Back in the day, security cameras were like rare sightings, only spotted in places like banks or government offices. But fast forward to today, they're everywhere – from your favorite restaurants to the local corner store. And when it comes to trusted brands in the security camera game, TP-Link stands out.
As someone who's mostly out, juggling work and errands, I've been searching for ways to upgrade the safety of my home. So, when I got my hands on the Tapo C220 to review, I was excited to see how it could enhance my home security experience.
Blends with our lifestyle
First off, let's talk about its design. The Tapo C220 looks just any usual home security camera, but it’s small, monochromatic and looks really simple so it fits seamlessly into any home décor. Most times, you won’t even notice it so that’s a plus for its stealthy feature.
As for setting it up, it was just a breeze – just a simple pairing with my phone using the Tapo App I was able to easily download on my Google PlayStore. Then with the aid of my phone, it was also easy connecting it to WiFi.
The app is simple enough for the not-so-techie and it’s intuitive and easy to use. You can easily see different modes you can tinker with as everything is laid out nicely. Setting up different modes and monitoring areas is a breeze.
You can control the camera’s wide range of movement – 360º horizontal and 114º vertical – to cover more ground and monitor every corner effectively. The controls are responsive, making it easy to adjust on the fly.
See every detail day or night
I was impressed with this cameras video quality. This is recording in 2K QHD resolution with smooth 30fps playback. Gone are the days of pixelated or blurry footage that we usually see in commercial or public CCTVs.
The C220 captures every detail crisply and clearly that it doesn’t even look like it’s captured by a security camera. Though colors are a bit muted when compared to modern smartphone cameras, images are detailed so you can clearly and easily monitor what’s happening in your home even at night.
Like most security cameras, the Tapo C220 features night vision capabilities. This night vision extends visibility up to 30 feet, perfect for those far and dark corners and it automatically switches to this mode once it senses the dark environment. Obviously, the quality won’t be as nice as its daytime capabilities, but it’s enough to see the whole surrounding in great detail.
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| Tapo C220 night vision |
So even during those times that you get home late and no one’s at home, or on careless times you can’t remember if you’ve locked your door, you can surely check the situation at home.
Like a walkie-talkie
Another game-changer feature on this is its two-way audio. Not only can I hear what's happening, but I can also communicate directly through the built-in microphone and speaker.
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| Tapo C220 rear firing speakers |
Blasting the audio from the speaker behind, the sound is loud enough to be heard in a large room. It’s perfect for those times when your companion is busy at home and you need to notify them quickly on strange activity you get to see through your Tapo app. Plus, I can adjust the volume through the app, ensuring clear communication every time.
Smart detection goodness
But what I really think is the real deal with the Tapo C220 is its Smart AI Detection and Notification feature. Being able to customize which motion and sound alerts I receive on my phone via the Tapo app is a game-changer.
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| Tapo C220 notifications - Person Detected |
For instance, I tested it by playing dog and baby crying sounds, and the C220 detected that and showed a specific alert on my phone. It will also alert you when it detects motion of a person or an animal through your phone so you can easily revert to the app and see what it detected. This allows for great peace of mind about monitoring my future pet or my best friend being able to monitor her newborn since I’m thinking of giving this device as a gift.
Another feature is its precise motion tracking and alerts. With this you can customize certain activity zones, so I only get alerts for areas that matter. And if you wanted to scare any unwanted visitors you’ll get to catch on cam in those activity zones, you can activate the sound and light alarm for that.
We also managed to pair the C220 with our phones simultanteously which is handy for days that my partner Andre and I are in different locations away from home. It’s convenient that we can view the camera feed from two different smartphones. And the fact that it's compatible with both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa means we can control it hands-free, adding to its ease of use.
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| Tapo C220 microSD card slot |
As for its storage, unlike its C210 predecessor, the C220 has the option for cloud storage through Tapo Care. But since it's a paid service, I opted for the microSD card slot instead. With support for up to 512GB, I can store plenty of footage locally, giving me peace of mind knowing my data is in my hands.
Conclusion
Overall, the Tapo C220 is perfect for anyone who wants a reliable home or store security without the hassle. I highly recommend it for its smart AI detection, customizable alerts, and ease of use with voice assistants.
Whether you're monitoring pets, keeping an eye on your baby, or just enhancing your home security, the Tapo C220 gives you peace of mind that won’t let you lose your mind with its price.
The Tapo C220 retails for PhP 1,790 and you can purchase it at TP-Link’s official online stores on Shopee and Lazada. This is also available at TP-Link's partner retail stores nationwide or you can visit the newly opened TP-Link Concept store at SM North EDSA.