision in low-light conditions, although color may still be visible in well-lit environments. Arlo takes it a step further by featuring a spotlight that provides additional illumination when motion is detected, resulting in color night vision. Nest lacks this feature, so color night vision is only possible in areas with sufficient ambient light.
Moreover, Arlo includes a loud siren that can be automatically activated when motion is detected, or manually through the mobile app.
Connectivity
Both Arlo and Nest have the ability to connect directly to your home’s existing Wi-Fi network. Nest, in particular, comes with a built-in dual-band Wi-Fi that offers a better and cleaner connection at the 5GHz radio band, provided that your home Wi-Fi supports dual-band connectivity. It’s worth noting that most models of home Wi-Fi routers come with dual-band Wi-Fi, and all Wi-Fi 6 routers have this feature, you name it: Google Nest Pro wifi 6e or Deco XE75. Unlike Arlo Pro 4, Arlo Pro 5s updates the connectivity with dual band feature (802.11 a/b/g/n standards).
Local storage
While Nest provides limited local memory storage, it can store up to one hour of event history when there is a power outage or Wi-Fi disruption. This built-in memory ensures that you don’t lose any important events during such disruptions. Both camera models offer paid smart plans that are almost identical, and you can find more details in the comparison table below for Arlo vs Nest cameras.
Service Plan
Both models offer you paid smart plans, Arlo offers Arlo Secure plan, while Nest does Nest Aware service plans.
Arlo Secure is a paid subscription service offered by Arlo that provides additional features and benefits beyond what is included with the basic camera purchase. The Arlo Secure plan includes access to advanced AI features such as person, animal, vehicle, and package detection, as well as cloud storage for video recordings up to 4K resolution. It also includes features such as emergency response, which allows you to quickly contact emergency services in case of an event. Arlo Secure plans are available at various price points depending on the level of features you want.
Nest Aware is a similar subscription service offered by Nest for its security cameras. It includes cloud storage for video recordings, advanced AI features such as person detection, activity zones, and sound detection, and the ability to create clips and time-lapses. Nest Aware also offers features such as emergency calling and facial recognition (with certain camera models). Unlike Arlo, Nest Aware offers continuous recording, which means that the cameras record 24/7 and save the footage to the cloud, rather than only recording when motion is detected. Nest Aware also offers different tiers of service at different price points, depending on the level of features you want.
Take more details on the following comparison table Arlo vs Nest cameras.
Table 3 Arlo vs Nest Cameras
| Wire-free model | Arlo Pro 4 | Nest cam outdoor |
| Image sensor | 4MP 1/3” image sensor | ½.8 inch 2MP CMOS image sensor |
| Lens | Fixed lens | Fixed lens |
| View angle | 160 degree diagonal | 130 degree diagonal |
| Zoom | 12x digital zoom | 8x digital zoom |
| WDR | HDR | HDR |
| Recording resolution | 4MP (2560 x 1440); 1080p; 720p | 2MP (1920 x 1080) @30 fps |
| Spotlights | white LED 42Lux @1m brightness with 6500K color temperature | N/A |
| Siren | Built-in siren with speaker | N/A |
| Night vision | Color night vision with spotlights; B/W night vision with high power 850nm IR LEDs with IR Cut filter | 8pcs of high power 850nm IR LEDs for B/W night vision with HDR and 8x digital zoom |
| PIR sensor | Single motion detection 130 degree horizontal view angle | single motion detection 110 degree FoV range up to 25ft (7.5m) |
| Audio | Full duplex with built-in speaker and microphone with noise and echo cancellation | Two way audio communication with built-in speaker and microphone |
| Connectivity | Wifi 802.11b/g/n (connect direct to wifi network, no smart hub needed) | Standard 802.11a/b/g/n wifi dual band 2.4GHz or 5GHz and WPA3 support; |
| Power | 6-month battery power; AC Adapter Input; 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz | 6 Ah Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery; |
| Event trigger | Motion detection with live auto tracking and auto zoom | Motion and sound alerts; Smart different alerts for human, animal and vehicle |
| Storage | No local memory storage; | Free 3-hour snapshot history when power outage or wifi disruption |
| Service plan | with Arlo secure plan your footage is stored up to 30 days you can playback | Nest aware; cloud storage 60 days of video footage event history |
| Outdoor | Yes, weatherproof | IP65 weatherproof |
| Smart home support | Alexa, Google assistant, Smart Things; Apple home kit | Google assistant; Alexa |
| Price (Mar 2023) | $399.99 (3-pack) | Starts from $379.99 (2-pack) |
With the above spec and feature comparison table, now you have better insights for each of the product. And I still love Arlo pro 4 instead of nest cam outdoor. Click each of the product’s link below to read more details and see more deals in Amazon (#ads).
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- Or you may like Nest Outdoor, click here to SHOP in Amazon (#ad) Or Click here to see it in Best Buy (#ad)
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