If you’ve had your eye on smart cameras, you might know about Arlo and its Pro series - which now includes the new Arlo Pro 3.
Arlo’s latest camera sits between the Arlo Pro 2 and Arlo Ultra with a 2K resolution, plus adds color night vision to the Pro line-up while staying relatively affordable.
In terms of specs, the Arlo Pro 3 is IP65 water-resistant making it for indoor and outdoor use, and has a 160-degree field-of-view with a 2,560x2,560 resolution. This wider – and taller – field-of-view allows you to see packages on your porch and the faces of unwanted guests who get too close to the front door.
In addition to the upgraded specs, Arlo added a built-in light that can be turned on and off remotely (seen in the image above), a larger battery that can last up to six months between charges and a two way mic system.
That said, the most interesting new feature for the Arlo Pro 3 comes from Arlo’s $299 Arlo Pro – and that’s colored night vision. This feature uses Arlo’s advanced algorithms to add color to traditionally monotone night vision footage, enabling you to get crucial information about the area around the outside of your house.
Eye-Spy
In a demo of the new Arlo Pro 3, the company showed us comparative footage with two night scenes – one that had color and one that didn't. With color mode turned on we were able to see the colors of cars that drove past a house and clothing details of people who walked by. That may sound innocuous, but these are key details should anything ever happen to your home.
In addition to night mode, the Pro 3 will also have HDR enabled to let you see more in the darkest and brightest parts of the image. This feature, that was until now found exclusively on the Ultra series, allows you to see what's happening in a room where the camera is facing a bright window, or in a room that has a screen door leading outside, our demo proved.
While all of this sounds like minor adjustments, these little details could potentially help aid investigators and give you peace of mind when you're away.
The Arlo Pro 3 will be available later this week in black or white for $199.99 (around £160, AU$295) for just the camera or $499.99 (around £400, AU$740) for two cameras and the requisite Arlo Hub.
- Don't miss our list of the best security cameras in 2019
