Aqara's first outdoor camera is this smart home enthusiast's dream device – here's why

Security cameras need to offer something unique to impress me. I’ve tested many brands and have come to prefer some over others, but I’m pleased to say the new Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro is one that I truly like. What makes this security camera unique? It can double as a smart home hub, and it’s Aqara’s first outdoor security camera.  

Also: I tested this 2-in-1 smart lock with no subscription fees – and it impressed everyone

The G5 Pro is a Thread border router and a Matter controller and has Zigbee support for Aqara devices that require a hub. That means you can buy this Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro to surveil your home and add other Aqara devices without having to buy a separate hub.

I have two Aqara hubs in my home, an Aqara Hub M2 that was replaced by the newer Aqara Hub M3. This camera is enough to replace both of them — and surveil inside or outside my house.

Also: 7 crucial rules for setting up a home security camera – and risky spots to avoid

This isn’t the first Aqara camera to double as a smart home hub. Aqara already has the Camera Hub G3, a 2K indoor security camera, and the Camera Hub Indoor G2H Pro, a 1080p indoor camera. The new G5 Pro, however, is the first time Aqara is bringing a hub to the outside of the home, as this security camera is weatherproof, and the first Aqara outdoor camera, aside from its video doorbells.

The Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro doesn’t support expanding its local storage, so you can’t add a microSD card to record clips. But you can get creative with it, thanks to the G5 Pro’s real-time streaming protocol (RTSP) support. 

With local RTSP access, you can use video server software via Home Assistant, Frigate, or Blue Iris to record and manage your footage locally. RTSP also lets you store video locally on a NAS (network-attached storage) or SMB (server message block), bypassing cloud storage subscriptions. Of course, when you use Home Assistant to manage your camera, you can also more easily customize your existing smart home devices and set up alerts without relying on Aqara’s cloud services.

I run a HomeKit smart home, so I use Apple Home as my main smart home controller. (Because I test smart home devices for a living, I also have Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and SmartThings running.)

Also: This smart lock is feature-rich, solves a common problem – and it’s 40% off

The G5 Pro camera is natively compatible with Apple Home with HomeKit Secure Video (HKSV), so it works seamlessly and swiftly through the Apple app. It’s also compatible with Alexa, Google, and SmartThings.

Smart home hubs are typically single-function tabletop devices that only work to connect low-energy smart home devices that can’t directly connect to your Wi-Fi. These smaller devices, like cameras and sensors, connect to a hub that then connects to the internet. While a hub frees you from having to add 12 devices to your Wi-Fi (potentially congesting your router), hubs generally don’t do much else.

I like the SwitchBot Hub because it also functions as a thermometer and has buttons that can be programmed to trigger routines and devices. Now, with the launch of the G5 Pro —  Aqara’s first outdoor camera that’s also a hub —  the multifunctional hub just moved a bit more mainstream.  

Also: I switched to the EufyCam S3 Pro and can’t go back to grainy night vision

Aside from the convenience of combining home security with a smart home hub, the G5 Pro’s ingenuity lies in its many AI-powered visual recognition features. The camera can not only detect vehicles, people, animals, and packages, but it can learn to recognize faces and even specific vehicles. 

Using the camera’s AI recognition, you can automate functions — such as opening the garage when a specific vehicle approaches the house, prompting a camera response when a person has been lingering on your property, and triggering an alarm when the lens is obstructed. 

The camera has four AI-powered audio recognition capacities, including crying, an alarm sound, barking, and coughing. These allow the camera to be used as more than security surveillance, as evidenced by the notifications I got of my toddler crying while grandma was babysitting. 

Also: If you use Ring, this is the doorbell I recommend most (and it’s easy to install)

The AI runs locally on the G5 Pro, so you don’t need a subscription to enjoy all the custom alerts and issue automations from them. 

ZDNET’s buying advice

I’ve tested the camera indoors and outdoors and I love it so far. The Aqara Camera G5 Pro can be a smart home enthusiast’s dream device, especially with PoE and RTSP support. While I got the Wi-Fi version to test it in different places in and around my house, I can appreciate how convenient a PoE model would be.

Even if you don’t like to tinker with your smart home and are OK with paying a monthly cloud subscription, the fact that this camera is so great at running on-device AI and doubles as a smart home hub makes it a great option for both new smart home users and seasoned tinkerers.