This system now uses a separate hub and touchscreen alarm panel, meaning you can add more touchscreens throughout your home—up to four total. You can put a screen by each entrance, or even upstairs near bedrooms for easy access before you sleep.
The Cove Hub connects over the internet with a cellular backup, which makes the system more useful in locations without dependable cell service. Cove told us that the system could run entirely over cellular if an internet connection isn't available. Previously, Cove used only a cellular connection, so it's nice to have the redundancy and reliability of an internet connection.
Cove also streamlined and improved the setup process, which runs on the alarm panel. We like the new options to skip steps and return to the Installation Wizard later if you don't have enough time to install everything in a single session.
Cove's new hub also comes with Z-Wave support. Smart home compatibility is one of our biggest complaints with the previous Cove security system, so adding Z-Wave is a step in the right direction.
We're still unsure exactly how Cove will use Z-Wave, but smart locks, smart thermostats, lights, and a smart garage door opener would greatly make Cove more competitive with brands like SimpliSafe, Frontpoint, and Wyze.
Beyond the hub and alarm panel, Cove's adding a few new devices: a siren, Eufy Outdoor Camera, and Eufy Doorbell Camera. The siren is a welcome addition that can deter intruders with a piercing screech.
As for the Eufy cameras, their battery power sources and video quality are a big improvement over Cove's other offerings. For now, these are plain Eufy cameras you use with the Eufy app, but Cove plans to integrate them with the Cove Connect app soon.
A new Cove app—Cove Connect—comes bundled with the new Cove security system. It seeks to improve the Cove experience substantially with a new user interface and better home automation controls. The older Cove Security app hasn't seen an update since 2021—we commonly see complaints about how clunky and unreliable it is.
Although Cove Connect seems like an upgrade, the integration with Eufy and Skybell security cameras isn't ready yet. We hope Cove adds this functionality soon since having multiple Cove apps (and a Eufy app) is a little chaotic.