Tapo, a TP-Link brand known for crafting affordable smart home products, has just launched the C120 Indoor/Outdoor Home Security Camera. The Tapo C120 carries a low price of $40, but it’s packed full of sought-after features like 2K video capture, HD night vision, and IP66 weatherproofing.
Tapo designed the C120 to be cheap to purchase and convenient to install anywhere on your property. Along with its affordable price, the camera includes a 9.8-foot power cord to reach far-away outlets. It’s also built with a magnetic base that lets you quickly mount it to metal surfaces. If you can’t find any metal on your property or in your home, you can use the included flexible mount.
Other frugal features include free person, pet, and vehicle detection and support for local storage via a microSD card slot. To gain access to a 30-day video clip history and rich notifications with snapshots, you’ll need to pick up a Tapo Care Premium subscription (which costs 3.49 per month).
The main drawbacks to the camera appear to be its quirky design and wired connection. Corners had to be cut somewhere to get this down to just $40 — and it looks like most were cut when it comes to the camera’s aesthetics. It’s essentially a large circle with a flexible base, and it looks a bit like the iconic Pixar lamp.
And while the wired connection may not be an issue if installed indoors, draping it across your yard or over your roof can be cumbersome.
Looking for more of the best home security cameras? Then check out our roundup that includes products from Arlo, Blink, and Nest.
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