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Aqara Digicam Hub G350: two-minute evaluation
Owned by Shenzhen’s Lumi United Know-how, and backed by Chinese language cell phone/EV big Xiaomi, Aqara gives a variety of AI-driven automation merchandise together with sensors, cameras and controllers. I’ve beforehand reviewed the Aqara G100, a flexible indoor/outside safety digicam which I used to be very impressed with. Nonetheless, I used to be much less impressed with the corporate’s battery-powered video doorbell, the Aqara G410 Doorbell Digicam Hub, which not solely seems huge and clunky however isn’t waterproof — certainly a failing for any doorbell digicam?
The Aqara Digicam Hub G350 underneath evaluation right here may be very totally different. Completed in white, it’s — not like the corporate’s doorbell digicam — very properly designed. Although the detachable bunny ears is probably not everybody’s concept of nice design, it’s not less than good enjoyable and does really feel like a chunk of tech you wouldn’t be ashamed to placed on a bookshelf or fire. Nonetheless, it’s far more than a reasonably face. It’s additionally a heck of a strong and versatile house safety digicam.
In contrast to most indoor cameras, the G350 encompasses a motorized base which supplies a 360-degree subject of view with zero blind spots. That is paired with a twin lens setup that means that you can observe a topic (human or animal) utilizing the wide-angle lens or zoom in to an space of element utilizing the telephoto lens. A 9x hybrid zoom is offered which actually does help you get shut as much as your topic with affordable image high quality.
Like all safety cameras as of late, setup requires downloading an app (the Aqara House app) and scanning a QR code from the again of the machine. Nonetheless, slightly confusingly, this digicam options three QR codes — two on the again for establishing the digicam with the app and with third celebration Matter gadgets (it helps Matter 1.5) and one on the bottom for Apple HomeKit Safe Video. Whereas you should use the Matter QR code for connecting to Apple gadgets, it should presently solely join as a bridge slightly than a digicam.
Importantly, in case you are utilizing Apple HomeKit Safe Video to manage the Aqara digicam through your iCloud subscription you’ll solely be capable to view footage with a most decision of 1080p. Additionally, you will not be capable to entry lots of the digicam’s options together with its pan and tilt choices. As an alternative, in order for you full performance you will want to make use of the far more superior Aqara app as a substitute.
Like many safety gadgets as of late, the Aqara G350 is packed stuffed with AI options. This contains refined on-device detection that may establish various kinds of movement, from people and pets to particular hand gestures for house automation. Notably spectacular is the AI sound detection, which might acknowledge and provide you with a warning to particular audio occasions reminiscent of a child crying or a canine barking. This makes it a perfect selection for fogeys and pet homeowners who need extra nuanced alerts slightly than generic ‘noise detected’ pings.
Whereas Aqara supplies a month-to-month subscription choice for storing video clips for as much as 90 days and a few superior AI performance (together with AI video search — see beneath), the excellent news is you don’t must pay a price to make use of a lot of the machine’s options, as you do with some producers. As an alternative, you’ll be able to retailer video clips on a MicroSD card of as much as 512GB (not offered) and nonetheless use a lot of the product’s intensive characteristic listing. For these nervous about storing movies of family members within the cloud for cybersecurity causes, investing in a MicroSD card will not be solely a less expensive choice however a probably safer one too.
Aqara Digicam Hub G350: subscription choices
HomeGuardian One: £3.99 (about $5.40 / AU$7.60) per 30 days, or £39.99 (about $54 / AU$76) per 12 months for a single machine. Contains: 90 days of video occasion historical past, individual, animal, car, package deal, and hearth detection.
HomeGuardian Limitless: £7.99 (about $11 / AU$15) per 30 days, or £79.99 (about $110 / AU$150) per 12 months. Identical as above but additionally contains Premium AI Occasion Detection together with AI Video Abstract (one sentence abstract of movies) and AI Video Search (enter key phrases to go looking video). Assist for limitless cameras in a single house.
Aqara Digicam Hub G350: value and availability
- How a lot does it price? $139.99 / £139.99 / AU$249
- When is it accessible? Since March 2026
Usually, safety cameras aren’t costly to purchase. For instance, EZVIZ now gives a 4K indoor digicam with pan and tilt for underneath £50 (about $67 / AU$95) on Amazon within the UK, so £139 (about $190 / AU$270) does appear barely expensive at first look.
Nonetheless, one key distinction is that the Aqara gives a twin lens system, full with 133° wide-angle lens and 43-degree telephoto lens for zooming in to areas of element. One other is that it’s greater than only a digicam. It’s actually a central hub in your sensible house, supporting Matter 1.5, Zigbee 3.0 and Thread codecs. It additionally works with all the main sensible house ecosystems together with Apple House, Alexa, Google House and Samsung SmartThings. This makes it a very versatile piece of equipment.
Whereas this degree of integration may not be important for everybody, for these constructing a sensible house system comprising totally different parts reminiscent of window locks, lighting, switching and sensible locks this can be very helpful.
Aqara Digicam Hub G350: design
- Solidly constructed
- Playful design with detachable bunny ears
- Might be mounted on the ceiling (with extra {hardware})
When fascinated about this digicam’s design, it’s tough to miss the distinctive bunny costume (the ears of that are greater than these of its predecessor, the Aqara Digicam Hub G3). But focusing extensively on its detachable plastic cowl is to do the Aqara Digicam Hub G350 a serious disservice because it’s really a really well-designed digicam certainly.
Not solely does it look good (with or with out bunny ears) for putting in your house, it’s additionally solidly constructed. One characteristic I like is the privateness mode which bodily strikes the twin lenses, which appear like open eyes, to the again of the machine’s ‘head’. These are changed with two sleeping eyes with the MicroSD card slot forming a mouth beneath. Once more, it’s a little bit of enjoyable however it clearly exhibits the digicam is asleep (privateness mode may be scheduled for sure hours of the day — for instance when you understand plenty of members of the family are going to be within the room).
A small button on the entrance is often illuminated blue throughout operation, however turns purple to point it’s recording whereas subsequent to the 2 lenses is a microphone for two-way communication (a speaker may be discovered on the digicam’s rear). A USB-C port may be discovered on the bottom, and a USB-C to USB-C cable is offered, however you will want a USB-C plug except you employ a unique cable.
Lastly, for these seeking to mount the digicam on a wall or ceiling, the digicam options an ordinary ‘tripod-style’ threaded screw gap on the bottom. Nonetheless, the precise bracket and mounting {hardware} (wall plugs and so forth) are bought individually for non-bookshelf set up.
Aqara Digicam Hub G350: efficiency
- 4K picture high quality
- Overly advanced menus
- Very helpful
It’s actually with regards to efficiency that the Aqara justifies its higher-than-average price ticket. Throughout testing I used the digicam in my house workplace, the place I wrote most of this evaluation, and within the kitchen/eating room the place my canine Poppy was recovering from a severe operation.
The flexibility to trace her each transfer routinely utilizing the pan-and-tilt motor was invaluable. I might simply verify that she wasn’t getting her stitches caught within the furnishings, even when she wandered out the preliminary subject of view. What’s extra, utilizing my telephone to attract a field on the display screen, I used to be capable of zoom in on areas of the body I needed to focus extra clearly on.
Picture 1 of 4
Fortunately, the 360-degree rotation is sort of silent, which isn’t a lot of a difficulty when monitoring my canine, however may very well be in case you are utilizing the digicam as a child monitor and also you don’t need to wake a sleeping youngster.
Whereas many producers now put their most superior options behind a subscription paywall, the overwhelming majority of these on the Aqara G350 are free — not less than for now. For instance, you’ll be able to arrange the machine to get alerts if it hears a child crying or canine barking, or in order for you it to tell apart between various kinds of movement reminiscent of an individual or a pet. It’s even doable so as to add faces to the machine’s face administration system in order that it acknowledges sure folks.
Picture 1 of 3
Nonetheless, you’ll have to pay a subscription price in order for you extra superior AI performance reminiscent of AI Video Abstract that gives a one sentence abstract of movies and AI Video Search that permits the machine to seek out sure clips — for instance somebody sporting a purple T-shirt or with blond hair.
Lastly, whereas I largely used the Aqara app to view pictures in gorgeous 4K high quality and navigate tons of of various menu choices (together with the power to vary the appear and feel of onscreen menus) I additionally linked the digicam as much as Apple HomeKit Safe Video. Right here picture high quality was restricted to the a lot decrease 1080p and I wasn’t in a position to make use of the pan-and-tilt or zoom options that are actually helpful.
Nonetheless, it was doable to avoid wasting and document footage utilizing my iCloud+ subscription slightly than utilizing a MicroSD or subscribing to Aqara’s House Guardian service.
Must you purchase the Aqara Digicam Hub G350?
Attribute | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Worth | Dearer than a lot of its counterparts since you are paying for the machine’s spectacular dual-lens system and compatibility with numerous sensible house ecosystems | 3.5/5 |
Design | Rather more than a digicam in a bunny costume, the Aqara 350 is a solidly constructed unit which wouldn’t look misplaced in any smart-looking sensible house | 5/5 |
Efficiency | The Aqara Digicam Hub supplies top quality pictures from its 4K large angle and a couple of.5K telephoto lenses, in addition to providing a wealth of helpful AI options. | 4.5/5 |
Total | A flexible 360-degree digicam that can be utilized both alone, or as a hub forming a part of an entire sensible house system. Combines nice 4K efficiency with placing seems and superior AI performance. | 4.5/5 |
Purchase it if
Do not buy it if
Aqara Digicam Hub G350: additionally take into account
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Aqara Digicam Hub G350 | Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Digicam | Blink Mini 2K+ | Eufy 4K S330 safety digicam | MP |
Subscription value | From £3.99 a month | From £4.99 a month | From £2.50 a month | None | Row 1 – Cell 5 |
Viewing angle | 360° pan | 360° pan | 138° horizontal | 360° pan | Row 2 – Cell 5 |
Community connection | Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5Hz) | Wi-Fi (2.4GHz) | Wi-Fi (2.4GHz) | Wi-Fi/4G | Row 3 – Cell 5 |
Audio | Two-way audio | Two-way audio | Two-way audio | Two-way audio | Row 4 – Cell 5 |
Video | 3840 x 2160 (large angle lens), 2560 x 14440 (telephoto) | 1080p | 2K video decision (2560 x 1440 pixels) | 4K video decision | Row 5 – Cell 5 |
Energy | Mains | Mains | Mains | Battery, photo voltaic | Row 6 – Cell 5 |
{Hardware} value | £139 | £35 | £39 | £189 (with photo voltaic panel) | Row 7 – Cell 5 |
In the event you’re undecided whether or not the Aqara Digicam Hub G350 is best for you, listed here are two different choices to consider.
How I examined the Aqara Digicam Hub G350
- I used the digicam indoors in two areas
- I put in it myself
- The digicam was linked to the Aqara app and Apple House
Initially, I set the Aqara up in my workplace to get a really feel for the way it labored and how one can use the pan and tilt performance to concentrate on sure elements of the room. Nonetheless, it quickly grew to become obvious that this digicam actually thrives in a busy atmosphere the place you’ll be able to actually put the movement monitoring to the take a look at.
So, I put it within the kitchen the place it might observe different members of the family in addition to my canine who was recovering from an operation. This maybe wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped because it required reinstalling to function on a unique Wi-Fi community, however that didn’t take too lengthy.
After some time, different members of the family started to seek out the digicam somewhat ‘huge brother-y’ in the way in which it tracks you with its eyes as you progress throughout the room (although it’s exceptionally quiet). Nonetheless, it was extremely efficient at monitoring the canine whereas everybody else was out throughout the day and I positioned it in privateness mode throughout the night when everybody was house.
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