Wyze Cam v2

The Wyze Cam V2 offers a wealth of features, including motion tracking, two-way audio, free cloud storage and a microSD card slot for storing video locally and enabling continuous recording. Day and night 1080p video is clear and sharp with minimal distortion, and two-way audio communication is clean and loud enough.

1080p Full HD

2.8mm focal length. 110º wide-angle lens. 1/2.9" CMOS sensor. 1920×1080 (1080p) Full HD. The image is clear and you won't miss a thing.

Design and features

The small, cube-shaped Wyze Cam V2 looks almost identical to its predecessor, except this time the finish is matte white instead of glossy white. It has the same dimensions (2.2 x 1.9 x 1.9 inches, HWD) and uses the same flexible hinge and swivel base that gives you over an inch of height adjustability and lets you angle the camera in any direction. You can attach the camera to any metal surface using the magnetic base, or to a non-metallic surface using the included metal disk and tape.

The V2 uses an upgraded CMOS sensor to deliver 1080p video at 15fps, rather than the 10fps rate we saw on the original camera. The microphone and speaker provide two-way audio, and an enhanced audio amplifier provides a boost. The camera has a 110-degree viewing angle and 8x digital zoom, and uses four IR LEDs to provide up to 30 feet of black and white night vision. Also new in this version is a feature called Motion Tagging.

Underneath the base is a microSD card slot and a settings button for pairing the camera with apps. On the back are power inputs, status indicators, and a USB port that allows you to power two cameras with a single power adapter. Under the hood is an 802.11n (2.4GHz) Wi-Fi radio for connecting the V2 to your home network. v2 uses motion and sound sensors to send push notifications to your phone and initiate 12 seconds of video recording for each event. It also knows to listen for the sound of smoke or carbon monoxide alarms and sends push alerts when they are detected.

Installation and performance

Wyze Cam V2 installs in minutes. I already had the mobile app and an account for my review of the original model, but if this is your first Wyze Labs device, you'll have to download the app and create an account. I open the app, click Add New Device, then follow the instructions to insert the camera and press the Settings button when the yellow LED starts flashing. A computerized voice told me the camera was ready to connect, and I selected my Wi-Fi network and entered my password. I was instructed to move the camera a few inches away from the phone displaying the QR code and then wait a few seconds for the camera to tell me that the QR code had been scanned. After about 20 seconds, the camera was connected. I gave the camera a name and then waited another 20 seconds for the firmware update to complete and the installation to be finished.

The Wyze Cam V2 performs well. Its daytime 1080p video shows good image detail and nicely saturated colors, and its night vision video appears clear and well lit at 25 feet. There is a little barrel distortion around the edges, but it's barely noticeable.

Motion tracking worked well in testing, as did motion and sound detection. Push notifications arrive immediately when one of the sensors is triggered, and the recorded video looks as good as the live stream. Two-way audio is very clean, and the time-lapse recording feature works like a charm.

Our take

Despite its small size and low price, the Wyze Cam V2 offers a wealth of features, including motion tracking, two-way audio, free cloud storage and a microSD card slot for storing video locally and enabling continuous recording. Day and night 1080p video is clear and sharp with minimal distortion, and two-way audio communication is clean and loud enough. You can't interoperate with other smart devices or support IFTTT, but given the camera's $20 price tag, it's hard to complain. As a result, the Wyze Cam V2 is our new editor's choice for a budget-friendly home security camera.