Xiaomi aims to achieve significant progress in two product categories: smartphones and smart homes. With the newest CPUs and improved camera technology, the Redmi Note 13 and Xiaomi 14 series have already shown us what they are capable of. In order to compete with industry titans like Sony, Samsung, Phillips, and others, the company is progressively updating and introducing new products in the smart home space.
With the release of the Xiaomi 360 Home Security Camera 2K, the company hopes to carry on the tradition of its previous security camera launches. The most alluring aspect is the Rs 3,299 price tag, which I and many other urban consumers would find enticing for the added piece of mind. Does it live up to the expectations of users who care about security?
Box content and design
The camera, a power adapter, a charging cable measuring around two meters, a wall mounting kit, and an instruction booklet are all included in the package with the Xiaomi 360 Home Security Camera 2K. The micro-USB port on the dome-style security camera feels out of place given that Xiaomi is rapidly switching to Type-C ports for charging, including in its trimmers. There isn’t a need to buy anything extra because the box comes with a Type-A to micro-USB cable and charger. Similar to the majority of brands, Xiaomi has abandoned the in-box microSD card for on-device storage, however this wasn’t always the case until a few years ago.
The camera is rather simple to set up using a typical 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band. There are more settings available on the app, which I will go over in a separate section.
The Xiaomi 360 Home Security Camera 2K comes in white, just like the majority of Xiaomi security cameras. Although the security camera market also uses this color option as normal, it doesn’t hurt to desire for brighter patterns and hues. Technically speaking, the Xiaomi security camera is shaped like an hourglass, although it has a dome-style design. The key features of this design are the rotating top and strong foundation.
The microSD card slot is slyly hidden next to the camera lens, yet the micro-USB charging connector is on the back. Push the lens up to uncover the cutout and gain access to the slot. This well-considered design decision gives the camera a polished, modern appearance. The speaker and microphone mesh on the back of the device enhances the overall design.
The Xiaomi 360 Home Security Camera 2K provides 360-degree coverage, as the name would imply. With its dual-axis pan, tilt, and zoom motor, you can tilt the camera up to 180 degrees and pan it 360 degrees. You can prevent any blind spots in this manner. There were no lags when using the motor.
Video quality, setup, and storage
The majority of security camera purchasers consistently notice three things:
- Organize
- video quality, particularly in dimly lit environments
- Storage
Let us address each issue one by one.
It relies on whether you have a separate 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band and a nearby power outlet, since I’ve already discussed the setup. Service providers frequently save the former as Wi-Fi Name (4G) and Wi-Fi Name (5G). To set up, you need to connect your smartphone to the 4G network. It can be challenging to choose the ideal site. An electrician must connect the security camera with an additional cable if you believe its location is ideal but there isn’t a nearby power supply. My understanding is that the entire procedure shouldn’t cost more than 500 rupees.
Notably, the Xiaomi 360 Home Security Camera 2K uses very little power (5V 2A) and won’t significantly increase your monthly electricity costs.
This comes up the subject of storage, for which Xiaomi offers three options. Up to 256GB of microSD card storage is available for local storage. Direct file transfers from the camera to your computer are possible using Network Attached Storage (NAS), albeit there may be some complexity in the process.
The Xiaomi 360 Home Security Camera 2K with microSD card storage was the main gadget I utilized, and it functioned well. With a 16GB microSD card, the camera captured film for two days. If, like me, you’re using a card with limited storage space, you can choose the quality (auto, 360, or 2K) to preserve memory.
Using the Mi Home app to access these files was just as simple. You have the option to record videos on your smartphone independently, view them remotely, and take screenshots.
AI capabilities, such as motion detection
There are some additional capabilities for a “smarter” home solution, even though the Xiaomi 360 Home Security Camera 2K is incredibly dependable when it comes to the essentials.
Motion detection supported by AI is hit-or-miss on the camera. Most of the time, even tiny motions are reliably detected by the Xiaomi 360 Home Security Camera 2K. Regretfully, there isn’t a solution to reduce motion detection.
Additional features include support for Google Assistant and Alexa, sleep mode, automated security, and fluid app management (iOS and Android). There’s a PC version as well, but accessing the camera requires distinct IDs. The desktop software oddly has some Mandarin-language content, which could confuse a lot of people.
Verdict
The Xiaomi 360 Home Security Camera 2K is evidence that the company is capable of producing dependable (and reasonably priced) smart home appliances. Its most recent security camera is another evidence of the brand’s ability to develop and take on major competitors like TP-Link, Phillips, and others.
The Xiaomi 360 Home Security Camera 2K may not provide anything novel or particularly unique, but it does a great job at the fundamentals. Even non-techies will find the Xiaomi 360 Home Security Camera 2K to be quite easy to use, whether it comes to setup, video quality, or storage. Please be aware that it works best indoors; for outside use, you might want to look for a different camera. The Zunpulse Smart Camera (Rs 3,499) that I’ve been using is built “weather-proof” and functions perfectly.
Having said that, Xiaomi needs to investigate enhancing the desktop application with improved UI and controls. Developing trust is the more difficult task here rather than the brand. Improved collaborations for the installation of its security cameras in new construction might potentially increase its appeal in the smart home market. The Xiaomi 360 Home Security Camera 2K is a very affordable option when considering each model separately.
