Google has not released Nest products in quite some time. The company it seems had been focused on the latest addition to the Pixel lineup, the devices have gotten rave reviews from consumers and Google seems to have finally moved onto Nest cameras.
So far, a new doorbell, a basic wired camera, and Nest’s first battery-powered camera have been revealed. Google’s new Floodlight Cam is powered by the same camera. In this article, we will go over the floodlight cam.
Design & Hardware
The Floodlight Cam’s camera is the same piece of hardware we’ve seen before, but it pairs with the Floodlight in some unique ways. The Nest Cam with Floodlight features an entire outdoor lighting system with a comparable magnetic installation that allows you to aim it exactly where you want it, whereas the solitary Nest Cam Battery is just a little wall-mounted disc.
The Nest Floodlight stands out more than the ordinary floodlight, but it’s hard to detect unless you go really near. The camera’s magnetic mount is in the center, and the two LED lights on either side are on adjustable stalks. The power line is also held in by the security screw for the camera, which is the same magnetic plug we saw on the standalone Nest Cam Battery. This one is, of course, rated for outdoor use. The lights become quite bright hence you might want to lower the brightness.
The camera’s capabilities are identical to those of the Nest Cam Battery. It’s the same piece of gear this time. That includes 1080p resolution, HDR, an internal battery that can record events without power, and built-in storage to cache events if the internet connection is lost. The battery is a great touch, however, it’s excessive for this job. The camera that is mounted on a floodlight should always be turned on. The Floodlight could have a smaller, less expensive camera, but Google went the extra mile.
Overall Performance
Nest has always included excellent installation instructions in its app, and this is still the case today that new devices are tied to Google Home. Regardless, the Home app is becoming increasingly cluttered, and having my Nest camera functionality divided between two applications is becoming increasingly inconvenient. The Home app’s camera control leaves a lot to be desired.
In the Google Home app, the camera and floodlight appear as different items. To finish the setup process, simply scan the QR code. The app will ask you how you want to handle video and audio before you can use the camera. We appreciate Google asking permission since it assures users that there will be no data sharing without their consent.
We don’t like how difficult it is to search through the recordings on Google. In a timeline view, you can load events, but it’s slow and the super-short previews are useless. Prepare for a lot of swiping if you want to go through your video history like the Nest app. You won’t have to worry about that if you don’t have a Nest Aware membership because your camera won’t save many videos. The three-hour free event’s expiration time is too short, and you lose access to known faces, which is supported at the hardware level. Google doesn’t even enable local storage, so if you want to use the camera in any significant way, you’ll have to pay.
You can operate the floodlight with a tap, speech, or by putting it into routines because it appears as its own device in Assistant. You may also get granular with the notification settings, which are identical to the Nest Cam Battery save for the absence of the Floodlight. The Home app allows you to record and remember events, but they’ll only clutter up your status bar if you want them to. The main difference from the freestanding version is that the built-in power cable allows you to record continuous video. The video quality is comparable to that of the same camera when used as a standalone device.
Final Verdict
If you’ve already committed to Google’s smart home ecosystem, you should acquire the device. The Google Nest Cam Floodlight does an excellent job as a smart outdoor light. The LED floodlights are simple to set up with Assistant, and they have motion and light sensors that will work even if your internet connection is lost. The camera can also be used without an internet connection, however, a large battery is not required in this scenario.
The real issue is the $200 price tag and the monthly Nest subscription but if you are familiar with the Google home ecosystem then it is something worth investing in.