Aqara Security Camera G100 Review

Aqara are barely odd in comparison with different sensible dwelling manufacturers as a result of they’ve only a few cameras obtainable.

I’ve beforehand reviewed the Aqara G2h Professional, Digital camera Hub G2H, Digital camera E1 PT and the very good Digital camera Hub G5 Professional PoE. Three of these are Zigbee hubs in addition to cameras.

I’ve then reviewed the Aqara Doorbell Digital camera Hub G410 and Sensible Video Doorbell G4, which, as you’ll be able to guess, are doorbell cameras, with the G410 additionally being a hub.

Till now, they’ve solely had one out of doors digicam, and that’s the premium-priced Digital camera Hub G5 Professional.

The brand new Aqara Safety Digital camera G100 is an inexpensive indoor digicam that retains prices down by eliminating the necessity for a hub.

Whereas it’s a good digicam, it’s largely unremarkable on the planet of dwelling surveillance. The primary enchantment is that that is IP65 rated, making it appropriate for out of doors use, which is significantly costlier Digital camera Hub G5 Professional.

And, in contrast to many funds surveillance cameras, this additionally helps third-party ecosystems and will be built-in with Apple HomeKit and RTSP assist, which lets you report on to a NAS/NVR or issues like Residence Assistant.

Associated Opinions

Specification

Options

2K Readability Day and Night time

The G100 Wi-Fi Digital camera information at 2304×1296 pixels (roughly 3MP) with a 140° subject of view and a wide-angle f/1.8 lens. In apply, this implies the picture is sharper than normal 1080p fashions, although it’s nonetheless behind true 4K cameras. It presents two night time imaginative and prescient modes: a spotlight-assisted color mode for seeing topics extra clearly at the hours of darkness, and an infrared (IR) mode for low-light scenes the place discretion is extra essential. The built-in 940 nm infrared lighting avoids the distracting pink glow you’d see with cheaper cameras, so it’s much less more likely to alert anybody being monitored.

Indoor/Out of doors Prepared with IP65 Safety

The enclosure is IP65-rated, which means it resists mud ingress and heavy rain. It needs to be fantastic for out of doors mounting within the UK, together with throughout chilly and moist winters, although the plastic housing might not really feel as rugged as some higher-end skilled fashions. Not like some cheaper indoor-only units, this flexibility means you could possibly begin with it indoors and later transfer it outdoors with no need a separate digicam.

Native and Cloud AI Detection

On-device processing permits the G100 to detect movement and recognise individuals with out counting on cloud providers. In case you subscribe to Aqara’s HomeGuardian plan, it expands into cloud-based AI recognition for pets, automobiles, parcels, and faces, which may routinely tag occasions. Usefully, it additionally consists of obstruction detection (helpful if somebody tries to tamper with the digicam), two-way audio for conversations through the app, and the choice to add customized sound information. Nonetheless, superior options similar to full cloud detection and broader sensible dwelling automation are locked behind a recurring subscription.

HomeKit Assist and Broad Compatibility

The G100 integrates with Apple’s HomeKit Safe Video, though Apple’s system caps the decision at 1080p. In case you join the digicam to each the Aqara and Apple Residence apps concurrently, it’s restricted to 1080p in each, solely returning to 1296p if HomeKit is disabled. This limitation is price preserving in thoughts in case your precedence is streaming high quality. Past Apple, it additionally works with Google and Alexa-compatible shows, and for fans, it helps RTSP streaming into methods like Residence Assistant. In comparison with many funds rivals, having this degree of ecosystem flexibility is a powerful level.

Versatile Storage Choices

Recordings will be saved regionally on microSD playing cards as much as 512 GB (card not included) or on a linked NAS. The continual 24/7 recording choice is just obtainable when utilizing an SD card, as cloud recordings stay event-based. A time-lapse mode is included, compressing 24 hours of video into a brief clip, although this requires each wired energy and microSD storage. For many who favor cloud storage, Aqara’s HomeGuardian subscription shops encrypted occasion clips, which does no less than add a further layer of safety if the digicam is stolen.

Wi-Fi 6 and WPA3 Safety

The G100 helps Wi-Fi 6, which ought to present smoother dwell viewing in comparison with older Wi-Fi 5 cameras, particularly if you have already got a number of units competing for bandwidth. WPA3 assist is included for a safer connection. It’s restricted to 2.4 GHz networks, so you don’t get the quicker throughput of 5 GHz, however the prolonged vary at 2.4 GHz is arguably extra helpful for out of doors setups. A limitation price noting is that the ability brick (5V/1A DC) will not be included within the field, which suggests some consumers might want to spend additional if they don’t have an acceptable spare adapter mendacity round.

Design

The G100’s compact physique is simple to mount nearly anyplace. Its plastic end is arguably utilitarian slightly than fashionable, however that helps it mix in discreetly, indoors or out. You get an built-in cable grommet for water resistance, and set up is a doddle: a single screw and wall plug are included, sufficient for many brick, plaster, or wooden surfaces.

The ball-and-socket mount permits for first rate articulation; you’ll be able to level the digicam in nearly any path, although a wall mount provides a barely firmer maintain than a ceiling one. I’ve obtained it perched outdoors my shed on a desk as a brief set up, nevertheless it has held up properly the previous 2 weeks. Admittedly, now we have had good climate not too long ago, it will likely be fascinating to see how properly it does with the northern UK climate throughout winter.

One odd design alternative is the ability cable. It’s a USB-C cable, the digicam itself has a brief cable with a feminine finish, then there may be an extension lead which plugs into it, and that is then weather-protected by a rubber cowl. It simply feels a bit like an affordable answer, nevertheless it has labored completely properly since set up.

Set Up

Establishing the Aqara G100 is about as painless because it will get. Out of the field, plug within the USB-C cable (I sourced my very own USB energy brick, as talked about), and also you’re able to pair. Through the Aqara app, pairing makes use of a QR code—scan it on the bottom, observe a couple of prompts, choose your Wi-Fi, and also you’re executed in a few minutes.

Aqara App and Settings

The Aqara app interface is serviceable, if hardly lovely. You get entry to dwell view, two-way audio, snapshots, organising zones, and extra. Some options, similar to obstruction detection and timeline evaluation, are solely actually helpful when you’ve got a microSD card put in.

Customisation choices are first rate. You’ll be able to identify the digicam, assign it to rooms, partition detection zones (important for busy driveways or entrance porches), and tweak notification settings. I appreciated the anti-theft lock—if somebody nicks the digicam, it gained’t be re-pairable to a different Aqara account, making it principally ineffective for resale.

You’ll be able to arrange on-device AI detection, and in case you pony up for the HomeGuardian subscription, unlock extra granular cloud-based detection for faces, pets, and automobiles. In my expertise, native particular person/movement alerts had been dependable and triggered not often on false alarms, which is much better than flood-detection-only cut price fashions. You may as well crank up the sensitivity in case you dwell in an space the place foxes and cats set off frequent motion.

It isn’t all rosy: the time-lapse setting, whereas neat, eats up storage quickly, and managing clips will be fiddly. The app’s timeline scrubbing isn’t as refined as these from market leaders similar to Arlo or Google Nest, so it generally takes a couple of tries to export the precise second you need.

Integration with Residence Assistant

For these of us working extra complicated sensible dwelling setups, the G100’s RTSP assist was a aid. Including the digicam into Residence Assistant went easily. As soon as the RTSP stream was pasted into the software program, I used to be in a position to automate actions similar to mild triggers on movement and obtain sensible notifications grouped with my different non-Aqara package.

Latency over RTSP was low, as you’d count on. 1080P is snappier, however at full decision, there may be solely minimal delay. I’ve not reviewed an affordable surveillance digicam like this shortly, so I don’t have a lot to check it towards.

A small frustration: firmware updates are solely delivered through the Aqara app, not OTA from platforms like Residence Assistant, so that you’ll have to dip again into the app for upkeep.

Efficiency

AI Movement Detection

On paper, the G100’s AI detection outclasses many funds choices. In use, I discovered particular person and movement alerts to be fast, and false positives had been fortunately uncommon.

There have been no vehicles seen in my again backyard, however we do have a washing line which always triggers alerts on my Eufy Floodlight. Whereas this nonetheless occurred with the Aqara, it appeared a lot much less frequent.

Those that need to use pet or automobile detection will want the paid cloud plan, however for many, the on-device AI will suffice for porch and room monitoring.

You’ll be able to dial in sensitivity and outline exercise zones, so when you’ve got a busy street or conservatory, you’ll be able to restrict notifications to the entrance path or the world proper in entrance of a door.

Video High quality In the course of the Day

Daylight video is the G100’s sturdy swimsuit: colors are comparatively correct, and distortion from the 140° lens is current however not extreme. Facial recognition inside 10 toes is dependable; past that, readability begins to drop off, as anticipated with any sub-4K unit. In comparison with the marginally costlier E1 PT, it’s a contact much less sharp on the edges, however central element stays stable. Rolling shutter and movement blur are minimal except topics transfer shortly throughout the body.

Video High quality at Night time

Night time imaginative and prescient presents two modes: infrared (black-and-white, discreet) and color (with highlight enabled). With the highlight off, faces and descriptions stay seen out to about 7–8 metres. With the highlight on, colors are clear, although shadow element is missing.

Audio pickup is satisfactory. There may be some hiss and compression artefact, however you may make out voices at 3 to eight toes—fantastic for doorstep monitoring.

Value and Various Choices

The Aqara G100 is on the market on Amazon UK now for £41.16.

Aqara has only a few cameras. The opposite choices embrace the E1, which is a 2K digicam with pan-tilt for £47.

They then have a number of choices, that are each a digicam and a hub, together with:

• Aqara Digital camera Hub G2H Professional priced at £49
• Aqara Digital camera Hub G3 priced at £84
• Aqara Digital camera Hub G5 Professional, priced at £170 – This can be a considerably extra superior mannequin than the others, appropriate for out of doors use, that includes true color night time imaginative and prescient, and supporting Matter and Thread.

For competing choices, you could have the Tapo C210, which is cheaper at £24 and is pan-tilt, nevertheless it lacks facial detection, and isn’t as straightforward to combine with third occasion ecosystems.

Reolink has the E1 Professional, which might be the very best different as it’s only round £37, it’s a 5MP digicam and has pan-tilt. Plus it helps Reolink NVRs and FTP/NAS. The draw back is that it lacks HomeKit, doesn’t have facial recognition and might’t combine with the vary of merchandise that Aqara has obtainable.

Total

Whereas it’s laborious to get overly enthusiastic about this digicam, its principal enchantment lies in its affordability, IP65 score for out of doors use, and the flexibility to combine with a wider sensible dwelling system, whether or not that’s inside the Aqara app or third-party methods like HomeKit and Residence Assistant.

Video high quality is ample for a digicam at this value level, and the AI detection is sweet.

Total, it is a first rate, inexpensive digicam that enhances the vary of Aqara merchandise properly, particularly as they’ve a restricted number of surveillance cameras.

I’m James, a UK-based tech fanatic and the Editor and Proprietor of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Captivated with all issues know-how, my experience spans from computer systems and networking to cell, wearables, and sensible dwelling units.

As a health fanatic who loves working and biking, I even have a eager curiosity in fitness-related know-how, and I take each alternative to cowl this area of interest on my weblog. My various pursuits permit me to carry a novel perspective to tech running a blog, merging way of life, health, and the most recent tech tendencies.

In my tutorial pursuits, I earned a BSc in Info Methods Design from UCLAN, earlier than advancing my studying with a Grasp’s Diploma in Computing. This superior examine additionally included Cisco CCNA accreditation, additional demonstrating my dedication to understanding and staying forward of the know-how curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has constantly ranked Mighty Gadget as one of many high know-how blogs within the UK. With my dedication to know-how and drive to share my insights, I intention to proceed offering my readers with partaking and informative content material.

Final replace on 2025-08-25 / Affiliate hyperlinks / Photos from Amazon Product Promoting API