Reolink Argus PT Review

Reolink delivers another excellent wireless security camera with the Reolink Argus PT. It combines the excellent performance of the Reolink Argus 3 Pro with an outdoor pan-tilt camera to supercharge how you watch over your yard. 

Argus PT's rechargeable battery makes it easy to install, and it supports solar charging if you throw the affordable Reolink solar panel into the mix. Our main complaint is that it offers fewer pan-tilt features than the Reolink E1 Zoom—an indoor-only model—specifically the option to create presets to point your camera around the yard quickly.

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• Reolink Argus PT security camera
• Mounting bracket, template, and screws
• Micro USB cable
• Antenna
• Reset needle
• Quick start guide
• Reolink window decal

Unsurprisingly, Argus PT's video performance benefits from the same quality and customization tools we love about other Reolink cameras. Daytime and nighttime videos both look great compared to pricier brands like Arlo and Nest; though no security camera brand, Reolink included, produces perfect video at all times.

Unlike the Reolink Argus 3 Pro and the Reolink E1 Zoom, there's no option to change the recording resolution from its native 1440p (2K) setting to maximize space on your microSD card. At least you can still bump down the frame rate and bitrate to save space, so it's not a huge problem for most folks. Reolink uses PIR detection (passive infrared) to capture motion event footage and doesn't offer a continuous recording feature, so it won't use up storage capacity very quickly.

Fortunately, there's more flexibility for live views and cloud storage, where you can choose a low-resolution setting; Reolink calls this Fluent Mode. Besides saving on cloud storage space, Fluent mode is mainly useful for reducing streaming lag, though you'll notice a stark difference in video quality. Even on a quick internet connection, we saw a decent amount of lag, especially with the full-resolution setting, making it somewhat difficult to reposition the camera remotely.

We love that Reolink gives you some control over brightness and contrast so you can tune the camera to fit its surroundings better. It's helpful for darker indoor areas with bright spots from windows that would otherwise wash out some details.

Argus PT's biggest advantages over its pan-tilt sibling, the Reolink E1 Zoom, are its weatherproofing, rechargeable battery, and a greater vertical tilt range of 140º—E1 Zoom tops at just 50º of vertical range. A tall vertical range is crucial outdoors for finding the best position for optimal recording.

Still, it lacks E1 Zoom's optical zoom, outstanding video quality, and pan-tilt presets. In particular, we miss the option to create pan-tilt presets, which makes it easy to change the camera view without the cumbersome on-screen controls. Argus PT holds its own for outdoor settings, but E1 Zoom is the superior indoor camera in every way.

Outside of Reolink, the Wyze Cam Pan v3 offers the best pan-tilt user experience since you can make presets and use the camera's automatic tracking to keep a subject in frame as they move through your yard. Wyze's video quality isn't as strong as Reolink's, and there's no battery-powered option, so the camera you choose depends on your needs.

Argus PT's sound quality is good in video recordings but is gravelly and rough through the built-in speaker. This is disappointing because the speaker is the only way to address someone with the camera. To make matters worse, the added noise of an outdoor setting makes it even harder to understand a voice through the speaker. It's acceptable for quiet yards but not near busy roads.

The Argus PT's built-in battery handled our initial four-week test like a pro. While we managed to drain the battery to around 30% capacity through recordings and app interactions, it still outlasted a Ring Spotlight Cam from a different test. We didn't get a chance to try the solar-powered option, but it's nice to have a way to extend the time between indoor charging sessions. Our long-term battery tests aren't complete, so we'll update this review once we see how it holds up.

Argus PT hits the sweet spot for video storage by offering local and cloud options. It supports up to 128GB on a microSD card, which is a great way to save video without a recurring monthly fee, though you'll pay upfront for the storage.

Reolink Cloud storage is passable but certainly not the best value compared to Nest, Arlo, and Ring. Our biggest complaint is that owning more than 10 cameras makes Reolink cloud storage too expensive. Beyond that, you'll see more value from most competitors.

Reolink is one of the few companies still offering a free cloud storage option, but it has some heavy limitations. The free storage applies only to a single camera, so don't expect it to cover your entire camera system. Also, it doesn't renew automatically, which means there's some potential for gaps in your security if you forget to renew it each month. Still, it's a great option for deciding if a paid plan or a SD card is the best path forward.

One of our favorite Reolink features is Time Lapse Capture, which has little use in home security. Still, it gives you more creativity by capturing sunrises, weather, and seasonal changes over long periods. This gives your camera a way to pass the time while it waits for motion detection to trigger security recordings.

Reolink keeps the setup simple with a series of QR codes. You scan the QR code on the bottom of the camera with the Reolink app and enter your Wi-Fi network credentials to generate a QR code on your phone's screen to transfer the info to the camera. After connecting, the camera asks for a few details, and you can use it in the app.

It's easy enough to create motion zones and notification rules and to adjust other options in the camera's settings menu. We recommend familiarizing yourself with the menus during the first few days of operation.

The best way to install the Reolink Argus PT is the included mounting bracket, which hangs the camera above the ground using screws or a loop strap. Reolink's loop strap is beneficial for quick mounting to a tree or pole.

From there, it's simple to attach the camera via a slider and a small mounting plate on the top of the bracket. You can also attach the camera to anything using a standard tripod screw, which is common on most third-party security camera mounts.

The Reolink Argus PT camera supports Amazon Alexa and Google Home, though its Alexa integration is only useful for viewing a live feed on an Echo Show smart display. You can't really interact with this Reolink camera in the Alexa app. Conversely, Google supports smart display streaming and shows a live view in the Google Home app. Beyond these basic features, Reolink won't bring much to your smart home system.

The Reolink Argus PT is one of the best outdoor pan-tilt cameras available because it offers the flexibility of battery power with an affordable solar panel add-on. Its excellent video quality is on par with the Reolink Argus 3 Pro, but it isn't the best pan-tilt camera that Reolink offers. Check out our review of the best wireless security cameras to learn more about our favorite security cameras.

To enrich our hands-on tests, we also researched Reolink's customer service offerings, product pages, and customer reviews to look for perks and flaws. You can learn more about how SafeWise tests, reviews, and rates products in our complete methodology.

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