I just tested the new EufyCam, and I’m never going back to grainy night vision
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Eufy Security just launched a new security camera as a successor to the EufyCam S330, and it is a monumental upgrade to the best security cameras I’ve tested. The new EufyCam S3 Pro
The EufyCam S3 Pro also has a pair of spotlights in case extra light is needed to capture more detail in low-light conditions. These spotlights weren’t always necessary but could be helpful in certain situations.
As soon as I set up my new EufyCam S3 Pro, I installed them in place of my older S330 solar-powered cameras, which will now get a new home surveilling the sides of my house. The difference in the footage was immediately glaring. The new EufyCam S3 performs stunningly during the night, even in my backyard, which has zero lights on overnight.
This was taken at 9:41pm, when it was pitch dark and cloudy.
Maria Diaz/ZDNET
However, setting the technology up with HomeKit was a bit disconcerting. The image quality drops to 1080p in HomeKit, which can be a letdown if you’re looking for a high-resolution camera and you’ve paid for a 4K device.
But because you’re using Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video (HSV), the footage is stored on your iCloud, not the HomeBase 3. This setup requires an iCloud subscription, which ranges from $1-$10 monthly for plans from 50GB-2TB. Apple’s HSV features end-to-end encryption, staying true to Apple’s commitment to user privacy.
After trying the camera with HomeKit, I kept the device with the rest of our Eufy security cameras and alarm system in the HomeBase 3 hub with an external HDD. This keeps your footage local, as your cameras connect to the HomeBase, and all the video is stored on the hub.
The EufyCam S3 Pro has a large solar panel on the top, which Eufy has improved since the EufyCam S330. The technology, called SolarPlus 2.0, offers up to 365 days of battery life through the 13,000mAh battery. The company claims just one hour a day of direct sunlight can keep it running without you having to intervene to charge it.
Maria Diaz/ZDNET
As far as sensitivity is concerned, the EufyCam S3 Pro is not prone to false alerts. Its alerts are accurate when motion is detected, but it can see so well that I’ve had to remove the street about 200 feet away from its motion detection zone, so it doesn’t send an alert with every car that passes by.
ZDNET’s buying advice
The new EufyCam S3 Pro package, though expensive, are good enough to function as a full security system. The HomeBase 3 sounds a siren when the system is armed and movement is detected and works as a hub for all Eufy Security devices. The capabilities of the hub also mean you can store your videos locally and never have to worry about monthly fees for cloud storage.
