Blink XT Outdoor/Indoor Home Security Camera System Review

Are you looking for an unpretentious home security camera system that will last you a long time? The Blink XT Home Security Camera System might just be the camera for you.

It provides HD quality video and audio both during the day and at night, its motion detection feature sends alerts to your smartphone, and it records up to two hours of motion-detected footage to the cloud for free!

But is it ideal for your needs? No camera is perfect, and this one has its own set of flaws to counterbalance its advantages.

If you’re still wondering whether the Blink XT is the best smart security system for you, look no further. Here we lay out the details, both positive and negative, so that you can make the best decision for yourself.

Blink XT Outdoor/Indoor Home Security Camera System: The Details

Specs

• Product Dimensions: 4 x 9.4 x 3.4 inches.
• Product Weight: 6 ounces (2.4 pounds shipping weight).
• Product Type: Security camera.
• Compatible with Amazon Alexa? Yes; also compatible with the included iOS and Android apps.

How Does it Work

The Blink XT cameras are a security system for your smartphone.

The cameras are operated wirelessly and easily through an app on your Apple or Android device, or controlled via voice through Amazon Alexa devices such as Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, and Amazon Tap.

Every camera has a built-in motion sensor alarm, which sends an alert to your smartphone when its motion detector is triggered.

Through the app, users can schedule when the cameras should be active, to avoid unnecessary notifications.

These Wi-Fi-connectable devices send a short recorded clip of the detected motion event to the cloud for you to review at your convenience.

This cloud storage feature has no monthly subscription fee or any other charge for data storage, though it requires that you have iOS 9.3 or Android 4.4 KitKat or higher operating systems in order to access the HD quality videos.

You can store up to two hours of footage on the cloud. The videos also have HD quality audio and can be viewed right there on your smartphone.

You can also use the companion apps to check the live video and audio feed from your cameras.

The cameras are completely wireless and do not need to be physically plugged into a router or even an electricity source. They are powered by two AA Lithium Metal batteries, which are included, and have a battery life of two years on average.

This impressively long battery life is made possible through a proprietary chip technology used in Blink brand cameras. This lack of wires and cords makes for a simple home self-install, as the cameras mount easily onto the wall.

The cameras in this home security and monitoring system are weatherproof, allowing them to be used either inside or outside the home. You can use anywhere between one and ten cameras on one Blink Sync Module, protecting as large of an area as best fits your needs.

The Sync Module is included with this camera, as is a mounting kit for easy set-up.

In addition to the high number of cameras that can be synced together, each Blink XT camera has a fish eye lens that allows for a wider viewing and motion-detecting coverage without overly distorting the video footage.

The Blink XT cameras also have infrared night vision and LED illumination features, allowing clear, high-quality video for up to twenty feet away at night or during overcast days, and its water resistance allows for effective filming during rainy and snowy conditions as well.

The camera includes a temperature monitoring feature, as a bonus functionality.

Blink: The Brand

This home security technology company – originally funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign with over a million dollars in pledges, and recently acquired by Amazon – prides itself on creating the next generation of home security.

Blink cameras are sold completely online, without any traditional brick-and-mortar retail sales, lodging itself in the retail business of the future instead of the past.

Consisting of a team of talented and enthusiastic engineers, salespeople, and marketers, Blink moves forward with a passion and drive for creating new products that make people feel safer and more in control of their homes.

Blink has provided several breakthrough low-power solutions in their products, such as three-dimensional noise processing and unprecedented lengths of battery life.

Blink XT Outdoor/Indoor Home Security Camera System Review

The Positives

Incredibly Easy to Set Up

Are you not much of a do-it-yourself handyman? Not to worry!

This security camera system for smartphones is very easy to set up with its included mounting kit, its small and lightweight structure, and its complete lack of wires to plug in or get tangled.

The iOS and Android apps, and Alexa set-up software, are intuitive and easy to follow as well. There are clear ways to schedule the cameras’ motion detection times and to set up notifications to your smartphone.

Very Convenient Smart Device

The Blink XT is easily operated by convenient methods like your voice through Alexa and its app through Apple and Android devices.

It sends you alerts, so you don’t have to worry about constantly viewing the video feed, but also allows you to view the live video feed whenever you want!

Night Vision Keeps You Safe At All Hours

In addition to its already high-quality HD video and audio, this Blink XT camera has infrared vision and LED illumination that allows for clear video at all hours of the day and night.

It’s also weatherproof, so no matter the season or climate, the Blink XT will adapt. It will stand up against heavy rain, snow, humidity, and strong winds so you won’t have to worry when there’s a storm brewing.

This means it will keep your home safe 24/7 from any would-be suspicious characters.

Cost-Saving Features

The first thing a lot of people notice about this camera is its price. There’s no need to dig into your savings for hundreds or thousands of dollars for a smart security system.

The price of the Blink XT is super competitive to others on the market, making this more of an easy investment for those on a budget.

Unlike other smart security camera systems, Blink XT has no charge for storing the videos it records on the cloud, saving costs in the long-term.

Also, its batteries last two years under typical use and are relatively cheap to replace given how long they last, making for both savings in the long run and an increase in energy savings compared to your typical rechargeable camera battery.

Design

Gone are the days of clunky, obvious security cameras! The Blink XT is both compact and sleek making this an unobtrusive option to keeping your home safe.

It’s small, square design makes it easy to mount in a variety of places both indoor and outdoor, and won’t give itself away making it harder for those with bad intentions to enter your home.

The Blink XT is also lightweight, weighing in at less than a pound making it hard for it to weigh down fixtures, or limit its placement.

Great Quality 

It’s surprising how much they can pack into this tiny camera! For its price and its size, this camera relays great quality video.

The sound is excellent too! Customers have raved about how clear and audible the sound is from the camera, never skipping a beat.

While many cameras lose points on reliability, the Blink XT does not.

The Negatives

No Motion Detection Zoning

Blink’s cameras have a wide range of viewing and motion detection. However, unlike other smart security camera systems, they do not currently have a feature that allows you to set zones for motion detection.

Any motion in the camera’s field of vision will set off its motion detector, even if it’s just a tree branch at the far side of the viewing area swaying in the wind.

Can’t Put Different Cameras on Different Schedules

Though it’s convenient to have several cameras synced together to one smartphone or Alexa device, the synced cameras cannot be individually set to different motion detection schedules.

This means it is not possible to turn off only the indoor cameras’ motion detectors but leave the outdoors cameras active, or vice versa, without having multiple synced cameras and devices set up.

Does Not Detect Certain Movements

Some users have found that their Blink XT cameras will not activate in response to someone walking directly towards the camera. Instead, it only activates when someone walks across the camera’s field of vision.

This limits the angles at which the camera can be arranged and still be useful.

Customer Service

While you receive a 1-year limited warranty with your Blink XT Camera System, you might need a little patience should you need to use it.

This warranty covers any errors in the camera’s craftsmanship and should you notice a flaw, you’ll need to contact Blink’s customer service so they can repair or replace your camera system.

Unfortunately, some customers found the service department to be lacking; either they were unresponsive, or weren’t able to give satisfactory help.

Users have noted, however, that the service department is improving by providing better response times and compensation, but at this point, it may be a game of luck.

Here’s a video showing what the Blink XT Home Security System looks like out of the box and setup.

Overall Verdict

We would recommend the Blink XT Home Security Camera System to anyone looking for a simple yet long-lasting smart home security camera system.

Its wide field of vision and night vision features make for a good, basic camera, and its cost-saving cloud storage and battery features are also attractive.

Where to Buy the Blink XT Outdoor/Indoor Home Security Camera System

Blink may not be the first brand you think about when it comes to security, but they’re no amateurs when it comes to home security and smart home devices.

With an array of affordable, innovative products under their belt, the Blink XT Home Security System helps to boost their brand recognition and popularity, available both in-store and online.

While it’s usually best to check tech or department stores, you can kickstart your search by checking out the following online retailers.

• Best Buy (from $119)
• Lowes (from $129)
• Blink (from $129)

And of course, you can also find this home security system on Amazon.

That’s all the info on the Blink XT Home Security Camera System. Will you give it a try?