The best video doorbell just got better.
Eufy Dual Cam Doorbell E340 review: Two is better than one
When we reviewed the Eufy Dual Cam Doorbell S330 last year, we were impressed by how useful the addition of a second camera truly was, and it earned the coveted number-one spot in our best video doorbells guide. That said, it was very pricey, and it required the Eufy HomeBase in order to actually work.
Thankfully, it seems Eufy has taken these criticisms onboard, delivering an almost-perfect follow-up in the Eufy Dual Cam Doorbell E340.
Eufy Dual Cam Doorbell E340 price
Our biggest gripe with the Eufy Dual Cam Doorbell E340’s predecessor (the S330) was its price. At release, it retailed for a whopping $499.95, making it one of the most expensive video doorbells on the market. Granted, it did come with the Eufy HomeBase, which can be used as local storage as well as a hub for all your Eufy devices, but the fact that the doorbell couldn’t work without the HomeBase was a bit of a letdown.
Fortunately, the Eufy E340 doesn’t require a HomeBase, and as such, the price has come down considerably—to $349.95, to be exact.
Though still not cheap by any means, it brings the E340 more in line with video doorbells from the likes of Ring and Google Nest, and it offers a far more attractive value proposition when you consider that, unlike the aforementioned brands, Eufy’s doorbells don’t require monthly fees to unlock advanced features or substantial storage.
Eufy Dual Cam Doorbell E340 design and setup
As was the case with its predecessor, the Eufy Dual Cam Doorbell E340 is… well, a chunky lad. Though slightly smaller than the S330, it’s still one of the bigger video doorbells on the market. It still manages to look quite sleek, though, and we can forgive its size given the fact it has double the cameras of its competitors.
The doorbell comes with a mount, as well as a 15-degree wedge (should you like to slightly change the angle) and all the screws you need. There’s also a handy card that shows you exactly where the screw holes need to go, so installing the doorbell is a relatively fool-proof endeavour. However, one thing Eufy has yet to do is provide a renter-friendly solution for installing its video doorbells, which is a shame because even though installation is easy, it does require drilling. Sorry, renters.
The good thing about not needing a HomeBase to work is that the doorbell is far quicker and easier to set up since the device connects directly to your Wi-Fi rather than needing to connect to the HomeBase which in turn needs to be connected to your Wi-Fi. Simply charge it up, download the Eufy Security app, follow the prompts to add the E340, and then attach it to your newly installed mount. That’s it. You can also configure the doorbell to work with Alexa or Google Home, but unfortunately, there’s still no support for Apple HomeKit yet.
There are some additional steps if you plan on hardwiring the doorbell (which the Eufy app will walk you through), and from our research, it seems the battery still needs to be installed in order for the hardwiring to work.
It’s also worth noting that the E340 is rated IP65, making it safe for outdoor use and able to withstand most weather conditions.
Eufy Dual Cam Doorbell E340 features and performance
Having two cameras on a video doorbell truly is a game changer, and the Eufy Dual Cam Doorbell E340 is proof of that. While the primary (top) camera is great for showing approaching visitors, it can’t show me my doorstep. That’s always my biggest gripe with video doorbells—after all, I want to be able to see if any packages have arrived while I’m out. That’s where the secondary (bottom) camera comes in. It’s perfectly positioned to capture those deliveries, and with the Delivery Guard feature, you’ll even be alerted when a package has arrived or if it’s been picked up. It’s practically porch pirate-proof.
The specs of both cameras are essentially the same as those found on the S330, with a 2K main camera and a HD secondary camera. Both are exceptionally clear, even at night (thanks to colour night vision and lights at the top and bottom of the doorbell), though I kept night colour vision switched off to avoid draining the battery too quickly.
One of the key factors we assess when testing video doorbells is the time it takes to load the live camera view after first receiving the ‘doorbell ringing’ notification. After all, what’s the point of a video doorbell if the visitor is gone by the time the live feed buffers? Fortunately, as is the case with previous Eufy doorbells we’ve reviewed, the E340 is very fast to load if you’re on the same Wi-Fi as the doorbell, but slightly delayed if you’re out and about (which is standard across most video doorbells). Enabling motion notifications does help quite a bit, as you can get a jump start on loading the live view before the doorbell has even been rung.
The E340 comes with 8GB of onboard storage, which is not expandable unless you first, buy the Eufy HomeBase 3 (which comes with 16GB of storage) and second, buy an expensive larger-capacity SATA hard drive. Still, Eufy reckons 8GB is enough to save 90 days of video (based on an average of recording 30 videos per day, each about 20 seconds long) which should be more than enough for most people.
Final word
The Eufy Dual Cam Doorbell E340 takes everything we loved about last year’s model (the S330) and makes it even better, doing away with the required HomeBase and slashing the price by $150. Though still not exactly cheap, the E340 is easily one of the best-performing video doorbells you can buy today, and the fact that there’s no need for ongoing monthly fees is a huge plus. Two cameras are truly game-changing, and if it weren’t for the lack of HomeKit support or renter-friendly installation option, we’d be giving it full marks.