Arlo Ultra 2 Review: 4K in a wireless package
Verdict
Better range than the original and at a similar price, the Arlo Ultra 2 is the most avant-garde wireless camera I've reviewed, recording at 4K. Quality software and excellent modes that control when the cameras can and can't tape make this system stand out against rival products. However, cloud storage for 4K video is expensive, and most people volition find the cheaper Arlo Pro 4 more than suited to their needs.
Pros
- Splendid video
- Wide field of view
- Smart fashion command
Cons
- Expensive cloud storage
Availability
- UK RRP: £449.99
Primal Features
- Type A wireless camera for use both indoors and outdoors
- Connection This camera uses Wi-Fi, simply it has to exist continued through the Arlo SmartHub
Introduction
With the launch of the original Arlo Ultra, the company showed the power of 4K video for home surveillance. Today, Arlo is dorsum with the Arlo Ultra ii, a tweaked version of the original. While more than contempo Arlo cameras accept ditched the need for a hub, the Arlo Ultra 2 yet requires 1, which adds to the cost.
Backed by Arlo's excellent software, the Arlo Ultra 2 is still capable of shooting some of the best-quality video available, but the camera is expensive to buy and run.
Design and Installation
- Requires a SmartHub
- Wireless installation indoor or out
With more recent cameras, such as the Arlo Pro iv, Arlo ditched the requirement to have a SmartHub, with cameras connecting directly to your Wi-Fi. Surprisingly, the Arlo Ultra 2 goes back to needing a compatible SmartHub; it can't connect directly to Wi-Fi. The need for more bandwidth for a 4K camera is likely to be the reason for this.
Every bit with the previous generation, y'all can buy the Ultra ii as a standalone camera or equally part of a package with a SmartHub. Kits cost considerably more than than the standalone and start with a pack that contains two cameras and the hub.
Externally, the Ultra 2 looks very much like the Ultra and, indeed, the other cameras in Arlo's lineup. The smoothen, curved body finished in white plastic (a black version is too bachelor) looks great.
The differences are on the within, with the Ultra ii at present including a longer-range wireless chip, so yous can identify the camera further from the base station. Information technology's too dual-band Wi-Fi, and the photographic camera will switch from 5GHz to 2.4GHz, if the betoken isn't potent enough.
As with Arlo's other models, the Ultra two runs on battery power. Y'all tin can either take out the battery to charge it (if you lot have a compatible battery charger), or you lot tin can bring the photographic camera in and use the magnetic charging dock underneath.
Arlo has 2 mounting methods. The magnetic mountain is the simplest; one time this is fitted to a wall, the Arlo Ultra 2 attaches on to it. There'southward besides a tripod mount at the rear, which provides a more secure connection.
Once in identify, the Arlo Ultra 2 has to be paired with a SmartHub, which is a straightforward process.
Features
- Excellent mode control
- Customisable detection options
- 4K recording costs more
Once in the app, the Ultra ii appears like any other camera in the Arlo lineup, with a thumbnail showing a recent still photo from the camera. Tap the Play button and you can live-stream the camera, fire up the ii-manner talk characteristic, or activate the siren. The siren is loud enough to attract attending and maybe good enough to scare abroad a prospective thief.
For the virtually part, the way yous'll use the photographic camera is to have it record footage automatically when motion is detected. For that, yous'll demand an Arlo Secure program. Since the Ultra 2 is a 4K photographic camera, if yous want to record at the highest resolution so yous'll need to get with Arlo Secure Plus. This costs £12.99 a month and covers every camera you ain, with 60 days of video history.
The standard Secure program costs just £2.79 a month for one camera, or £8.99 a month for unlimited cameras, recording at a maximum resolution of 2K and giving up to 30 days of video history. Based on those prices, Arlo Secure Plus only begins to brand sense if you take multiple cameras.
Even and then, Secure Plus is expensive: information technology's more than four times the cost of the standard Secure'south single-camera price. Fortunately, you get a three-month trial of Arlo Secure Plus with the Ultra ii cameras, and then you can exam whether or not it's worth paying more for the higher-resolution video.
Also as recording to the deject, y'all tin can insert a microSD bill of fare into the SmartHub and tape video locally. All the same, there's no way to view this footage through the Arlo app, and yous have to physically remove the storage to view it. Remember of this option as a back up only, peculiarly since Arlo cameras can tape to backup storage when there's no net connection.
Forth with deject storage, Arlo Secure also offers up some boosted features, including Deject Activity Zones. These allow yous select the areas of the moving-picture show yous want to monitor; you'll receive notifications only when movement takes place in these marked areas.
Every time the photographic camera's PIR sensor picks up movement, the camera wakes upwards and starts recording. If the motion is within an activity zone then the camera continues; otherwise, information technology shuts downward. This method means yous should still indicate your camera away from very busy areas – constantly waking and shutting down can drain the bombardment quickly.
To further cut downward on notifications, you can select what you lot want to be notified nigh, including your choice of people, animals, vehicles and all movement. Object detection is super-powerful and extremely accurate. Gear up properly, I found that I received few alerts from my camera, which is the way it should be.
I also recall that Arlo has the best camera control options via Modes. Modes let you lot select how and when your cameras record. The default options are Armed (cameras tape when they pick up motion) and Disarmed (cameras stop recording). You tin can besides use geofencing to arm cameras when you get out, and either disarm when you return home or run a schedule. For instance, your schedule could say that your downstairs indoor cameras should record at dark, but not during the day; and geofencing turns on all cameras when y'all get out.
If that wasn't enough, you tin trigger mode changes via IFTTT (I have my cameras turn off when my Yale Linus lock unlocks), or you can attach cameras to Samsung SmartThings and toggle them on and off from at that place.
Recorded footage is available via the Library department in the app. You can filter by device and date, and by object detected (people, animals or vehicles). With a simple thumbnail view of events, I've establish it very easy to observe a specific clip and download it to my telephone.
Both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are supported, and yous can stream footage from an Ultra 2 photographic camera to a compatible smart display, such as an Amazon Echo Show 10.
Video Quality
- Super-abrupt video during the 24-hour interval
- Total colour night vision
- Dark footage loses a bit of sharpness
With its 180-degree field of view, the Ultra 2 tin can capture a great bargain. Outside, it ways that you lot can see what'due south going all around the camera; indoors, the Ultra 2 can capture most of a room. This wide field of view means that the Ultra ii can be put practically anywhere and still cover the areas that you lot want.
During the 24-hour interval, the Ultra 2 shoots some of the all-time video I've seen. Well exposed, abrupt through the image, and with incredible detail – you can see the full item in people'due south faces, and even zoom in to meet more than.
At night, the Ultra ii turns on its spotlight, shooting in full colour. The exposure and detail are generally good, only move becomes a little blurry. As you can meet from the test shot below, you lot can meet exactly what'due south going on, merely I'k a picayune out of focus as I'g walking through the frame. This is a mutual night-time issue, although the Annke NC800 shoots much better video at night.
Bombardment life is quoted at effectually three to 6 months, although what you point the camera at and how much movement information technology picks upwards volition all play a part on how long the battery lasts. Based on testing over a two-week period, I'd need to charge every six weeks to two months.
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
If you want the best image quality from a wireless camera and are happy to pay for information technology, this is the best you lot tin buy.
If you don't desire to pay for the meridian-tier Arlo Secure subscription, the Arlo Pro 4 is a better choice.
Final Thoughts
A tweak on the original, the Arlo Ultra 2 is bachelor for only a fiddling more than the original Ultra. With the small price difference, I'd purchase the newer system over the older for the meliorate range; still, keep an eye out on original Ultra deals – if available for a lot less, that older system is even so worth buying.
The bigger question is whether or not 4K video is worth the money, and the answer in part comes downwardly to the toll you're willing to pay for deject storage. If you're happy to pay the full price for Arlo Secure Pro, then the Ultra 2 shoots some of the best-quality video around. Nonetheless, information technology isn't that much improve than the Arlo Pro four'south 2K video. With the Pro 4, y'all tin can get away with with the cheaper Arlo Secure subscription, plus you don't need a hub. Unless you desperately need the higher resolution of the Ultra two, then, the Pro 4 is a better option for most. For other alternatives, cheque out my guide to the best outdoor security cameras.
How we test
Unlike other sites, nosotros test every security camera nosotros review thoroughly over an extended flow of time. We utilise industry standard tests to compare features properly. We'll always tell you lot what we find. We never, ever, take coin to review a production.
Discover out more about how nosotros test in our ethics policy.
Used equally our main security camera for the review catamenia
We test compatibility with the main smart systems (HomeKit, Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings, IFTTT and more) to see how piece of cake each photographic camera is to automate.
We take samples during the solar day and night to see how clear each camera's video is.
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FAQs
What'southward the difference betwixt the Arlo Ultra ii and Arlo Ultra?
Not much – the Ultra 2 offers ameliorate range and smarter wireless control, only both shoot at the same resolution and include the aforementioned features.
Tin I connect the Arlo Ultra two to my Wi-Fi?
No, it has to connect through the Arlo SmartHub.
How do I tape in 4K with the Arlo Ultra 2?
You need to take out the Arlo Secure Pro cloud subscription.
Full specs
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Motility detection
Activity zones
Object detection
Sound detection
Power source
Lite
Night vision
Two-way audio
Recording option
View Field
Mounting option
Camera Type
IFTTT
App Control
Smart assistants
Bombardment Length
Voice Assistant
ASIN
Release Appointment
First Reviewed Engagement
Model Number
Resolution
Size (Dimensions)
Manufacturer
Britain RRP
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Source: https://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/arlo-ultra-2
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