A lot of home security cameras nowadays have facial recognition, which lets them make a database of your friends and family and alert you whether someone it’s spotted is familiar. We tested five brands and two came out on top — for now.
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Best feature range: Tend Secure Lynx Pro
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/reviews/tend-secure-lynx-pro-review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 3.0 stars out of 5 (Good)
The good: The $150 Lynx Pro camera has free seven-day event-based cloud video storage (like the Lynx Indoor), built-in local storage, a weatherproof exterior, battery backup and integration with Alexa and Google Assistant.
The bad: The camera didn’t do particularly well at recognizing the faces I added to the database in the app — or even at picking up on faces at all.
The cost: $149.99
The bottom line: Tend Secure’s Lynx Pro needs some work before I can recommend it as a fully functional facial recognition camera, but its other features are great.
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Best value: Tend Secure Lynx Indoor
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/reviews/tend-secure-lynx-indoor-camera-review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (Very good)
The good: Tend Secure’s Lynx Indoor camera has 1080p HD live streaming, free seven-day event-based cloud storage and solid facial-recognition software. Oh, and it only costs $60.
The bad: The Lynx doesn’t have any smart home partnerships, audio playback is garbled and its base doesn’t hold the camera in place very well.
The cost: $59.99
The bottom line: If you can get past the wobbly base, Tend Secure’s $60 Lynx cam has a lot to offer at a truly exceptional value.
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Best smart home support: Nest Cam IQ Indoor
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/reviews/nest-cam-iq-indoor-security-camera-review/
CNET rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (Very good)
The good: The $299 Nest Cam IQ has an 8-megapixel, 4K image sensor and improved 12x digital zoom for access to new livestreaming security features. A hardware upgrade improves the audio quality of the two-way talk function.
The bad: You still have to pay at least $10 per month for continuous cloud video storage. The camera’s price doesn’t quite match up with the features added.
The cost: $299
The bottom line: The Nest Cam IQ is a solid camera that costs a little too much for most home security DIYers.
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Best overall: Nest Hello
Product Review: https://www.cnet.com/reviews/nest-hello-review/#ftag=CAD187281f
CNET rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 (Excellent)
The good: Nest’s $229 Hello video doorbell looks great and works consistently well. Its optional facial recognition feature and advanced integrations with the Nest Cam IQ Indoor and Google Home speakers set this smart buzzer above the rest.
The bad: A seemingly unnecessary “chime connector” accessory comes with your purchase and is a required part of the installation for “power management” purposes whether you have a manual or a digital doorbell chime. There’s no free video clip storage.
The cost: $229
The bottom line: The Nest Hello is the smartest video doorbell available today, and a really solid choice for anyone — but it’s especially appealing if you’re sold on a broader Google/Nest smart home.
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The following CNET staff contributed to this story: Senior Associate Editor Megan Wollerton and Senior Editor Laura K. Cucullu. For more reviews of personal technology products, please visit www.cnet.com.
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