Wyze Cam v3: New $20 Security Camera Launched

Wyze initially gained recognition with the release of its $20 indoor security camera several years ago. Subsequently, the company expanded its product line to encompass a variety of smart home devices, including doorbells and scales. Today, the company is revisiting its roots with the introduction of the Wyze Cam V3, the latest iteration of its primary camera offering.

The latest model maintains the $20 price point (excluding shipping costs, unless a free shipping promotion is available through the Wyze store), but features a complete redesign of both the exterior and many of the internal hardware components. It now also boasts an IP65 rating, enabling its use in outdoor environments.

Image Credits: Wyze

The Cam V3 incorporates updated sensors that facilitate color night vision, achieved through an F1.6 aperture lens that gathers 40% more light compared to the previous version. This lens also provides a wider 130-degree field of view (an increase from the V2’s 110 degrees), and the frame rate has been improved to 20 frames per second during the day and 15 frames per second at night, up from 15 and 10 respectively.

The company has also refined the traditional black and white night vision mode – which remains necessary in extremely low-light conditions – by integrating a second set of infrared lights into the camera.

Additional new functionalities include an 80dB siren designed to deter potential intruders. This feature is activated by Wyze’s AI-powered person detection technology, which the company recently transitioned to a $2/month CamPlus subscription service, after initially providing it without charge. While this subscription cost is relatively modest (and includes a substantial free trial period), it would have been preferable if the company had continued to offer this fairly standard feature for free, instead reserving charges for supplementary cloud storage or more sophisticated capabilities (although 14-day rolling cloud storage for 12-second clips is provided at no cost).

Wyze Cam V2 (left) and V3 (right).

Wyze supplied a review unit to me prior to today’s launch (along with a Cam V2 for comparison). The image quality of the new camera is demonstrably improved, and the expanded field of view is noticeable, although some distortion around the edges is now slightly more apparent (however, considering the intended application, this is not a significant concern). The new color night vision mode performs as expected, and I appreciate the ability to configure the camera to automatically switch between modes based on ambient lighting.

The person detection has proven to be nearly 100% accurate – and, unlike certain competitor cameras lacking this feature, I experienced no false alarms during rainfall or when wind blew leaves across the viewing area.

If you currently own a Wyze Cam V2, upgrading to this new model is not essential, as the fundamental features have not undergone substantial changes. However, if you are seeking a camera of this type and are not committed to a specific security system, the new Wyze Cam presents a compelling option.