Best 4K Home Security Cameras of 2023

1. Lorex - Most Options of any 4K Camera

Editors Rating:

9.6 /10

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Lots of Choices

Lorex is teeming with security camera options. In fact, out of all the brands we have reviewed, it has the widest selection of 4K security cameras. There are 4K cameras that connect to Wi-Fi directly and use an app for monitoring, 4K cameras that record locally to a DVR or NVR, and even 4K cameras that run on batteries and are completely wire-free.

Better still, you can mix together cameras with different resolutions, so if your network is not yet ready to support 4K streaming with multiple cameras, you can buy lower-resolution cameras for areas that don’t need 4K video quality.

Commercial-grade Cameras

Originally, Lorex only made commercial-grade cameras, and even though they’ve begun to market to homeowners in recent years, their equipment is still up to the same exacting standards of professional security systems. You’ll find lots of competitors who offer relatively cheap plastic-encased cameras. Not Lorex. All their cameras are encased in metal. In fact, many of their outdoor cameras are even rated up to IP67. For those who may not know, IP67 means the camera is dust-tight and can withstand submersion in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes.

No Monthly Fees

One of the best things about Lorex cameras is that once you’ve paid for your equipment you’re done. Lorex doesn’t offer a monitoring service, so you never have to worry about monthly fees. Even storage is free. For those who opt to use cloud storage rather than DVR, NVR, or an SD card, Lorex even offers free cloud storage with up to two days of video backup. If that’s not enough for you, you can pay for 30 days worth of storage, but even for that Lorex charges just $3.49. Of course, we don’t recommend going without monitoring altogether. We’re happy to say, though, that Lorex cameras are compatible with virtually every other security system on the market. That means you should have no trouble finding one that will satisfy your monitoring needs.

2. Swann SWDVK-445802V - Most Affordable 4K Camera

Editors Rating:

8.1 /10

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Swann Cameras Video Quality

Swann offers several 4K cameras, and while we didn’t get the chance to test all of them, we purchased two of the most popular 4K cameras from Swann. The first one was the PRO-4KMSB Thermal-Sensing Security Camera, which was pretty basic in terms of features but proved great for outdoor surveillance. It had a narrow 90 degrees viewing angle, so we had to place it high up to make sure it covered our apartment’s stoop. But it had an impressive night vision range that could see up to 150 feet in total darkness using infrared LED lights. The second one was the NHD-885MSFB Spotlight IP Security Camera. It had the same 4K resolution as the first one and a slightly wider but still quite narrow 93 degrees field of view. But unlike the other Swann 4K camera, it could use both infrared night vision and its built-in spotlight to see at night.

Customizable Camera Systems

The Swann cameras we tested were not as flashy as those from its competitors in the sense that they didn’t have as many smart features. However, we knew that we could count on Swann if we needed a versatile camera system. For example, we customized our Swann system to include a basic 4K camera, a 4K camera with a built-in spotlight, and a couple of 1080p HD cameras. The two 4K cameras stood guard outside our apartment. And because we wanted to save money and didn’t need 4K cameras throughout, we opted for 1080p HD cameras for indoor use. That’s one of the best things about a Swann system. There were tons of varying camera options and many of them were able to work together to create a custom-tailored camera system.

Choice Between Local Storage, Cloud Storage, or Both

With Swann, we didn’t run out of options when it came to video storage. Their 4K camera systems came with a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) or Network Video Recorder (NVR) equipped with a hard drive for local video storage. Some camera models had a built-in micro-SD card slot as well. Both options provided plenty of storage for 24/7 continuous recording, which was fitting given that one 4K camera can fill a 120 GB storage per day.1 Select cameras, DVRs, and NVRs also connected to Swann’s cloud service, which they used to backup short clips of motion events. Those that worked with the cloud service stored event videos for seven days for free. If possible, we recommend using both local and cloud storage, with the hard drive as your main storage medium and the cloud as backup in case something happens to the DVR or NVR.

3. Nest Cam IQ Indoor - Best Indoor 4K Camera with Artificial Intelligence (Discontinued)

Editors Rating:

9.2 /10

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How We Review

1080p HD Resolution with Supersight

The Nest Cam IQ Indoor was not quite a full-fledged 4K camera as it only streamed and recorded in 1080p HD. However, we included it on this list because of its 4K image sensor that gave the camera incredible zooming capabilities. Even when we digitally zoomed the videos 12 times, we could still see a clear picture when viewing from the Nest App. In comparison, when we reviewed the Nest Cam Indoor, small details appeared blurry even though we only zoomed eight times. The Nest Cam IQ Indoor utilized its zooming ability to enable Supersight. Whenever it saw a person move into view while the camera was armed to detect motion, Supersight automatically zoomed into the person’s face and followed its movement. That would make it easier to identify an intruder’s face.

Smart Features with Nest Aware

Sure, Nest cameras are a bit pricey and they need a Nest Aware subscription to unlock their full potential, but we really liked how smart the Nest Cam IQ Indoor got with Nest Aware. For starters, it was able to detect and recognize faces. After a bit of learning from us— we named the faces we wanted it to recognize via the Nest App— it knew when it saw a stranger or someone familiar and alerted us accordingly. It was also able to tell people, pets, and vehicles apart and that allowed for even more insightful notifications. But one of its best smart features was activity zones. It took the guesswork out of the motion detection process and only alerted us when there’s movement in zones that mattered to us, such as our front door. That means we received fewer and more relevant notifications throughout our busy days.

Continuous Recording with Nest Aware Plus

Aside from Nest Aware, there’s a higher subscription tier called the Nest Aware Plus. It offers all the smart features of Nest Aware and expands the cloud service’s video storage capabilities. When we signed up for Nest Aware Plus, our videos were stored in the cloud for 60 instead of 30 days. On top of that, it made our Nest Cam IQ Indoor record continuously, keeping videos in the cloud for up to 10 days. Nest Aware Plus cost us $12 per month, but one subscription covered all the Nest cameras we owned. That means even our Nest Cam Indoor and Nest Cam IQ Outdoor were able to utilize the 60-day cloud storage and 10-day continuous video storage. That’s a great deal specially for those with multiple Nest cameras like us. We’re really glad that Nest launched this new Nest Aware pricing.

4. Nest Cam IQ Outdoor - Best Outdoor 4K Camera with Artificial Intelligence

Editors Rating:

9.2 /10

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How We Review

Nest Cam IQ Outdoor Video Quality

As its name suggests, the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor is simply an outdoor version of the Nest Cam IQ Indoor. It had a similar video quality— 1080p HD, 130 degrees field of view, and up to 12 times digital zoom powered by the 4K image sensor. However, one slight but significant difference we noticed was the night vision range. The Nest Cam IQ Indoor used 940 nm infrared LED lights, while the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor used 850 nm LED lights. 850 nm is better suited for an outdoor camera as it can illuminate a wider area compared to 940 nm LED lights2. And based on our tests, it did seem that the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor’s night vision had a longer range than its indoor camera counterpart. As for daylight videos, though, the two Nest Cam IQ versions were on par with each other.

Supersight

The Nest Cam IQ Outdoor also used Supersight to provide us a close look at people approaching our front door. We placed the camera approximately one foot above our Brooklyn apartment’s front door so it had a pretty wide view of the pavement and street. But thanks to Supersight’s motion tracking, whenever we viewed a motion event, the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor was already focused on the subject’s face. That made it easy for us to identify the person, whether it was a friend visiting from The Big Apple, the FedEx guy delivering parcels to us, or a complete stranger. If it’s the third, we know to immediately use the camera’s two-way audio to let them know we’re watching.

Artificial Intelligence with Nest Aware

Without a Nest Aware subscription, the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor could only tell us if it saw a person. But when we paid for the subscription, we unlocked facial recognition, pet and vehicle detection, and activity zones. We knew when we tested the Nest Cam IQ Indoor what these features could do, but were able to put them to much greater use with the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor. For instance, we used activity zones to make the camera ignore the street and half of the pavement. We wouldn’t want to get notifications of people and cars passing by, but we would like to know whenever someone steps too close to our stoop. Also, when there was a string of burglaries in our neighborhood, we decided to turn on vehicle detection at nights so the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor would alert us if someone parked outside our apartment. It doesn’t hurt to be a little more cautious.

5. Arlo - Best Google Home Cameras

Editors Rating:

8.8 /10

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Wide-Angle Field of View with HDR

All the 4K cameras we tested were somewhat similar in terms of video quality, but the Arlo Ultra 4K stood out because of its 180 degree field of view and high dynamic range (HDR). Coupled with the camera’s 4K resolution, those features allowed for a clear and complete view of our living room or front door whenever we moved the camera outside. The Arlo Ultra 4K also had impressive night vision, which we were able to switch between color and black-and-white depending on where we placed the camera. Inside, we let it use its built-in spotlight to illuminate our living room. When placed outside, we turned off the spotlight and opted for infrared night vision so that people wouldn’t notice our camera.

Wire-Free

Thanks to its built-in battery, the Arlo Ultra 4K was completely devoid of wires. Good news for those like us who aren’t savvy when it comes to wire management. Arlo says it can last up to six months on a single charge. Having tested the camera for over six months and recharging it only once, we think Arlo made good on its word. The Arlo Ultra 4K’s battery also perfectly complemented the camera’s ability to work indoors and outdoors. The lack of cables simplified the installation process and it made it possible to move the camera around depending on where we needed it. We kept it outside our front door on weekends when we’re mostly chilling at home and moved it indoors to help us watch over our pets on our working days.

Intelligent Alerts with Arlo Smart

Speaking of watching over pets, the Arlo Ultra 4K had a bunch of artificial intelligence features that made our lives easier. Pet detection was one of those features. It alerted us whenever it saw our new puppy so we could check our live feed and see what he’s up to. Aside from helping pet owners like us, the Arlo Ultra 4K can distinguish people, vehicles, packages, and the sound of smoke and CO alarms and alert its user accordingly. It’s also capable of sending out alerts when movement is detected in a specific zone while ignoring unimportant areas, also known as activity zones. However, these artificial intelligence features weren’t free. They required a subscription to Arlo’s cloud service, but given how much it made our lives convenient and the bonus cloud storage it came with, getting a subscription was well worth it. We wrote a separate page on Arlo’s pricing, so be sure to check that out to learn more.