Having to justify the cost of a smart home product can be difficult to swallow, but it’s often a necessary evil – almost everyone needs asmart doorbellas a part of their home security system. Others are definitely novelties, such asmotion sensors, that can trigger lights to turn on. If you’re considering turning your home into a smart one, it is important to do research and find one that’s not only easy to use, but also fits into your budget. But, if you want higher end additions to your home, you’re going to have to spend a prettier penny on them.
That especially goes foroutdoor cameras. Security cameras are meant to help you keep an eye on everything that’s going on outside your home. They can also provide you with clear images and videos both during the day and at night, so it makes sense for anyone who wants to keep their home protected to install security cameras in other places besides their smart doorbell. The eufyCam S3 Pro is the company’s newest addition to its outdoor camera lineup, and while there are multiple configurations to choose from, one thing remains the same for eufy: Its camera resolution is generally some of the best on the market.
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The eufyCam S3 Pro isn’t just one camera. It’s a system that includes at least two cameras and a eufy HomeBase, and it’s set up with AI enhancements that distinguish between all kinds of people, animals, and objects. I was able to test out the eufyCam S3 Pro and had some thoughts to share on the entire experience.
EufyCam S3 Pro
The eufyCam S3 Pro comes with two cameras and a eufyy HomeBase S380 to connect it to your router. It offers terrific night vision and clear 4k resolution. It also doesn’t have need a monthly subscription to save the recordings.
Price, availability, & specs
This system is really expensive
As I mentioned above, there are multiple configurations of the eufyCam S3 Pro – the one I tested out came with two cameras and a HomeBase S380, retailing for $550. That is no small investment by any means, and you should note that there are even bigger packages that include three cameras for $700 and four cameras for $800. If you haven’t set up any form of security in your home before, the three- or four-camera packages might be worth considering.
They are available on eufy’s website and at Amazon.
The biggest difference between previous eufy cameras is that this has an F1.0 aperture lens and has something called MaxColor Vision, which utilizes four spotlights (compared to two in previous setups) and a 1/1.8-inch CMOS sensor to create night vision photos that look realistic. Night Vision doesn’t usually look very clear on many cameras, which is a large downfall for those who don’t have great exterior lighting or don’t want to have a light on all night to shoot clearly in the dark.
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The eufyCam S3 Pro cameras connect to your system via Wi-Fi, but the HomeBase S380 must connect to your router via Ethernet and then the cameras connect with that. It’s used as a hub for the cameras and helps with AI recognition. The cameras are powered via battery, but they can stay charged longer by using the built-in solar panels or the additional solar panel that you can install and connect to the cameras. The camera kit comes with mounting equipment, an Ethernet cable, and more, giving you all the tools you’ll need for any kind of installation process.
What I like about the eufyCam S3 Pro
The night vision is impressive
I’ve traditionally had Ring cameras for my home security system – I have a Ring Video Doorbell at my front door and near my garage. So, I set up the eufyCam S3 Pro in my backyard to keep an eye on what was going on. I have previously used a Ring Floodlight Cam to offer both lighting and surveillance, but there are some blind spots on certain areas of the house that I wanted to eliminate.
The fact that these are solar-powered and battery-powered gave me more flexibility with where I could install them. I didn’t have to have them near an outlet, so I could actually install them on my deck. I didn’t love the idea of drilling holes into the exterior of my house if they were cameras I didn’t want to end up keeping, but having them on my deck provided a view of my yard that I’ve never had before.
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Having used eufy devices before, I already had the app installed on my phone and an account. Installing everything wasn’t difficult, and I knew I needed to keep the cameras closer to the HomeBase and router to make sure the Wi-Fi would reach them. As expected, the camera feed showed up in the app and I was able to hear two-way audio, which is standard for most security cameras these days. But what continues to strike me when using eufy cameras is the resolution.
They have a 4K picture with a terrific 8x zoom capability to deliver clear photos day and night. The MaxColor Vision is a lot better than anything a Ring security camera offers as it shows up in rather clear color even if it’s pitch dark outside. It uses AI recognition to differentiate between people, animals, and more, and even showed me a raccoon walking through my backyard in all its true color glory. The AI clip stitching went from one camera to another and showed the creature’s journey through my backyard and created a seamless clip.
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Another boost for eufy is how you don’t need to pay for a subscription. The HomeBase S380 is loaded with 16GB of local storage, and you can extend it up to 16TB with a hard drive. The eufyCam S3 Pro also integrates with my Amazon Alexa smart speakers, so I could bring up the feed on my Echo Show 8. I also love being able to customize the zones of what it will pick up – it offers up to 40 feet and a 120-degree field of view to let me manipulate its focus on certain areas.
What I don’t like about the eufyCam S3 Pro
It caused my Wi-Fi to act up
As I mentioned, I have Ring Video Doorbells already. As soon as I plugged the HomeBase S380 into my router, the feed for my Ring Video Doorbell started acting up, and it wouldn’t connect to the Internet. My Wi-Fi started to run more slowly when streaming something on my TV, and it’s obviously less than ideal when installing any new kind of product. The fact that I had to plug something directly into my router, and it caused other devices in my home to run less than smooth really turned meoff to these cameras. If I’m being honest, I finished up the review and uninstalled them. With other camera systems that don’t require a hub, it just feels like this is just an extra piece of equipment.
Night Vision does not usually look very clear on many cameras, which is a large downfall for those who don’t have great exterior lighting or don’t want to have a light on all night to shoot clearly in the dark.
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Another thing I don’t love about these cameras is the price tag. While they have a ton of great features, $550 for two cameras and a hub is a significant investment. The advancements in color and picture compared to other options wasn’t quite worth it, more so because I already had some security cameras in place. If you’re someone that doesn’t have cameras set up, this could be a sound investment to start your security journey. But if you’re someone like me who already has some in place, this is an expensive addition.
Should you buy the eufyCam S3 Pro?
If you have the money, it could be worth it
The eufyCam S3 Pro is a set of at least two cameras and a HomeBase. For a minimum of $550, it’s an investment for anyone who chooses it. But, it does shoot in incredibly clear 4K resolution, and ColorVision makes it look like daytime when it’s nighttime. The cameras are easy to mount and run on either battery or solar power, but I did have issues with my Wi-Fi after plugging the HomeBase into my router, making me more leery of using eufy products in the future. Maybe you won’t have an issue and, if not, it could be a great set of cameras for you. I hope that’s the case.
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