GoKawiilCompare Indoor Cameras
Cameras Price (MSRP) Video Quality Recording Audio Smart Home Best Indoor Security Camera: TP-Link Tapo C120 $40 2K, 20 fps Local microSD card (up to 512 GB) or cloud Two-way audio, Siren Amazon Alexa, Google Home Best Subscription Camera: Arlo Essential Indoor $80 2K, 24 fps Cloud-only Two-way audio, Siren Amazon Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT Smartest Security Camera: Google Nest Cam $100 2K, 30 fps Cloud-only Two-way audio Google Home Best Panning Camera: Aqara Camera Hub G350 $160 4K, 20 fps Local microSD card (up to 512 GB), NAS, or cloud Two-way audio Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit Secure Video, Samsung SmartThings, Matter, Zigbee
Best MicroSD Cards
Courtesy of Samsung
Many security cameras support local storage, enabling you to record videos on the camera or a linked hub. A few hubs have built-in storage, and some provide slots for hard drives, but most rely on microSD cards. Here are some details on what to look for, and a few recommendations. (Check out our buying guide to the Best MicroSD Cards for more.)
The microSD card you choose should have fast read and write speeds so that you can record high-quality video and play it back without delay. We recommend going for Class 10 microSD cards rated as U1 or U3. You can dive deeper into what that means in our SD card explainer. Before buying, check the card type, format, and maximum supported card size for your security camera. Consider how many hours of video each card capacity can store. For example, you might get a couple of days of HD video on a 32-GB card. If you want to record continuously, you likely want a higher-capacity card.
I recommend formatting the card as soon as you insert it into the camera. You will usually be prompted to do this, but if not, there is generally an option in the settings. Just remember, formatting will wipe anything on the microSD card, so back up the contents first.
Some security camera manufacturers offer their own branded microSD cards. They work just fine in my experience, but for maximum reliability, here are my favorites. Always remember to check the specs. Even different sizes of cards in the same range often have different capabilities.
Note: Memory card prices have gone crazy due to the AI chip shortage, so you may want to wait or shop around, as some of these cards are four times the usual price.
Other Indoor Cameras to Consider
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