The Wyze Cam V3 represents the third generation of the company’s line of affordable home security cameras, and as is the case with previous models, it offers a wealth of features at an incredibly low $19.99 price. In addition to sharp 1080p video, free cloud storage, local storage, and compatibility with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands, this new version brings support for IFTTT, color night vision, intelligent motion detection, a faster frame rate, and more. It’s an exceptional camera for monitoring the inside or outside of your home, and the fact that it costs just $20 makes it easy to recommend as our new Editors’ Choice award winner for affordable security cams.
More Features Than Ever
The Wyze Cam V3 looks similar to the Wyze Cam V2, but there are subtle differences. It sports a square black camera face as opposed to the round face found on the V2 camera, and it has rounded edges as opposed to the V2’s sharp corners. Additionally, the V3 has an IP65 weatherproof rating, which makes it suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
The cube-shaped V3 measures 2.2 by 2.0 by 2.0 inches (HWD) and sits atop a square base with a hinge that adds an extra 1.2 inches to the total height when fully extended. The hinge gives you 180 degrees of vertical movement, and uses a swivel mechanism for 360 degrees of horizontal maneuverability.
The front of the camera holds the lens, a microphone, and an LED indicator. The LED glows solid blue when everything is connected and working properly, and flashes red and blue during the setup process. There’s a speaker located at back of the camera, along with a hardwired USB power cable, and the bottom holds a micro SD card slot and a reset button, both of which are protected by rubber covers.
Included in the box are the camera, a 6-foot USB extension power cable, a USB power adapter, a wall mounting plate, mounting screws, and a quick start guide.
The Wyze Cam V3 boasts several performance upgrades over the V2. It uses a Starlight sensor that enables color night vision, and it delivers 1080p video at 20fps with a 130-degree field of view. In comparison, the V2 offers black-and-white night vision, captures video at 15fps, and has a 110-degree field of view. Additionally, the V3 has a built-in 80dB siren and can be used with the Wyze Spotlight Kit ($9.99), which attaches to the top of the camera and is triggered when the camera detects motion.
When the V3 detects motion or sound, it will record a 12-second clip and store it in the cloud for free for 14 days, but there’s a 5-minute cooldown period between events in which the camera will not record. However, if you install a 32GB microSD card (not included), you can enable 24-hour continuous recording that allows you to view images in a time-lapse mode.
The camera also supports person detection, and will soon support vehicle, package, and animal detection, but you’ll need a Wyze Cam Plus subscription to access these features. For $1.25 per month, Cam Plus gives you the above-mentioned intelligent motion detection features as a 14-day history of full-length video for as long as the motion lasts, with no cooldown period.
Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands are supported, but Apple HomeKit integration isn’t. However, the V3 does work with IFTTT applets that allow it to integrate with third-party smart home devices. You can also create rules to have the camera integrate with other Wyze devices such as smart light bulbs, motion sensors, and door locks.
The V3 camera uses the same mobile app (for Android and iOS) as all other Wyze devices. The home screen contains panels for all of your installed Wyze products. The V3 panel contains a still image of the camera’s view and an on/off button. Tap the panel to launch a live stream that can be viewed in full-screen mode by turning your phone sideways.
There are five buttons below the video panel. The Sound button mutes and un-mutes the sound, and the Record button lets you manually record video. The Speak button initiates two-way talk, while the Photo button takes a still image of the current view. Tapping the the More button opens a panel below the video screen with buttons to enable Motion Tagging, which places a box around whatever is triggering the motion sensor; enable the siren; view Timeline video; view video and photos in your album; and turn the camera off.
Tap the gear icon in the upper right corner to access the Settings screen, where you can enable/disable motion and sound recording, configure notifications, adjust motion and sound detection sensitivity levels, configure night vision settings, and enable recording to an SD card. Here you can also enable settings that will have the camera begin recording and send a push alert when it detects the sound of a smoke or CO alarm. Use the Schedules and Automations settings to create rules to have the camera interact with other Wyze devices and to create notification schedules.
Excellent Performance
As with other Wyze devices, the V3 camera is easy to install. Simply download the mobile app, create an account, and tap the plus icon in the upper left corner of the home screen. Tap Add Device, then tap Cameras and select the Wyze Cam V3 from the list.
Follow the on-screen instructions to plug the camera into a power outlet and confirm when the LED is flashing red. Tap Next, press the Setup button on the bottom of the camera, and when you hear “ready to connect,” tap Next again in the app. Select your Wi-Fi network, enter the password, scan the QR code on your phone’s screen with the Wyze Cam, and wait until you hear “QR code scanned.” At this point the camera will be added to your network and to your Alexa device list. Give the camera a name and you’re ready to go.
The V3 performed well in testing. Daytime color quality is excellent, and 1080p video appears sharp and distortion-free. The color night vision feature also works well, but as we’ve seen with other cameras, colors aren’t quite as vibrant as what you get during the daylight hours or when a room is brightly illuminated.
Sound and motion detection work as intended, but you’ll want to lower the sensitivity levels on both to avoid alerts from background noise and motion from small pets. Alerts arrive immediately when triggered, and recorded video is just as sharp as it is live. The camera does a great job of identifying human motion, and had no problem responding to Alexa voice commands to stream video to an Amazon Echo Show. My automation to have the camera illuminate a Wyze Bulb when motion was detected also worked without a hitch.
Two-way audio is adequately loud and clean, and the built-in siren is loud enough to be heard throughout my house.
Hard to Beat
The Wyze Cam V3 is one of the most feature-rich home security cameras you can buy, even if you’re willing to spend more money. It not only delivers high-quality 1080p video, it also offers color night vision, local and cloud storage, intelligent motion and sound detection, and voice control. It integrates seamlessly with other Wyze devices such as door locks, smart bulbs, and sensors, and it supports IFTTT applets that allow it to work with numerous third-party devices. Sure, it isn’t as sharp as the Arlo Pro 3, which offers 2K resolution, but the Arlo costs $200 and requires a separate hub. If you want or need 2K video, the $51.99 Eufy Indoor Cam 2K is our top affordable pick, but it doesn’t support IFTTT or work outside. For $20, you simply can’t buy a better security camera than the Wyze Cam V3, earning it our Editors’ Choice award.
