Lorex 4K Spotlight Camera review

About the Lorex 4K Spotlight

• Color: White
• Connectivity: WLAN Protocals: 802.11.b/g/n/ac/ax
• Power source: 5V DC, 2A
• Resolution: 4K
• Field of view: 140°
• Audio: Two-way talk
• Smart assistant support: Alexa, Google Assistant
• **Weather resistance: IP65
• Warranty: One-year warranty

The Lorex 4K Spotlight comes stocked with all the essentials to get started, including: a wall mounting bracket and mounting plate, a power adapter and cable to connect with, a wrench, anchors and screws, and a MicroSD card.

What we like

It sets up in seconds

OK, maybe not seconds, but Lorex made it absurdly simple to get this camera up and running. You may need to spend some time planning a spot to mount the camera, since it will need to be within a reasonable distance of a power outlet. But as soon as you’ve secured a location and downloaded the accompanying app, the entire process simmers down to a simple, step-by-step setup.

The only sour spot here is the automated voice that quite literally screams out from the Lorex after you’ve first plugged into power to let you know that it’s ready to set up. Aside from that jarring note, though, I was delighted to see how quickly the camera got acquainted with my Wi-Fi network and prepared itself for action. The camera even comes with a pre-loaded 32GB SD card so that you can instantly begin capturing motion following the completion of your setup.

This camera has exceptional performance

It often feels like many security camera brands are going the route that TV manufacturers did a half-decade ago, slapping “4K” on everything they can to generate the instant buzz that follows.

The Lorex 4K Spotlight, for one, lives up to the title. Daytime viewing is amazingly crisp and detailed, making for an excellent way to keep tabs on our pet tortoise, Darwin, as he saunters across the back patio.

Nighttime viewing isn’t as spectacular (though still good), and the field of view could be better. But when it comes to picture quality overall, Lorex brought the heat.

Speaking of, the Lorex 4K Spotlight can withstand temperatures between 131 and negative 4 degrees Fahrenheit, while sporting a IP65 weather resistance rating. It’s also equipped with a customizable smart LED light band with what Lorex claims to be 16.7 million color options to choose from.

Of course, most folks won’t know what to do with that many choices. But the light itself was capable of getting surprisingly bright, enough to be a potential nuisance to neighbors as I illuminated my backyard during some evening testing.

Perhaps most impressively, some of the Lorex 4K Spotlight’s most handy features come with no strings attached. The camera bucks the loathsome security subscription trend and gives you several smart detection settings (person-, vehicle-, animal-, and package detection) that are seldom available in competing devices without paying an additional monthly fee. The same goes for the 30 GB of onboard video storage that Lorex provides. In all, the Lorex 4K Spotlight couples great performance with a value factor that’s not often seen in this space.

With the Lorex camera, security takes precedent

I’ve tested countless smart security cameras at this point, and the Lorex represented an interesting first for me. For the first time during a setup process, I was prompted to set up a biometric login (i.e., a fingerprint scan), followed by an ask to set up two-factor authentication for the device.

Normally, I’d have to dig through the security settings to incorporate features such as those. For many people, that’s an added hassle that they may not feel the need to bother with. With the Lorex, though, security was baked in from the start.

There are other neat security perks like privacy mode that, when toggled, turns off the camera’s live view, recording and notifications until told otherwise. However, it was that initial prioritization of security that sold me.

At the very least, Lorex is making sure you know your options when it comes to protecting the privacy of your network-connected camera.

What we don’t like

It doesn’t work with Siri or Apple HomeKit

The good news is, the Lorex 4K Spotlight is compatible with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. To that end, it worked nicely with my various Amazon displays to pull up a live view of the backyard in a moment’s (or two) notice.

Alas, Apple ecosystem investors don’t get to join in on the fun. At the time of this review, the Lorex 4K Spotlight did not work with Siri or Apple HomeKit. For the hardcore Apple fans out there, the Eve Floodlight should be able to scratch that itch.

The Wi-Fi connection isn’t bulletproof

As a preface, I’ll accept the possibility that my home network could be feeling the strain of what must be close to 75 connected devices at this point.

Whatever the case may be, I did come across a few isolated incidents where the Lorex was unable to pull up the live feed.

To put a finer point on it, it was enough to make a note of it here. But not nearly enough to level a serious criticism against the product, especially given the circumstances of being on a relatively crowded Wi-Fi network.

Should you buy the Lorex 4K Spotlight Camera?

Yes. It’s just that good

The Lorex 4K Spotlight is the real deal, offering immaculate precision when it comes to picture quality, the bright light that it’s outfitted with, the unbelievably simple setup process that it flaunts the moment you power it up. And that’s without mentioning the built-in storage or attention to security, all without shaking you for spare change along the way.

It’s not the cheapest security solution out there (the Wyze Cam Floodlight fits that bill), and it does have a small handful of hiccups. Namely, it requires an outlet for power, it doesn’t work with Siri, and it has displayed a few random instances where its connection was a concern.

The Eufy Floodlight Cam 2 Pro offers a superior overall package, albeit for a superior price. And perhaps the Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro shines brighter when it comes to pure performance. Outside of those contenders, though, the Lorex 4K Spotlight should be on your short list for protecting and illuminating your home.