Eufy eufyCam S4 review: Is this solar-powered 4K system the ultimate home security?
The dual Eufy eufyCam S4 kit, featuring the 4K camera unit, solar panel, and Homebase S380 storage hub.. Picture: Eufy
I spent the last couple of months testing the Eufy eufyCam S4, which is powered via solar energy and a WiFi connection, which is especially convenient when you want to avoid the hassle of running cables through your loft or walls. The wireless hardware makes for an easy installation, and more importantly, you are not forced into a monthly subscription trap for basic features.
The camera array looks well-built and professional, featuring one manually adjustable lens alongside two other lenses with motorised pan-tilt functions. Both cameras come with large 5.5W solar panels. I installed one of the cameras in the back garden, where it had sunlight for most of the day, and mounted the solar panel directly on top of the unit. I installed the second camera under an eave and used the included USB-C extension cable to place the panel where it got more sunlight.
On the underside of the camera is a rubber seal that protects the microSD card slot for those who want local storage directly on the device. The mount also houses a USB-C port for the solar connection.
Unlike most security cameras, this system uses removable batteries. Each spare has its own USB-C port, so you can swap them without dismantling the hardware. While summer sunshine has made charging easy so far, this feature will be much more useful during the winter months.
The eufyCam S4 uses a hybrid triple-lens approach. There is an upper 4K wide-angle lens providing a 130-degree view of your property, and a lower 2K pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) lens. The technology works together so that when the wide-angle lens detects movement, the PTZ lens locks on and follows the subject. It can track people or cars from up to 50 metres away.
The Homebase, which came with my two cameras, uses what Eufy calls BionicMind AI. This helps distinguish between family members and strangers, reducing the number of unnecessary notifications. I also found the detection to be quite sharp thanks to the combination of radar and PIR sensors, which helps prevent your phone from buzzing every time a tree moves in the wind.
When it really needs to act as a deterrent, the system can trigger red and blue warning lights alongside a 105 dB siren.
During my summer testing, the solar performance was excellent. With plenty of sunshine, I never had to worry about the battery levels, even during periods of heavy use. The tracking is incredibly responsive, intelligent and smooth. Watching the PTZ lens pivot to follow a person walking by and zoom in was impressive.
I also spent some time using the two-way audio feature. I used it to speak to delivery drivers, and the microphone and speaker clarity were good enough that I could hear them clearly with minimal distortion.
The alert settings are highly customisable, allowing you to adjust sensitivity levels, detection range and specific activity zones. You can even choose which subjects the camera should recognise. This separation of detection from alerts means you can record motion, such as pets moving through an activity zone, without triggering an active notification.
Eufy has streamlined its ecosystem by merging multiple apps into one single app. Navigating between security cameras under the Security tab and robot vacuums under Clean is now seamless, especially when using the Favourites feature to star your most-used devices.
The app is straightforward and lets you manage all your settings in an intuitive, logical manner.
Even when zooming in on recorded footage, faces and license plates remain legible. At night, the quality remains decent because of the built-in spotlights. Rather than just grainy black-and-white footage, you get vivid colour night vision. This makes it much easier to identify the colour of a jacket or a car during an incident.
While you can opt for a cloud subscription for the extra peace of mind that comes with off-site backup, it isn't mandatory. You can use a microSD card in the camera itself, or better yet, use the Homebase S380, which has 16GB of internal storage. The S380 supports capacities up to 16TB. I decided to see how it handled older hardware and popped an old 2.5-inch 500GB spinning hard drive into the base station. It worked perfectly and provided plenty of space for months of footage.
One minor gripe, though: the Homebase does have a small fan. While it is not incredibly loud, it is not whisper-quiet either, so you might notice it if the base station is sitting right next to your desk or in a quiet room.
One feature I didn't configure was the ability to stream footage to a NAS over RTSP (Real-Time Streaming Protocol). Although I have NAS systems on my home network, I didn't go to the trouble of setting this specific feature up for this review.
If you want high-end 4K tracking, solar integration, and flexible storage options, it makes for a top-tier option for easy home security. The dedicated base station and accessible AI features without a paywall make this an incredibly attractive option for anyone looking to avoid ongoing costs.
€799 eufyCam S4 (2-Cam Kit) eufy.com/ie
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