TechRadar Verdict
There’s certainly no shortage of home security cameras on the market right now. However, most are intended for more occasional use, such as monitoring people who come to the door. Few are intended for more regular or even continuous use. However, the Altas PT Ultra from established Chinese brand Reolink is a bit different. A professional-looking model with pan and tilt camera, it boasts a large built in battery, colour night vision facilities and an optional extra solar panel for an additional power boost.
Pros
- +
Extremely solid-looking model
- +
Excellent video quality
- +
Local MicroSD storage
Cons
- -
Bulky unit requiring careful installation
- -
More expensive than other security cameras
- -
Need to remove for regular charging
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Reolink Altas PT Ultra: two-minute review
A brand new model from a company that has been producing security solutions since 2009, the Altas (not Atlas) PT Ultra is intended for those who are serious about security. A bulky model featuring a 355-degree pan and 90-degree tilt camera, it’s ideally suited for small businesses and individuals wanting to monitor their premises on a regular, or even constant, basis.
However, it’s not the most straightforward to install, requiring a little bit of DIY skill to mount the bracket which the camera then slots into. Thankfully though, mounting templates, screws, and wall plugs are all provided in the box. Various mounting options are catered for, including a ceiling and wall mount. It’s even possible to install on a tree using the tree mounting strap provided.
As with most of the best home security cameras these days, the Altas is controlled via your smartphone. Simply download the Reolink app and scan the QR code printed on the device to go through the setup instructions, complete with voice commands. Unlike many security cameras, the Reolink Altas PT Ultra supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi frequencies. It can also store footage on a MicroSD card up to 512GB (not supplied) or the company’s Home Hub/Home Hub Pro server (also not supplied).
Alternatively, you can pay for a subscription to store footage in the cloud. Currently the standard plan costs $6.99 / £3.49 / AU$4.99 per month or $69.99 / £34.49 / AU$49.99 a year for 30-day cloud video history, 30GB video storage and support for up to five cameras.
Using the app, you can set the pan and tilt camera both to record and track different types of movement automatically (human, animals, cars etc.) or you can control the camera manually via the app using the up and down arrow keys. There’s even a 10-second pre-record option which, like a body-worn camera or dashcam, constantly records in the background (this can be switched off if the battery falls to below a certain level).
Notifications can either be pushed to your mobile phone or via email if you want to go old school. If you want to record more than just motion-triggered events, you can set the camera up for continuous recording. Alternatively, it’s possible to set up a timer schedule of when you want recordings to take place using the slider controls in the menu.
Finally, in addition to recording footage there’s also the option of talking to potential intruders via the built-in microphone. And if reasoning with them doesn’t work there are also options to trigger the onboard alarm or switch the camera’s bright lights on all at the touch of a button.
Reolink Altas PT Ultra: subscription options
Reolink Cloud, Classic Plan Series. Standard Plan: Up to 30-day cloud video history, up to five cameras supported, up to 30GB cloud storage. $6.99 / £3.49 / AU$4.99 per month or $69.99 / £34.49 / AU$49.99 per year.
Reolink Cloud, Classic Plan Series. Premier Plan: Up to 30-day cloud video history, up to 10 cameras supported, up to 80GB cloud storage. $10.99 / £6.89 / AU$9.99 per month, $104.99 / £68.19 / AU$99 per year.
Reolink Altas PT Ultra: price and availability
- How much does it cost? $229 / £229 / AU$359
- When is it available? Available since October 2024
- Where is it available? UK / US / Australia
Given you can now get an outdoor security camera for under £100 (such as the £89 Ring Stick-Up Cam) the Reolink seems very expensive at first glance. But then this device isn’t just intended for personal use. It’s also ideal for small businesses who want to keep an eye on their premises.
Another benefit is that you don’t have to pay the monthly subscription fee which often helps to subsidise the price of security cameras, rather like expensive printer cartridges subsidise cheap printers. Instead, you can use a MicroSD card or a ReoLink home hub to store footage rather than paying to store it in the cloud.
Also, unlike other models, the Reolink Altas PT Ultra combines a very large integrated lithium ion battery with a stand-alone solar panel as standard whereas often this is an optional extra. And while the solar panel didn’t prove particularly useful in the UK during a rainy and overcast couple of weeks in Autumn, it’s a great way of supplementing the device’s power in sunnier times.
Of course, the Reolink Atlas PT Ultra isn’t for everyone. There are much certainly much cheaper models on the market if you just want to track occasional motion. But if it’s constant monitoring combined with high performance video you are after then it’s certainly worth paying the premium.
- Value score: 3.5/5
Reolink Altas PT Ultra: design
- Solidly built
- Hefty mounting bracket provided
- Large integrated camera
The first thing you notice about the ReoLink Altas PT Ultra is just how big and heavy it is. Not that this is a criticism necessarily, just that it feels much chunkier than other models on the market. It also requires some DIY skills to drill all the necessary holes to install the mounting bracket into which the camera slots.
We installed the ReoLink Atlas on the front of a back garden office, but equally it could have been mounted on a ceiling. The only thing you need to be mindful of is leaving enough room for the built-in antenna which is designed to be angled directly upwards from the pan and tilt camera.
A waterproof cover beneath the lens hides the MicroSD storage while above the lens are the powerful white lights. These lights are triggered by motion when it’s dark or can be switched on by pressing a button on the app. A microphone hole and daylight sensor are also provided in the main camera housing with a large speaker and USB-C charging port located on the underside of the unit close to the mounting bracket.
You can simply slide the camera out of the mounting bracket to charge it via the mains using the USB-C cable provided (you will need your own USB plug as this isn’t supplied). Alternatively, you can connect the camera via the same USB-port to the solar panel for additional power on sunny days. A generous amount of cable is provided for the solar panel and it’s surprisingly easy both to install (just three screws required), as well as angle towards the sky.
- Design score: 4/5
Reolink Altas PT Ultra: performance
- 4K ultra high-definition resolution
- Large battery for continuous recording
- Color night vision
Undoubtedly, it’s when it comes to performance that the Reolink Altas PT really comes into its own. Testing the video quality during the day, I was impressed with the 4K resolution which displayed the flora and fauna of my garden in rich detail as well as capturing family members and pets in high resolution (no intruders were spotted during the test period!)
However, it’s at night where the camera really excels. Whereas most security cameras only display poor black and white images at night, the Reolink features ColorX technology enabling full-color footage without the need for spotlights (though in extremely dark environments the built-in spotlights will come on to enhance visibility).
Obviously, because the Reolink Altas PT is a 355-degree pan and 90-degree tilt camera it’s able to track and record movement from various sources without worrying about any blind spots. Another bonus is the large built in 20,000 mAh battery – over twice the size of the battery in the Eufy 4K S330 security camera, for example. This enables continuous recording 12 hours a day for over a week.
Reolink claims that the 6W solar panel can charge up to 35% of the battery with just one day of sunshine. However, we found that the solar panel actually contributed very little during rainy Autumn days in London – certainly not more than a couple of percent in a day. Nevertheless, even without the solar panels contributing much power, we found that during a 10 day period outdoors we didn’t need to remove the camera from its mount once for charging.
- Performance score: 4.5/5
Should you buy the Reolink Altas PT Ultra?
| Attribute | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Undoubtedly, the Reolink is a fairly pricey proposition compared to many of its competitors. But then it offers loads more features such as a continuous recording feature and color night vision. | 3.5/5 |
| Design | A bulky and heavyweight model, the Reolink certainly isn’t the easiest to install. However, it feels a much more solid design than some of its cheaper, more plasticky rivals | 4/5 |
| Performance | The Reolink offers outstanding quality images, both day and night. Best of all is that it comes with a built-in battery large enough to support continuous recording for several days. | 4.5/5 |
| Average rating | Looking for an outdoor security camera to protect your home or business? The Reolink is certainly a good option. A very advanced solution, it combines great performance with solid build quality. However, it’s not the cheapest. | 4/5 |
Buy it if
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Reolink Altas PT Ultra: also consider
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Reolink Altas PT Ultra | Ring Spotlight Cam Pro (Battery) | Eufy 4K S330 security camera |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subscription price | From £3.49 a month | From £4.99 a month | None |
| Viewing angle | 355-degree pan / 90-degree tilt camera view | 140-degree horizontal view, 80-degree vertical view | 360-degree view |
| Network connection | Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz) | Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5GHz) | Wi-Fi/4G |
| Audio | Two-way audio | Two-way audio | Two-way audio |
| Video | 4K video resolution | 1080p Full HD resolution | 4K video resolution |
| Power | Battery | Battery | Battery |
| Hardware price | £229 (with solar panel) | £199 (battery model only) | £189 (with solar panel) |
Not completely sold on the Reolink Altas PT Ultra? Here are two more options to consider.
How I tested the Reolink Altas PT Ultra
- I used the Reolink every day for two weeks
- I set it up myself using the fittings provided by the manufacturer
- The security camera was installed on the outside of my garden office (the solar panel was set up temporarily)
I installed the Reolink Altas on the front of my garden office for around 10 days so it could capture footage from the garden. After this period I then brought it indoors so I could use it to track movement a little more and also check battery usage.
Before setting up I made sure that the camera only focused on my own property by excluding parts of the frame that could capture the neighbour’s garden using the app. I also switched off the siren and only used the powerful spotlights briefly outdoors. Both the siren and spotlights were tested more thoroughly indoors.
Because it was autumn in the UK and the solar panel was largely ineffective, this was installed only temporarily on an outdoor table and also on the garden office door for a few days.
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First reviewed October 2024
