T3's eufyCam S3 Pro review in a sentence: Great resolution and ease of use makes this outdoors security camera combo a hit.
When it comes to home security, the eufy brand has been around long enough to know it can be trusted and has been a regular in our best security cameras guide. Adding to the appeal of the new eufyCam S3 Pro twin camera combination is resolution, which is a real strength of this brand. After all, there seems little point in setting up security cameras if the resulting footage isn’t going to be much use.
This security camera package is effectively an all-in-one bundle, which means that it comes with everything needed to get set up and running. The headline here is really the quality of the footage, which is 4K and the cameras are able to capture footage both day and night. The other bonus as far as I’m concerned is that the configuration is quick and easy to install and setup, plus there is no monthly subscription needed to save any recorded footage.
eufyCam S3 Pro review: price and availability
The eufyCam S3 Pro 2-Cam Kit is available now from Amazon for £499, or it can be purchased directly from the eufy website. There is also the capacity for adding another camera to bulk out your surveillance coverage, with a single camera priced at £229 from Amazon. A variation on the same sort of kit is available from Amazon in the US for $389.99.
eufyCam S3 Pro review: what is it?
The eufyCam S3 Pro 2-Cam Kit is an all-in-one home security camera bundle, comprised of two 4K UHD monitoring units along with a HomeBase base station. The package comes with all of the cables needed to get connected plus there are mounting brackets inside the box too, allowing quick and easy installation of the cameras and their adjustment too. While there’s a mains adapter, the kit also works using solar power. This is done using either power from the built-in solar panels or an additional panel that comes as part of the package.
This eufyCam S3 Pro 2-Cam bundle revolves around the homeBase S380 hub that forms the other art of the package aside from the cameras. Connectivity is done via Ethernet cable, with a power cable and adapter that needs to be plugged itno the mains as well. Once the unit has been plumbed in and set up using a home Wi-Fi network, it can be configured for use. There are mounting brackets that allow the cameras to be set in position and these can be angled for optimal video capture.
eufyCam S3 Pro review: is it any good?
While it is possible to buy a security camera bundle for peanuts, such is the crowded marketplace they sit in, eufy is a brand that’s a little more premium. As a result, everything does feel like it’s well made as I lifted the components out of the beefy box they arrived in. Like everyone else these days, eufy highlights that this model is powered by AI, offers MaxColor Vision technology while also delivering 4K footage from both camera units. They’re armed with F1.0 aperture lenses and 1/1.8-inch CMOS sensors too.
The MaxColor tech is designed to help the cameras with shooting after dark, which is an area that many surveillance cameras do tend to struggle with. There’s an adaptive spotlight in this bundle, which is motion triggered and lets users squeeze more quality from frames where it’s needed. Another boon with the eufyCam S3 Pro is its ability to work using solar power, with just one hour of sunlight needed per day to keep it ticking over. Meanwhile, the 1,3000 mAh rechargeable battery can deliver up to 365 days of battery life.
Paying a little more should also mean the eufyCam S3 Pro is rather more responsive. In fact, eufy reckons this model can reduce false alerts by up to 99%. Audio is well represented with this bundle too, with a dual-microphone setup that adds in a speaker and 105dB siren alerts for additional overall effectiveness. Add in 16TB of expandable storage, which can be used without incurring monthly fees, plus the ability to tweak settings and alerts using the accompanying app and it’s a potent package.
eufyCam S3 Pro review: performance
The mention of AI within product blurb can often feel like a token gesture in a bid to sound relevant. However, I’ve been impressed with just how good the eufyCam S3 Pro setup works with the help of this accompaniment. The main appeal is the quality of the 4K video, but I also love the way I can use the 8x zoom functionality to get right in on specific areas of my footage. This works equally well day or night too, so it’s a definite boon of the eufyCam S3 Pro specification, which is boosted further by the clever AI assistance that also enhances the footage.
In fact, the eufyCam S3 Pro really is a versatile piece of kit, perhaps one of the best I’ve tried. There’s certainly flexibility, with the ability to focus in on certain areas at up to an impressive forty feet. The viewing angle is impressively wide too, up to 120-degrees, which means with both cameras in situ I get an excellent view of the area I’m keeping tabs on. The 16GB of local storage is great, plus it works with the likes of Amazon Alexa and Apple Home too.
eufyCam S3 Pro review: verdict
I’ve tried a few home security camera bundles over the years and the eufyCam S3 Pro looks to be one of the best I can currently buy. Granted, there’s a sizeable cost involved and even more so if I want more cameras, but it does everything expected of it to a high standard. The footage is excellent, the usability is simple and effective, while biggest draw for me has to be the lack of a need for monthly subscriptions. That’s one less sub to worry about, so it’s a thumbs-up for this home security solution.
eufyCam S3 Pro review: alternatives to consider
This is a lively product category so there's lots of choice, especially from eufy itself. The Eufy S220 SoloCam will work outdoors, offers local storage so you don't need a subscription, and can even be powered by the integrated solar panel that sits on top. It's not as new though.
Another camera worthy of your consideration is the EZVIZ H3C 2K. The video and audio are more than adequate on this camera, and it brings with it just about all the features that you're going to be looking for, but what really appeals is how much you have to pay for it.
