New Arlo Pro 3 security camera lets you see more of your backyard
The Arlo Pro 3 has a wider viewing angle than previous Pro cameras.
Meet the new Arlo Pro 3. Like previous Pro cameras from Arlo, this battery-powered model is weatherproof.
Arlo's new home security camera, the just-announced Pro 3, is the brand's most specced-out Pro model to date. It will be available at Best Buy later this week, before expanding to stores worldwide in Q4. A standard camera two-pack, complete with the required base station (you don't need a new one if you already have an older-gen Arlo base station), will set you back $500. Add-on Pro 3 cameras cost $200 each.
Here's an overview of the Pro 3's key specs, according to Arlo:
- 2560p HD video resolution
- Weatherproof
- Battery-powered
- 160-degree field of view (the Arlo Pro 2 has a 130-degree field of view)
- Automatic pan and zoom
- Three months free Arlo Smart subscription
- Alexa and Google Assistant (Siri forthcoming)
- HDR (high dynamic range)
- microSD card slot in base station
- Two-way talk
- Built-in siren
The Pro 3 is the first Arlo Pro camera to adopt the design and features of Arlo's high-end Ultra camera. The two cameras aren't identical -- the Ultra has a 180-degree field of view and 4K video streaming -- but some of the Pro 3's advanced features come straight from the Ultra.
For instance, the Ultra was the first Arlo camera to offer automatic panning and zooming, letting you follow activity around a room, similar to the Nest IQ cameras. The Pro 3 camera is supposed to have similar functionality, along with high dynamic range imaging. HDR should make it possible for the camera to improve what's visible in low and high light conditions.
Like the Arlo Ultra, the Arlo Pro 3 will come with a free trial of Arlo Smart, Arlo's cloud subscription plan. Arlo Smart offers 30 days of saved video clips, as well as advanced alerts based on whether the camera thinks it sees a person, a car, an animal or a package. I found the "smart alerts" somewhat hit-or-miss during my Ultra testing, but we'll see how it works on the Pro 3.
Arlo Smart also includes Arlo's e911 service that connects Arlo customers to emergency responders in your area.
The one downside I see right away, aside from the Pro 3's high price, is that Arlo is slowly doing away with its seven-day free cloud storage option for Pro users as it incorporates more of the advanced features found on the Ultra cam (like customized alerts for people, cars, animals and packages, automatic panning and zooming, and e911).
If you want those high-end features, without spending quite as much as the $600 Arlo Ultra, the Arlo Pro 3 could be right for you. We're testing out the Pro 3 soon, so check back for updates.
