Aqara Doorbell Digital camera Hub G410 evaluate: Yep, it does that too

Greatest Costs As we speak: Aqara Doorbell Digital camera Hub G410

Describing the Aqara Doorbell Digital camera Hub G410 as simply one other video doorbell is like dismissing the quirky VW ID. Buzz as a run-of-the-mill minivan.

Certain, it would keep watch over your entrance porch, however it may well additionally management all of the different sensible units in your house, due to the presence of Bluetooth, Thread, dual-band Wi-Fi, and Zigbee radios; Matter assist; compatibility with Amazon Alexa, Google Dwelling, Samsung SmartThings, IFTTT, and Apple’s HomeKit Safe Video; and a 24/7 recording choice with RTSP assist for hardcore customers.

One caveat: Its Zigbee assist is proscribed to Aqara’s personal Zigbee units.

It’s nonetheless an enormous step up from the Aqara Good Video Doorbell G4 that TechHive reviewed within the spring of 2024, addressing practically each criticism leveled at that earlier product. And like that unit, this one comes with a distant AC-powered chime with native storage for the doorbell’s video clips, offered by a microSD card slot (card capacities as much as 512GB are supported, however you’ll want to supply one). The chime can get fairly loud: as much as 95dB.

Aqara correctly carried over that earlier doorbell digicam’s facial recognition characteristic, whereas boosting its video decision from 1080p to 2K (2048 x 1536 pixels) and including millimeter wave (mmWave) movement detection. All that mentioned, Aqara did make one vital change that can disappoint some patrons; one which may even stop a couple of G4 house owners from contemplating an improve. Extra on that in a bit.

Design, sturdiness, and climate resistance

Aqara

The commercial design of Aqara Doorbell Digital camera Hub G410 very carefully resembles that of the sooner G4 mannequin, measuring 5.57 × 2.56 × 1.2 inches (HxWxD). It’s accessible in black or grey, each accessible on Amazon, however there’s additionally a Choose mannequin that’s accessible in black or white. It’s unclear if the Choose mannequin has any extra options past a three-month HomeGuardian trial, in comparison with the 1-month provide that comes with the bottom mannequin.

Just like the G4, the G410 is rated IPX3 for cover from the weather. In line with our IP code information, which means Aqara makes no claims for cover in opposition to particulate matter ingress, however that the digicam is protected in opposition to water sprayed at as much as a 60-degree angle on both facet of vertical. On condition that delicate IP code, I’d suggest putting in this doorbell below an eave or awning and never subjecting it to extraordinarily moist climates.

Set up and setup

It took me lower than quarter-hour to arrange the Aqara G410, from unboxing to completion. The distant chime I discussed earlier doubles as a Matter-certified sensible house hub (it’s a Matter bridge and controller and a Thread border router). It bears repeating, nevertheless, that its Zigbee radio can solely management Aqara’s personal Zigbee merchandise. However earlier than you get to any of that, you’ll have to cost the doorbell’s battery by plugging the offered USB-C to USB-A cable right into a AC adapter (one that you simply’ll want to supply).

I’d beforehand put in the Aqara telephone app throughout testing of the wonderful Digital camera Hub G3, and that app controls setup for the G410 as nicely. There’s not a lot in the way in which of printed directions, however as soon as the app acknowledges the G410, the in-app instructions are clear, and it was straightforward to attach the doorbell to my Wi-Fi community.

James Barber/Foundry

The G410 can function on battery energy, however it may well additionally reap the benefits of hardwired energy (from a 12V-24V AC or DC transformer) if you happen to’re changing an present wired doorbell, or if you wish to pull wire to a newly put in transformer. Your present chime, nevertheless, won’t work with the brand new doorbell.

Practically each video doorbell I’ve examined has been too huge to slot in the slim hole between my house’s doorframe and brick façade, so I opted for a wi-fi set up. I put in six AA batteries into the unit and caught it to the wall subsequent to my entrance door, utilizing the angled shim to present a greater view of somebody standing on my porch.

Whereas I’m positive the doorbell’s adhesive choice would work nicely on glass or tile, or wooden, fiber-cement, vinyl, or comparable sorts of siding, it’s not acceptable for brick. I needed to reattach the unit with some industrial power mounting tape after every week as a result of doorbell’s adhesive failed and it fell off the wall. That’s not meant as criticism of the G410, it’s simply an advisory to anybody who desires to put in the doorbell on masonry: Be ready for the messy process of drilling holes and hammering lead anchors into them.

I put in Aqara’s hub/chime unit in my kitchen, about 20 yards from the doorbell, which is way additional than Aqara’s suggestion of a distance lower than 5 meters (about 16 toes). Aqara additionally recommends the chime be no additional than 20 meters (about 66 toes) out of your Wi-Fi router. Once I first put in the doorbell and chime, I acquired a weak sign warning within the app. After I moved a classic steel stand mixer within the kitchen out of the road of sight between the doorbell and chime, nevertheless, the sign power jumped to 5 bars out of six.

Sharper, smarter, and taller video

James Barber/Foundry

As I’ve already talked about, the G410’s digicam is a big improve over the one within the earlier G4. Along with boosting its decision from 1080p to 2K, the brand new digicam additionally has a taller side ratio (4:3 vs. 16:9), which captures guests from head to toe, together with any packages left on the porch close to your door—offered you put in the digicam in the suitable place.

Once I first examined the unit with the ringer button on the identical peak as the house’s unique doorbell, I couldn’t see something on the bottom. I acquired a lot better outcomes after decreasing it by a couple of inches. Exceptionally tall guests might want to bend barely to ring the bell at that peak, however that shouldn’t be a serious inconvenience for them.

The video high quality is strikingly improved, particularly in daylight. Its 176-degree diagonal subject of view and f/1.8 aperture lens ship a crisp, vibrant picture, with higher dynamic vary. It’s nonetheless not HDR, nevertheless it’s greater than adequate for its process.

In low gentle, the development over the G4 is much less dramatic however nonetheless noticeable, with much less murkiness and extra element round faces. The outcomes are greater than satisfactory for recognizing guests and monitoring deliveries.

Vastly improved movement detection

James Barber/Foundry

Aqara added a millimeter-wave (mmWave) presence sensor, a considerable improve from the G4’s PIR (passive infrared) movement sensor, which may miss individuals who stood nonetheless. Shadows and pets may additionally set off that sensor. In contrast to PIR, mmWave know-how can detect a human presence primarily based on micro-movements, even when somebody is standing quietly in your porch.

This characteristic drastically decreased false positives whereas making notifications sooner and extra related. Passing automobiles and sidewalk pedestrians don’t set off irrelevant alerts on my iPhone or Apple Watch, one thing that has been an ongoing subject with my Ring Doorbell Professional.

Movement-triggered recordings are nonetheless restricted to 12 seconds if you use the free cloud storage plan or native microSD storage. If you would like longer clips, you have to use Apple’s HomeKit Safe Video or arrange 24/7 native recording, though the latter requires you to hardwire the doorbell to an influence supply.

On a optimistic notice, Aqara has made the triggers a lot smarter. On-device facial recognition can now tie instantly into automations, not solely in Aqara’s app however throughout Matter-compatible ecosystems, together with Dwelling Assistant. You may set off a suitable sensible deadbolt in your door to unlock when the digicam acknowledges a member of the family, as an illustration. It’s also possible to program the doorbell to show in your sensible porch gentle when anybody approaches the door at evening. Aqara permits you to rework alerts into actions.

An entire Matter hub

Aqara’s most transformative change is invisible. The G410 is now a full-fledged sensible house hub, with a built-in Matter bridge and controller, Zigbee hub (as soon as once more, one which’s restricted to Aqara’s personal Zigbee units), a Thread border router, and a dual-band Wi-Fi adapter. Which means the G410 can do way more than simply present you who’s on the door, it may be your sensible house’s mind.

RTSP and HomeKit Safe Video assist

James Barber/Foundry

Apple customers shall be to know that the Aqara Doorbell Digital camera Hub G410 helps Apple’s HomeKit Safe Video (HKSV), which shops encrypted safety digicam recordings of their iCloud accounts. Bear in mind, nevertheless, that this requires a paid iCloud subscription with at the very least 50GB of storage (you’ll want a plan that gives 200GB for as much as 5 cameras, and 2TB for a vast variety of cameras).

Additionally, the decision of video recordings saved in your iCloud shall be restricted to 1200p (a considerably curious declare, as all of the accessible info on HKSV that I can discover signifies Apple limits such video decision to 1080p).

Michael Brown/Foundry

Regardless of the case could also be, different hardcore house surveillance system followers shall be focused on figuring out that the digicam hub additionally helps RTSP (Actual-Time Streaming Protocol). That offers you the flexibility to retailer its video recordings—together with 24/7 recording—on a networked video recorder (NVR), a network-attached storage system (NAS), or with third-party sensible house platforms corresponding to Blue Iris and Dwelling Assistant.

Whereas RTSP itself doesn’t impose a decision restrict, your community limitations may impose a sensible restrict. And on this case, utilizing RTSP depends upon the doorbell digicam’s being hardwired to an influence supply. The characteristic isn’t accessible when it’s working on battery energy. Talking of battery energy, Aqara says the G410 ought to run on battery energy for as much as 5 months, primarily based on 10 activations per day. Extra frequent guests and/or inclement climate will cut back that point. For me, the battery stage as reported by the app nonetheless reads one hundred pc after a number of weeks of use.

Extra cloud choices, and the return of the subscription

Lastly, right here’s the caveat I discussed earlier which may stop Aqara G4 Good Wi-fi Video Doorbell house owners from upgrading: The G410 doesn’t embrace the G4’s provide of a rolling seven days of video storage in Aqara’s cloud free of charge.

What you get as a substitute is one day of rolling storage for six months, except you join Aqara’s HomeGuardian subscription service to rise up to 90 days of encrypted storage within the cloud. That subscription prices $5/month ($50/12 months) for a single Aqara digicam, and $10/month ($100/12 months) for a vast variety of Aqara cameras. It’s a notable shift, nevertheless it’s one which’s in step with what a lot of the competitors is doing.

Must you purchase the Aqara Doorbell Digital camera Hub G410?

With its Doorbell Digital camera Hub G410, Aqara delivers virtually all the pieces Aqara Good Video Doorbell G4 customers have been asking for: Sharper video, smarter presence detection, and higher integration with different platforms, together with Matter.

Add in all the brand new sensible house options, HomeKit Safe Video and RTSP assist, and you’ve got a straightforward TechHive Editors’ Selection winner. That mentioned, the G410 isn’t excellent. Its inventory video clips are quick, its weatherization options go away a bit to be desired, and Aqara has moved away from its provide of seven days of free cloud storage to nudge you towards paying for a subscription.

However if you happen to’re searching for a doorbell that may additionally function a hub to your total sensible house, it deserves critical consideration.

This evaluate is a part of TechHive’s in-depth protection of the very best video doorbells.