Today we’re going to take an in-depth look at one of the most popular affordable outdoor security cameras on the market, the Tapo C320WS. It’s a wired camera, and doesn’t require a subscription to work, unlike a lot of the competition.
Although Tapo is not a hugely well known brand yet, it’s an offshoot of TP-Link, a hugely successful company who specialise in networking equipment. Unlike a number of other cheaper security brands, Tapo cameras can be bought from a number of major UK retailers which helps to back up their quality.
It’s important to note that part of the reason this camera is so affordable compared to many other cameras is because it isn’t a “truly wireless” camera. Yes, it connects via Wi-Fi, so you get all the useful wireless camera features but it doesn’t come with an inbuilt battery so you will need to wire it up. This can actually be an advantage though, because not everyone wants to have to take the camera down and charge the thing every couple of months.
Tapo C320WS Review – Key Features and Specs
Despite the price (under £50 at time of writing), the Tapo is absolutely packed with useful features and an impressive recording quality. It’s got all your standard smart home integration, with support for the two majors, Google and Amazon. The other really surprising perk of this little camera is the immense night recording capabilities.
I’ve never experienced a camera which can record clearly at such great of a distance, especially at this price point. Tapo claim the C320WS can capture at a distance of nearly 30 metres at night. For comparison, a number of far more expensive wireless cameras on the market only manage around 10 metres. The “full colour” night vision works by making use of the small inbuild LED spotlights to illuminate the scene, so it’s not quite magic.
Just like the C310, the C320WS is also waterproof and has a pretty rugged build. It’s awarded with an IP66 waterproof rating, which means it should be protected against “high quality water jets” according to Bud Industries. This means even the harshest of British weather shouldn’t make the slightest dent in the Tapo. Not all “waterproof” cameras are rated to the same level, and IP66 is considered above and beyond what would be necessary. Props to Tapo for overengineering their devices, it’s nice to see.
You might be positively surprised by the maximum recording resolution offered by the Tapo: a vivid 2560x1440p is more than enough for a majority of homeowners.
C320WS – Software Features
Let’s take a quick look at the software side of the Tapo C320WS. One handy option we appreciated was the ability to configure the camera to act as an intruder deterrent. When motion is detected at night, it can flash the lights and make a pretty alarming sound. You might be wondering if that will go off constantly at night and stop you from sleeping, which brings me on to the next handy software perk:
If you live in a higher traffic area, such as on a main road, you are able to only detect motion within a specific area. Just highlight the section of the camera’s view which is your property, and it will only trigger when someone or something is detected within that frame.
Another great idea which I haven’t really come across on many other security cameras is a tampering detection feature – you can get an instant notification to your smartphone if the camera’s view has been blocked, which is especially useful if you plan on placing a couple of these to monitor your driveway to better secure your vehicles. With a massive increase in CCTV installation amongst luxury car owners over the last couple of years, thieves have no fear of blocking cameras since a majority of them don’t actually have a way to detect if they have been blocked. This handy notification system prevents this from being an effective strategy for criminals.
There are a number of other handy bits and bobs Tapo has thought of, which are often shared with the C310, but there’s one final perk I want to mention, which is the microSD card storage capacity. A vast majority of other surveillance devices tend to be limited to just 64GB of storage, but the C320WS supports up to 256GB, which is perfect for “power users”, who record a lot. For most homes, 256GB would store a year’s worth of motion detection recordings from my findings, depending on the recording resolution.
Recording Quality
As I mentioned briefly in the quick overview, the Tapo is able to record at a resolution of up to 2560x1440p, which is commonly referred to as “2K”. This is by no means class leading, as a majority of other cameras we have reviewed are also capable of the same, but it’s especially rare to find such crisp video quality in such an affordable package. There are devices costing easily double the price of the Tapo which are just about on par with this, so I think impressed is an understatement.
Yes, there are a number of 4k security cameras on the market, but for the price of a single one of them, you can probably buy 5 of these and monitor the entirety of your property for the same money.
I think as consumers in 2023, we’ve become accustomed to the almost science-fiction camera quality of the iPhone. The C320WS’ camera quality is certainly not as good as a number of high-end smartphones, but nor should it – for the sake of protecting your home, acting as a deterrent, and catching a culprit in high definition, this little thing is fantastic. I just wouldn’t use it to record a YouTube video, that’s all.
Tapo C320WS Night Vision
The Tapo’s night vision capabilities are greatly improved by the bright integrated lights which can illuminate an area surprisingly well in the dark – this is how they manage to record “full colour night vision” footage. The bright spotlights are a real two birds with one stone deal – they scare people off, whilst enabling the camera to record in greater clarity at the same time. A real win-win in my eyes.
Alternatively, if you prefer a more discreet surveillance option which doesn’t illuminate, you can still opt to use a traditional night vision mode instead – it’s black and white, and the range tends to be a little more limited than the full colour mode, but there are a number of households who prefer this as an option, or have already installed bright security lights already. For a majority of properties, you will not find the range of night vision recording to be limiting – unless you own a large farm and need to spot people from a mile off, the Tapo will be more than sufficient for domestic security purposes.
What’s In The Box?
In the box, you’ll find everything you need to get up and running, apart from the microSD (I always recommend a higher class SanDisk card, by the way). Included is the camera itself, a power cord, some fitting accessories such as a waterproof cable seal and screws, and a handy guide. If you’ve misplaced the guide or just prefer something quick, I’ve compiled a quick setup guide to use as a reference.
Do bear in mind that the included cable isn’t particularly long, at 3 metres, so it might be worth looking at buying a longer one if you’re fitting it a long way from the nearest socket.
Tapo C320WS – Mounting and Setup
Installing the camera and configuring it to work over either WiFi or a wired internet connection is a breeze, thanks to the handy mounting accessories which come included in the box. Pro Tip – set the camera up inside and give is a quick test before you mount it somewhere high up to save yourself from a small headache.
To set the camera up for the first time, you will need to plug it in, and download the Tapo app to your smartphone. Select the C320WS from the devices list and choose either wired or wireless. From there, the instructions to complete setup are all listed in the app.
The Tapo includes a little mounting template which acts as a handy guide to let you know exactly where to drill – if you’ve ever tried to drill a perfect square or rectangle to a high degree of precision before, then you will definitely grin from ear to ear when you complete the exact same task in a tenth of the time, and more accurately.
Tapo App – Is It Any Good?
The C320WS makes use of the same app as the C310 and a number of other smart security devices made by Tapo. Its simple and well thought out interface makes a pleasant change to some of the corners-cut generic apps I have had to use before when configuring a security camera.
Making full use of the app is definitely recommended, but since almost everyone has either an iPhone or a fairly modern android, this isn’t likely to be a cause for concern for a majority of you reading this.
Summary – The Tapo C320WS is a Great Value Security Camera
If wiring the device isn’t an issue, then the C320WS is an absolutely brilliant little camera. With a decent recording quality, surprisingly good night vision capabilities and some very well designed software, I’m genuinely surprised by the price of this camera. Although it costs a little more than the C310, this is the better of the two models if you don’t mind spending an additional couple of quid.
The huge microSD capacity is also a really nice feature to have (up to 256GB), and the IP66 waterproof rating really is the icing on the cake. I have absolutely no hesitation recommending this camera to just about anyone, especially if you need to buy several to fully cover your property.
Alternatively, if you want a fully wireless camera instead, take a look at my favourite wireless outdoor security cameras of 2023 here.
FAQs
What’s the Difference Between the Tapo C310 and C320WS?
The main differences between the Tapo C310 and C320WS are that the C320WS comes with one extra megapixel for an improved recording quality, as well as two white light LEDs.
Which is Better, The C310 or C320WS?
Although it’s slightly more expensive, the C320WS is better than the C310 if you’re willing to spend a little bit more.
Is the Tapo C320WS Wireless?
The C320WS needs to be plugged in to power it, but it can be connected to using WiFi, so the internet connection doesn’t need to be wired.