TP-Link Tapo C420S2: Specifications
Camera resolution: 2K 15fps or 20fps
field of view: 113 degrees
measuring: 4.4 x 2.5 x 2.5 inches
searchlight brightness: Two lights in each camera for approximately 144 lumens
Wifi: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n at 2.4GHz
weather resistance: IP65
when it comes to The best home security camerasTP-Link is not a brand that comes to mind easily. However, after testing a pair of Tapo C420S2 cameras for a week, that’s going to change. It has, at least, for me.
For $199, you get two cameras that record up to 2K, a local storage option, and up to 180 days of battery life. This sounds too good to be true, right? And while there are a few areas where the Tapo C420S2 could be improved, there’s a lot to like about this affordable home security setup. Read the rest of our TP-Link Tapo C420S2 review (yes, it’s a big dose) to see what we liked about it.
TP-Link Tapo C420S2 review: Price and availability
Tapo C420S2 was released in November of 2022; It costs $199, which includes two cameras, a hub that connects the cameras to the Internet, and doubles as a local storage option with a microSD card slot. At the time of this writing, you can find it at a number of online retailers, though it was available on Amazon for $139 after a $60 coupon was applied.
TP-Link Tapo C420S2 review: Design
The Tapo C420S2 has a long cylindrical shell that makes it look a little smaller than a soda can. On one end is the camera, an 850 nm IR LED with a 49-foot range, an LED indicator, two LEDs and various cutouts for the sensors the camera is using. The camera itself measures 4.4 x 2.5 x 2.5 inches.
On the other end of the white shell is a removable tip that reveals the battery. You can remove the battery to recharge it using the included microUSB cable (I really wish it was USB-C!), or you can remove the small rubber mount to charge the battery without removing the back.
The camera box includes a Tapo H200 hub that you will need to use to connect the cameras to the internet. The hub requires power and an ethernet connection. It’s not very big, measuring 2.8 x 2.8 x 1.2 inches.
Also in the box is everything you need to mount the cameras. Mounting hardware screens at the back of the camera – the same end as the removable cover – or at the bottom. When attached to the bottom of the chassis, the stand turns into a stand that you can place on a flat surface, such as a shelf.
The camera plus mount ends up making the entire space larger than most indoor cameras like the Ring Indoor Cam and some outdoor cameras, like the Wyze Cam v3 Pro.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it is something to consider when trying to decide where to install cameras.
TP-Link Tapo C420S2 review: Video quality
The C420S2 can capture up to 2K video at a resolution of 2560 x 1440 at up to 20 frames per second with a 113-degree wide angle. This field of view is slightly smaller than the Wyze Cam v3 Pro’s at 116 degrees, but it’s still wide enough that you get a good overview of the area you’re facing.
You can control the overall video quality in terms of either 720p or 2K resolution, or let the camera automatically switch between resolutions on its own. In addition to the video quality, you can also control the frame rate for each camera. Your options are 15fps or 20fps. Tapo notes that choosing 20fps can have an impact on battery life. This is the same warning you get when switching from Auto or 720p video to 2K.
It’s a matter of personal preference, but I prefer recording video at 2K and 20fps. Especially since the only real downside is that I would have to charge the cameras frequently.
I live in Colorado and it was cold during my testing period. Even with the cameras set to 2K/20fps and motion sensitivity popping up, and one of the cameras placed in a high-traffic area, the battery was down 12% in a week. If that number holds up, I’ll have to charge this camera every 8 weeks—well short of the estimated 180-day battery life, but not something you’d have to do routinely.
I put one of the cameras on my back porch, allowing it to capture my daily “commute” to my office in a separate building, with my kids and dog all having a good time in our backyard. During the early morning, the camera struggled to deal with the sun when it was directly in the frame. Recordings during that time looked lackluster, but as the day progressed and the sun was out of view of the camera, the problem was resolved.
With the camera set to record at 2K/20FPS settings, videos looked smooth and clear. On my phone, I didn’t see much, if any, pixelation when watching clips. However, when watching the same clip on a larger screen, I could see some pixels when I walked across it or my dog ran across the camera’s field of view.
Both the blurry appearance and pixelation during motion were less than what I experienced with it Wyze Cam V3 Pro placed in the exact same place. Overall, I prefer the video captured with the C420S2 over the Wyze Cam V3 Pro.
Video recorded at night looked fine. Although the ambient light was minimal, there was enough light and color that you could tell what or who was in front of the camera. In my case, it’s mostly just clips of my dogs coming in and out, sometimes to chase the family of rabbits that live under our barn. Black and white clips don’t look as good as night color recordings, where the person is washed out and looks more like a ghost than anything else.
The black-and-white night clips look on par with what the Wyze Cam V3 Pro will capture—it’s not terrible, but when there’s a built-in camera feature that improves overall recording quality like the C420S2 does, you definitely want to use it.
picture 1 to 3
Below are three photos taken with the C420S2, one without any kind of night vision, one in black and white with it on, and the last in color. Crazy, right?
TP-Link Tapo C420S2 review: Motion detection
With a Tapo Care subscription, the C420S2 will alert you of detected motion, and when people, pets or vehicles are detected. You can turn off any of these specific categories, and the camera will only alert you to people and pets, but not vehicles, for example.
You can adjust sensitivity settings in the Tapo app for motion detection, and even expand the range the camera actively monitors before triggering an appropriate alert.
During testing, I didn’t see any false motion alerts from any of the installed cameras. The only problem is that my dogs often trigger a motion alert instead of an alert that notifies me of a pet/animal in my camera’s field of view. There are even some clips in my dog’s cloud storage with the video labeled as having a person in it. I have a Yorkie and an English Bulldog. They are both not old enough to be mistaken as a person.
When it came to people detection, far from misidentifying my dog, if someone walked into my camera’s view I got the correct notification on my iPhone.
There is no option to turn on the flashlight and stay on when motion is detected. Instead, you have two options. You can turn it on manually while watching the live camera feed, or you can trigger the camera alarm feature. When enabled, the camera alarm will sound a siren and flash the floodlight to attract attention. You can schedule the alarm to be active during the day or at night or set your own custom schedule.
The lights aren’t very bright, offering just enough light to make out anything within a few feet of the front of the camera, but that’s about it. In other words, don’t expect the C420S2 to light up your porch, let alone the driveway or side of your home. For that, you might want something like the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro or the Wyze Floodlight Cam.
TP-Link Tapo C420S2 review: Video storage
TP-Link gives you two video storage options: cloud and local. For cloud storage, you’ll need to sign up for a Tapo Care subscription, which costs $3.49 per month for one camera, $6.99 per month for two cameras, $10.49 per month for three cameras or $11.99 per month for up to 10 devices. You can prepay for a year, which will give you two months of service free. (To find out how they compare, see our guide on Security camera cloud storage plans.)
In addition to 30 days of unlimited cloud storage for captured events, Tapo Care also gives you AI detection of people, pets, and vehicles, programmable privacy zones, and rich notifications that include a thumbnail when motion or an event is detected. When you first set up your cameras, you get a 30-day trial of the service.
Without Tapo Care, you can still live stream your camera feed, get instant notifications for motion events, have two-way audio, set activity zones and use the local storage feature.
Speaking of local storage, you’ll need to put a microSD card — up to 256GB in size — in the included hub. While I appreciate the local storage option, I have mixed feelings about whether the hub should have a USB port for using an external hard drive, or if a microSD card is the way to go.
Since both C420S2 cameras are battery powered, you won’t be able to capture 24/7 video after enabling local storage—a feature that wired TP-Link cameras are capable of.
TP-Link Tapo C420S2 review: The verdict
At $139, the TP-Link Tapo C420S2 Dual Camera Kit is a good deal, bolstered by the cameras’ performance. The 2K video quality is sharp, but the AI motion alerts could use some fine tuning. Having the option to store your footage locally on a microSD card is huge for privacy advocates or those who don’t want another monthly subscription.
If you’re on a more budget, you should check out the $50 Wyze Cam v3 Pro, which also has local video storage, records at up to 2K resolution and is rated for indoor or outdoor use, making it one of the best The best outdoor security cameras. Just make sure you have an outlet near you if you go this route.
However, with the C420S2, you get two completely wireless cameras that capture better quality video during the day and night, for about the same price as the Wyze Cam V3 Pro when broken down by cost per camera. It’s hard to miss this deal.
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