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I have been a big fan of the Eufy security cameras and doorbells ever since I reviewed the eufyCam E back in early 2019. Then the Eufy Doorbell and eufyCam 2C have been two of my main recommendations in recent years for a doorbell and battery camera.
I always attributed the excellent battery life of the eufyCam series to the use of a home base, but now Eufy has launched the SoloCam range, which connects via WiFi and requires no home base at all. They claim up to 4-month of battery with the E40, so you don’t lose much compared to the 2C.
However, is the overall performance as good?
Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
---|---|---|---|---|
eufy Security SoloCam E40 Security Camera Outdoor Wireless,... | £79.00 | Buy on Amazon |
SoloCam S40 vs SoloCam L20 vs SoloCam E40 vs SoloCam E20 Specification
SoloCam S40 | SoloCam L20 | SoloCam E40 | SoloCam E20 | |
MSRP | $199.99 / £199 | $149.99 / £149.99 | $129.99 / £120 | $99.99 / £99.99 |
Resolution | 2K | 1080p | 2K | 1080p |
Night Vision | Color Night Vision | Color Night Vision | Infrared Night Vision | Infrared Night Vision |
Spotlight Brightness (Adjustable) | 600 lumens | 600 lumens | / | / |
Colour Temperature (Adjustable) | 4000K—6000K | 4000K—6000K | / | / |
Battery Life | Solar Power and Built-In Battery Combine for Near-Endless Power | 4 Months | 4 Months | 4 Months |
Local Storage | 8GB emmc, 2 Months of Storage | 8GB emmc, 2 Months of Storage | 8GB emmc, 2 Months of Storage | 8GB emmc, 2 Months of Storage |
Two-Way Audio | √ | √ | √ | √ |
AI Person Detection | √ | √ | √ | √ |
Voice Assistant | Alexa & Google Home Assistant | Alexa & Google Home Assistant | Alexa & Google Home Assistant | Alexa & Google Home Assistant |
Weatherproof | IP67 | IP67 | IP65 | IP65 |
The E40 sits in the middle of the SoloCam range, you get better resolution than the L20, but you miss out on the spotlight and colour night vision.
The SoloCam S40 is perhaps the most interesting camera of the range, 2K with a spotlight and colour night vision, all while being battery powered. It extends the battery via a built-in solar panel. Though I doubt it will extend the battery massively in the UK in winter.
Set-Up / Installation
Set up is pretty much standard for most devices like this. Your phone will need to be connected to a 2.4Ghz WiFi network. You then provide the WiFi password and show a QR code to the camera. Everything was set up within a minute or so.
For WiFi, I have an access point which is located in the downstairs room from where the SoloCam E40 and it states I have a great WiFi connection. It, therefore, picks up WiFi much easier than my Ring Doorbell. However, depending on your WiFi set-up, it is possible you could get a better range with the eufyCam which use a base station.
During the set up you will be asked about your prefered power option. The optimal battery option will limit the clip lengths to 20 seconds while optimal surveillance goes up to 60 seconds. For this review, I opted for the best surveillance to make sure I captured some decent footage for the samples.
The physical mount is the same as most battery cameras, so for me, I reused the mount for the Eufy 2C that was on the front of my house.
Performance – Night and day time recordings
In hindsight, the location of this camera is sub optimate for surveillance. It is too high up to be able to capture much-identifying footage about anyone entering my property.
Similarly, when someone comes through the gate, they quickly pass through the surveillance area, which means my clips tend to be quite short. It’s not a major issue for me, as I have numerous other cameras surveilling further down the path. It does mean the sample footage is a bit short, though.
Apart from my placement, the quality of the footage is good enough.
Motion Detection
Motion detection appears to be excellent. I have it set to human only with the default sensitivity, and there are no scenarios I am aware of where it has missed someone.
Human detection may have become the norm now, but it is still amazing how much a difference it makes compared to the old-style motion detection, which would constantly trigger with trees, shadows, rain and pretty much anything.
You can optimise the detection, both with motion zones and also sensitivity. You can also optionally set it to all motion. In this scenario, it will only detect humans during the day but all motion at night.
Oddly there is no option for vehicles, whereas competing brands such as Reolink offer this.
Battery
Battery life has performed much better than expected. I deliberately pointed my camera so it sees my property, not the footpath outside of it, so I haven’t even needed to use motion zones. I only have around 5 to 10 events per day, and the battery life seems to be going down by about 1% per day.
So I could hopefully do three months, and that’s with optimal surveillance, but my clips tend to be quite short.
Price and Alternatives
The Eufy SoloCam E40 is priced at £120 while the cheaper E20 is £100, both of these are regularly discounted.
For battery-powered cameras that connect via WiFi, the Reolink Argus range is likely your best bet. The Argus 3 sells for about £90 RRP but with regular discounts (20% off voucher currently available). The Argus 3 Pro is £95 and 5% off available. I found the battery life is nowhere near as good as the Reolink cameras, however, they can all supplement the battery with a reasonably large solar panel which they sell for just £25.
If you need more than one camera, then either the Eufy 2C or 2C Pro make more sense. You have better battery life and a spotlight with colour night recordings. The only issue here will be if you have a very large house and the cameras are located far apart. I’ve been able to use mine with one in a shed and the other on my on the other end of my moderately large property.
Overall
The Eufy SoloCam E40 is excellent, doing exactly what you expect it to. Battery life is excellent, and video quality is good as far as battery cameras go.
Personally, I’d opt for one of the 2C models, with the 2C being around £90 per camera in a two-pack or 2C Pro £150 per camera. You get better battery life and the added spotlight for improved surveillance. However, if you specifically need one camera or perhaps can’t locate a home base in a logical place to run two cameras that are far apart, then the SoloCam E40 makes a lot of sense.
For an RRP of £119.99 it is a bit of a bargain, and it has been as low as £83 and has regularly dropped to between £95 and £100.
Overall, the Eufy range of cameras continues to be my prefered solution for wireless battery-powered cameras. They are all priced competitively, perform well and have the benefit of no additional subscription costs.
Eufy Security SoloCam E40 Review Rating
Overall
80%-
Overall - 80%
80%
Pros
- No home base/base station required – connects to 2.4Ghz WiFi
- You can buy 1 camera (rather than packs of 2)
- Affordable price
- Superior battery compared to alternative brands
- Excellent AI person detection
Cons
- Dependant on good WiFi (eufyCam could potentially offer better range)
- eufyCam range is generally better than this, in my opinion
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-12-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API