Nest Cam IQ review: A seriously smart (and expensive) indoor security camera

The setup process for the IQ remains largely unchanged from previous Nest Cams. If it's your first Nest purchase, you'll need to download the iOS or Android app, create an account, and then add theNest Cam IQ from the device list. You'll be asked to scan a QR code located on the bottom of the camera and to choose the location you intend to use the camera (living room, bedroom, office, etc.). Once you've done that, it's simply a matter of plugging the camera into an outlet and connecting it to your Wi-Fi network.
We pitted the IQ against other recently reviewed models, including the Logitech Circle, the Arlo Q, and the IQ's predecessor, the Nest Indoor Cam, analyzing daylight and nighttime (infrared) image quality, motion sensitivity, and speaker and microphone performance. Because the IQ features an all new image sensor, we also tested its zoom chops and ability to recognize and learn faces.

Nest has always had a clear vision for what a home security camera should be. One of the more controversial aspects of this vision is the belief that they should always be recording. Unlike most of its competitors, Nest cameras don't offer a free tier of video storage. Competitors like the Arlo Q and Logitech Circle do, in large part because they only record video (usually in 10-15-second spurts) when someone or something triggers them. If you want to access saved video recordings with a Nest Cam, you have one choice: pay an extra $10/month or $100/year for a Nest Aware subscription that will preserve your recordings for 10 days. If you don't, you'll simply get alerts and photo snapshots of recorded events.The IQ's night vision performance is even better than the Nest Cam's (which was already very good), as is the sound quality coming from its redesigned speaker. But perhaps the biggest draw is IQ's new 4K, 8-megapixel sensor. This has the potential to cause some confusion, so it's worth briefly elaborating on. The camera itself streams and records at 1080p, not 4K. The bandwidth storage required for the latter would simply be too prohibitive. Instead, the IQ uses that extra resolution to do things like track and zoom in on people it sees.
Conclusion

The Nest Cam IQ is without a doubt one of the most well designed and capable indoor security cameras we've tested. But to really take advantage of its smarts, you'll need a Nest Aware subscription. That's at least a $400 investment for one camera for one year. If you're a well monied home security buff, the choice is easy: get an Nest IQ. If you're not, there are options that make a lot more sense.
Details

Price: $299

Dimensions: 4.9 x 2.9 x 2.9 inches

Cable length: 10 feet

Camera: 8-megapixel (4K) color sensor with 12x digital zoom

Video: Up to 1080p (1920 x 1080) at 30 frames/sec, HDR, H.264 encoding

Field of view: 130 degrees

Light: 15W Philips Hue white ambiance LED (included)
Grade: 3.5/5

Please comment below.