Smart home was a big deal at CES 2025. It occupied significant real estate on the show floor, showing off everything from the best robot vacuums to the top home security cameras. After making it through the smart security camera maze and tracking 3,000 steps on my Google Fit app, Reolink stood out as the brand with the most feature-rich products.
Reolink upgraded its popular Altas line, released a new Duo 3 Wi-Fi camera, and launched the Camovue Talon Pro. Reolink didn’t stand out in the smart security camera space because it does some things better than its competitors. Instead, it’s doing things no one else is doing. Whether it’s the company’s proprietary ColorX tech that delivers colored footage or its 24/7 continuous recording feature, which allows for nonstop recording for seven consecutive days, competitor brands need to introduce more in their offerings to match Reolink’s progress.
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The Reolink Altas PT Ultra records stunning 4K video for over a year on a single charge
Gorgeous 4K home security for a reasonable price
6 24/7 continuous recording
Nonstop recorded footage for seven whole days
Don’t be misled by the slightly deceptive name that Reolink gave a new feature on its upgraded Altas series consisting of the Altas, the Altas Go Pt, and the Altas PT Ultra. 24/7 continuous recording means the three cameras can record nonstop footage for 24 hours for seven days.
A massive 20,000 mAh battery handles the 24/7 recording, but Reolink didn’t upgrade the battery capacity from the previous models. Instead, the company reworked the chipset to consume 30% less power and extended the continuous recording from four days on the past models to seven days on the latest ones. The AoV framerate optimization makes the extended recording possible, which reduces the frame rate and bumps it up for key moments in the recorded footage, such as when movement is detected.
When you pair the camera with the solar panel it ships with, continuous recording is extended to unlimited days. With the sun being the power source, you don’t have to manually recharge the camera or the seven-day limit on the continuous recording feature.
5 10-second pre-record
See what was happening before an uneventful moment
The three cameras in Reolink’s Altas series are the only ones in the industry to offer 10 seconds of pre-recording before a key moment in the footage. Any moment that consists of detected movement is considered a key moment.
If a porch pirate took your Amazon parcel, you can go back 10 seconds in the footage to see where the thief came from, where they parked their vehicle, and other details, even if your camera wasn’t set to continuous recording.
4 ColorX Technology
Offers a vibrant colored view of your backyard
All of Reolink’s cameras deliver colored footage, but the Altas lineup sports the company’s proprietary ColorX technology that enhances its colors even more. A large F1.0 aperture and a 1/1.8-inch sensor on the new Altas series are responsible for its rich, well-saturated images. Reolink’s offerings are the only ones that provide a colored view.
Competitor home security cameras either produce a black-and-white image or deliver green-ish footage. ColorX is as effective at night as it is during the day. To demonstrate this, the company installed an Altas camera and put a handful of fake birds in a dark basket to show how well the camera performs in low lighting compared to a competitor brand that doesn’t offer a colored view.
3 No subscription model
Competitor brands’ #1 way to get (more) money out of customers
A home security camera is the first product a company sells to customers. The product that follows, and one that you will pay for every month for as long as you use the camera, is a subscription fee. Security camera brands don’t advertise these sneaky charges on their landing pages, but it’s a big part of their payment models. The subscription to use a digital hub or a companion app allows you to view and save your footage.
Reolink’s security cameras work on a different model. You can use the microSD card slot embedded in the cameras to store footage or invest in a physical Home Hub or an NVR (Network Video Recorder) that does the same job. A Home Hub connects via Wi-Fi, ships with a 64GB microSD card, and sports two microSD card slots, each offering up to a 512GB capacity. It is recommended for homes or small businesses.
An NVR embeds hard drives for storing footage, connects via Ethernet cables, offers a capacity of up to 6TB, and is ideal for large businesses. The two have a few other functionality differences. Both provide a generous amount of storage. You can pick one based on your needs.
2 A dedicated outdoor range
Do you see a camera in the picture?
Reolink’s security cameras work well outdoors, but its new Camovue line is as outdoors as possible. It sports a fully camouflaged body and a robust exterior, perfect for hunting or animal-watching in wildlife areas. The new Camovue Talon Pro trail camera is also ideal for watching what goes on in a barn or stable.
The Talon Pro offers 4G cellular connectivity, so a weak Wi-Fi signal shouldn’t get in the way of its 4K livestreaming. Its night vision capabilities ensure wildlife observation is as clear under low lighting as it is during the day. In addition to real-time wildlife monitoring, the Talon Pro offers temperature and humidity readings on the recorded footage for a complete picture of any given moment. It’s an easy-to-install strap-on camera that snugly hugs any object at the surveillance site and is IP67-certified against dust and water.
1 Product bundles
Sorting things out for you
This is one of those little but appreciated things other security camera brands don’t offer. Catering to customers who don’t have sufficient knowledge of this area, Reolink will offer product bundles according to use cases to ease the shopping process. You can pick a bundle based on your needs instead of researching their requirements and picking products separately. This saves time and effort. The company states that Q1 of 2025 will be the estimated timeframe for product bundles.
Competitor security camera brands have a lot of catching up to do
By offering features that haven’t been introduced on even the best security cameras, Reolink is ahead in the space. The ColorX tech promises an upgraded experience, and the no-subscription model saves money. Bundles primarily save time and effort but have the potential to save money, too, by making sure you don’t make an uninformed purchase. I’d feel safe knowing my security camera can provide seven whole days of continuous recording. I use this feature when I’m away from home on a short trip.
