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Logitech Circle 2 review: Better than its original security cam
Logitech's Circle 2 wired indoor/outdoor security camera has what it takes to keep watch in and around your home.
Megan Wollerton
Senior Writer/Editor
Megan Wollerton covers renewable energy, climate change and other environmental topics for CNET. Before starting at CNET in 2013, she wrote for NBC Universal's DVICE (now SYFY). Megan has a master's degree from the University of Louisville and a bachelor's degree from Connecticut College, both in international relations. She is a board member of the Louisville chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. When Megan isn't writing, she's planning far-flung adventures.
Logitech's $180 Circle 2 wired security camera is a significant improvement over its first-gen model, but it's also very different. Instead of a rechargeable battery, this new model requires an adapter for power. It's also rated for indoor and outdoor use; the original Circle cam was strictly indoors-only. At the current exchange rate, $180 converts to roughly £130 and AU$225.
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
Note: Logitech sells a wire-free version of the Circle 2 camera with a rechargeable battery for $200 (£145 and AU$250 converted), as well as a variety of accessories to give you different ways to connect and mount both the wired and wire-free Circle 2 cameras.
The wired Circle 2 is an indoor/outdoor camera with 1080p HD live streaming, a 180-degree viewing angle and free 24-hour event-based cloud storage. It also works with Amazon's Alexa, Apple's HomeKit and the Google Assistant. Subscribe to an optional monthly cloud service for access to longer-term video clip storage, person alerts and customizable motion detection zones.
Consider the Logitech Circle 2 if you're looking for an adapter-powered indoor/outdoor security camera that's responsive and reliable.
Circling back
The Circle 2 camera comes with a power adapter, a base you can rotate to suit pretty much any desired angle, the camera and optional mounting hardware. Rather than connecting the Circle 2 to its base via a Micro-USB or other port, the camera actually attaches to (and detaches from) the base with a simple twist. Two discreet notches show where to line up the camera with its base. From there, simply turn the camera until you can no longer easily separate the two. I wish it clicked or gave some sort of obvious indication when it's installed correctly, but it's easy enough to figure out.
The camera's base has a matte white finish; its face is finished in glossy black. It looks fine overall, but I particularly like how easy it is to rotate to achieve different viewing angles. A subtle ring around the lens alerts you to the camera's status:
- Solid white: On and ready to use
- Solid green: Someone is viewing the live video feed
- Solid yellow: In privacy mode
- Solid red: Off or not recording
- Blinking blue: In pairing mode
Take a look at how the wired Circle 2 compares to the Canary Flex and the Netgear Arlo Pro 2:
Comparing indoor/outdoor security cameras
| Logi Circle 2 (wired model) | Canary Flex | Netgear Arlo Pro 2 | |
| Price | $180/£130 | $200/£159 | $480/£345 (two-camera kit, plus required hub) |
| Color finish | White | Black, white | White |
| Type | Indoor/outdoor | Indoor/outdoor | Indoor/outdoor |
| Power source | Power adapter | Rechargeable battery, power adapter | Rechargeable battery, power adapter |
| Resolution | 1080p HD | 1080p HD | 1080p HD |
| Expected battery life | N/A (must use power adapter) | Two months | Six months |
| Field of view | 180-degree viewing angle | 116-degree viewing angle | 130-degree viewing angle |
| Live streaming | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Continuous recording | No | No | No |
| Cloud storage | Free 24-hour event-based video history (Optional 14- or 31-day event-based video history for $4 or $10 per month) | Free 24-hour event-based video history (Optional 30-day event-based video history for $10 per month) | Free 7-day event-based video history (Optional 30- or 60-day event-based video history for $10 or $15 per month) |
| Local storage | No | No | No |
| Mobile app | Yes, Android and iPhone | Yes, Android and iPhone | Yes, Android and iPhone |
| Web app | Yes | Yes, with cloud subscription | Yes |
| Night vision | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Alerts | Motion (person alerts with Circle Safe Premium subscription) | Motion and person (package detection with cloud subscription) | Motion and audio |
| Activity zones | Yes, with Circle Safe Premium subscription | No | No |
| Two-way audio | Yes | Yes, with cloud subscription | Yes |
| Operating temperature range | -4 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 to 50 degrees Celsius) | -4 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 to 45 degrees Celsius) | -4 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 to 45 degrees Celsius) |
| Third-party integrations | Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Wink | Amazon Alexa, IFTTT |
The Circle 2's features clearly overlap with the Flex and the Arlo Pro 2, with a few major exceptions.
Both the Flex and the Arlo model come with rechargeable batteries, but the Circle 2 has a much wider 180-degree field of view. The Netgear camera also offers free 7-day clip storage, whereas Logitech and Canary only offer 24 hours free of charge. Canary's Flex camera comes with free person alerts, which is an optional subscription feature for the Circle 2 -- Netgear's Arlo Pro 2 doesn't currently offer this feature at all.
The Circle 2 cam in day and night modes.
Using the Circle 2
Logitech's Circle 2 was solid throughout testing. It sent me prompt motion and person alerts; the 1,080p HD live feed was clear in day and night vision modes and the saved video clips did a good job capturing all of the motion activity (rather than just a small part). I also really like the time-lapse videos you can generate for free to see a quick overview of everything that happens throughout the day (watch the video to see the time lapse in action).
To connect the camera to the app, download the Logitech Circle Security Camera app on your Android or iOS device and follow the instructions. This process took roughly 5 minutes from start to finish. Create an account or login with an existing username and password. Power up your camera with the included adapter, give your camera a name and enter in your local Wi-Fi info. From there, you should get immediate access to the camera's live feed and the Circle 2's other features. To receive alerts, make sure to opt-in to "Smart Alerts" in the dropdown menu in the top left corner of the app screen.
I connected my Circle 2 camera to an Amazon Echo Show speaker via the Alexa app, as well as Apple HomeKit directly from the Circle app (select "Smart Home Integrations" from the settings menu and Apple HomeKit to enable HomeKit from the Circle app). Ask Alexa or Siri to show you your "living room/front yard/guest house" camera to view the live feed either on a screen-friendly Alexa device or straight from Apple's Home app for iOS.
Conclusion
The $180 wired Logitech Circle 2 home security cam offers a lot of features for its price, including a wide variety of smart home integrations. It also performed well during testing, delivering motion and person alerts in near real-time. Its day and night vision modes both displayed live video in crisp HD.
I'm not sure why Logitech had to create two separate Circle 2 cameras, though. Why not make one battery-powered Circle 2 you can tether to the adapter 24/7 like the Canary Flex? Even so, I'm impressed with the wired Circle 2. It's a good option if you want the flexibility of an indoor/outdoor camera, but don't mind having to tether it to a power adapter.