Arlo's $100 solar camera works well, but most features cost extra

Arlo has a new $100 outdoor security camera with a solar panel on top, and Gizmodo's reviewer found it solid. The catch is the price on the box. Most of the smart features need a paid Arlo plan, and the reviewer would not pick it over rivals from Eufy and Reolink for most people.

What it is

The Arlo Essential Solar Camera is broad and flat, like an external DVD drive. That shape leaves room for a large, square solar panel. Arlo says it can run up to six months on battery alone, or year-round with as little as two hours of direct sunlight a day. Like most battery cameras, it records short clips when it sees motion, not all day.

Arlo's own fine print says battery life varies with settings, use, activity and environment. A solar panel still helps if the camera is somewhere that takes a ladder to reach.

Setup and daily use

Setup took a couple of minutes in the Arlo app. You press a sync button on the camera, add it in the app and connect it to Wi-Fi or a compatible Arlo hub. The mount was the weak spot. It comes in three pieces, and the reviewer felt they needed three hands to tighten the ball joint while holding the angle. Three mounting holes on the back allow a side mount.

The app lists recent events with AI-written captions, such as "Person approaches door." Tapping a clip shows a longer description. One was detailed and mostly accurate, though it got the direction of a walk wrong.

What the subscription unlocks

Setup starts a 30-day trial of Arlo's Smart Secure plan. The review says that plan enables most of the features it describes. The material does not give the plan's price.

• Choose whether to detect people, pets or both under the Early Warning System
• Draw detection zones and privacy zones on the camera's view
• A beta fire detection setting, which the reviewer did not test

Some settings are available without the plan, including four power modes. They range from favoring video quality to favoring battery life, plus a Low Power Mode that takes snapshots instead of video. The reviewer notes that putting standard camera features behind a paywall is not always the case with other brands.

Who it is for

The review calls it a solid outdoor camera for people who want Arlo's monitoring subscription. The reviewer's main objections are the cost of the cloud plan and poor local storage options, not the build quality. Someone who wants a camera with no monthly bill may do better elsewhere.

What to do

Before buying any cheap camera, check what the monthly or yearly plan costs and which features need it. Add that to the $100 to see the real price over a few years.