Keep Your Clips to Yourself With These Local Storage Security Cameras
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Catching intruders in the act is one of the many specialties of today’s best security cameras. While catching them on video certainly helps, just having a security camera up and visible is a preventative measure that could dissuade potential criminals.
Video doorbells are perfect examples of this, which not only keep an eye out on your delivery packages, but they’re good deterrents against possible porch pirates contemplating their next move. But while the footage of these events is typically stored in the cloud, some people may not feel too enthused about their clips saved elsewhere. There have been many stories around unauthorized access to servers and accounts due to hackers, so it comes as no shock why some people are hesitant about cloud storage.
This is especially true for indoor cameras that have eyes inside of your home, where privacy needs to be taken more seriously. We’ve discussed the tell-tale signs when you’ve been hacked (as well as how to prevent being hacked), but it’s worth mentioning the value of security cameras with local storage.
Benefits of a Security Camera With Local Storage
- All of the footage stays with you.
- Better for security and privacy.
- Some cameras don’t need Internet connection to work.
- They’re perfect for vacations.
All of the above is straight to the point when it comes to pointing out the benefits. Ideally, you’ll want to find a security camera that saves clips onto a microSD card, which comes in handy for the convenience of quickly popping them into your computer to review the footage. However, not all cameras save footage this way. In fact, some models require a separate hub to do this, while others just have internal local storage.
Best Indoor Security Cameras With Local Storage
GE CYNC Indoor Smart Security Camera
Storage Type: microSD card slot
Cool Feature: Manual privacy shutter
Sure, you wouldn’t think of GE as one of the prominent players in the security camera space, but the company has been investing a lot in the last couple of years with its Cync portfolio of smart home gadgets. One of them is the GE Cync Indoor Camera, which can save 1080p footage directly to a microSD card through a slot on the side of the camera. It’s a convenient way of accessing the footage if you don’t want cloud storage, plus it has a manual privacy shutter that can cover the camera’s view.
Buy: GE CYNC Indoor Smart Security Camera $68.93
Google Nest Cam Wired
Storage Type: Internal memory
Cool Feature: Continues to work when Internet goes down
In addition to offering a proper outdoor camera, the Google Nest Cam Wired actually doesn’t use a microSD slot for saving clips. Instead, it relies on its own built-in storage to save its 1080p HDR videos. With this implementation, the only way to pull footage out of the camera is through the Google Home app, but we really love that it can still continue to monitor and save clips even when the internet goes offline because it offers up to three hours of event video history for free.
Buy: Google Nest Cam Wired $79.99 (orig. $99.99) 20% OFF
Swan Wire-Free 1080p Security Camera
Storage Type: Internal memory
Cool Feature: Wire-free, can be mounted anywhere
Similarly, the Swan Wire-Free 1080p Security Camera is a wire-free indoor camera that can be positioned on tabletops or on the wall with its included magnetic mount. Clips are stored internally and can be accessed through the Swann app, but it’s worth mentioning that its rechargeable 6,000 mAh battery allows for more versatility since it’s not being tied down by a charging wire.
Buy: Swan Wire-Free 1080p Security Camera $149.99
Reolink E1 Zoom Indoor Security Camera
Storage Type: microSD card
Cool Feature: Pans and tilts
Reolink’s E1 Zoom is one versatile indoor camera. Not only can it save all video events onto a microSD card for convenience, but it’s one of the few cameras that can pan and tilt. This certainly helps give it more coverage, especially when its field of view is narrower than most static indoor cameras.
Buy: Reolink E1 Zoom Indoor Security Camera $49.99 (orig. $59.99) 17% OFF
Best Video Doorbell With Local Storage
Blink Video Doorbell
Storage Type: USB flash drive via Blink Sync Module 2
Cool Feature: Battery-powered
Read more: Blink Video Doorbell Review
If you do your research, you won’t find many models that use microSD cards to save clips. That’s because it would require users to constantly remove the doorbell from its mount, which can be frustrating on its own. The battery-powered Blink Video Doorbell saves 1080p clips to a USB flash drive via the Blink Sync Module 2. It’s a tiny hub that’s kept indoors so that the clips are always in your possession.
Buy: Blink Video Doorbell $59.98 (orig. $84.98) 29% OFF
Eufy Security Video Doorbell
Storage Type: Internal storage via HomeBase
Cool Feature: Crisp 2K resolution
Going above and beyond most models, the Eufy Security Video Doorbell offers 2K resolution for even more detail with captured clips than your traditional 1080p camera. It saves them to the included HomeBase, which packs 16GB of internal storage and features military-grade encryption. You might think that capacity is on the leaner side, but you can always delete clips if you want to free up space.
Buy: Eufy Security Video Doorbell $152.99 (orig. $199.99) 24% OFF
Google Nest Doorbell
Storage Type: Internal storage
Cool Feature: Free three-hour video history
Many companies have subscription-based models with their line of cameras, which allows for clips to be stored in the cloud for a period of time. If you’re not looking to add to your monthly costs, the Google Nest Doorbell has the ability to save its 960 x 1280 HDR clips internally without forcing users to sign up for a subscription. While Google’s Nest Aware subscription adds many more benefits, the Nest Doorbell offers up to three hours of video history for free out of the box.
Buy: Google Nest Doorbell $149.99 (orig. $179.99) 17% OFF
Best Outdoor Security Cameras With Local Storage
Wyze Cam Outdoor
Storage Type: MicroSD card
Cool Feature: Offline mode
The Wyze Cam Outdoor is one of the most versatile cameras around with local storage. This 1080p capable security camera can work indoors and outdoors since it’s battery-powered and saves clips via its built-in microSD slot. We really love the fact that it can also operate offline. Meaning, it can still work to detect motion when you’re not around — and then save those clips to a microSD card, all without any internet connection whatsoever.
Buy: Wyze Cam Outdoor $65.39 (orig. $69.98) 7% OFF
Eufy Solocam E20
Storage Type: Internal storage
Cool Feature: No subscription required
When everything is done on-device, you can rest easy knowing that your clips won’t be accessible from outside sources. The Eufy Solocam E20 has no hidden cost or subscription, so storing its 1080p clips is done internally with its 8GB capacity. That means when you buy it, you’ll not only have access to local storage, but also to advanced features like people detection, 90 dB siren, and smart home control with support for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Blink Outdoor
Storage Type: USB flash drive via Blink Sync Module 2
Cool Feature: Two-year battery life
No one has time to constantly recharge wireless cameras. With the Blink Outdoor, it can operate for upwards of two years before its batteries need to be replaced. Just know that it takes two AA lithium batteries for the best results. More importantly, though, is that it can save 1080p video clips to a USB flash drive through the Blink Sync Module 2. Pop one into the port and then conveniently preview the footage on a computer.
Buy: Blink Outdoor $59.99 (orig. $89.99) 33% OFF
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