Today we will be doing a comparison between the Blink XT and the Arlo Pro 2. I have reviewed the Blink XT almost a year ago and it is still running on it’s original batteries and recently I purchased the Arlo Pro 2. I will link the individual reviews of these cameras in the description down below.
For this video, we will be comparing the retail pricing, their features, and video footage and by the end of the video, you will have an idea which security camera will fit your needs. Both of these cameras have their pros and also their cons and we will be checking them out.
First, the pricing…but before that, both of these cameras need a base station or sync module to work. The Blink XT with its sync module retails for $130 dollars and as to have an accurate comparison with the Arlo Pro 2 which Netgear only sells the 2 camera kit as the minimum…the BLink XT 2 pack is $230 for 2 cameras and 1 sync module. The Arlo Pro 2 for their 2 camera kit plus their base station retails for $450 dollars. It is almost twice as much.
The Blink XT records up to a 1080p resolution in the “enhanced mode” which is the same with the Arlo Pro 2. BLink XT has a 110-degree field of view and the Arlo has 130 degrees. Superimposing both camera feeds and you will see the difference between the field of views on both cameras.
Both cameras offer Free Cloud storage and with the Arlo, it will keep videos up to 7 days while the Blink up to 7200 seconds or around 2 hours worth of footage. Depending on how often the camera gets triggered with Blink, in my case, I still have my first video since I set up the camera almost a year ago.
Both cameras will only record when there is motion. These cameras are not recommended to be installed in areas where they will monitor a lot of traffic or movement because the batteries will not last. Now, there is a workaround on this…the Blink XT has a micro USB port on the back where you can plug it in on a USB adapter so that you don’t have to worry about draining your batteries. The Arlo Pro 2 also was designed to have dual power option and it can be plugged in with the included micro USB cable and power adapter. There is also an option on the Arlo for 24/7 continuous recording to the cloud with a paid subscription.
Because the cameras are designed to be battery powered, they use PIR (Passive Infrared Motion Detection) which uses heat to detect motion…just like your sensors in your alarm system at home… It is pretty accurate except that you need to consider the placement of your camera to prevent false alarms….like not positioning where the sun shines on it, avoid pointing it to a heat source like your air conditioning and also the best place is where the motion or subjects to be monitored are going across the camera’s field of view left to right or right to left and not directed straight at the camera. The PIR sensor will usually pick up the motion late when you are going straight towards the camera… Also with this type of sensor, it will not detect when the camera is behind a glass window.
For the Arlo Pro 2 though, when you plug it in and don’t use the battery, it will also use software algorithm to detect motion and will start recording 3 seconds before motion is detected which you will get the footage even before the subject gets in the camera’s view.
As to alert notification, The Blink is programmed to record first then notify you after it finishes recording…so depending on how many seconds you set it up to record…like on mine is usually 10-15 seconds, it will record for that amount of time first then that’s the time the camera will send you an alert…as to the Arlo Pro 2, it has almost instant notification and also the cool off period is pretty short.. so if there is motion, and it persists then you will get more than one notification…
The Blink XT has only 1-way audio…it has a mic on the camera and it will record sounds and conversation but you will not be able to talk to the person on the camera. The Arlo Pro 2, on the other hand, has 2-way audio but since I bought mine, it has an issue with the updated IOS on the iPhone that this feature is not reliable..sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Arlo is working on a fix. One thing I know though that on the Arlo’s recording, it will only record the audio from the camera and not from the other person talking from the phone.
Both cameras are weatherproof so they are suitable for outdoor installations. The Arlo Pro 2 has a water resistance rating of IP65. The BLink doesn’t say it on their site about the rating but the XT was built to be weatherproof.
Both cameras have an operating temperature of -4 degrees to 113 degrees Fahrenheit. Remember guys that battery powered cameras tend to not work in extreme cold weather because the batteries don’t have enough juice to work when it is too cold.
The BLink XT has a night vision up to 20 feet and the Arlo up to 25 feet.
As to batteries, the BLink XT uses 2 double A lithium batteries that as per BLink, it will last up to 2 years and the Arlo Pro 2 comes with a rechargeable battery that can last up to 6 months. As I said earlier, I haven’t replaced the batteries on my Blink XT and it will be 1 year old this coming June.
Ok, now the following sample footage will show mostly how soon the cameras will start recording when it senses motion… Let’s start off with the Arlo Pro 2 – subject moves across left to right…
Then Blink XT…
Back to Arlo Pro 2 towards the camera..
Blink XT which started recording a bit late…
Night Vision with Arlo Pro 2 going towards the camera…Blink XT’s Infrared off.
Then the Blink XT…please note that I tested with the other camera off so that it is only the 1 LED of the Blink XT that illuminates the room.
Then Arlo Pro 2 again this time left to right across the room about 5-7 feet from the camera.
Now, the Blink same thing left to right…I’m surprised to see too much glare from the one LED…also this is the lowest setting on the IR illuminator.
Alright guys, thats it… thanks for watching and I hope you learned a thing or 2 about these 2 cameras…both of them have their positives and negatives. There is a big price point difference between the 2. You can basically buy 4 Blink cameras for the price of 2 Arlo Pro 2 cameras.. but the Arlo has better video quality and I Like how it renders color… pretty vivid…
Blink XT – amzn.to/2HI4ndX
Arlo Pro 2 – amzn.to/2HAreMc