Wyze Cam v4 review: Wyze Labs’ best security cam costs less

At a glance

Expert's Rating

Pros

• Carries over all the great features of the winning Wyze Cam v3 Pro
• Crystal clear image quality with smart detections that work well
• Supports 24/7 continuous recording to local microSD storage

Cons

• Dependent on hardwired power (no battery option)
• Subscription required to unlock all its best features

Price When Reviewed

Introductory price: $29.99 + shipping; MSRP: $35.98

Best Prices Today: Wyze Cam v4

I did a double take when I unboxed the new Wyze Cam v4. Had I seen this camera before? Was it the same device as the Wyze Cam v3 Pro I reviewed in December 2022? After all, it has the same all-white body set atop Z-shaped legs that let it swivel freely in every direction.

I had to dig out the older camera and put the two side by side to see the minor physical differences; namely, the v4’s lens is set in a circular frame with a white bezel around it, while the v3 Pro has a fully black face.

Beyond that, the similarities are remarkable, in large part because the new v4 is based on the same innards as the v3 Pro, with only a few small changes. Aside from the slight change to the face of the device, the only real physical difference is that instead of a female USB port set directly into the rear of the device, the v4 has a short, hardwired pigtail to which its power cable attaches, perhaps with a goal to improve both security and weather resistance. Here again, there is no battery-power option.

And like the v3 Pro, the v4 is designed for either indoor or outdoor use, carrying an IP65 weatherization rating that indicates it’s impervious to dust and that it’s protected against water jets coming from any direction.

Christopher Null/Foundry

Christopher Null/Foundry

Christopher Null/Foundry

What’s new here?

There are just a few modest changes under the hood: Video resolution remains the same at 2560 x 1440 pixels, with a diagonal viewing angle of 115.8 degrees. The integrated LED spotlight has been carried over from the v3 Pro as well, though brightness here is 72 lumens, vs. 80 lumens on the v3 Pro. Features like two-way audio, a built-in siren (up to 99dB from 89dB), and double-duty night vision available in both standard infrared and color remain in the mix.

A smart sound detection system that allows the camera to determine if detected audio is a baby’s cry or a cat’s meow (among other triggers) and send alerts accordingly was also rolled out in the v3 Pro and appears here as well. The spotlight can be set to two brightness levels and can be configured to activate on any motion or just the smart detections that you configure—and, at your preference, only during nighttime. Activating the spotlight is optional, of course, so if you want to stick with B&W infrared and stay under the radar, that option’s still there, too. Images are arguably clearer in infrared and objects are visible at a longer range.

This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras.

Setup is even easier with the v4 than in the last few iterations of Wyze’s camera launches, including the v3 Pro. Just press a button on the bottom of the camera when prompted by the app, and the rest of the setup process is largely handled for you via Bluetooth. Previously a QR code scan was required, but that’s been eliminated.

Performance

Christopher Null/Foundry

Christopher Null/Foundry

Christopher Null/Foundry

In several days of testing the v4 ahead of its release, I found images to be crisp and lively whether recorded at day or night, either under standard IR conditions or with the spotlights on. Video stored on the cloud was quick to load; support for Wi-Fi 6 might be helping on that front (although that support is limited to the 2.4GHz band). Wyze says the v4’s microphone has also been updated, but I didn’t notice a significant change in audio quality over the v3 Pro.

In the Wyze app, the company’s thumbnail-focused clip navigation hasn’t changed much in years. It’s as easy as ever to skim through recordings thanks to icons that indicate what type of activity (sound, person, pet, etc.) triggered the recording. Alexa, Google Home, and IFTTT are all still supported, but not Apple Home or HomeKit Secure Video.

Wyze rolled out a bevy of enhanced detection features in the v3 Pro, and as expected they have all been ported to the v4. Rather than send clips to the cloud to help tell the difference between a shadow and a prowler, the v4 has an onboard 1.4GHz dual-core processor that speeds up this calculus.

Subscriptions aren’t truly optional

You’ll need a Cam Plus or Cam Protect subscription to enable smart alerts—as well as cloud storage—but those plans are about as cheap as they come: Cam Plus costs $3 per month per camera ($30 per year per camera), or $10 per month ($99 per year) for an unlimited number of cameras. The $4-per-month-per-camera/$40-per-year-per-camera Cam Protect plan adds facial recognition and turns your Wyze security cameras into a professionally monitored home security system, but note there is no Cam Protect plan for an unlimited number of cameras.

Christopher Null/Foundry

Christopher Null/Foundry

Christopher Null/Foundry

Without a subscription you can still record clips to an onboard microSD card (provide your own, in capacities up to 512GB), but note that the longstanding 12-second recording limit and five-minute cooldown restrictions haven’t changed, As with all Wyze cameras, the lack of a plan dramatically lessens this one’s utility. We compare the major security camera subscription plans at the preceding link.

Should you buy a Wyze Cam v4?

The good news is that the Wyze Cam v4 is incredibly cheap, with its $36 list price cut to just $30 at launch (plus shipping, unless your order exceeds $59). That introductory price is half the Wyze Cam v3 Pro’s list price, and it’s $10 less than the less-capable Wyze Cam v3. While it’s not a compelling upgrade if you already own the nearly identical v3 Pro, it’s a no-brainer choice for a first camera or an upgrade from a Wyze Cam v3 or similar device.

Best Prices Today: Wyze Cam v4