Swann evo 2K wireless security camera. Affordable, local storage, no fees (review)

The Swann evo 2K wireless security camera is part of its new evo affordable range that offers 2K vision, local storage and no monthly subscription fees.

Evo cameras use similar electronics and a 2K (4MP) 2560 x 1440 sensor, have a microSD slot, and performance.

The Swann evo 2K range

Other Evo cameras

• $69.95 EVO​ Pan & Tilt Wi-Fi Camera​ | SWIFI-SE2KPT
• $59.95 EVO​ 2K Indoor Wi-Fi Camera​ | SWIFI-SE2KIC
• $179.95 EVO Wireless 2K Solar Security Camera | SWIFI-SESOL2KBC
• $99.95 Evo Doorbell SWIFI-EVOVDB
• $159.95 EVO Wireless Video Doorbell with SwannShield AI Voice Assistant | SWIFI-SEVDBC

Australian Review: Swann EVO Wireless 2K Security Camera | SWIFI-SE2KBC

Website	See above Quick Start guide FAQs and Guides
Price	See above
From	Swann Online, Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi
Made in	China
Company	Based in Melbourne, Australia, it now has offices in the USA, Canada, UK, Hong Kong and China and a presence in over 40 countries on six continents.  It focuses on security cameras.
More	CyberShack Swann news and reviews

Ratings

We use the following ratings for many of the items below. CyberShack regards a score between 70 and 80/100 as a fit-for-purpose pass mark. You can click on most images to enlarge them.

• Fail (below expectations), and we will let you know if this affects its use.
• Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be.
• Pass (meets expectations).
• Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good, but does not quite make it to Exceed
• Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader).

First Impression – affordable

Money is too hard to come by, and the Swann evo 2K security camera and video doorbell range fills a niche for enhanced resolution, decent battery life, local storage and no subscription fees (unless you want extra features, and that is not why you are looking for a more affordable solution).

I have only reviewed the Swann evo 2K IP56 outdoor or indoor security camera, but the range all share the same 2K resolution and similar electronics.

And yes, it’s a typical camera. White ABS casing, USB-C (or solar charge and for $10 more, you would be crazy not to get it), with a ¼” tripod mount on the back or a flat bottom for desktop. It has a tripod wall mount in the box.

The camera is at the value end. 2K (4MP) 2560 x 1440 sensor, 120° Field of View, Resolutions Low (720p), High (180p), Max (2K) with a 1:1, 4:3, 16:9 or stretch sensor crop.

It has digital zoom, but 4K is about the maximum usable.

It has Wi-Fi N 2.4GHz WPA2 and can be up to 20m from the router (inside) and further for line-of-sight. It does not use a Power Hub like Swan Max 4K.

It loves mesh over extenders as it has the same SSID, and you can remotely view all cameras using that.

Swann states that the minimum upload speed is 2Mbps per camera. Using our reference TP-Link Deco BE85 Wi-Fi 7 BE22000 tri-band mesh router – If you feel the need for massive, distributed speed we can verify that.

More images to come (we accidentally corrupted the microSD card when using it in a Windows PC)

Swann Security App V4.4.25

Swan Security App is quite comprehensive, and it is nice to see a clean, well-laid-out app.

To set up, create a Swann account (only ask for email, password and location), and you can decide if you want to receive marketing information.

It has remote view via app (no insecure browser)

• Multi-camera live streaming
• Receive basic text alerts when activity is detected
• See, store & playback footage on your mobile device

Or you can become a member of Swann’s Secure+ Member plans for a host of extra security benefits, including lifetime extended warranty, insurance coverage, special offers & more.

Local storage (expandable)

It has a 32GB microSD that can store hundreds of 10-60 second (user selectable) clips. When it fills, it overwrites the old clips. We tested up to 256GB (maximum).

Swann Secure+

While Swann touts no subscriptions and stores videos locally, this is limited to standard notifications and on-device storage.

The Swann Secure+ plans include:

• Extra: Single camera or recorder kit: $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year
• Unlimited: All Swann devices $14.99 per month or $149.99 per year.
• Payments are via iTunes or a Google account with auto-renewal.
• Terms of use: You grant to Swann and its vendors and licensees an unlimited, irrevocable, fully paid and royalty-free, sublicensable, perpetual, transferable, worldwide right and license to use, store, access, delete, download, receive, collect, retain, analyse, translate, copy, modify, display, and create derivative works from Your Content in any media formats in any media channel.
• Privacy Policy. Swann can sell or share personal information with data analytics and programmatic advertising.

Both packages have

• Extra alerts
• Rich notifications *
• Extra cloud recording **
• Lifetime equipment warranty
• Insurance coverage
• Priority customer support
• Event history summaries
• Special offers

* Fair Use: 60 days means up to 200 clips of 10-60 seconds duration each day and camera.
** Rich notifications: mean thumbnails with notifications and humans, vehicles, pets, and facial recognition are in development.

True Detect+: Pass+ with caveats

It uses a PIR (Passive Infrared) sensor up to about eight metres to detect thermal changes from the ambient background temperature (most animals and devices emit heat). It then uses the image sensor to detect motion. If they agree, an event is created (typically a video clip from 10 to 60 seconds and a text notification).

Swann claims that this minimises false triggers due to wind, falling leaves, bugs, and rain. In comparison to traditional pixel motion detection, the PIR/motion detection gives users over four times more efficient use of their hard drive space by ensuring only important footage is captured, stored, and reported.

In practice, we experienced a few false positives causes by birds (seagulls, pigeons, magpies, cockatoos, crows and Myna birds).  In one case, a motorised pool skimmer (heat from the solar panel and motors) set off an event every time it crossed the field.

The cure is simple – set zones and adjust sensitivity.

It took, on average, several seconds for the notification to arrive on the smartphone. These do not contain thumbnails unless you pay for a Swann Secure+ subscription.

It is important to note that the evo range does not have onboard AI or face recognition.                                                                                                           

IR Night vision: Pass

It has four IR LEDS that can give mono-night vision up to about 10 meters.

Note: It has so LED spotlight does not have colour vision, as shown on some online marketplaces

Battery: Pass

It is a 5200mAh Model J1059 3.65V/5.2A/19W lithium-ion battery good for about 500 full recharge cycles. It is not user-replaceable as it would ruin the IP56 rating.

No charger is supplied, but a 5V/2A/10W charger is recommended (Any PD charger can do this) and is e does not fast charge.

Swann does not list the optional 3W evo Solar panel, but it has a compatible $49.95 SWIFI-SOLAR5 SWIFI-SOLAR5.

Now, the question of battery life. In our exhaustive tests, the 2K camera used 5% per day on Max 2K resolution, at defaults and battery saver off. But we can tell you it is not a 20-day life. Looking at the app options, we feel that 60-90 days is doable.

Battery life depends on the number of events, the length of event recording, live view sessions, activity zone settings, resolution and Wi-fi signal strength.

Talk, siren – Pass

Using the Android app, it’s best described as push-to-talk (half-duplex) with an average lag of 3-5 seconds and sometimes much longer if you are using mobile data.

The siren is rated at 75dB, but it is 55dB at 10m.

Inbox

• EVO Wireless Camera (with 32GB MicroSD card)
• Camera Mount
• Solar Charging Panel (if bought as a kit)
• USB to USB-C Charging Cable
• Mounting Screws & Hardware
• Operating Instructions

CyberShack’s View: Swann evo 2K wireless security camera. Affordable, local storage, no fees

When you walk into Bunnings, you may be bewildered by the plethora of brands and features.

Well, for starters, you can forget the generic Chinese brands like Blink, NNEOBBA, Orion and Reolink. And Amazon Ring and Google Nest are for those already in their ecosystem.

Remember, the Swann evo 2K is affordable and compares more with the Arlo Essential or Eufy 2K range. You would have to spend more on its Extreme 4K Wi-Fi or MaxRanger 4K with a hub.

These are perfect for DIY security, but take my word – get solar panels!

Swann evo 2K wireless security camera ratings

• Features: 80. It’s a basic 2K Wi-Fi camera offering the same base features as most brands.
• Performance: 80. 2K resolution is good if you have come from 1080p, but 4K is best.
• Value: 90. Sometimes I shudder that people make decisions on price rather than value (price is what you pay; Value is what you get). Consider these the benchmark for value.
• Ease of Use: 90. The App is well thought out.
• Design: 80. Generic camera design is fine.