Defender Guard Pro review: A solid security camera at a sweet price

Cost When Reviewed

$126.00

Finest Price ranges Currently: Defender Guard Pro

$99.99

Defender confirmed with its Defender Guard 2K-resolution digicam that it understands what most people today want from a dwelling security digital camera: strong safety options, intuitive operation, and an cost-effective selling price. Its newest supplying, the Defender Guard Pro 2K Wi-Fi camera, checks all all those bins, delivering clever detection, a motion-activated highlight, tack-sharp image good quality, on-board storage, and an simple-to-use app all for just $126.

The bullet-style digital camera is durably designed for outdoor use with an IP67 rating, this means it’s guarded versus dust ingress and shorter-expression drinking water immersion. It is outfitted with twin Wi-Fi antennas, a spotlight, and a built-in microphone for two-way interaction with any person in the camera’s subject of see.

This review is component of TechHive’s protection of the greatest house security cameras, in which you are going to come across reviews of the competition’s choices, in addition a buyer’s tutorial to the functions you really should look at when purchasing for this form of products.

A pigtail on the again of the camera’s mounting plate consists of a energy adapter and PoE (electricity-about-ethernet) connections. PoE is a normal that allows the transmission of both of those details and electricity above a solitary ethernet cable. This simplifies installations when an out of doors electrical outlet isn’t accessible as it allows you to operate a one cable again into your dwelling. You’ll want to have a PoE injector in buy to consider gain of this aspect.

The Guard Pro has a top rated resolution of 2K (2560 x 1440 pixels) and supports each black-and-white and color evening eyesight. Wise Human Detection assures movement sensors are triggered only by folks somewhat than all movement, and you can double-down on your defenses by enabling the spotlight to be brought on by movement as nicely.

Defender

The digital camera information video clip locally to a microSD card, and unconventional for a protection digital camera, it arrives with a 32GB card pre-mounted. The card reader acknowledges playing cards with capacities up to 256GB, but upgrading implies tossing the 32GB card that will come with the digital camera.

Environment up the Guard Pro is uncomplicated. I have simple obtain to an outdoor outlet, so I was able to use the camera’s ability adapter instead than PoE. Once I plugged in the digital camera, it took about a moment to boot up, providing me enough time to download the Defender Guard app and register an account. When the camera’s LED flashed inexperienced, I wanted only to faucet the “+” button in the application to add the digital camera and abide by the prompts to connect it to my Wi-Fi. The process was seamless and took a lot less than 5 minutes.

At the time the digicam is linked, you are going to want to posture and put in it on an exterior wall. The Defender Guard app involves a Wi-Fi detection software that lets you test your network sign energy at your desired set up location. When you’ve confirmed a potent relationship, you can use the integrated mounting template to mark off the location where you will location the digicam. You are going to have to have a drill to pre-drill the holes, but the relaxation of the mounting components is provided.

The Guard Pro’s graphic high-quality is extraordinary in each normal and superior definition, but if you your Wi-Fi network and broadband connection have the bandwidth to deal with it, 2K viewing is the way to go. The quality obviously degrades the a lot more you thrust the 16x electronic zoom, but it is nonetheless clear more than enough to make out particulars these types of as facial options and license plate figures. Video clip captured with coloration evening eyesight enabled was properly-lit with precise hues, and infrared black-and-white night time vision delivered great illumination with potent contrast.

Michael Ansaldo/IDG

Human detection was accurate through my tests, which was enormously appreciated as squirrels and neighborhood cats frequently scurry through my lawn. You can toggle this off in favor of typical motion detection when you want to observe non-human movement, as I did when I made a decision to monitor cars and trucks coming into my driveway. The app delivers a lot of approaches to alter movement detection and alerts, together with several detection sensitivities, customizable detection zones, and the capacity to agenda when the camera is “armed.”

The Defender Guard application tends to make all these characteristics quick to deal with. It opens to a Dwelling monitor where by all your linked Defender cameras are exhibited with dwell-view thumbnails. Tapping a thumbnail launches the movie feed and management panel for that digicam. This includes buttons for capturing online video and screenshots of the camera’s reside feed, triggering the microphone, and activating the highlight or constructed-in siren. An selection labeled “View historical past record” gives obtain to your party-induced movie clips.

The Defender Guard Pro performed solidly in my testing, with no link dropouts or major lags. The Defender Guard application was just as dependable with brief responses and no freezes. General, it’s a very polished procedure that places trusted house stability within get to of most budgets.