Reolink Duo 3 WiFi review

Reolink Duo 3 WiFi: Introduction

• Kind: Outside
• Connectivity: 2.4 and 5GHz Wi-Fi (with Wi-Fi 6)
• Ecosystems: Amazon Alexa, Google House

Reolink, the model I ditched all my Nest cams for, used CES 2025 to unveil the Duo 3 WiFi digital camera.

The brand new Duo 3 WiFi appears like a twin to the Energy-over-Ethernet model that went on sale in early 2024, and the specs are practically similar too, providing a 16MP UHD decision and a panoramic 180° view, due to its twin 4K sensors and a complicated image-stitching algorithm.

This design eliminates blind spots and captures intricate particulars, making it splendid for monitoring massive areas like driveways, parking heaps, and backyards.

Geared up with dual-band Wi-Fi 6, the Duo 3 WiFi helps each 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies for easy reside streaming and quicker knowledge switch.

Reolink cameras, in case you didn’t know, include native storage choices by way of a microSD card and that’s the case with the brand new arrival.

This not solely eliminates the necessity for month-to-month charges but in addition means that you can save recordings with out counting on cloud storage.

Reolink does really supply cloud plans for individuals who need them, however crucially, it doesn’t lock important options behind a paywall.

Learn on for my full Reolink Duo 3 WiFi evaluation…

Design and set up

• Cumbersome, rugged design
• Extra antennas for Wi-Fi
• A number of mounting choices

As talked about within the intro, the brand new Duo 3 WiFi appears a helluva lot just like the PoE model, but it surely has two further antennas, that are clearly for that Wi-Fi connectivity.

It’s a reasonably comparable design to the Duo 2 WiFi that went reside a few years again and, just like the Duo 2, the Duo 3 WiFi packs two lenses into one physique, with spotlights and IR lights round them, giving a slight Nineteen Eighties robotic head look (Johnny 5, for anybody sufficiently old to recollect.)

It’s really a little bit of a monster, design-wise, with a rugged metallic physique measuring 195 x 103 x 56mm, and weighing round 620g; it’s a kind issue that’s a far cry from the plasticky, however petite, Argus 4 Professional or Argus Observe fashions from the model.

As I mentioned, the one actual distinction from the PoE mannequin on the skin are these antennas, which merely screw onto the facet of the unit.

Speaking of screwing issues in and there’s a screw-hole on the highest if you wish to ceiling mount the Duo 3 WiFi, and in addition one on the underside too for those who favor a wall or floor mount.

No matter choice you select, it’s only a easy mounting arm and a bracket you’ll want to connect as a way to clip it in place.

The microSD card may be discovered beneath, protected by a few screws; this makes it tougher for potential thieves to pinch any proof.

Now, whereas the Duo 3 WiFi is a Wi-Fi-enabled sensible safety digital camera, you’ll have to join your router and the digital camera by way of Ethernet for the preliminary setup, which is bizarre.

It looks as if an oversight from Reolink to permit the Duo 3 capable of sync up with your property community straight out of the field, simply as its different Wi-Fi cameras do.

You’re going to get an Ethernet cable within the field although it’s a trouble I might have finished with out, and let’s face it – it’s fairly wasteful.

The Ethernet port on the digital camera is on a wire that splits off from the facility wire, in order that’s additionally fairly messy… however does imply you have got the choice of hardwiring the Duo 3 for those who want to.

You don’t get the standard Reolink voice prompts throughout setup. Since your cellphone and the digital camera are linked to the identical community, the digital camera ought to present straight up on the Reolink app when you have different cameras from the model put in.

If you happen to don’t, you’ll must configure your app first.

Safety-conscious folks will likely be happy to know that you simply don’t have to join a Reolink account or hand over any particulars, although you will have to take action if you wish to make use of sure cloud options, or sync your Reolink with Amazon Alexa or Google House.

When you’ve finished the preliminary pairing you’re free to ditch the Ethernet connection and go wi-fi.

An enormous plus level for the Duo 3 WiFi, as is the case with most of the Reolink’s cameras, is that it boasts dual-band 2.4 and 5GHz Wi-Fi so you may faucet into that quicker 5GHz band, ought to you have got an entry level close to sufficient to succeed in it. It’s additionally obtained Wi-Fi 6 tech on board as effectively.

Within the field is a 12V 2A DC energy adapter, which you’ll have to plug in. This isn’t a battery-powered digital camera.

Options and in use

• Steady recording
• Movement-triggered occasion recording
• Movement Observe snapshot
• Twin-stitched picture

After getting the Duo 3 WiFi paired-up throughout the Reolink app, you’ll be capable to configure the way you need the cam to function to your coronary heart’s content material.

A caveat that I embrace in all of my Reolink critiques is that the extent of customization and the wealth of choices on supply contained in the app may be fairly overwhelming.

Reolink presents a degree of management that’s just about unrivalled throughout sensible safety digital camera rivals, however that additionally means you’re going to must get your head round an absolute barrage of choices as a way to get the digital camera arrange precisely the way you need it.

It can simply work out of the field no-problem, however you can see you’ll wish to tinker sure facets to fit your wants.

When it comes to specifics for the Duo 3 WiFi, that course of isn’t fairly as laborious as it’s with a few of Reolink’s battery-powered cameras, as you don’t actually must concern your self with something to do with battery life.

So issues like steady recording, highlight use, streaming high quality and the like aren’t issues it is advisable to get slowed down with.

You might need to tinker with the settings on the digital camera although, via the app.

As a result of these two 4K lenses mix to present you a full 180-degree view, there’s a software program component to the method; that’s the superior image-stitching algorithm I discussed within the intro.

What this implies is that the software program really stitches two separate 4K movies into an excellent large view. That is nice for protecting massive areas like driveways or gardens, however you might need to regulate the sew settings to attenuate the blind spot the place the 2 movies meet, and it additionally means you would possibly get some slight discrepancies in coloration and shading, with an apparent line the place the 2 meet.

I had a visual line that I might make higher, however not completely eradicate. I might solely actually see it within the clouds – as highlighted within the screenshot under, for those who look exhausting sufficient – and it wasn’t something main, however it’s one thing to concentrate on.

Additionally remember that something tremendous near the digital camera will trigger it to distort in its blind spot, based mostly on the sew settings.

As with all the most recent Reolink cams, you’ll get sensible detection for issues like individuals, automobiles and animals.

Within the app you’ll be capable to set recording schedules and exercise zones; tinker with the visuals on display screen and the standard of streaming video; plus select particular choices for the built-in siren and highlight.

If you happen to activate movement detection, the Duo 3 WiFi will ship you push notifications when it has noticed motion. These can get just a little overwhelming, so you may minimize these down by utilizing the item detection characteristic, with animal, individual and automobile monitoring on supply.

You’ll be able to choose if you wish to be notified about your mixture of individuals, automobiles, animals or all movement, and you’ll schedule while you wish to get every sort of alert.

So you can select to have individuals and automobile notifications throughout the day, however solely individuals notifications at night time.

The Duo 3 WiFi additionally boasts a Movement Observe characteristic, that condenses movement occasions right into a single 15-second picture for fast evaluation, with these timestamped snapshots emailed to you, if you want.

There’s additionally a pleasant time lapse choice with the Duo 3 WiFi, so you will get some nice overviews of a day’s occasions in your backyard, for instance.

Native storage

With regards to reviewing your footage, the excellent news – as at all times with Reolink – is that there isn’t a have to cough up for further subscription charges.

With the Duo 3 WiFi you even have a variety of native storage choices; as much as 512GB microSD, FTP, NVR, NAS drive, or by utilizing Reolink’s new House Hub.

For steady recording, the House Hub or an NVR is a clever alternative however a microSD card will merely overwrite the oldest footage first when it’s full.

I have a tendency to make use of safety cameras on a motion-triggered recording setup and the Reolink permits you to select how lengthy you need recordings to final for after movement ends.

Information: Native storage on sensible safety cameras defined

Reolink does additionally supply a reasonably low cost cloud choice too, must you wish to go down that route.

Within the US, there are cloud plans with 1GB of free storage (7-days of historical past), after which paid choices: $3.49, $6.99 or $10.49 month-to-month. It’s £3.49 or £6.49 a month within the UK.

That will get you 30 days of historical past (60 days for the highest tier), plus 10, 50 or 100GB of space for storing respectively for five to 10 cameras. It is a fraction of the price of the likes of Ring House or Nest Conscious.

None of those further prices are literally wanted; you’re simply paying for storage, there are not any options minimize for those who don’t pay up, not like different manufacturers that make you pay for full use of their cameras… sure Arlo, I imply you.

Nonetheless, the standard disclaimer applies that if the digital camera or card is stolen, you’ll lose the whole lot.

Your entire clips recorded are proven on the app’s timeline view, with helpful thumbnails to make discovering a clip simpler, marked with a pleasant little icon if an individual or pet has been noticed.

The app makes it straightforward to filter by occasion and movement sort, with helpful little icons, so it’s easy to search out the clip you’re after, and to reserve it to your cellphone completely.

Make certain you modify the obtain high quality for those who do need full decision clips although; by default it selects a ‘fluent’ clip that’s nowhere close to the twin 4K (‘clear’) that it data at.

On the clips, you may select the place to point out the digital camera title, date and time, or the Reolink brand, and you can too flip all of those off too.

From the reside view, you may soar into the two-way speak, which works effectively sufficient. It could possibly be a helpful characteristic if you wish to scare off somebody that shouldn’t be in your backyard however the speaker on the bottom is a bit tinny.

There’s additionally a built-in siren so you may, for those who what, create a sound and light-weight alarm to scare off undesirable guests too, if movement is detected at set occasions. You’ll be able to even document your personal personalised warning too, which is enjoyable… “Oi you, get ooooooouuuut!”

Reolink presents each Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa Abilities, which allow you to stream footage to a suitable sensible show. Nonetheless, for the Duo 3 WiFi it’s Google just for now, by way of sensible assistants. I hear Alexa assist needs to be added quickly.

Efficiency

Reolink’s 16MP digital camera rocks a a whopping, twin 4K, 7680 x 2160 decision.

That’s means wider than common 4K due to that twin lenses. With a big F1.6 aperture additionally on board, it actually does make a distinction.

It’s tremendous clear, particularly at a distance. The footage the Duo 3 WiFi captures is beautifully crisp and detailed.

Not like a few latest Reolink launches, such because the Argus 4 Professional and the Altas PT Extremely, there’s no ColorX Night time Imaginative and prescient, as a substitute you get the choice of IR-powered black-and-white night time imaginative and prescient and / or coloration night time imaginative and prescient with spotlights.

Within the app you may select to make use of an auto-switch choice between the 2, which works rather well.

Within the instance under you’ll see it’s choosing up loads of element in a single day within the facet patio, after which switches into coloration, with the fox’s orange coat actually popping as he contemplates precisely the place to defecate in my yard.

These backyard chairs finish round 25 ft from the place the digital camera was positioned, so you may see the vary of the highlight is fairly good, though it would be best to use simply the IR choice if fixed distance is your goal.

The Reolink Duo 3 WiFi is clearly greatest positioned outdoor and is an IP67-rated digital camera, which might function from -10°C to 55°C (14°F to 131°F).

You’ll, after all, want an outside outlet to energy it up.

Closing ideas

Reolink continues to push the boundaries of consumer-grade safety cameras, and the Duo 3 WiFi is one other sturdy addition to its ever-expanding lineup.

Whereas the economic design could not go well with everybody and the setup quirks are a bit annoying, the mixture of that ultra-wide view, high-quality video, sensible options, and native storage choices make it one other nice Reolink choice and, as at all times, one which received’t break the financial institution.

How we check

After we publish our critiques, you may relaxation assured that they’re the results of “dwelling with” long run checks.

Good safety cameras often reside inside an ecosystem, or a spread of merchandise that – supposedly – all work in concord. Due to this fact, it’s not possible to make use of a safety digital camera for every week and ship a verdict.

As a result of we’re testing sensible house package all day, on a regular basis, we all know what issues and the way a specific digital camera compares to alternate options that you may also be contemplating.

Our critiques are complete, goal and honest and, after all, we’re by no means paid on to evaluation a tool.

Learn our information on our evaluation course of for sensible safety cameras to study extra.

FAQs

Reolink Duo 3 WiFi: Specs