As a software developer, I am acutely aware of how intentional we have to be about security and even MORE aware of how easy it is to make mistakes. The best companies have many Quality Assurance (QA) steps to ensure solid production releases but we are human. Wyze is raved about for providing affordable home security with high quality video. But they have been in the news about security all too often these past couple of years, and not in a good way. The camera has a weather rating of IP65, meaning it’s water-resistant but not waterproof.
The cable that’s included with the camera is designed to sit deep enough into the port’s housing to provide power and keep water or dust out. Unlike some other outdoor security cameras, such as the Blink Outdoor and Nest Cam (battery), which can run on battery power alone, the Wyze Cam v3 Pro needs to be plugged in. It’s only been a few days since CES closed its doors, but there are still plenty of new gadgets to be had. Some companies, after all, would rather not launch their products into the noise that is the world’s largest consumer electronics show. Indeed, Wyze’s founders recently promised that in the coming year, the company would go back to its basics and make 2023 the year of the camera. Today, it is kicking this off with the launch of its indoor/outdoor Wyze Cam Pan v3.
I was willing to write off the company’s disastrous leak of 2.4 million customers’ data as a mistake, but it doesn’t look like the company made one here. If these flaws were bad enough to discontinue the camera in 2022, customers deserved to know that back in 2019. The iBaby Monitor example that Bitdefender brings up is a little ironic too — because there, Bitdefender actually did force a company to action. When Bitdefender and PCMag revealed that the baby monitor company hadn’t patched its security hole, the resulting bad publicity pushed them to fix it just three days later. If Bitdefender put out a press release two years ago that Wyze had a flaw it’s not fixing, it’s damn easy to stop using that camera, not buy any more of them, and pick a different one instead. “There’s an easy mitigation strategy for affected customers,” Stamos says.
The Wyze Cam V3 is one of the most feature-rich home security cameras you can buy, even if you’re willing to spend more money. It not only delivers high-quality 1080p video, it also offers color night vision, local and cloud storage, intelligent motion and sound detection, and voice control. It integrates seamlessly with other Wyze devices such as door locks, smart bulbs, and sensors, and it supports IFTTT applets that allow wyze home security it to work with numerous third-party devices. Sure, it isn’t as sharp as the Arlo Pro 3, which offers 2K resolution, but the Arlo costs $200 and requires a separate hub. If you want or need 2K video, the $51.99 Eufy Indoor Cam 2K is our top affordable pick, but it doesn’t support IFTTT or work outside. For $35.98, you simply can’t buy a better security camera than the Wyze Cam V3, earning it our Editors’ Choice award.
The housing has an IP65 rating — similar to many of the best outdoor security cameras — meaning it can withstand the occasional dust or water from a storm. Thanks to its quality wyze thermostat video, great features and low price, the Wyze Cam v3 Pro is one of the best security cameras around. However, its spotlight is a bit weak and it needs to be plugged in to work.
That said, there are some wire-free options frome Wyze — more on those in just a bit. The biggest drawback of Wyze Home Monitoring is the lack of cell backup. If your Wi-Fi goes down, the system will still detect breaches and set off the local alarm, but it won’t contact the monitoring service. Most professional and DIY alternatives offer cell backup (occasionally for a small price bump), so this feels like Wyze’s one big deficit compared to the competition. Like many DIY home security kits, Wyze’s setup includes a keypad, two door/window sensors, a motion detector and a base station with a built-in siren. Sure, there are more sophisticated cameras out there, but Wyze continues to impress us with its high-value, low-cost smart home products, and this Wyze Cam is no exception.
During the first five days of using it strictly as a security camera, the battery dropped down to 95%. That’s a comforting level considering that it’s rated for upward of three to six months with normal use, which Wyze classifies as 10 to 20 event videos per day. As a whole, it retains the same design identity that Wyze is known for, and as an outdoor security camera, it’s a refreshing take. Quite frankly, it’s an uncommon design among outdoor cameras, but it’s worth mentioning that it’s not just an outdoor camera. It’s something you can use inside of the home, or even on your travels and vacations.
That’s much less expensive than other home security camera cloud storage plans. Unfortunately, some of these features remain locked or limited unless you pony up for a Wyze Cam Plus subscription; without it, the camera feels relatively limited. The camera still offers rugged IP65 weatherization, two-way audio, and an 89-decibel siren. 2.4GHz Wi-Fi is supported, along wyze thermostat with options for both color and black-and-white night vision available—the former more capable thanks to the spotlight feature. We tested a number of indoor security cameras that we didn’t prefer as much as our current top picks but that are still good choices if they meet your particular needs. Note that we do not long-term test these models (as we do our top picks).