Nooie Outdoor smart security camera review

Smart home security cameras all come in different shapes and sizes — from wired to battery-powered, to those that support night vision and others that allow two-way communication. But there are a few questions before buying a security camera, and some key questions include knowing where you plan to position the camera, and if that location has good Wi-Fi plus access to a power outlet if needed.

Many people forget to check these items before buying a camera — and find an unwelcome surprise when they get home. We recently tested the Nooie Outdoor Smart Camera on a real home which had both power access and very good Wi-Fi signal at the installation site. Here's how the camera fared in our tests.

What is the Nooie Outdoor Camera?

Nooie Outdoor Security Camera is a Wi-Fi, 1080p full HD outdoor security camera with a high quality sensor which can detect either motion or sound. It comes with two-way audio, weatherproofing (IP66 rated) and UV resistance. The camera has a 107 degree field of view (FOV) and a theft-deterrent alarm which can help keep unwanted guests roaming around the outside of your home.

A key feature of Nooie Outdoor Security cam is its twelve infrared lights which are used to provide crisp night vision up to 49 feet or 15 meters. We haven't come across a smart security camera with this many infrared LEDs.

Finally, Nooie Outdoor Security Camera comes with an adjustable base which can rotate the camera 101 degrees horizontally and 90 degrees vertically. This rotation, along with the camera's 107 degree FOV, provides a wide angle coverage.

Setting up the Nooie Outdoor Cam is quick and easy. Just download the Nooie app from either the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android). (Note: you will see two Nooie apps. Make sure you download the Nooie App and not the Nooie Cam app). Once you download the app, create an account and hit the "+" sign to add a camera. Then follow the setup instructions in the app, which is simple if you have a good Wi-Fi signal at the location you plan to install your Nooie Outdoor Cam.

Once the camera is connected, you will need to go into the app and set up the motion and sound detection features. There are three sensitivity levels: Low, medium and high. You can also schedule up to three periods a day for when you want this sensitivity to be active. There is "all the time" option, or you can choose a start and end time for motion and/or sound detection. When the sensitivity is active, you will receive alerts every time motion and/or sound is detected. This ability, to customize when you want motion and sound detection to be working, or not, is a good feature for a security camera, helping to prevent false alerts when you know the person around your home, like the gardener or your children playing in a backyard.

There are two ways to store your videos and photos in the Nooie Outdoor security camera. You can either store them locally using a MicroSD card or in the cloud. Nooie supports several monthly and annual plans, but there are just two types if you're only recording events: 7-Day History ($1 per month or $10 per year per device) and 30-Day History ($3 per month or $30 per year per device.). If you want continuous recording, Nooie has three plans to choose from: 3-Day ($3 per month or $33 per year per device), 7-Day ($5 per month or $55 per year per device), 15-Day ($10 per month or $99 per year per device) and 30_day ($19 per month or $188 per year per device.).

All plans will start recording for 60 seconds when motion has been detected, and storage is backed by Amazon Web Services (AWS). The videos captured can also be shared with friends and family too.

Smart Home Integrations

Nooie cameras are compatible with both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa-enabled devices. You can use voice commands to control Nooie, such as asking it to start recording or have video appear on your Google Assistant or Alexa smart display. To set up these integrations, you need to go to the Alexa or Google Home apps and add Nooie cam and link the two systems there.

Price

Nooie Outdoor Cam costs $59.99 and is available for sale on the company website as well as Amazon.

Performance

The camera has exception daytime video resolution. We found images appeared clearly, and video was crisp. The night video is very powerful and you can clearly see objects 50 feet away. However, if there are any objects close to the camera, the 12 infrared LEDs will shine brightly on them and we found could create glare. We had a shed 10 feet away from the camera and part of the shed was very bright.

Setting up Nooie was easy, as we mentioned, and we didn't have problems connecting the camera to Wi-Fi. We positioned the camera outside the room where our home router was located, and the signal was strong. Nooie also comes with a versatile mounting bracket. And the camera itself is well-built and looks like it can withstand harsh winters and hot summers. The casing is secure, and we felt we could easily move the camera into a position we wanted.

Daytime View

GearBrain

Here is a picture of daytime from Nooie Outdoor camera

Here is a daytime view from Nooie Outdoor Camera in app. Users can take a picture or video clip by using buttons in the app. You can also click on microphone icon to talk to visitors.

Night Time View

GearBrain

Here is a picture of nighttime from Nooie Outdooe Camera

Here is a night view from Nooie Outdoor Camera in app. Notice how bright the LEDs shine on the shed. Also, you an see the house clearly in the distance which is more than 50 feet away.

Buy Nooie Outdoor Camera on Amazon

During our testing, we found the motion and sound detection to be very sensitive when on the high setting. You can schedule when to have these features live during the day and/or night time, and for anyone with a lot of activity in their yard, they're going to appreciate this. You can also just use a lower setting.

What did surprise us with the Nooie, though, occurred after we got our first alert from the app. We went in, and found that to actually see the footage, we were forced to sign up for one of the company's cloud plans or insert a MicroSD card. If you don't select either, the app will not show you the video. This surprised us. Many security cameras only require a plan if you are storing videos longer than 24 hours. Nooie is the first security camera we have come across that requires you to either store the videos locally or sign up for one of their plans in order to see what triggered the sound and/or motion detection.

Summary

GearBrain has tested many different types of security cameras over the years. We have examined battery-powered and wired cameras as well as indoor security cameras and outdoor security cameras. Nooie is one of the better smart security cameras we have tested when it comes to video resolution. It reminded us of Kami Outdoor Security Camera (which we just reviewed). Both are well-built and weatherproofed, but Nooie has some features that separate these two.

When you combine Nooie's 1080p HD video resolution with motion detection and long range night vision, it forms a nice security device for outside your home. We also like how you can store videos locally for just the cost of a MicroSD card. However, we don't like how you have to have a MicroSD card or a cloud plan to see any footage, and that Nooie doesn't even allow you 24-hour access to video without selecting one of these options.

Who should buy this security camera? Nooie Outdoor Security Camera is perfect for buyers who need a good outdoor security camera for night surveillance. Its 12 Infrared LEDS provide a long range night vision capability we rarely see in outdoor security cameras. If you have a big back or front yard you want to watch, Nooie is a perfect solution. Just make sure you place it where the lights may overpower something close to the camera.

And if you use an Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant-enabled smart display as your home security controller, Nooie is a good security camera you can integrate to help protect your home.

In short, Nooie offers a good solution for the person looking for a smart home outdoor security camera at an attractive price, and a solid option for anyone needing a strong night-vision solution.

Pros:

• Price
• Long Range Night Vision
• Customized sound and motion detection

Cons:

• Need either a cloud plan or MicroSD card to see what triggered alerts
• Small Field of View
• Does not support 5GHz. Only 2.4 GHz networks.