They both look like pretty awesome indoor security cameras. But, if you were to compare the Arlo Q with the Blink XT2, which one would come out on top?
In the post, we will take a look at both cameras to help you decide which one is best for your situation.
Spoiler alert – one of them is an indoor AND outdoor camera. Ok, it is the Blink XT2, but don’t let that put you off reason the rest!
Let’s kick this post off with a good old-fashioned table to compare the Arlo Q v the Blink XT2 security cameras…
Arlo Q v Blink XT2 Compared
| Arlo Q | Blink XT2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | View On Amazon | View On Amazon |
| Waterproof Rating | No | Yes – IP65 |
| Camera | 1080P – 130-Degree | 1080P – 110-Degree |
| Night Vision | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Zoom | 8x | No |
| Integration | ***** | **** |
| 2-Way Audio | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud Storage | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 1-Year | 1-Year |
Price
Arlo Q
The Arlo Q has a slightly higher price than the Blink XT2, so it is the most expensive. The difference is not huge.
Blink XT2
This Blink camera price is slightly lower than the Arlo, but not by a great deal. The difference is not enough for me to be concerned about.
Blink XT2 has a lower purchase price which is advantageous if you work on a budget.
Waterproof Rating
Arlo Q
This camera was built for the indoor environment; therefore, it is not certified for water or resistance.
Additionally, you should install the camera far away from any densely humid areas or splash hazards, e.g., sinks and showers, as this would damage the device.
Blink XT2
On the other hand, the Blink XT2 is IP65 water resistance rated. This means it can protect itself from water jets with minimal pressure for a long time.
That rating will give you a great deal of confidence if you need to place the Blink XT2 outdoors.
Camera Quality
Arlo Q
The images on this device are sharp and are up to 1080p HD resolution. Depending on your preference, the image quality could also be altered to 720p, 480p, 360p, and even 240p.
The camera offers a wonderful 130-degree field of view that is good at capturing many details without the need to move the camera.
Blink XT2
This camera also offers a full 1080 HD resolution and a camera frame rate of up to 30 frames per second for those smooth videos.
The viewing angle on the particular device is 110 degrees, slightly narrower than the Arlo Q.
Night Vision
Arlo Q
The Arlo Q offers excellent night vision that lets you see what’s happening in complete darkness. This can be noticed by the night vision LEDs, which turn on dimly in the dark.
As with most cameras, night vision mode kicks in automatically when it detects low light.
Blink XT2
This device also offers wonderful night vision with crisp recordings. Night vision in this particular model is enabled by an infrared light emitter found on the lower part of the device’s face.
Night vision control can either be turned to the on/off option or automatic for convenience. The infrared sensitivity on the camera could also be set to low, medium, or high, depending on your preference.
Digital Zoom
Arlo Q
Arlo Q offers a digital zoom of up to 8x.
Images at this amount of zoom are pretty clear in a well-lit environment. It is, however, to note that you may experience a little image noise at the maximum zoom.
A bit of graining on the objects in the image may be observed; hence it is advisable to bring the camera next to the area you want to monitor and only zoom when necessary.
Blink XT2
Blink XT2 also offers digital zoom, but it hasn’t been officially stated how much.
However, the image quality after the zoom is decent, and you can easily recognize objects, people, and items like car number plates without a struggle.
Battery life
Arlo Q
Arlo Q runs on USB power provided by the same 10-foot cord supplied in the box through a socket. The long cord provides connections to areas where a power source may not be available.
The unit comes with a cable management spot for a clean setup. A power adapter is also included in the box.
Blink XT2
This device is powered by two AA batteries that come with the package, which gives an impressive two years of battery life.
It does, however, come with a USB cord and adapter if you want a direct power source.
The battery life can be shortened if you set it to its maximum resolution or increase the motion sensitivity to its maximum.
Accessories
Arlo Q
This product has several accessories that include Echo Show and an Echo Dot. Echo Show is a vibrant tablet-sized HD screen that integrates with Alexa, a voice assistant that enables you to issue instructions with just your voice.
You could be able to video output on this. Echo Dot is a speaker with a microphone that you could use to switch your cameras on or off.
Blink XT2
Being a product from the Amazon company, it integrates seamlessly with other Amazon products like the Echo show 5 and 8. You could issue voice commands enabling you to view the output of one camera at one particular time.
Integration
Arlo Q
It integrates with many ecosystems like Amazon Alexa, Google, and If This Then That (IFTTT).
Its greatest integration is with IFTTT because it gives you various other features, like switching on your lights when it senses motion or sound.
Blink XT2
It also integrates with Amazon Alexa enabling voice commands like motion clips, viewing your live streams, and even disarming or arming your surveillance system with just your voice.
This is, however, only enabled through some selected Alexa devices. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work with other ecosystems like Google or Apple.
2-Way Audio
Arlo Q
This unit has a microphone and a speaker built into it to enable communication between two people in separate rooms standing next to the camera. This is particularly useful for speaking to delivery guys and guests at your front door.
The audio is pretty responsive too. Some cameras take a while to play the audio, but the Arlo is quick enough.
You can turn off the microphone and the speaker if you want to.
Blink XT2
This unit also has two-way audio and is equally clear for communication between you and the person you need to communicate with.
Again, the Blink XT2 has quick audio!
In the mobile app, you also have the option of adjusting the volume of the audio depending on whether it is too loud or not loud enough for you.
Storage
Arlo Q
You will get up to a week free of cloud storage that you will be able to download, view, and even share at no additional cost making this option very cost-effective. It makes up for the slightly higher price tag associated with the Arlo Q.
This is, however, the basic option. You will have to upgrade to a payment option if you want more hours of video memory or have installed more cameras.
Blink XT2
The Blink also works with free cloud storage, but you can download it to local storage if you wish.
You can also view your footage for up to a year if you store it in the cloud.
Conclusion
There is not much difference when comparing the Arlo Q v Blink XT2. Both have excellent built quality, are easy to install, and have great image quality.
The Arlo Q is slightly more expensive, but the cloud storage makes up for it. If you want a camera that you can put outdoors, opt for the Blink XT2.
In terms of functionality, and quality, these two cameras are very much in the same place.
It all boils down to their price point and whether you are doing an outdoor or indoor installation.
Whichever one you pick, either Arlo Q v Blink XT2, rest assured that you have all angles covered.