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Selasa, 16 Oktober 2018

Netgear Arlo Q Plus vs. Nest Cam IQ: Which should you buy?

We're a virtual company made up of tech experts from across the globe. We know that when you're looking for a security camera, you want all the features that'll keep your home safe.

Nest Cam IQ

Smart camera

$300 at Best Buy

Pros

  • 1080p with a 4K sensor for zoom
  • No base station needed
  • Google Assistant built-in
  • Nest integration
  • Smart features

Cons

  • No local storage
  • No Ethernet connection
  • No Amazon Alexa integration
  • Expensive

Nest makes some of the best smart home products and the Nest Cam IO is no exception. With Google Assistant built-in and smart features like facial recognition plus Nest Secure integration, it's an amazing camera. But you also can't control it with Alexa and you're spending $100 more.

Netgear Arlo Q Plus

Connection and power options

$200 at Amazon

Pros

  • 1080p video
  • No base station needed.
  • Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa integration
  • Local storage
  • PoE

Cons

  • Single user only
  • No onboard smart features
  • Indoor only

The Arlo Q Plus is a great stand-alone security camera with two features you won't find in many others: Power over Ethernet (PoE) and local storage via an SD card slot. But while it integrates with your home assistant, it doesn't have any smarts of its own.

Smarts vs. Hardware features

These are both really great security cameras. It's awesome when we compare two things this good because either is a great product you'll be happy with if you buy one or more. But there are a few major differences that will make one model a better fit than the other — and a $100 price difference is only one of them.

Nest Cam IO Arlo Q Plus
Resolution 1080p with
4K sensor for HQ zooming
1080p
Two-way audio Yes Yes
Stand-alone Yes Yes
24/7 recording Yes (with Nest Aware) Yes
Smart features Onboard Google Assisstant
Nest integration
Google Assistant integration
Google Assistant integration
Amazon Alexa integration
Arlo integration
Connectivity Wi-Fi Wi-Fi
Ethernet
Power over Ethernet
Local storage No Yes
Price (single cam) $300 $200

Both cameras are easy to install and stand alone. Using the smartphone app, you simply connect them to your home network and you're finished. You can view the video on the web or through the app, purchase relatively inexpensive cloud storage features if you need more space, or integrate them into your smart home using your voice assistant. But the tiny details make a difference here.

The biggest difference for most people will be in the smart home integration category. The Arlo Q Plus works well with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, allowing you to do things like start recording or stream saved video. However, the Nest Cam IQ takes things to another level with its own set of smart features like facial recognition — it recognizes who should be there and can trigger something like Nest Secure to sound an alarm if its someone who shouldn't be there. It even has Google Assistant built-in with two-way audio.

Nest brings it with smart software, but Arlo has hardware features some of us need to use.

Netgear's Arlo Q Plus brings hardware features to the table that the Nest Cam IQ lacks instead of trying to dazzle with software. First is PoE and that adds two important options. The first, and most important for a lot of us, is that you don't have to have an AC plug nearby to use them. PoE is exactly what it sounds like: you can power small devices over an Ethernet cable. That means no hiring an electrician to add a plug and you'll have a fast connection even in places where your Wi-Fi router won't reach. Onboard storage is also another big plus for anyone who wants to use the Arlo Q Plus as a 24/7 surveillance camera. Add your own local storage and let it go!

Finally, there's the price difference. The hexacore processor in the Nest Cam IQ and fancy software that runs on it makes it cost $100 more for a single camera system. We don't think that's too bad of a deal, but you need to ask yourself if you'll use them before you pay more for them. Or maybe you need PoE or love the idea of having local storage options and the Arlo Q Plus offers both.

That's where we would start: Do you need PoE or local storage? If so, buy the Arlo Q Plus and never look back. If you don't, decide if the smart features and Nest integration are thing's you will use. If they are, $100 isn't too much extra to pay.

Nest Cam IQ

Smart camera

$300 at Best Buy

AI and integration

The Nest Cam IQ is the smartest standalone security camera you can buy. Nest and Assistant integration add even more options, but you will need strong Wi-Fi and it's not suited for 24/7 duty without an expensive cloud plan.

Netgear Arlo Q Plus

Connection and power options

$200 at Amazon

The Arlo Q Plus might not offer AI-driven smart features, but Assistant and Alexa integration make up for some of it. It's also the camera to buy if you want to drop it in a place with a poor Wi-Fi signal or plan to archive 24/7 video footage.

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