REASONS TO BUY
Spotlight
Alerts first responders
Color night vision
REASONS TO AVOID
Saving videos requires subscription
Expensive
Arlo Pro 4 Review
An easy to use, feature-packed security camera with middling video performance and a hefty price tag
Credit: Arlo
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Our Verdict
The Arlo Pro 4 has several cool features and settings, but it fails to perform at a level commensurate with its upfront and long-term costs. We like that it has a spotlight because light often works better than night vision, and it's like a visual alarm. We also like that its speaker kicks out a high volume alarm to match the light — these can be deterrents for unwanted animals and humans. However, these features are not enough to make it a contender in the class, given other devices' high-quality video, sound, and low/no-cost subscriptions services.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Arlo Pro 4 has an adjustable field of view, onboard spotlight, color night vision, and a host of sophisticated alerts. It's also easy to set up and operate. However, the camera's video and sound quality are disappointing, particularly in light of the camera's price.
Performance Comparison
A nice-looking, easy-to-use camera that has middling performance and a big price tag.
Credit: Chris McNamara
Recorded Video Quality
The Arlo Pro 4 performed about average for its class in the recorded video quality assessment. While the camera boasts 2k resolution, we were surprised to find that the camera records in HD. The downloaded video quality is average, with colors remaining accurate and the quality staying consistent even when subjects are in motion. However, when set to the widest field of view setting (160º), features are slightly muddled and appear far away. On the upside, the recorded video does not have the overexposure issue we have observed in other Arlo products.
The Pro 4 has color night vision that produces decent renderings of background details. However, we were not pleased with the lack of visible details where human faces were concerned. That said, we like that the unit offers an adjustable field of vision (160º, 125º, 110º) because it allows users interested in motion detection alerts to narrow the area of interest or expand it for tight areas such as a stoop.
Monitoring Performance
This metric focuses on real-time video and sound quality. The Arlo Pro 4 performed poorly in these assessments. The main reason that the camera scored so low is that it has a pronounced latency of ~3 seconds between actual events and their depiction on screen, and there is also a slight lag between the video and audio.
The results were not all bad for the Arlo Pro 4. The camera offers viewers a smooth video feed that is unaffected by fast movements. The audio is smooth and crisp as well, with no background noise. Additionally, the speaker on the camera is loud and produces an 81.8 dB alarm.
The Arlo Pro 4 offers viewers a smooth video feed even when movements are fast. The audio is smooth and crisp, too.
Credit: Matt Spencer
Ease of Use
The Arlo Pro 4 is a bright spot in our appraisal when it comes to ease of use. The camera's app is very easy to navigate, the settings readily accessible, and tons of useful notifications are available to the user. However, we were disappointed that local data storage required the purchase of an accompanying base and that the cloud storage required a paid subscription. Special features like the first responder notification also require a subscription.
Perhaps our favorite thing about the Pro 4 is its settings and alerts. The camera's app allows users to set motion alerts for people, vehicles, animals, and motion in general. The camera will also alert you to the arrival of a package. Video clip previews are also available in notifications if you want them. The camera can also detect and alert users to the presence of smoke and carbon monoxide indoors. Finally, the Pro 4 comes with a sturdy magnetized base that serves as a wall mount (hardware included).
Value
While the Arlo Pro 4 offers many features and it's easy to use, it failed to live up to the standards for video and sound quality set by more competitively priced models. As such, we do not see this product offering a good value to consumers.
Conclusion
The Arlo Pro 4 has several great features like a spotlight, first responder alerts, and color night vision. However, the camera does not record in 2k, has no local data storage, and requires a subscription to save videos. The bottom line is that this is a so-so camera with some nifty features and a big price tag.
—Nick Miley, Matt Spencer, and Austin Palmer
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