Best Security Camera Systems (CCTV) Reviewed: Lorex vs Swann vs Reolink vs Annke vs Zosi vs Defender & More
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Have there been a lot of burglaries in your neighborhood? Perhaps you just had a new baby and are looking for ways to protect your growing family? The best security camera system can help give you peace of mind.
Protecting your property is essential, but you also want to keep your family safe, so a camera may be the perfect solution for your needs. Take a look at our home security camera system reviews to find the best security camera system for your home or business.
However, if you want a more comprehensive security option, read our reviews on the best home security systems.
What’s Better, WiFi Or CCTV?
In recent years, we have seen many all-in-one WiFi security camera “systems” enter the market. They are much easier to install and often more affordable than CCTV (which stands for Closed Circuit television).
They will not work for everyone, but if you have a smaller apartment, condo, or home, you may find them to be a consideration for you. Read more in our home security camera reviews, including Nest, Canary, Arlo, and more.
Best Security Camera System Reviews
What differentiates a “system” from a home security camera? These systems are designed specifically for multiple cameras to work together. Is it possible to create a similar effect with a bunch of say, Ring cameras? Yes, but you won’t get the consistent recording footage that you do with a CCTV system.
We don’t think that any of the systems stand out from the others enough to be named best overall, so we have reviewed them based on how they excel in five categories:
Night Vision | Business | Large Home | Small Home | Outdoor
Best For Night Vision: Lorex Review
The Lorex Weatherproof Indoor/Outdoor Wire-Free Home Surveillance Security System is an easy-to-install solution for those of you who don’t want to mess with wiring at home. You can use it with WiFi for real-time viewing and motion detection alerts or without WiFi for simple recording (the recorder has 1TB of hard drive storage).
The 1080p full HD cameras have a wide 140° field of view and come with rechargeable battery power packs that you can remove without taking the entire camera unit down. This system has an excellent night vision range of 150 feet, which is why it’s our pick for those of you looking for a solid system with long-distance night vision.
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- Check Amazon for availability for 2 cameras
- Check Amazon for availability for 6 cameras
Best For Small Business: Zosi Review
The Zosi 4-Channel Security System is an amazingly affordable option. This model includes four 1080p cameras and a DVR with 2TB hard drive. It also has customizable motion detection zones and alerts.
You can view your security camera footage remotely via Internet Explorer on your PC or your smartphone. We chose this system as the best for small businesses because of its affordability and because you have the option of adding additional dome or bullet cameras.
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- Check Amazon for availability includes 4 cameras
Best For Large Home: ANNKE Review
This affordable ANNKE Security System has eight channels and comes with eight 2 MP 1080p HD bullet cameras. It has a 1TB hard drive, and the cameras have an 82° field of view. This CCTV system allows you to view your cameras’ footage from your smartphone.
The cameras are good quality, but some customers report that they don’t perform as well after several months of continuous use. ANNKE is our pick for large homes because it includes 8 cameras at a very affordable price, and you can access footage on your smartphone.
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Best For Small Home: Swann Review
This Swann wired system is an 8 channel HD NVR that comes with 4 cameras (expandable up to 8 cameras). The hard drive holds 2TB of video storage, so you can record continuously for months at a time. Some of its standout features include motion-detected notifications, night vision up to 130 feet, audio range up to 16 feet, and Google Assistant integration.
The system works in all weather conditions, and the cameras have excellent image quality at 5 megapixels (2.4x better than 1080P full HD). Take note that the product description says it has 2-way audio, but customers say it doesn’t.
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Best For Outdoors: Reolink Review
The Reolink security camera system we are reviewing is the 8 channel 2TB 4K UHD weather-resistant cameras. Included are 4 security cameras that can be used indoors and outdoors. It’s expandable up to 8 cameras, and customers state it’s easy to install. The cameras have a digital zoom capability, but only an 80° field of view.
For less than $500 this system will cover a good-sized area. When adding additional cameras, you can choose from a wide variety of Reolink products. We chose this system as the best for outdoors because of its operating temperature at 14° to 131° F and its superb video quality.
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Read Our In-Depth Reolink Review
What’s An NVR?
In this article, you may notice that we mention an NVR for a few of these security camera systems.
NVR stands for network video recorder. An NVR is a software program that records the video captured from your cameras to a digital format. Don’t confuse these with a DVR (digital video recorder), as a DVR’s input is from a direct connection to the video camera, whereas an NVR connects over a network like the internet.
Fails Caught On Home Security Camera Systems
Statistics show that having a business and home surveillance cameras reduces the amount of crime in some areas. Possibly one of the best parts about owning a security camera system is that you’ll probably get a good laugh or two from the footage it captures.
Whether it’s you tripping, a stranger doing something silly, or a cat going crazy, you’re bound to crack up laughing. Check out some of these priceless moments from America’s Funniest Home Videos.
Looking For Alternate Security Options?
CCTV cameras aren’t for everyone, which is why we’ve also written this article on the best indoor security cameras. These WiFi cameras are surprisingly inexpensive and can help scare off thieves. If you are more concerned about the exterior of your home, check out our outdoor security camera reviews.
Looking for a whole-house security solution or want to find out more about home security options in general? Check out our comprehensive home security systems guide.
