When it comes to surveillance systems, the possibilities are endless. This can be intimidating and confusing for someone with limited knowledge about surveillance. Systems run the gamut from complex NVR kits with tons of cameras to simple bundles put together by the end user that require little more than a hub with a camera or two, an additional device, and Wi-Fi connectivity. For most users, the measuring stick for how well a system is designed is how intuitive it is to set up and operate. Ease of use is paramount. Sure, user manuals and quick start guides exist, but good design often means not needing to consult manuals and guides to get the ball rolling.
Enter eufy Security with the HomeBase S380, C220 Pan & Tilt Camera, C30 Video Doorbell, and C210 Smart Lock. With these four devices, I intend to put together a simple but effective surveillance ecosystem.
General Overview and Features
The HomeBase S380 acts as the hub of the system. It will be a centralized solution for managing and controlling eufy devices like cameras or smart locks. The HomeBase S380 is capable of controlling up to 16 different eufy battery cameras, or four wired cameras, with 24/7 recording activated. It features 16GB of internal storage and if you need more space, 16TB of storage can be added via a hard drive (sold separately) and the hub’s SATA port. Additional features include a built-in speaker, a motion-triggered siren, and self-learning AI analytics for facial recognition, human detection, vehicle detection, and pet detection.
The C220 is an indoor Wi-Fi camera that captures crisp 2K resolution video. It is designed to work indoors and features endless panning and a 75-degree tilt range. Additional features include two-way talk, AI detection for motion, people and sounds, a 100-degree angle of view, and an onboard slot for microSD cards up to 128GB.
The battery-powered C30 Video Doorbell captures 2K resolution video and features live video calling, voice memos for quick responses, motion and human detection, and an onboard slot for microSD cards up to 128GB. It also comes with a 32GB microSD card.
The C210 Smart Lock enables keyless entry via the eufy app, the unit’s wired touchscreen keypad, voice assistant, or an Apple watch. It also comes with two physical keys for traditional entry. Key features include seamless installation without drilling, the ability to store up to 100 unique passcodes, anti-peeping passcode functionality to randomize passcodes from prying eyes, compatibility with portable chargers for emergency access and backup power, and a lifespan of up to 100,000 unlocks, which can equate to 10 a day for over 30 years.
Setup
Before setting up any eufy product, the first thing you need to do is download the app. It’s imperative to do so first because you won’t be able to do anything without it. I already had the app on my iPhone because I have been using the C210 for close to nine months but the other three devices were new additions.
Installing these devices was a breeze. Up first was the HomeBase S380, which was packed securely. Neatly tucked in the bottom box was the power cord and LAN cable that needed to be plugged into the router. Once plugged in, all that I needed to do was scan the QR code on the unit itself and then hit the sync button.
Installation for the other two devices was just as intuitive. Much like the S380, scanning the QR codes of these devices, syncing them, and following whatever Wi-Fi related prompts was all that was needed. The C220 was going to stay in my living room on a bookcase, so no special installation was needed. I did need to mount the C30 outside by my back door, but that was no problem. I’d mounted video doorbells before and once you’ve done one, you’ve essentially done them all.
All the devices were live in the eufy app and ready to use. The required firmware updates took a longer time than setting up the devices, which was, for the most part, instantaneous after syncing.
Performance
The initial thing I wanted to test was whether these devices would show up in my Google Home app. You see, I already have a Google ecosystem and using third-party devices that can work with Google Home is important to me. The C210 I had been using was already connected to my Google Home app, and while not having full functionality it would have in eufy’s native app (more on that shortly), I was able to lock and unlock the device, both from the app and via Google Assistant voice prompts, so the main functionality was there. Since I had previously synced the C210, to my pleasant surprise, all the other devices were automatically loaded in the Google Home app.
The two ways I could control the eufy Security ecosystem was either via the app directly with the HomeBase S380 as the brains of the operation, or via the Google Home app for ease of use and one app to control all my devices regardless of the manufacturer.
Everything works better with the native eufy app, which should come as little surprise. For instance, while you're able to lock and unlock the C210 from the Google Home app or via Google Assistant, you’re not able to do things like manage access such as creating, updating or granting access codes, or viewing lock event history. I’m sure there is a logical security reason for this, but this is just the way it is. Likewise, with the C220 and C30, you won’t be able to run the gamut of operations. Something like putting the C220 in privacy mode or controlling pan and tilt settings are not doable in the Google Home app. It does have live view however. The same applies with the C30 doorbell. Much of the functionality will not be in the Google Home app.
Now, moving beyond the limited functionality of eufy Security devices, the Google Home app beyond basic controls, and Google Assistant voice prompts, using these devices in their native eufy Security app was seamless. You can choose to control the devices individually within the app or you can sync them (cameras, doorbells, or sensors) to the S380 for centralized management and control. While this is certainly an intuitive and streamlined way of controlling the devices, I found myself still going to the devices directly to control them. Perhaps this was because I only had three devices in the ecosystem, but I imagine if a user had 16 cameras and dozens of sensors in their ecosystem, they’d have a greater urge to use the HomeBase S380.
Nevertheless, I did put the S380 through its paces. Once you open the S380 in the app, you’ll see the BionicMind AI options. The face management generates a collection of faces it has seen several times and adds it to a database. You can also add familiar faces. For homes with heavy traffic, from kids to nannies and extended family members, this tool would be invaluable. For my home, adding my face and a few faces of family members captured by the camera and doorbell was simple. Since the connected camera in the system was indoors, and the doorbell was on a back door, I never got to test the “AI Empowerment” functionality for vehicle detection. Additionally, since I don’t have a pet in the home, I was not able to test animal detection. Settings for the S380 are simple and direct in the app. The audio settings enable you to choose an alarm tone and lets you adjust volume prompts. You can switch notification modes by schedule or geofencing, or from the app or keypad. You could ignore notifications altogether. Essentially, you can do anything to your heart’s content with the S380. How you control the S380 and the devices connected to it is up to you. Set smart routines with the doorbell and smart lock or don’t. Do what you want. What the S380 offers is limitless flexibility.
The C220 Indoor Camera is exceptionally easy to use. The pan and tilt settings within the app appear as a virtual joystick, so you can pan a full 360-degrees and tilt 75-degrees to see different angles of the room. For this price point, 2K video resolution is more than enough. If you want 4K UHD resolution, the E30 Indoor Camera is what you want. For most people, the C220 is plenty. Night vision was clear, two-way audio worked, and so did motion detection. Everything just worked without a hiccup and that’s all one can ask for. Privacy mode is a neat feature for people who don’t want to fill up the microSD card with capture footage or receive a flurry of notifications. Simply put it on when home and the camera will not record anything. I used it this way most of the time.
As previously noted, C30 Video Doorbell should be easy to install for anyone who has installed a video doorbell. Simply drill the bracket to where you want it to be mounted and connect the doorbell wires to the video doorbell, assuming you’ve scanned the QR code and connected it to the app first. The doorbell worked as advertised. Video quality is crisp and live video calling was seamless. Because this was mounted on my back door, it didn’t get much foot traffic. However, there was one issue.
Shortcomings
The only issue I ran into was the battery life of the C30. It seemed to drain very fast when it got very cold outside (below freezing). I have experience with video doorbells from other manufacturers and know that they also have this issue. While the C30’s battery performed better than the others, I still found myself charging the unit once or twice a month. This was not a dealbreaker, but it was far from ideal. As the weather got warmer, this was no longer an issue, so I can only surmise that it is an issue with battery-powered video doorbell technology. The unit performed well otherwise.
Verdict
All these devices worked superbly. To get maximum functionality, you need to control it via the native eufy app. While it works with Google Home, that should not be your main mode of operation. Once you understand that, everything will be headache free. Since this system is scalable, you can add additional cameras or other eufy devices for a truly cost-effective home surveillance system that’s easy enough even my mom can use it.
For additional information about any of these eufy products, or surveillance products in general, be sure to check out the detailed product pages of each.
