EufyCam S3 Pro Review

EufyCam S3 Pro: Introduction

• Guy: Outdoor security camera with built-in solar.
• Connectivity: 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi
• Ecosystems: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home

The EufyCam S330 was one of the best security cameras out there, and the EufyCam S3 Pro is the natural evolution, ironing out some of the problems of the original while improving nighttime recording.

At $550/£499 for a dual-pack system, which is what I tested for this review, the S3 Pro stacks up against the Arlo Pro 5 and is actually a good knock over the Reolink Argus 4 Pro.

However, with no monthly subscription fees, this is one of the best security camera setups for those who don’t want to pay monthly.

Design and installation

• Wall brackets included
• Requires HomeBase S380
• Extra solar panel in the box.

The EufyCam S3 Pro ships in a box with as many cameras as you want (two to four packs, plus available add-ons) and the required HomeBase S380, just like its predecessor.

The physical cameras also look a lot like the old ones. Thick and long, they have a solar panel on top, which is designed to keep the camera’s battery charged without having to charge it manually via the USB-C port.

This time, Eufy has increased the size of the solar panel, so less sunlight is required to charge the battery.

Of course, some sunlight is required and that’s where the original system had a problem, as you really had to place them in specific locations to maximize the charging potential.

This time around, Eufy provides an external solar panel in the box, with its own wall mount, like you’d get with the Reolink Argus Track.

If you need, you can place the camera where you want and then run the charging cable to the external solar panel that can be placed in the sun.

In my garden, for example, the garden room faces south so it gets a lot of sun, but the kitchen doesn’t get direct sunlight. Using the external solar panel, I was able to place a camera on the outside wall of the kitchen and charge it through the solar panel.

Installation is simple with the wall mounts included in the box, which have a ball joint to provide plenty of movement so the EufyCam S3 Pro cameras can cover the area you want.

Although the cameras use Wi-Fi, they must connect to the HomeBase S380 instead of your Wi-Fi network. The benefit is that you have a dedicated hub, with its own central storage, so if someone steals a camera, you still have the footage.

The downside to the system is that the HomeBase has to be within wireless range of the cameras, so locating it can be tricky. I can’t find a place in my house where I can get coverage for one camera in the back of the yard and another in the front of the house.

Given how good mesh systems are, it would be better if the cameras could use regular Wi-Fi and communicate with HomeBase over that.

Characteristics

• HomeKit compatible
• Upgradable storage
• Face and object detection with AI

Once connected, the cameras begin recording images to the HomeBase’s built-in 16GB of storage.

With 4K images, 16GB won’t last long, so you may want to upgrade HomeBase with a 2.5-inch hard drive or SSD.

The Eufy Security app is used for control, it’s pretty decent software and hosts the company’s other products including Eufy Floodlight Camera E340 and Eufy SoloCam S340.

Within the app, each camera has its own thumbnail, which you can tap to get the live view and start a two-way conversation if you want to scare away a thief.

For the most part, EufyCam S3 Pro cameras will be left on your devices, recording images when motion is detected.

To avoid too many notifications, cameras have powerful options to reduce the number of alerts they generate.

At the base level there are activity zones and motion detection sensitivity, which can help with baseline filtering.

As there’s no radar-based motion detection, as there is with some Ring cameras, you can’t filter out motion based on range, so it’s worth aiming these cameras away from busy areas such as roads.

With AI built into HomeBase, cameras can be configured to detect people, vehicles, pets, and any other movement you choose.

And there is also local facial recognition. When known people are detected, video clips are automatically tagged. You must pay a subscription fee to get these features with other cameras.

All clips are available in the basic but functional Events section of the app. This displays clips with thumbnails sorted by page by day and you can filter by camera and event type. Clips can be viewed or downloaded.

If you want cloud storage, then HomeKit support is available, so you can use HomeKit Secure Video and the built-in detection settings.

There’s also an option to continue recording to Eufy HomeBase, so you end up with a backup.

This sounds good in practice, but HomeKit is limited to 1080p, so the camera is set to this setting. Of course, this greatly reduces image quality and eliminates the point of buying high-end cameras.

With HomeKit you also can’t toggle when a camera records. If you want this feature, the Eufy Security plugin for HomeBridge is arguably better.

In the app, there are modes to select when a camera can and cannot record, and the modes can be changed manually, based on a schedule, or by location.

With Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, you can control the modes, but disarming requires a voice PIN, so you can’t automate the system, like unlocking a smart lock (again, you’ll need HomeBridge if you want this type of automation ). ).

Voice assistant support also allows you to stream images from the cameras to a compatible smart display.

Performance

• Brilliant night vision
• High quality 4K video

Thanks to the 4K resolution and high-quality lens, the EufyCam S3 Pro can record brilliant images during the day.

The cameras handle direct sunlight well and the resulting images are sharp and detailed. There’s not a huge improvement on the old S330’s footage for daylight recording.

Nighttime performances are where Eufy has really made a difference. There are three options for night recording. The first is to use the Standard option, with the camera sensor capable of capturing full-color videos with very little ambient light.

Secondly, you can use the camera spotlights to increase the ambient light. Third, you can switch to IR lights and shoot in black and white.

I think the second option is the best. With the Standard option, the camera’s light-capturing capabilities are impressive, but the frame rate is reduced to the point where moving people are often blurred.

Use the four LED bulbs and the image quality will improve. Cleverly, the cameras use adaptive spotlights, automatically adjusting them to reduce glare, so you get full-color, top-quality nighttime images that are almost as good as daytime images.

Final thoughts

The EufyCam S3 Pro is not a cheap camera set, but it is exceptionally good.

High-quality 4K images, day and night, and powerful object detection, all without ongoing costs, make this the ultimate system for those who want the best and have everything stored locally.

how we test

When we publish our reviews, you can be sure that they are the result of “living with” long-term testing.

Smart security cameras typically live within an ecosystem or range of products that supposedly all work in harmony. Therefore, it is impossible to use a security camera for a week and render a verdict.

Because we test smart home kit all day, every day, we know what matters and how a particular camera compares to alternatives you might also be considering.

Our reviews are complete, objective and fair, and of course, we are never paid directly to review a device.

Read our guide to our smart security camera review process to learn more.

Frequently asked questions