Arlo has gone big with the latest addition to its range, adding the Arlo Essential XL to its portfolio of home security devices.
The Essential category is designed to stand apart from the Pro offering, focus on the essentials and deliver cameras at slightly more affordable prices.
The big sell of the new XL camera is the battery life, with Arlo claiming that it will last for a year on a single charge. Of course there's a caveat on that, as it will depend on the settings you use and the frequency of capture – but if you're constantly recharging your Arlo camera, the XL might reduce the number of charges by half.
As a result this camera is longer than the regular Essential Spotlight Camera, but the other specs remain pretty much the same: it offers a 1080p resolution, has a 103-degree wide-angle lens and offers up to 12x digital zoom.
The use of an LED "spotlight" on the front means it can illuminate in dark conditions to give you colour video at night, while also offering IR-based night vision.
It offers two-way audio so you can speak to or challenge intruders, while offering a wire-free installation like the rest of the Arlo family. There's the option for direct connection to a Wi-Fi network, or this can connect to a SmartHub to join an existing Arlo setup.
What's surprising about the new Essential XL is that it's only $20 more than the smaller Essential camera, so may well prove to be a popular choice. It's currently on pre-order in the US, we'd expect wider launch in the UK in 2021.