Blink Outdoor 4 security camera review: Small but mighty

Amazon’s budget-minded security camera brand Blink has just debuted in Australia, bringing with it the pint-sized powerhouse that is the Blink Outdoor 4. Powered by just two AA batteries, this wireless camera promises up to two years of battery life, local storage, a wide field of view and HD resolution for under $150. But does it deliver? We put it to the test.

The Blink Outdoor 4 is probably the smallest and most unassuming wireless outdoor security camera I’ve ever seen. It’s slightly larger than a can of tuna and fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. Installation is as simple as placing it on a surface, or you can use the included bracket and screws to mount it to the wall of your choice.

Because it’s powered by two AA batteries, there’s no need to charge the Blink Outdoor 4 before installation. Simply download the Blink app, scan the QR code on the back of the camera, follow the prompts and you’re good to go. As for the Sync Module 2, just plug it in, follow the same setup as the camera, and throw in a USB drive so you can record footage without needing to fork out for cloud storage.

The camera rated IP65, so it can withstand rain, dust and most of what the weather can throw at it. That said, the camera is only rated to operate in temperatures up to 45°C, which doesn’t quite cut it in our hot-as-hell Aussie summers, particularly if you’re placing it out in the open without any shade. For that reason, we recommend placing it undercover if possible.

The Blink Outdoor 4’s 1080p resolution doesn’t sound like much on paper, but it’s surprisingly crisp in practice, with a practically unheard-of frame rate (at least, for security cameras) of up to 30fps for ultra-smooth footage and a wide 143-degree field of view. Colours are true-to-life, and although the camera lacks colour night vision (which is to be expected at this price point), the infrared black-and-white view you do get is still pretty decent.

The Blink app is one of the more bare-bones smart home security apps on the market, but it has everything you need. Live feeds are quick to load, you can arm or disarm your system with the press of a button right from the home screen, and you can adjust key settings like motion sensitivity, activity and privacy zones, speaker volume, video quality and clip length.

Unlike most wireless security cameras, battery life is a hard one to gauge on the Blink Outdoor 4. After all, it’s rated for up to two years of battery, and I’ve only had a few weeks to test it. Plus, because it uses AA batteries instead of a battery pack more commonly found in wireless cams, you don’t get an exact percentage of remaining battery in the app. Mine simply says “OK”, which isn’t hugely helpful for indicating how much time is left.

As an Amazon-owned brand, you won’t be surprised to learn that Blink cameras (including the Outdoor 4) work seamlessly with Alexa, and if you’ve got a compatible device, like an Echo Show or Fire TV, you can watch the camera’s video feed live. The downside of being an Amazon-owned brand, however, is that Blink cameras don’t play nicely with Google Home and Apple HomeKit.

I’ve always found it somewhat difficult to recommend Ring security cameras to those on a budget. Although they offer great performance, the relatively steep upfront cost and the reliance on a subscription model make them a tough sell. Blink is a welcome antidote, offering many of the benefits of its more premium sister brand with far fewer compromises, and the Outdoor 4 is the perfect example of this.

Although there are a couple of small features locked behind yet another subscription, the Blink Outdoor 4 is exceptionally capable even without it. And while we’d like to see better temperature resilience and maybe some colour night vision, it’s still one of the best outdoor wireless cameras you can get for under $150.