No need for hardwiring with Arlo's latest smart doorbell
The latest smart security option from the Arlo Technologies stable has just gone live – the Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell.
- OUR VERDICT: Arlo Essential Wire-free Video Doorbell review
Looking exactly the same, and featuring the same feature set, as the wired Arlo Video Doorbell, this $200 smart video doorbell, as the name suggests, doesn’t require existing wiring – it offers a three to six month battery life from a charge, depending on usage.
That feature set, in case you’re not familiar with the Wire-Free’s older sibling, includes a 1:1 aspect ratio with a square feed – so it shows more of the person standing at your threshold.
Talking directly to your router using Wi-Fi (so, no need for an Arlo Base Station), it also makes use of HDR, boasts night vision and resolution is an impressive 1536 x 1536.
The standard stuff is also on the features list: motion alerts, smartphone notifications when someone rings and, of course, the ability to talk two-ways.
You can also choose pre-set messages so you don’t actually have to personally interact with people at your door – which is pretty nifty.
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Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT compatibility is all on offer and, if you did want to hard wire your Wire-Free doorbell (which seems odd) then you do have that option as well.
The ‘Essential’ tag is a touch confusing on the new video doorbell though. The recently announced Arlo Essential home security camera was the first to include the Essential moniker; a scaled-back version of Arlo’s higher end cameras such as the Ultra and Pro 3 that doesn’t need the Arlo Base Station to operate, with a lower price tag.
The original Arlo Video Doorbell also doesn’t need the Base Station but is a fair whack cheaper than the new Essential model at £150 – but that model requires old-school doorbell chime wiring to operate.
Also, it’s not clear if it is called the Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell or the Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wire-Free… the company has used both variations in the press material and on its online store.
But that’s just me being picky – the key message here is that Arlo now has a genuine Ring 3 rival, with a battery-powered video doorbell with all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a flagship device in this category.
You can register your interest for the new Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell over on arlo.com; shipping is expected to ship in the holiday season.
Arlo has also announced that an update version of its Chime accessory will be available at the start of 2021.
