Wisenet’s $150 (£115/AU$205) SmartCam N1 isn’t expensive by traditional security camera standards, but things are changing. That typical $200 price range, popularized by the Nest Cam Indoor, has shifted in the last couple of years toward budget models with similar features.
While the SmartCam N1 is a fine indoor facial recognition camera, the Tend Secure Lynx is as good for just $60.
The N1 cam might still be worth it to you if you want that microSD card slot for local storage access (it supports up to 128GB; the microSD card isn’t included). Otherwise, I’d look elsewhere.
How does the SmartCam N1 compare to the identically priced Tend Secure Lynx Pro? Let’s take a look:
Comparing facial recognition cameras
| Wisenet SmartCam N1 | Tend Secure Lynx Pro | |
| Price | $150 | $150 |
| Color finish | White | Black or white |
| Weatherproof | No | Yes |
| Connection type | Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi |
| Power source | Adapter | Adapter, battery backup |
| Resolution | 1080p HD | 1080p HD |
| Live streaming | Yes | Yes |
| Continuous recording | Optional with select cloud storage plans | No |
| Cloud storage | Optional, starting at $5 per month for 5 days of event-based video history, $8 per month for 7 days of continuous history and $20 per month for 21 days of continuous history | Free 7-day event-based video history, optional 30-day event-based video history for $10 per month. |
| Local storage | Yes, microSD card not included | Yes, built in |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Web app | Yes | No |
| Night vision | Yes | Yes |
| Alerts | Human, face recognition, audio | Motion, face recognition |
| Activity zones | Yes | No |
| Third-party integrations | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant |
The SmartCam N1 separates itself from the Lynx Pro with a web app and activity zones, but you don’t get the Lynx Pro’s free 7-day event-based video clip storage, built-in local storage (you have to buy a microSD card to work with the SmartCam N1) and weatherproof casing.
Looking at features alone, the Lynx Pro is a better camera, but the SmartCam N1 performs better, especially when it comes to facial recognition.