I’ve ditched my Nest Cams for a Chinese smart security brand you probably haven’t heard of

For years, I used Nest cameras around my home to keep an eye on things. I reviewed the original Nest Cam back in 2015, which came out a year or so after Google had acquired both Nest and Dropcam, and things just naturally expanded from there.

When I first reviewed that original Nest Cam, it was actually the first time I’d put a security camera in my home. And I wasn’t all that bothered by it, to be honest; my living arrangement – a pretty secure flat with no outdoor spaces or easy access – didn’t really feel it warranted “surveillance” and it was soon chucked into a drawer with a bunch of other discarded tech.

However, it came back out a few months later when our first child was born and I figured it’d make a decent baby monitor.

Another nine years – and another child – later and the amount of Nest Cams protecting the house we moved into in 2016 had grown to two indoor and three outdoor, with every model launched since that original involved.

Nest Cams were reliable, sleek, and integrated smoothly with my other Google smart home devices. Before we evolved into an Alexa household, I was actually steering us down the Google Home route (I can’t remember why, but I’m glad I abandoned that ship.)

But over time, I found myself getting annoyed, not just with the obvious Nest user complaints – extra subscription fees, mediocre video quality, buggy software and the fragmentation between the Nest and Google Home app – but also at how Nest didn’t offer local storage like many of its emerging rivals did.

So, after years of loyal / lazy use of Nest Cams, I decided to make a change. I’ve reviewed a lot of security cameras in the past few years here on The Ambient and I could see that Google’s line-up was falling well behind.

And one brand continuously kept impressing me with the features it introduced to its cameras, and the flexibility of its ever-expanding range… Reolink.

So I ditched my Nest Cams and made the switch to Reolink, and here’s why it was one of the best decisions I’ve made for home security.

Affordable, no-subscription peace of mind

One of the biggest gripes I had with Nest was the subscription model. This is a crime not specific to Nest actually, many of the big names in the space – including Ring, Arlo and Blink – all make you cough up to make the most of their security cameras.

Nest Aware gives access to cloud storage and additional features, but at a steep cost. And for people serious about home security, that subscription can quickly add up, especially when adding multiple cameras to the mix.

Nest isn’t as bad as Arlo on this front – at least you still get to use most of the camera’s main features – but I wanted a system with no additional costs and no compromise on quality.

We’ve been reviewing Reolink’s ever expanding range of smart security cameras for a few years now on The Ambient, dating back to the original Argus Pro, way back in 2019.

But it was in the past 12 months or so, with the likes of the Argus 4 Pro, Altas PT Ultra, and Argus Track going live, that I was finally inspired to make the jump.

Reolink cameras, in case you don’t know, come with local storage options via a microSD card. This not only eliminates the need for monthly fees but also allows you to save recordings without relying on cloud storage.

Reolink does actually offer cloud plans for those who want them, but crucially, it doesn’t lock essential features behind a paywall.

You get to choose whether or not to use the cloud and it was this kind of freedom, and also privacy, that was exactly what I was looking for.

Superb performance

The Reolink cameras also deliver a quality that is pretty much unrivalled in the space at the moment too, and at price-tags that defy the cutting-edge features on offer.

The Argus Track for example, boasts a 4K dual-lens system that offers superbly crisp daytime footage, capturing small details like leaves moving in the wind or birds flying through a bright spot in the distance, as show off here:

With the Argus Pro 4, Reolink became the world’s first smart security camera to offer full color vision at night.

There’s a few cameras that offer night vision is technicolor already, of course, such as the Eufy Floodlight Camera E340 and the Arlo Pro 5, but the Reolink, thanks to its ColorX technology, boasts color visuals in the dark even in low light conditions, with no need for infrared lights or spotlights.

And it’s pretty bloody impressive. My side passage is pretty dark at night with only some LEDs from the garden some distance away and, as you can see, the colors are still pretty vivid.

This video is from around 10pm at night, and as dark as it gets, and you can see it makes it look like early evening, giving the impression that everything was a lot lighter than it actually was.

And yeah, you probably noticed that bananas 180-degree wide angle 4K view too – another feature, amongst many, many more, that you can get on Reolink cameras that are not available on Nest.

Superior features without complexity

The Reolink Argus Track, for instance, uses dual lenses for an advanced tracking system that captures wide angles with a 2.8mm aperture lens and zooms in with an 8mm telephoto lens, giving you greater control over what the camera captures.

Unlike the much more limited Nest models, it supports both digital and physical panning, up to 355 degrees horizontally and 50 degrees vertically, which is done automatically when it detects a person, vehicle or animal (or your choice of any of these)… which is incredibly useful for outdoor coverage.

Yes, the Reolink app can be a little overwhelming at first glance, but once you’ve got your head around the plethora of options available you’ll be able to create a highly personalized, affordable, secure and comprehensive system that is – in my opinion – industry leading at present.

Solar power solves battery woes

Reolink’s integration of solar power options is also a game-changer for me.

While Nest cameras are reliable, I always had to factor in battery life for the newer outdoor models or finding a power source for the wired models.

With Reolink’s optional solar panels, which plug in via USB-C, I don’t have to worry about recharging. Even after a few months of cloudy English weather, the batteries are all around 90–95% constantly.

Flexibility and security on my terms

Reolink’s approach to user control also resonates with me. Nest, as part of Google, obviously has privacy and security concerns with the Cams being yet another weapon in Big Tech’s collection of my data.

Reolink, however, offers full-featured performance without the forced account sign-ups or locked-in data storage.

I have the freedom to save my recordings to a local SD card without needing to upload them anywhere, which adds an extra layer of control and privacy.

Switching from Nest to Reolink wasn’t just about cost savings, though that was a nice bonus. It was about finding a brand that prioritizes flexibility, affordability, and powerful features without compromising security.

Nest might still have the advantage in app polish and full ecosystem integration, but for someone like me who values choice and control, Reolink has proven to be the right fit.

If you’re tired of pricey subscriptions, limited storage options, and rigid usage rules, I’d encourage you to give Reolink a try. It’s been a refreshing change, and one that I don’t regret.

Plus, Nest hasn’t launched a new camera in over three years – which is a really long time in tech.

Reolink, in that time, has launched more than 20 cameras in that time, the most recent of which simply blow the competition out of the water.

So I think I made the right choice.