Netgear Arlo Go - Review 2022

The latest addition to Netgear's Arlo family of smart dwelling house security cameras, the Arlo Go is the company's first wireless camera to utilize cellular applied science to deliver live and recorded video to your mobile device. Similar its Wi-Fi-enabled cousin (and our current Editors' Choice) the Arlo Pro, the Arlo Go is weatherproof and powered by a rechargeable bombardment pack, which ways y'all tin can install it merely well-nigh anywhere. It lets you add video surveillance to areas that don't have access to Wi-Fi, works with third-party smart home devices, offers free cloud storage, and doesn't crave a hub. That said, at $429 it'due south at the high end of the home surveillance photographic camera price scale, and yous have to subscribe to a monthly cellular plan on top of that.

Design and Plans

The Arlo Go looks like the Arlo Pro on steroids. Information technology measures iii.0 past 2.7 by iii.5 inches (HWD), weighs 11.eight ounces (with battery), and sports the same bones form gene and white finish as the Pro. Instead of a magnetic mountain it has a mounting hole on its base that attaches to a black, heavy-duty metal stand up that can exist attached to a wall, a tree, or any hard surface using the included mounting hardware. Or, you can skip the stand and but place the camera on any flat surface. As with the original Arlo and Arlo Pro cameras, it has an IP65 weatherproof rating.

Pressing a button on the back panel reveals the compartment for the rechargeable lithium-ion bombardment pack, which is rated to provide up to three months of power depending on recording frequency and how frequently y'all initiate a alive stream. If that's not enough you lot tin can choice upwards an Arlo Solar Panel ($79.99), which keeps the battery charged on a few hours of sunlight per solar day. Also in the compartment are slots for the cellular SIM card (included) and a microSD Carte du jour (not included) for storing video locally. The Sync button toward the front of the camera is used for pairing with your phone.

Every bit with every other wireless Arlo photographic camera we've tested, the Arlo Become sits idle until the Alive button is pressed or when a audio or motility event triggers a recording. The camera records video at 720p, uses 10 infrared LEDS to provide up to 25 feet of night vision, and has a 130-degree field of view and an 8X digital zoom. It likewise has a speaker and a microphone for two-style audio communication.

The photographic camera does not connect to a Wi-Fi network; instead it uses a cellular radio that connects to a 4G LTE network. Every bit of now there are two choices; if yous get with the Arlo Mobile network (reviewed hither), the camera will toll you $429.99 and you can choose one of three subscription plans. For $3.99 per month you lot get 15 minutes of recording time, $18.39 per month gets yous 120 minutes, and $26.39 gets you lot 225 minutes. If you go with Verizon as your carrier the camera will cost y'all $399 or $349.99 with a ii-year contract. Either manner, you lot'll $20 per month for an unlimited information programme.

App

Arlo Go Cellular Camera The Arlo Go uses the same mobile app (for Android and iOS) and web console as the Arlo, Arlo Pro, Arlo Baby, and Arlo Q cameras. It opens to a dwelling screen that shows all installed Arlo cameras. To launch a live feed, tap the Live push button on the Go screen. You lot can so tap the arrow icon in the lower right corner to open a full-screen feed and utilize the buttons along the lesser to take a snapshot, tape video, enable two-style audio, accommodate effulgence, and mute the speaker. At the elevation of the screen, on the left, are move and sound detection condition indicators, a signal meter, a battery life meter, and an SD card status indicator. Over on the correct is a circle with the number of notifications awaiting since the last time you used the app, and a gear icon for accessing the settings menus where you can turn the camera on and off, select video quality (Best Video, Optimized, Best Battery Life), enable night vision, and check cellular network settings.

Back at the home screen in that location are four buttons at the bottom of the page. Devices shows the list of all installed cameras, Library takes you to a screen that displays a list of all recorded events with video and photo thumbnails and the reason for the recording, and Mode is where you can arm and disarm motion and sound detection, create a schedule for motion and sound detection, or apply geofencing to plough motion and sound detection on and off co-ordinate to your location. The Settings push button takes you to a screen where you can invite other users to admission the camera, check your subscription level, and access individual device settings.

As with the Arlo Pro, the Arlo Get is compatible with the SmartThings and Flash home automation hubs, supports If This So That (IFTTT) applets, and works with Amazon's Echo Show via Alexa phonation commands.

Installation and Performance

If you already ain an Arlo camera you can add the Arlo Go to your existing account, otherwise y'all accept to create an business relationship using the mobile app or web portal. Once the account is prepare, install the bombardment pack, plug the photographic camera into an electric outlet, and click Add together Device at the bottom of the dwelling screen. Select Arlo Become from the list of devices, and when a QR code appears on your screen, printing the Sync button on the photographic camera and concur your phone near information technology until you hear a chinkle. The app will need around 20 seconds to observe the camera, at which time you'll be asked to confirm the series number and requite the camera a proper name. Next, chose a mobile programme and a viewing plan. In one case your cellular account is active, the camera will be listed on your Device screen.

The Arlo Go delivered abrupt daytime video with splendid color quality and no obvious distortion in testing. Black-and-white night video was likewise abrupt out to around 20 feet and showed proficient contrast. Motility and audio alerts arrived immediately in my email inbox, as did push button alerts to my phone, and geofencing worked wonderfully.

I created an IFTTT applet to have a D-Link Smart Plug plough on when the Arlo Go detected move or sound, and information technology responded speedily without neglect. 2-way sound advice was crystal clear, and recorded video appeared as as sharp and colorful as the live feed. It should be noted that I had a decent cellular connection during my testing, merely if you're in an surface area where you can't get a skilful betoken, you may feel varying degrees of move lag.

Conclusions

The Netgear Arlo Go is an easy-to-utilize outdoor camera for those who need to monitor outdoor areas that take no admission to electricity or Wi-Fi. Information technology uses a rechargeable battery that should provide upward to three months of juice with normal use, and it connects to a cellular network to deliver alive and recorded video without the need for cables. The camera offers precise motion and audio detection and prompt email and push notifications, and it works with other smart home devices. At $430, it'south very expensive, and when you factor in an additional monthly cellular fee, you're looking at a sizable investment. All the same, if you need to keep an heart on your cabin in the forest, a boat docked in a remote lake surface area, or merely want a high-tech trail cam, the Arlo Go is an excellent choice.