Aqara Safety Digital camera G100 Assessment

Aqara are barely odd in comparison with different good house manufacturers as a result of they’ve only a few cameras out there.

I’ve beforehand reviewed the Aqara G2h Professional, Digital camera Hub G2H, Digital camera E1 PT and the excellent Digital camera Hub G5 Professional PoE. Three of these are Zigbee hubs in addition to cameras.

I’ve then reviewed the Aqara Doorbell Digital camera Hub G410 and Good Video Doorbell G4, which, as you possibly can guess, are doorbell cameras, with the G410 additionally being a hub.

Till now, they’ve solely had one outside digicam, and that’s the premium-priced Digital camera Hub G5 Professional.

The brand new Aqara Safety Digital camera G100 is an inexpensive indoor digicam that retains prices down by eliminating the necessity for a hub.

Whereas it’s a good digicam, it’s largely unremarkable on this planet of house surveillance. The principle enchantment is that that is IP65 rated, making it appropriate for outside use, which is significantly dearer Digital camera Hub G5 Professional.

And, not like many price range surveillance cameras, this additionally helps third-party ecosystems and may be built-in with Apple HomeKit and RTSP assist, which lets you report on to a NAS/NVR or issues like Residence Assistant.

Associated Opinions

Specification

Options

2K Readability Day and Night time

The G100 Wi-Fi Digital camera information at 2304×1296 pixels (roughly 3MP) with a 140° subject of view and a wide-angle f/1.8 lens. In follow, this implies the picture is sharper than customary 1080p fashions, although it’s nonetheless behind true 4K cameras. It provides two night time imaginative and prescient modes: a spotlight-assisted color mode for seeing topics extra clearly at nighttime, and an infrared (IR) mode for low-light scenes the place discretion is extra necessary. The built-in 940 nm infrared lighting avoids the distracting crimson glow you’d see with cheaper cameras, so it’s much less more likely to alert anybody being monitored.

Indoor/Outside Prepared with IP65 Safety

The enclosure is IP65-rated, which means it resists mud ingress and heavy rain. It needs to be superb for outside mounting within the UK, together with throughout chilly and moist winters, although the plastic housing could not really feel as rugged as some higher-end skilled fashions. In contrast to some cheaper indoor-only units, this flexibility means you might begin with it indoors and later transfer it exterior with no need a separate digicam.

Native and Cloud AI Detection

On-device processing permits the G100 to detect movement and recognise individuals with out counting on cloud companies. In the event you subscribe to Aqara’s HomeGuardian plan, it expands into cloud-based AI recognition for pets, autos, parcels, and faces, which may routinely tag occasions. Usefully, it additionally contains obstruction detection (helpful if somebody tries to tamper with the digicam), two-way audio for conversations by way of the app, and the choice to add customized sound recordsdata. Nevertheless, superior options equivalent to full cloud detection and broader good house automation are locked behind a recurring subscription.

HomeKit Assist and Broad Compatibility

The G100 integrates with Apple’s HomeKit Safe Video, though Apple’s system caps the decision at 1080p. In the event you join the digicam to each the Aqara and Apple Residence apps concurrently, it’s restricted to 1080p in each, solely returning to 1296p if HomeKit is disabled. This limitation is value protecting in thoughts in case your precedence is streaming high quality. Past Apple, it additionally works with Google and Alexa-compatible shows, and for fans, it helps RTSP streaming into programs like Residence Assistant. In comparison with many price range rivals, having this stage of ecosystem flexibility is a robust level.

Versatile Storage Choices

Recordings may be saved regionally on microSD playing cards as much as 512 GB (card not included) or on a linked NAS. The continual 24/7 recording choice is just out there when utilizing an SD card, as cloud recordings stay event-based. A time-lapse mode is included, compressing 24 hours of video into a brief clip, although this requires each wired energy and microSD storage. For many who choose cloud storage, Aqara’s HomeGuardian subscription shops encrypted occasion clips, which does no less than add an extra layer of safety if the digicam is stolen.

Wi-Fi 6 and WPA3 Safety

The G100 helps Wi-Fi 6, which ought to present smoother reside viewing in comparison with older Wi-Fi 5 cameras, particularly if you have already got a number of units competing for bandwidth. WPA3 assist is included for a safer connection. It’s restricted to 2.4 GHz networks, so you don’t get the quicker throughput of 5 GHz, however the prolonged vary at 2.4 GHz is arguably extra helpful for outside setups. A limitation value noting is that the facility brick (5V/1A DC) is just not included within the field, which suggests some patrons might want to spend additional if they don’t have an appropriate spare adapter mendacity round.

Design

The G100’s compact physique is simple to mount virtually wherever. Its plastic end is arguably utilitarian fairly than fashionable, however that helps it mix in discreetly, indoors or out. You get an built-in cable grommet for water resistance, and set up is a doddle: a single screw and wall plug are included, sufficient for many brick, plaster, or wooden surfaces.

The ball-and-socket mount permits for respectable articulation; you possibly can level the digicam in virtually any route, although a wall mount provides a barely firmer maintain than a ceiling one. I’ve acquired it perched exterior my shed on a desk as a short lived set up, nevertheless it has held up nicely the previous 2 weeks. Admittedly, we now have had good climate lately, will probably be attention-grabbing to see how nicely it does with the northern UK climate throughout winter.

One odd design alternative is the facility cable. It’s a USB-C cable, the digicam itself has a brief cable with a feminine finish, then there’s an extension lead which plugs into it, and that is then weather-protected by a rubber cowl. It simply feels a bit like an affordable resolution, nevertheless it has labored completely nicely since set up.

Set Up

Establishing the Aqara G100 is about as painless because it will get. Out of the field, plug within the USB-C cable (I sourced my very own USB energy brick, as talked about), and also you’re able to pair. By way of the Aqara app, pairing makes use of a QR code—scan it on the bottom, comply with a couple of prompts, choose your Wi-Fi, and also you’re completed in a few minutes.

Aqara App and Settings

The Aqara app interface is serviceable, if hardly stunning. You get entry to reside view, two-way audio, snapshots, organising zones, and extra. Some options, equivalent to obstruction detection and timeline assessment, are solely actually helpful if in case you have a microSD card put in.

Customisation choices are respectable. You may title the digicam, assign it to rooms, partition detection zones (very important for busy driveways or entrance porches), and tweak notification settings. I appreciated the anti-theft lock—if somebody nicks the digicam, it gained’t be re-pairable to a different Aqara account, making it largely ineffective for resale.

You may arrange on-device AI detection, and if you happen to pony up for the HomeGuardian subscription, unlock extra granular cloud-based detection for faces, pets, and autos. In my expertise, native individual/movement alerts had been dependable and triggered not often on false alarms, which is much better than flood-detection-only discount fashions. You too can crank up the sensitivity if you happen to reside in an space the place foxes and cats set off frequent motion.

It isn’t all rosy: the time-lapse setting, whereas neat, eats up storage quickly, and managing clips may be fiddly. The app’s timeline scrubbing isn’t as refined as these from market leaders equivalent to Arlo or Google Nest, so it generally takes a couple of tries to export the precise second you need.

Integration with Residence Assistant

For these of us operating extra advanced good house setups, the G100’s RTSP assist was a aid. Including the digicam into Residence Assistant went easily. As soon as the RTSP stream was pasted into the software program, I used to be capable of automate actions equivalent to mild triggers on movement and obtain good notifications grouped with my different non-Aqara package.

Latency over RTSP was low, as you’d count on. 1080P is snappier, however at full decision, there’s solely minimal delay. I’ve not reviewed an affordable surveillance digicam like this shortly, so I don’t have a lot to check it in opposition to.

A small frustration: firmware updates are solely delivered by way of the Aqara app, not OTA from platforms like Residence Assistant, so that you’ll have to dip again into the app for upkeep.

Efficiency

AI Movement Detection

On paper, the G100’s AI detection outclasses many price range choices. In use, I discovered individual and movement alerts to be fast, and false positives had been fortunately uncommon.

There have been no vehicles seen in my again backyard, however we do have a washing line which continually triggers alerts on my Eufy Floodlight. Whereas this nonetheless occurred with the Aqara, it appeared a lot much less frequent.

Those that wish to use pet or car detection will want the paid cloud plan, however for many, the on-device AI will suffice for porch and room monitoring.

You may dial in sensitivity and outline exercise zones, so if in case you have a busy street or conservatory, you possibly can restrict notifications to the entrance path or the realm proper in entrance of a door.

Video High quality In the course of the Day

Daylight video is the G100’s robust swimsuit: colors are comparatively correct, and distortion from the 140° lens is current however not extreme. Facial recognition inside 10 toes is dependable; past that, readability begins to drop off, as anticipated with any sub-4K unit. In comparison with the marginally costlier E1 PT, it’s a contact much less sharp on the edges, however central element stays stable. Rolling shutter and movement blur are minimal except topics transfer rapidly throughout the body.

Video High quality at Night time

Night time imaginative and prescient presents two modes: infrared (black-and-white, discreet) and color (with highlight enabled). With the highlight off, faces and descriptions stay seen out to about 7–8 metres. With the highlight on, colors are clear, although shadow element is missing.

Audio pickup is satisfactory. There may be some hiss and compression artefact, however you may make out voices at 3 to eight toes—superb for doorstep monitoring.

Worth and Different Choices

The Aqara G100 is obtainable on Amazon UK now for £41.16.

Aqara has only a few cameras. The opposite choices embrace the E1, which is a 2K digicam with pan-tilt for £47.

They then have a number of choices, that are each a digicam and a hub, together with:

• Aqara Digital camera Hub G2H Professional priced at £49
• Aqara Digital camera Hub G3 priced at £84
• Aqara Digital camera Hub G5 Professional, priced at £170 – It is a considerably extra superior mannequin than the others, appropriate for outside use, that includes true color night time imaginative and prescient, and supporting Matter and Thread.

For competing choices, you have got the Tapo C210, which is cheaper at £24 and is pan-tilt, nevertheless it lacks facial detection, and isn’t as straightforward to combine with third social gathering ecosystems.

Reolink has the E1 Professional, which might be the perfect various as it is just round £37, it’s a 5MP digicam and has pan-tilt. Plus it helps Reolink NVRs and FTP/NAS. The draw back is that it lacks HomeKit, doesn’t have facial recognition and might’t combine with the vary of merchandise that Aqara has out there.

General

Whereas it’s arduous to get overly enthusiastic about this digicam, its fundamental enchantment lies in its affordability, IP65 score for outside use, and the flexibility to combine with a wider good house system, whether or not that’s throughout the Aqara app or third-party programs like HomeKit and Residence Assistant.

Video high quality is enough for a digicam at this worth level, and the AI detection is nice.

General, it is a respectable, inexpensive digicam that enhances the vary of Aqara merchandise nicely, particularly as they’ve a restricted number of surveillance cameras.

I’m James, a UK-based tech fanatic and the Editor and Proprietor of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Captivated with all issues know-how, my experience spans from computer systems and networking to cellular, wearables, and good house units.

As a health fanatic who loves operating and biking, I even have a eager curiosity in fitness-related know-how, and I take each alternative to cowl this area of interest on my weblog. My various pursuits permit me to deliver a singular perspective to tech running a blog, merging way of life, health, and the newest tech traits.

In my educational pursuits, I earned a BSc in Info Programs Design from UCLAN, earlier than advancing my studying with a Grasp’s Diploma in Computing. This superior research additionally included Cisco CCNA accreditation, additional demonstrating my dedication to understanding and staying forward of the know-how curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has persistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of many prime know-how blogs within the UK. With my dedication to know-how and drive to share my insights, I intention to proceed offering my readers with partaking and informative content material.

Final replace on 2025-08-25 / Affiliate hyperlinks / Photos from Amazon Product Promoting API