Summary
- Wyze Cam v4 offers upgraded resolution, color night vision, and motion-activated light for just over $35.
- The new model features Wi-Fi 6 support for better connectivity, but FOV has slightly shrunk compared to the previous generation.
- Wyze continues its commitment to affordable smart home gadgets, incorporating Edge AI processing for faster notifications.
Wyze gained attention in 2017 by launching its first $20 security camera. Since then, the company has been rolling out upgrades, including the Wyze Cam v3 in 2020. Its insanely affordable smart home gadgets forced big tech players and other startups to seriously rethink their pricing strategies. Now, Wyze is back at it again, introducing a fresh take on the original Wyze Cam, dubbed the Wyze Cam v4.
Wyze Cam v4
The Wyze Cam v4 may look like the v3 at first glance, but there’s a lot going on once you dig a bit deeper. 2.5k resolution and full-color night vision highlight some of the technical improvements, and a motion-activated light paired with IP65 water and dust resistance are the headlining changes from a hardware perspective. Even with all that, Wyze will retail the Cam v4 at the same $36 price tag as the last generation, taking this handy little security camera into impulse-buy territory.
Wyze’s newest security camera retails for $30 initially, but it’ll bump up to $36 later on. The company has given this one a serious facelift, revamping both the exterior and a good chunk of the tech inside. Now, it boasts 2.5K video capture, a jump from the previous 1080p resolution. Plus, just like the last model, the Cam v4 is still rocking an IP65 rating, meaning it’s tough enough to handle the elements.
The Cam v4 comes with a fresh image signal processor, stepping up its game with HDR and promising sharper visuals that Wyze says get closer to real-life. However, it looks like Wyze has made a trade-off as the field of view (FOV) has shrunk a tad. Now, it has a 115.8° diagonal FOV, 98.5° horizontal FOV, and 53.1° vertical FOV, compared to the Cam v3’s wider 180° vertical FOV and 121° diagonal FOV.
Wyze’s new security camera comes with some sweet upgrades
The latest Wyze model boasts Wi-Fi 6 support, giving you an additional 20 meters of range, improved handling of network congestion, and faster connections. That said, it still sticks to 2.4GHz networks, as confirmed by a company representative, who explains that this is “because 2.4 GHz works better over long distances and also has better wall penetration.”
The Wyze Cam v4 packs some serious AI punch with its onboard Edge AI processing, delivering speedier notifications and basic AI person detection without needing to send images to the cloud. However, Wyze is upfront about it not being as robust as its Wyze AI Person Detection included in Cam Plus and Cam Protect.
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The latest version comes with some nifty additions like a motion-activated spotlight and voice warnings triggered by motion, features you can also find in more expensive Wyze cameras like the Wyze Cam Floodlight Pro. Once activated, the camera belts out a friendly “Hi, you are currently being recorded” voice prompt. Plus, it boasts beefed-up audio quality, cranking up the volume to 99db with its amplifier, a step up from the Cam v3’s 80db, making it a serious competitor to the top wireless security cameras with two-way audio.
Wyze has built a reputation for offering affordable smart home products, but what really sets it apart is its commitment to delivering high intelligence at low prices. The company has been making waves with its use of AI to power smart home setups. However, it’s worth noting that Wyze has had a couple of security hiccups over the past few years.
