While Eufy may not be widely recognized in Sweden, it is a subsidiary of Anker, a significantly more established and respected brand, particularly known for its headphones, chargers, and power banks. Eufy is now launching the EufyCam S3 Pro, a model that appears promising based on its specifications. Key features include 4K cameras, AI-powered person recognition, local recording without subscription fees, IP67 certification, solar charging capabilities, and more. This review will delve into the actual performance and capabilities of the EufyCam S3 Pro.
Upon unboxing the generously sized package, it is immediately apparent that the products are designed with a premium feel. The components exhibit a substantial weight and solid construction, conveying a sense of quality. The package includes the base station, two cameras with mounting hardware, chargers, an auxiliary solar panel, and all necessary screws and cables.
The cameras themselves are quite substantial, exhibiting larger dimensions and a heavier weight compared to cameras from brands like Arlo. Their dimensions are 69 x 143.5 x 82.4 mm, and they weigh 534 grams, which is considerable. The mount is attached to the back of the camera via screws. Given the camera’s length of nearly 15 cm, the leverage created necessitates a stable and secure mounting surface.
The entire top surface of each camera is covered by a large solar panel, which supplements the already sizable 13,000 mAh battery. The manufacturer claims that one hour of sunlight exposure provides sufficient charge to offset the camera’s daily power consumption.
The Homebase S380 serves as the system’s central processing unit, managing recording, AI functionalities, and communication with the cameras. The cameras do not utilize your existing Wi-Fi network. Instead, the base station connects to your router via Ethernet cable and establishes a dedicated 2.4 GHz network for the cameras. The range of this network proved to be very robust during testing. With the base station located in the basement, it provided coverage throughout the entire 150 square meter house and the surrounding property without any connectivity issues. The base station can support up to 16 cameras and allows for the integration of up to 34 sensors to create a comprehensive alarm system. A built-in 100 dB siren is also included.
The rear panel features connections for the power supply and Ethernet, along with two USB ports that can be used for charging the cameras or backing up recordings to a USB drive or external disk. A sync button is also present for pairing new devices.
The Homebase S380 incorporates 16 GB of internal storage, which is ample for typical usage. A 10-second video clip consumes approximately 2.5 MB of storage space. For expanded storage needs, the top cover of the unit can be removed to access a SATA disk bay, supporting drives up to 16 TB.
As previously mentioned, an additional solar panel is provided, which can be beneficial in situations where a camera is positioned in a location with limited direct sunlight, such as under an eave. Despite only including one panel for two cameras, its inclusion is a positive aspect, as these are often sold separately as add-ons.
Installation
The initial installation process is straightforward. After connecting the base station and downloading the application, you can proceed to add the base station and then the cameras. However, a minor issue was encountered during this stage.
The application’s language presentation is inconsistent, exhibiting a mix of Swedish and English. The Swedish text also contains grammatical and spelling errors. In some instances, the text is entirely incorrect.
For example, as illustrated above, after a restart, one of the cameras temporarily lost connection, resulting in a red exclamation mark and the message “The camera is connected.”
Aside from these linguistic inconsistencies, the installation process proceeds smoothly, with the application providing step-by-step guidance. It also incorporates a signal strength verification tool to ensure adequate reception before permanently mounting the cameras.
The included mounts are robust and provide secure camera attachment. However, an alternative mounting point, preferably centered under the camera, could improve weight distribution. As noted, the camera’s elongated shape and considerable weight can place undue stress on the mounting surface, depending on the installation orientation.
Image quality and features
Now we arrive at a crucial aspect of any surveillance camera: image quality. Eufy heavily promotes “Max ColorVision” in its marketing materials, claiming it delivers accurate colors and brightness even in low-light conditions. To assess this claim, we began by testing the camera’s performance in darkness, and the results were remarkable.
To demonstrate the ambient darkness, a photo was taken using a Pixel 9 Pro XL (with all low-light enhancement features disabled):
The EufyCam S3 Pro, operating in its default mode without any supplemental lighting or features enabled, produced the following image:
In near-total darkness, the resulting image quality is remarkable, approaching daytime-like visibility. The 4K resolution further enhances image clarity. Image quality in daylight is even more impressive.
The application delivers near-instantaneous notifications upon motion detection, leveraging both PIR (passive infrared) and radar technology. Users can configure the system to selectively respond to specific types of movement, such as prioritizing people while ignoring pets and vehicles. This feature functions reliably.
The system allows users to train the AI to recognize familiar faces by uploading images or identifying individuals based on recorded footage. This functionality facilitates the filtering of unnecessary alerts from recognized individuals.
Two-way communication is supported, enabling users to remotely interact with individuals detected on their property. The communication is virtually real-time, without the multi-second delays common in other systems.
Another noteworthy feature, not commonly found in competing products, is “cross camera tracking.” This function automatically generates a video compilation that tracks a person’s movement across multiple connected cameras. This feature worked impressively well in testing.
A built-in spotlight is incorporated into the camera. While the exceptional image quality mitigates the necessity for additional illumination, the spotlight can serve as a deterrent by prompting potential intruders to look towards the light source, thereby directly facing the camera.
An additional feature is the integrated anti-theft protection (which must be manually enabled). If activated, any attempt to remove the camera triggers an alarm both on the camera itself and on the base station, generating a loud audible alert.
Conclusion
The EufyCam S3 Pro presents a compelling package. Its impressive image quality, comprehensive and well-designed software features, and extended battery life complemented by solar charging are noteworthy. However, this performance comes at a cost. The recommended retail price for the base station and two-camera kit is approximately 6800 SEK, positioning the system within the premium price range.
A significant advantage is the absence of mandatory monthly subscription fees, as storage is handled locally. Cloud storage is available as an optional add-on, offered at reasonable rates (€30 per year per camera or €100 per year for up to 10 cameras).
There are few drawbacks to note. The application could benefit from further refinement, particularly with respect to the Swedish language localization. While this issue can be circumvented by using the English language setting, the Swedish translation requires improvement. Overall, the EufyCam S3 Pro warrants a top rating of 9/10.
Eufy provided review units for this evaluation. The provision of review materials does not influence our editorial independence. Our reviews are conducted independently with a focus on the needs of our readers and consumers.
