Designed to withstand the elements, the SimpliSafe Wireless Outdoor Security Camera ($169.99) is a rugged outdoor camera exclusively for the third-generation SimpliSafe Home Security System. It delivers sharp 1080p video, color night vision, and is easy install, making it a good fit if you already have a SimpliSafe system. That said, if you want to view event-triggered video and receive intelligent motion alerts, you’ll have to subscribe to a monitoring plan, and the camera doesn’t interact with third-party devices or offer 2K video. If you’re not a SimpliSafe user, you’re better off with our Editors’ Choice winner, the $199.99 Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera.
Rugged and Rechargeable
The SimpliSafe Wireless Outdoor Camera uses a white cylinder-shaped enclosure with an IP65 rating that protects the camera from water and dust. It’s 3.1 inches wide and 2.9 inches in length, and uses an embedded magnet to secure it to a round metal mounting ball similar to the mounting mechanism used by the Arlo Pro series of cameras. There’s also a threaded mounting hole for use with an optional screw-in mount. Around back are a pairing button and a USB power port.
The front of the enclosure is glossy black and contains a 1080p camera with a 140-degree field of view and an 8x digital zoom. It uses an embedded spotlight for full color night vision and has two infrared LEDS for black-and-white night vision. Also embedded in the camera assembly are a speaker and microphone for two-way audio and an 80dB siren. To help scare off unwanted visitors, you can configure the camera to sound the siren and activate the spotlight when motion is detected.
The camera connects to your network via an integrated 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio and is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that is rated to last three to six months between charges depending on usage. To charge the battery, simply twist off the front camera assembly, remove the battery, and power it up using the included USB cable. Alternately, you can purchase a $49.99 cable to power the camera and never have to worry about charging the battery.
As mentioned, the SimpliSafe Outdoor camera doesn’t operate as a standalone device and requires a third-gen SimpliSafe home security system (if you have an earlier version of SimpliSafe’s home security system, you’ll have to upgrade to the latest iteration to use it). Moreover, the camera doesn’t support Apple HomeKit and it won’t stream video to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant devices or interact with third-party smart home devices such as door locks and smart lights. However, it will sound its siren and begin recording when a SimpliSafe sensor is triggered.
When the camera detects motion, it will begin recording a 10-second clip and continue recording for as long as it detects motion. However, you’ll have to subscribe to a SimpliSafe monitoring plan to access the video and to receive intelligent alerts that identify motion caused by people, animals, and vehicles. The $9.99 per month Self-Monitoring plan gives you unlimited recording for up to five cameras, while the $24.99 per month Interactive Monitoring plan gives you unlimited recordings for up to 10 cameras, as well as 24/7 police, fire, and medical dispatch services.
The camera is controlled using the same SimpliSafe mobile app that is used to control the security system. To access the camera, tap the Cameras button at the bottom of the home screen and tap the arrow to launch a live stream that can be viewed in full-screen mode by turning your phone sideways. Below the video panel is a microphone button for two-way audio, and below that is a button that will take you to a screen with thumbnails of recorded events. Tap any thumbnail to view the video, delete it, or download it.
A gear icon in the upper right corner of the camera screen takes you to a Camera Settings screen where you can enable/disable motion detection, adjust picture quality settings, enable color night vision, turn the microphone and audio on or off, and enable the siren. Here you can also configure Wi-Fi settings and view troubleshooting tips.
Installing and Using the SimpliSafe Outdoor Cam
Installing the SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera is fast and easy, but you need to charge the battery before you begin. I opened the SimpliSafe app and tapped the Cameras icon at the bottom of the Dashboard screen, then tapped Set Up a Camera. I selected the Outdoor Cam, confirmed the location where it would be installed, and verified that the battery was fully charged (you can tap Come Back Later if the battery isn’t yet charged). Next, I inserted the battery into the camera and confirmed that I heard the chime and that the LED was flashing white. I pressed the Setup button and the camera was added to the system. I gave the camera a name and followed the on-screen instructions for attaching it to a surface using the included hardware. Once the camera was mounted, I tapped Done and the installation was complete.
The SimpliSafe Outdoor Camera delivered colorful daytime video with relatively sharp image detail and no distortion in testing. Nighttime color video was also sharp, but lacked the saturation that you get during the day. Black-and-white night vision showed good contrast and sharp detail out to around 20 feet.
The siren is adequately loud, and when combined with the spotlight works well as a deterrent to unwanted visitors—they were particularly effective in scaring off the raccoon family that has made my backyard their nighttime hangout. Motion notifications arrived instantly in testing, with very few false alerts, and two-way audio was loud and clear.
A Simple Choice for SimpliSafe Users
The SimpliSafe Wireless Outdoor Security Camera is a solid choice for anyone who has (or plans to buy) the third-generation SimpliSafe Home Security System. It offers sharp 1080p video and color night vision, as well as intelligent alerts, but you’ll need a subscription for the latter and to view recorded video. The camera will respond to triggered sensors that are part of a SimpliSafe system, but it doesn’t work with IFTTT applets or Apple HomeKit and it won’t stream video using Alexa or Google Assistant commands. For around $30 more, the Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight offers lots of integrations with other devices and is very easy to install. It also delivers 2K video and supports Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, and Alexa voice commands, remaining our Editors’ Choice for outdoor security cameras.
