With its mix of premium features, hardwired reliability, and a lower price point, Arlo’s Wired Floodlight Camera is an attractive choice for homeowners looking to enhance their outdoor security. However, this being Arlo, it is simply a live streaming camera, with no clips saved or any advanced features unless you cough up for a premium subscription. At less than $150 though (and currently on sale for less than $100), and with that 2,000 lumens floodlight, the out-of-the-box package is still pretty appealing.
Pros
- Super bright floodlight
- 2K crisp visuals with HDR
- Excellent Arlo Secure app
- Hardwired, so no battery issues
Cons
- Not compatible with base station
- No HomeKit
- Expensive subscription needed for key features
- No local storage
Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera: Introduction
- Type: Outdoor mains-powered security camera and light
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz
- Ecosystems: Amazon Alexa, Google Home
Late last year, Arlo expanded its ever-growing lineup of home security cameras with the launch of the Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera; a weatherproof cam designed for continuous, around-the-clock protection of your outdoor spaces.
Unlike Arlo’s battery-powered models like the Essential 2K XL, the Wired Floodlight Camera – as you may have guessed from the name – is a hardwired camera that connects directly to your home’s electrical system and Wi-Fi, ensuring non-stop security without the need for recharging.
In fact, it’s Arlo’s first fixed, hardwired floodlight option.
And the good news is that it offers many of the same premium features found in Arlo’s more expensive wireless Pro 3 Floodlight Camera, which costs $100 more.
As always with Arlo though, the bad news is you will have to pay extra for most of these features.
Read on to find out if the Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera might still be the right one for you.
Design and installation
- Mains powered (4-inch UL approved round junction box compatible)
- Wall or ceiling mounting
- 2000 lumens floodlight
Floodlit cameras are never really the most discrete and that’s definitely the case with the Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera.
A dead ringer for Ring’s Floodlight Cam Wired Pro, it’s actually a lot better looking than the slightly more expensive Eufy Floodlight Camera E340 (but it doesn’t have the Eufy’s pan and tilt functionality.)

Essentially there’s three parts to it: the camera itself (which looks like the Essential Indoor Cam) and a pair of oval floodlights. All three of these are movable, so you can tilt them at the angles that suits you best for capturing footage and lighting an area.
But, before you can do that, you need to get the thing powered on. And for that, you’ll have to run some standard electrical wiring or, even easier, simply use an existing outdoor light fixture.
Wired systems can be a bit trickier to install, but Arlo has made this model is a simple DIY job for those looking to upgrade their outdoor security, with a simple two-screw mounting plate making everything a doddle.

Also in the box you’ll have a handy S-hook so as you can hang the device while you connect the wires with the supplied wire-nuts; saving you having to do everything one handed.
The app has nice step-by-step physical instructions with videos to help you along the way but, honestly, even with basic DIY skills and an understanding of how wires work, you should have it up and running inside 20 minutes.

Turn the power off at the box first though… obviously.
I had the white version on test for this review, but there is also a black variant as well.
Unlike the higher end Arlo cameras, which use an Arlo SmartHub base station, the Wired Floodlight Camera connects directly to your home Wi-Fi (2.4GHz only). There’s currently no way of using it with a SmartHub, for local storage and the like, but we have been told this could change in 2025.
For now then, if you’re thinking of using it outside, make sure you have the Wi-Fi coverage to allow it to connect.
If you’re using a good Wi-Fi mesh system you might get away with attaching it to the outside of your house and getting a solid connection. If you can add a mesh node to your garden, then you might be able to go even further, and have the added benefit of good outside coverage.
The Wired Floodlight Camera is weatherproof camera with a rubber gasket around the plastic base to prevent water ingress.
Features
- 2K HDR video
- Arlo Secure needed for most stuff
Once you’ve got the camera paired up with your home Wi-Fi using the slick Arlo Secure app, you’ll see it appear as a device in the app, alongside any other Arlo cameras or doorbells that you already have.
It’s also the same app the excellent Arlo Security System uses and, if you have that in place, the Wired Floodlight Camera can provide an extra arm in your home security defence setup, with integrations with alarm triggers, home/away mode and the like.

In the Arlo Secure app you can view a live stream from the devices page, or you can tap the camera to go into a more detailed screen that includes a scrollable list of events, presented in a timeline. However, to see those events you’ll need an Arlo plan in place; but more on that in a bit.
Like the Pro 3, the Wired Floodlight camera records in 2K HDR video, offering sharp, clear footage, even at night.
It boasts a 160-degree field of view and color night vision, making it easier to keep an eye on your property.

There’s two-way audio on board, so you can speak to anyone near your Arlo camera through the Arlo Secure app on your device, and the camera is also compatible with Arlo’s Live View feature that allows you to see what is going on when you receive a notification.
It also features a built in 80dB siren, should you need to scare off unwanted visitors.
The floodlight itself offers up to 2,000 lumens of adjustable brightness, providing plenty of illumination for outdoor spaces and, unlike the fixed light on the wireless Pro 3 model, the Wired Floodlight Camera features articulating lights, allowing you to direct light where it’s needed most.

You’ll use the app to manage when the camera records and when the floodlights come on, offering Away, Home, and Standby modes similar to those found in alarm systems.
While manual control is beneficial, you can also automate these modes using IFTTT, or by setting schedules and enabling geolocation rules.
Streaming security video footage to a smart speaker with a display, such as an Echo Show 15 or Show 21, is possible with voice commands for both Google Assistant and Alexa on offer.

However, in order to get the range of advanced features, you’ll need to sign up to an Arlo Secure subscription.
That’s the kicker here really as, without an Arlo Secure subscription, the out-of-the-box functionality simply includes basic motion alerts and the ability to watch live feeds of your cameras; there’s no local storage for your footage and a plan is needed for cloud storage.
This means you could get a motion alert on your phone and tap on it to see what is happening, but you wouldn’t be able to go back and see what had happened before.
And you’ll miss out, with no plan in place, on all the clever stuff like smart notifications, where you can choose to be alerted for your choice of people, vehicles or animals, and the option to add activity zones.
Arlo also stepped up its home security game recently with the launch of Secure 5, a suite of AI-powered features designed to make its cameras better at recognizing what they see.
Arlo Secure 5 introduces the ability for Arlo devices to not just recognize people and vehicles but also to learn custom objects and specific changes around the home.
For example you could train the AI to alert you if a specific window is left open at a certain time, or if your kids are hitting the refrigerator when they’re not supposed to, or check if a bike is safe and secure in the yard.
But, again, you need an Arlo Secure Plan in place for all of these extra smarts… and the plans aren’t cheap.
Prices range from $9.99 per month to $29.99 per month depending on what level of protection you want. Check out our guide to Arlo Secure Subscriptions to learn more.
Back to the good news and the Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera integrates with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and IFTTT, making it easy to incorporate into an existing smart home setup – it’s just a shame there’s no HomeKit option for Apple Home users.
Performance
The video quality on the Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera is pretty decent on the whole, with the 2K resolution providing a noticeable upgrade in clarity compared to standard 1080p cameras.
Sure, there are plenty of 4K cameras out there but the 2K visuals, especially in the day time were plenty crisp, with lots of detail captured.
There’s also HDR on board, which can make a pretty big difference, as it helps preserve detail in scenes with high contrast, preventing the image from being completely washed out. I tested the Arlo in an outdoor space at our US testing lab and, as you can see, it held up well in an area that battles with both extreme sunlight and a lot of shadows.
Onto night vision, and the Wired Floodlight cam offers both integrated floodlights and infrared capabilities. This dual approach allows for flexible operation depending on the time of day and specific requirements
Obviously, if infrared night vision is your sole need, a floodlight camera is probably not the best choice. Saying all that, the infrared night vision on the Arlo performed admirably.
The integrated floodlights are really the difference maker here when it comes to night time recording, effectively lighting up areas at close and medium ranges, with images with relatively true-to-life colors.
The floodlight’s motion-activated response is prompt, and the Arlo app allows for customization of the motion sensitivity that triggers the light. You can even have recordings and the lights turn on based on sound too, which is a handy setting for protecting areas beyond that 160-degree viewpoint.
Final thoughts
The Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera delivers impressive video quality and boasts a highly effective floodlight, which exceeds the performance of many competitors in its price range and the ease of installation is a definite plus.
However, the Arlo Secure subscription model remains a significant factor to consider. While the free tier offers basic functionality, the real power of this camera, including smart notifications, activity zones, and advanced AI features, is locked behind a paywall.
This makes the overall cost of ownership higher. Ultimately, the Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera is a strong performer, but its value proposition depends heavily on whether you’re willing to embrace the Arlo ecosystem and its subscription structure. If you are, you’ll be rewarded with a comprehensive and reliable security solution. If not, you might find more cost-effective alternatives elsewhere.
You can buy the Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera direct from Arlo, or from Home Depot.
How we test
When we publish our reviews, you can rest assured that they are the result of “living with” long term tests.
Smart security cameras usually live within an ecosystem, or a range of products that – supposedly – all work in harmony. Therefore, it’s impossible to use a security camera for a week and deliver a verdict.
Because we’re testing smart home kit all day, everyday, we know what matters and how a particular camera compares to alternatives that you might also be considering.
Our reviews are comprehensive, objective and fair and, of course, we are never paid directly to review a device.
Read our guide on our review process for smart security cameras to learn more.
FAQs
No, a subscription isn’t required for basic functionality like live viewing and motion alerts. However, an Arlo Secure plan unlocks advanced features like video recording, smart notifications, activity zones, and person/vehicle/animal detection.
Not at all. Arlo designed this for DIY installation. If you’re comfortable with basic wiring, you should have it up and running in about 20 minutes. The app provides excellent step-by-step instructions.
Yes, the Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera integrates with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Unfortunately, Apple HomeKit is not currently supported.
No, the Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera relies on cloud storage through an Arlo Secure subscription. There’s no option for local storage via a SmartHub at this time, although this may change in the future.
Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera: Specifications
Launch date | October 2024 |
US price | $149.99 |
UK price | n/a |
Resolution | 2560×1440 (2K) |
Image sensor | CMOS |
Video modes | 2K |
Video features | Color, Black & white night vision |
Lens field of view | 160-degree diagonal |
Digital zoom | 12x |
Sensor | Motion and audio detection |
Spotlight | Floodlight, adjustable up to 2000 lumens brightness, 4000K CCT |
Motion detection | PIR motion detection |
Night vision distance | 8 meters |
Audio | Speaker and microphone, 2-way audio |
Noise and echo cancelling audio | Yes |
HDR | Yes |
Siren | 80db @ 1m |
Status lights | RGB |
Connectivity | 2.4GHz Wi-Fi |
Indoor or outdoor use | Outdoor |
Camera mount type | 4″ UL Approved Round Junction Box Compatible |
Minimum operating temperature | -4° F (-20° C) |
Maximum operating temperature | 113° F (45° C) |
Product dimensions (in) | 10.43 W x 5.83 D x 6.65 H (in) |
Product weight (lb.) | 1.60lb |