Arlo’s new camera is affordable, pan-tilt and ready for indoor coverage.
Arlo’s latest line of security cameras has arrived for 2025, now with new pan/tilt powers. While I’ve experimented with many of Arlo’s outdoor cameras and highly recommend some its the top-tier models, these new cameras have a more indoor focus (although outdoor support is possible), and I couldn’t wait to see what the company had prepared.
What I found was a unique pan/tilt line with a splendid design and a high-quality 2K-resolution lens, paired with Arlo’s well-crafted app — and Arlo’s steep subscription requirements, which is a barrier to entry buyers will need to accept. However, at $50 this is one of Arlo’s most affordable options — here’s what I thought of it.
Arlo’s new camera design stands out
Arlo’s design remains some of the best in the business.
Arlo’s previous cameras have consistently impressed me with their excellent physical quality. The brand produces durable, compact security cameras with attention to detail and a quiet style. No part has ever felt flimsy or lazily designed, putting them at the top of the game in the home security world. Fortunately, the company’s newest line of cameras follows suit.
The high-quality design of these cameras is even more important since the models are expected to pan, tilt and track. The sturdy nature of the cams and innovative approach to design problem-solving is what I expected from Arlo. It shows in details like the indoor camera lens automatically pointing down toward its base during shutoff to confirm privacy.
When not in use, Arlo’s cam turns down to indicate a privacy mode in a surprisingly cute way.
I also like the design of the base, which is friendly for shelves or tables, but can also incorporate other mounting options. The outdoor model can also be mounted on an eave or post with an even more versatile mounting choices, although you will need an outdoor-compatible cable for it and an accessible source of power — no battery options for these particular Arlo cams.
The pan and tilt features are likewise impressive. The camera offers armed-disarmed settings like a security system, but can be turned on at any time. When it’s on, the camera immediately picks up on motion and accurately tracks in. Panning and tilting via the app is, as usual, literally touch-and-go, but works well enough for manual shift, and the movement is completely silent.
While these cams aren’t equipped with lights like some Arlo models, they do have a siren and two-way audio, which both perform well
The Arlo app and video quality are top-notch but have a lot to master
Arlo’s motion and privacy detection zones are one option among many, many settings.
Arlo’s app is another of my favorites, featuring a customizable home screen that works very well for multiple devices and a clean UI with a menu that’s easy to understand. It also sports features that I wish other security apps had but so few do, like using your fingerprint to log in on your phone instead of needing your password every time. The video feed is crystal clear and makes full use of that 2K resolution, too.
In the settings, I found a plethora of options to set various object and person detection, adjust video brightness, set schedules for arming, view a history feed of events and customize routines. From motion/privacy zones to night vision settings and even the ability to create favored positions for the camera to pan to, there’s a lot here.
Arlo settings can do nearly anything if you want to tweak the details, but it will take some time to go through it all.
That’s the price of the Arlo app. There’s a whole lot to learn and adjust to meet your needs, and it can take work to uncover everything you can do. That was true before, and the pan/tilt features add even more to learn. Arlo tries to make this as easy as possible, but newcomers should still expect to spend time going through all their settings and understanding everything the camera is capable of.
On a brighter note, while Arlo doesn’t talk about this much in advertising, the camera is compatible with both Alexa and Google Home, so you do have other options for control if you already have a preferred home app, albeit with simpler setting choices.
Arlo Intelligence: Subscription-only AI tricks
Arlo’s AI captions add a layer of usefulness to any notifications you set.
Arlo’s latest camera upgrades also include software improvements, notably more AI features in the form of Arlo Intelligence, something Arlo has been working on for the past year and continues to develop. That means you can find extras and beta testing for features that are hard to find on other cameras.
One example is the ability to recognize flames and give a fire alert. While many home security devices can hear fire alarms or detect smoke, Arlo is one of the first to offer the built-in ability to recognize fire on site, possibly before smoke detectors are triggered.
Arlo’s AI training also lets it create event captions and in-depth notifications. I’ve seen this ability on the rise with other brands like Google Home and Ring. Arlo’s option, still in beta, sends detailed descriptions instead of general voice alerts. When I tested the captions, they were able to accurately describe me moving a package around (well, sometimes it called it a green object), carrying away a plant, moving a shoe, and so on.
It’s a neat trick and can save time, although Arlo’s version is only available in the “Armed” setting for its latest indoor camera by default. The outdoor-focused pan and tilt camera has slightly broader capabilities, since privacy isn’t as big of a concern.
Even without the latest AI features, I still highly advise an Arlo subscription to get basic smart alerts, video storage and other important extras. The subscription currently starts at $10 a month for a single camera, and can be upgraded all the way to professional live monitoring services for multiple cams.
Final thoughts on Arlo’s new pan-tilt cameras
Arlo’s indoor-focused camera proved a powerful addition to its well-crafted camera line. Design quality remains superb and the new pan/tilt additions (built into both the indoor and more outdoor-friendly models) is one of the best I’ve seen, especially with the automatic privacy features. These wired cameras don’t have battery life management like most of Arlo’s previous models, but you will have to find an outlet.
Arlo’s app remains well-designed, but its cameras have so many customization options new users should expect a learning curve to understand everything. Part of that everything now includes Arlo’s expanded AI features, including event captions (in armed mode) and customized object detection for those who want to try it. I like the event captions in particular, but they require an Arlo subscription, as do a variety of other important features like cloud video storage. This camera, like other Arlo offerings, is for those who are comfortable with a $10-plus subscription or who are satisfied with only the most basic functions.
If you’d like to take a look at other affordable cameras, stop by my guide to the best budget security cams for more.