Arlo Pro 5 review: Pay-per-view surveillance

Arlo is one of the biggest names in the security camera game, so I had high expectations when the opportunity came to review its latest wireless 2K camera, the Arlo Pro 5. By and large, those expectations were met or even exceeded. In terms of video quality, it’s practically perfect. But the few flaws it does have may be too significant for some to overlook.

When you first unbox the Arlo Pro 5, you can see right off the back part of why it comes with a premium price tag. The build quality is immaculate. It just feels expensive. The battery is removable (ideal if you want to grab another and switch them out whenever one runs out) and the body of the camera is rated IP65, meaning it should be able to comfortably withstand rain and anything else Aussie weather can throw at it.

The design of the Arlo Pro 5 lends itself to some versatile use cases. Since it’s battery-powered, it can be placed just about anywhere, indoors or outdoors, as long as you can still reach it to charge or swap out the battery. It’s also compatible with the weather-resistant Arlo Solar Panel Charger (sold separately), which could effectively keep the camera powered for months or even years on end, thus eliminating the need to recharge it manually and allowing for even more placement versatility.

Activating the camera is as simple as slotting in the battery, which comes about half-charged, so we’d recommend giving it a quick juice before continuing. From there, you need only download the Arlo Secure app, make an account, and then follow the prompts to set up the Arlo Pro 5. You’ll have to set it up on a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network, but once activated, you can switch it over to a 5GHz network if you so desire.

Without a doubt, the Arlo Pro 5 has some of the best video quality we’ve seen in a security camera. Its 2K resolution is sharp, the colours are true-to-life, and the colour night vision (thanks to the onboard spotlight) is crystal clear. It’s also got one of the widest field of views you’ll find on a fixed camera, spanning 160 degrees. For reference, the Nest Cam Battery offers 130 degrees, while the Ring Spotlight Cam Plus clocks in at 140 degrees. That doesn’t sound like a huge difference, but it can end up being the difference between catching a would-be intruder and missing them entirely.

The only issue I experienced in terms of video performance was some slight flickering in some indoor lighting conditions, however, this was easily fixed thanks to the Arlo app’s flicker adjustment setting. In the app, you can also adjust the brightness of both the spotlight and the video itself, enable auto zoom and tracking, adjust HDR, choose between black and white or colour night vision, adjust the volume, set up activity zones, and adjust motion and audio detection settings.

One feature I loved (and that I haven’t found on any other cameras) is Arlo’s alarm detection feature. Essentially, if a smoke alarm or CO2 detector sounds while you’re out and about, the Arlo Pro 5 can detect the sound and will send a push notification alerting you to the alarm. The only caveat is that the alarm must use a T3 (three intermittent beeps, followed by a period of silence) or T4 (four intermittent beeps, followed by a period of silence) beeping pattern in order for the camera to detect it.

I’m also a big fan of Arlo’s wide smart home compatibility. Not only does it integrate with Google Home and Alexa, it’s also one of only a few HomeKit-compatible wireless security cameras. However, to set it up you do need an Arlo Pro Smart Hub, which at an RRP of $179 adds a lot to what is already quite a steep investment.

Perhaps because of all these features, I did find that the Arlo Pro 5’s battery life did leave a little to be desired. Arlo claims the camera can run for up to eight months with average use. Unfortunately, I found that to be some seriously wishful thinking. I’d wager that three months (at least in my testing) is a more accurate expectation, or perhaps even less if you place it in a high-traffic area.

The battery is removable, which makes charging the camera a whole lot easier if you have it mounted. That said, it annoyingly uses a proprietary charging cable instead of something more ubiquitous like USB-C. It’s not the end of the world, but it does mean another cable to keep track of.

I’m torn. The Arlo 5 Pro is a spectacular security camera, with easily some of the best quality video and colour night vision in the market, along with smart detection and notifications. But given its high upfront cost and how many of its features are locked behind a paywall, I can’t say I’d recommend it to anyone on a budget. If you’ve got cash to burn and only want the best, by all means, grab an Arlo Pro 5. Otherwise, there are better value options out there.