Google’s Newest Nest Cam Is a Solid Security Camera If You’re All In With Google

Google ’s revamped Nest Camerais not only battery - powered , but the company made some changes to its features to make it much more frugal when it comes to sucking up bandwidth . Google also stopped demand a premium Nest Aware subscription to get the most out of the photographic camera . The Nest Camera can also lick outdoors and indoors , so you do n’t have to recollect too tough about where to place it . And there ’s a magnetic base that wee it soft to move out the photographic camera when it ’s meter to charge . If you want an all - around dependable security camera , the Nest Camera is upright . But it could be better .

At a glance , theNest Cameraseems like a mere theoretical account refresh . Folks like myself can keep using older Nest Cam until Google cuts off support . ( When that is , is still unclear . ) Google will support new Nest equipment computer software for at least five years . But the previous Nest cameras do n’t have on - gimmick facial and object acknowledgement . They also do n’t offer 24/7 live recording or access code to the free tier of Nest Aware . As it endure , the new Nest Camera is the honorable Nest Cam River you may buy . The only concession you have to make is whether you require to go all in with Google .

Nest Camera ( 2021 )

The new Nest Cam is a fantastic outdoor and indoor camera, but it’s a further reminder of how Google-y Nest devices have gotten over the years.

The new Nest Cam is a fantastic outdoor and indoor camera, but it’s a further reminder of how Google-y Nest devices have gotten over the years.Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo

What is it ?

An outdoor / indoor smart security camera

Price

Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo (In-House Art)

$ 180

No - fuss setup , on - machine facial recognition , stag for both indoor and outside use

Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo

Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo (In-House Art)

Dislike

Can only be used through the Google Home app , postulate a sold - separately stand for use on a tabletop , magnetised mount is finicky to use

A Redesigned Nest

TheNest Cameraushers in a new look for Google ’s security devices , and it ’s much more modern and advanced than the dippy bird - feel of the original Nest Camera Indoor . The chassis is also water- and dust - resistant , so it ’s primed for being localise wherever .

The magnetic mounting system is one of the major marketing points of the new battery - poweredNest Camera , though I struggled with it a scrap . At one point , I test the photographic camera upside down and used a options option in the Google Home app to re - orientate it . But when I did that , it flip over the motion sensor . The app warned me that I might not get the best performance when using the camera that path , so I figured out how to move it back onto the base . As is the causa when dealing with magnets , it occupy a bit of trial and error to calculate it out , because it desire to point the tv camera up and outward . The charismatic substructure works better if it ’s mounted , as it does n’t have the needful pivot ability to function as a stand . Google trade one for$30 , and you ’ll want to grab one of those if you ’re plan to apply the tv camera alone on a tabletop or bookshelf — or wait until the fellowship launches its indoorwired television camera .

Everything else about the Nest Camera is a picnic once you figure out where you want it . The magnetic cable television easily attaches to the television camera , though it habituate a proprietary connector , and it ’s much too short at a simple 3.3 feet in length , so you ’ll have to purchase anextension cableor give in to using the battery . That ’s the point of thisNest Camera , anyway , but I like to keep my cameras constantly plugged in , so I tested it both ways .

Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo

Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo (In-House Art)

Managing the Camera Through Google Home

Setup through the Google Home app is easy . I used the QR computer code ability to get then Cameraonline , and it took just a few minutes since I already use Google as my day - to - sidereal day digital assistant . TheNest Camerasupports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks , so I did n’t have to concern about link the equipment to a particular banding .

One of my complaints about the latest harvest of Nest cameras is that they rely solely on the Google Home app for checking in and configuration . As a long - time Nest user , and one who still has a bunch of those gadget in a connected dwelling , it ’s confusing to have to mix between two apps when trying to visualize out where a notification is occur from .

In the Google Home app , you may view clip through the Priority events feature at the bottom or scroll down to the camera , intercept on it , and then pilot to the History tab . Here , you ’ll see a perpetual timeline of the tardy events , individually highlighted by clip . you may call off through with your finger as needed . There ’s also a full history function uncommitted with an animation of the capture clip , and that ’s to aid you peruse the events a little quicker . It ’s a bit different from the Nest app ’s way of listing out everything detected , and I found it a little cumbersome . What ’s even more annoying : You have to beg on the clip an additional prison term to download it to your machine .

Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo

Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo (In-House Art)

The Google Home app also acts as the control for the facial recognition feature article . It takes quite a few taps to get there , as the pick is swallow up deep in the background carte , and you ’ll have to dig in there to sanction each human face manually . TheNest Cameramanages all of its machine learning on - equipment without pinging the cloud . Note that you do n’t have to use the facial recognition characteristic , and Nest will alert you to “ persons ” instead ( see thesupport pagedetailing how the new on - equipment facial recognition features work ) . You will have to turn it on and off for each individual camera .

It ’s been over a week , and I ’m still teaching the camera the faces of my child and her caregiver , who wish to hang out in the backyard where I set up for testing . I noticed the requests lessen over time the more face that I run it . The camera can also detect package , vehicle , and animals . Though it did mistake the perambulator for a box seat dropped off a few time , and my kid for an animal prowling in the backyard , so it ’s not a foolproof arrangement .

A Camera for Indoors and Outdoors

The battery - poweredNest Camera’sspecs are solid for using it both outdoors and indoors . The camera records in 1080p and has a 130 - degree field of scene and 6x digital zoom . It ’s helpful when you ’re pan out around , though the flick was clear-cut enough during my examination that I hardly used it .

However , I did rely on the zoom lineament at Nox , primarily when essay the camera outside . TheNest Camera’snight vision is in effect enough , but it ’s not the best . ( Netgear ’s Arlo definitely takes the bar for its superscript night vision capabilities . ) Google take it has 20 pes of visibility , but I only recognize that when testing it in the garage , which has many contrasting elements . Out in the backyard , which is a vast open field , I had no approximation what was happening beyond the scope of my terrace cover .

By nonremittal , theNest Camerais geared up to get you the best battery life . But if you ’re used to having Nest cameras capturing movement and sound around the clock , you might detect yourself disappointed by the issue of time made available . TheNest Camerais pretty conservative about the effect it picks up , peculiarly if nothing is moving around for it to pick out .

Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo

Photo: Florence Ion / Gizmodo (In-House Art)

Unfortunately , it ’s not possible to do the sort of battery summing up tryout I ’d like to show you how long then Camerawill last on a direction . I had it plugged in for the first week of function in the garage and then left it on the electric battery as I migrated it out to the back . The photographic camera still has 87 % left after six days off the charger , and that ’s with me checking in with it ofttimes for testing . Google says its camera can run for up to seven months before needing to be plug in . And when the Nest Cam bombardment get through 20 % ( about seven day forget ) , itdials downthe video recording quality to avail keep assault and battery life thumping .

There’s No Need to Upgrade Yet

Let ’s talk about Nest Aware , which is now an optional subscription program for thenew Nest Cameras . ( It ’s postulate for the old ones . ) Google now offers hot viewing and three hours of event - ground motion smell video chronicle for free , as well as one hr of on - gimmick storage in case your web go out . For $ 6 / calendar month or $ 60 / year , you could raise to 30 day of event chronicle , or $ 12 / month or $ 120 / year for 60 Clarence Day . You ’ll still get the benefit of checking in on everything remotely without paying a monthly fee .

If you already have security cameras around your home , you do n’t need to replace them with Google ’s late offerings . Even if you ’re still hold out with older Nest machine , you may take for out until Google releases its new pumped-up cameras for $ 100 later this twelvemonth . The newNest Camis a reasonably goodish camera compared to the regular indoor one , and you might not want to cope with its bulk or buying a separate stand if you merely want to see over a room in your home .

The other matter to consider is that buy a Nest product from Google means swear all on Google Assistant in your smart home . While Google has invested more in surety features , and the on - gadget facial recognition is less creepy than sending it to the cloud , there are still privacy concerns to regard . ( I detail this more in myNest Doorbell Cam reappraisal . ) Also , neither the Nest Doorbell ( battery ) or theNest Camworks with other ship’s company ’ product or supporter , so if you rely on Alexa or Siri to automatise parts of your sprightliness , this probably is n’t the Cam River for you . More integrations are sure to get along once the manufacture adoptsMatterin the next year . The real query to require yourself is if you ’re quick to commit amply to managing home security measures through the Google Home app — quirks and all .

Screenshot: Florence Ion / Gizmodo