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Security camera manufacturer Arlo used the spotlight of CES to unveil a seriously steroidal floodlight for the security-conscious. The Arlo Pro 3 Floodlight Camera includes a built-in, curved LED panel that can deliver between 2,000 and 3,000 lumens on prowlers and raccoons, should they trip the motion detector that activates the light.
The variance in output depends on whether you’re on battery power (2,000 lumens) or hard-wired to your home’s electrical system (3,000 lumens). One of the strengths of Arlo’s rechargeable systems is that the cameras can be mounted anywhere without requiring drilling into your siding, and are thus easily relocated, as well. It’s a nice bit of versatility to be able to have it either way, depending on you needs and your willingness to get your hands dirty with wiring.
The camera itself includes 2K video with HDR, a built-in siren in case the light isn’t startling enough, and two-way audio. Also similar to its other models, the camera can offers color night vision, can be fine-tuned in its responsiveness to movement, and it includes an ambient light sensor that allows you to program the light to only be triggered if it’s appropriately dark outside. (It won’t be flicking on and off in the middle of the day, when it’s useless.)
The rig requires the Arlo subscription service to make full use of it, but it’s affordable as far as such services go at only $2.99 per month. With that system in place, you can get customizable alerts and cloud storage for 30 days of continuous video recording. If you don’t opt for the subscription, the Arlo base station will store the video locally.
Ultimately, the real usefulness of this system will depend on how bright and uniform the lighting is. It has the potential to be an excellent enhancement, as typical security-cam spotlights never quite do a good enough job of improving clarity and the “legibility” of a scene captured at night. It’s due this spring for $249.
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