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The Blink Mini 2 features an updated design, support for outdoor use

The Blink Mini 2 placed on two books.
Amazon

The original Blink Mini was one of the best indoor cameras thanks to its affordable price, 1080p resolution, and support for Alexa. Now, Amazon is making the gadget even more enticing with the new Blink Mini 2, which boasts a sleek new design and is capable of working both indoors and outside in the elements.

While it’s still small and compact, the Blink Mini 2 looks slightly different from the old Blink Mini. Its corners are much softer, its entire chassis is white (instead of a white chassis and black faceplate), and its camera takes up a bit more space on the front of the device. The differences are apparent when the two gadgets are placed side by side — and the minor changes add up to make the Blink Mini 2 look a bit more premium than its older sibling.

Beyond looks, the Blink Mini 2 has picked up some great new skills. The most notable is support for outdoor use, though you’ll need to purchase the Blink Weather Resistant Power Adapter (which is sold separately and starts at $10).  Thanks to a new chipset that powers smart notifications, it also supports Person Detection. Toss in color night vision with a built-in spotlight, the ability to use it as a chime for your Blink Video Doorbell, two-way audio, and 1080p footage capture, and it’s a well-equipped security camera.

Best of all, it’s still incredibly cheap. The Blink Mini 2 costs $40 ($50 when bundled with the Blink Weather Resistant Power Adapter).

You’ll need to sign up for a Blink Subscription Plan to access most of these features, but that’s standard practice nowadays for most security cameras. Plans start at $3 per month for a single camera. Without a plan, you’ll be limited to motion alerts and five minutes of live-view streaming.

The Blink Mini 2 is now available at Amazon. Also be sure to check out our roundup of the best security cameras of 2024, as there are plenty of other great options to consider.

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Jon Bitner
Jon Bitner is a writer covering consumer electronics, technology, and gaming. His work has been published on various websites…
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