Blink Outdoor 4 vs Blink Outdoor 3: What’s the difference?

Check out Blink’s growing selection of smart security devices, such as cameras, doorbells, and floodlights, all of which are made to give you peace of mind when it comes to keeping your home safe.

The Outdoor 4 is the newest security camera from Blink. It was just released in August 2023. The Outdoor 4 is similar to its predecessor, the third-generation Outdoor camera, in that it can be used wirelessly and has a battery life of up to two years on a single charge. The Outdoor 4 is different because it has person recognition, which was only available on Blink’s Wired Floodlight Camera before.

This guide will help you compare the Outdoor 3 and the newest model, whether you already own the Outdoor 3 and want to upgrade or you’re a first-time buyer looking at your choices. This simple comparison will show you all the important details about both the Blink Outdoor 3 and the Blink Outdoor 4, giving you all the information you need to make an intelligent choice.

Price, specs & availability

Blink’s Outdoor 4 camera has been on sale since August 2023 for $120, which includes the camera, all the mounting gear it needs, and Blink’s Sync Module 2, which is needed to set up and use the camera.

The third-generation Blink Outdoor camera, which came out in September 2020, is still part of Blink’s camera range. However, it’s important to keep in mind that both of these cameras are often on sale at places like Amazon and Best Buy. The Outdoor 3, which costs $99.99, is a popular pick.

The quality of both the Outdoor 4 and Outdoor 3 cameras is the same: 640 x 360 pixels for stills and 1080p for videos. The Outdoor 4, on the other hand, has a bigger field of view than the Outdoor 3, with 143 degrees compared to 110 degrees. This gives it a big edge when it comes to surveillance coverage.

With better low-light performance and clarity, the Outdoor 4 promises the “best image quality yet,” making it the best choice for watching things outside. Because it has a wider field of view, it can be used for a lot of different situations, from narrow paths to full-on home security.

As someone who tried the Outdoor 4 before it came out, I can say that its video quality is much better than that of older Blink Outdoor models. Overexposure can happen when it’s dark or overcast, but the video is still clear and crisp in normal lighting, with almost no pixelation around moving objects, which is a common problem with home security cameras.

Overall, Blink’s Outdoor 4 camera is a big step forward in outdoor surveillance technology. It gives users better picture quality, more coverage, and reliable performance in a range of lighting conditions.

Features, video storage, and subscriptions

The Outdoor 4 camera from Blink is better than the third-generation model in two exciting ways: it can identify motion better and, for the first time in a battery-powered Blink camera, it can detect people. This means that the Outdoor 4 can specifically let you know when it sees a person, while the Outdoor 3 can’t tell the difference between different kinds of movements.

Both cameras use AA batteries, which can last up to two years outside before they need to be replaced. But the real battery life depends on things like how often the camera detects movements, the temperature, and how often you livestream from the camera to the Blink app.

Both cameras give you a few different ways to store videos and clips that you have shot. Sync Module 2 comes with a USB port that can be used to connect a storage device, like a thumb drive, so you can save records locally. You can also sign up for Blink’s plan, which starts at $3 per month per camera, or you can use both.

There is an automatic timelapse feature, 60 days of video history, faster access to records, video sharing, and up to 90 minutes of livestreaming at a time with Blink’s subscription plans. Also, if you add a storage device to the sync module, your videos are backed up every day to your local storage. The only thing that makes the plan for the Outdoor 4 camera better is that it includes person recognition.

If you don’t have a plan, you can only live-stream, get motion alerts, and record motion video for five minutes at a time, but only if you add a thumb drive to the sync module.

Smart home compatibility

“Because Blink is an Amazon affiliate, its smart home features are mostly made to work with Amazon’s Alexa platform. So, to watch live video streams from your Blink cameras, you’ll need an Amazon device that works with them, like an Echo Show or Fire TV. Additionally, Amazon smart speakers can be used to receive motion alerts and handle the functions that arm and disarm cameras. You can get reliable and easy-to-use home security options that are tailored to your needs through Blink, all within the Amazon ecosystem.

Blink Outdoor 3 vs Blink Outdoor 4: Which should you choose?

“Blink’s Outdoor 4 camera is a big step up from the third-generation Outdoor cam that it replaced. It’s better for surveillance because it has a bigger field of view, better video quality, and better person detection. It costs $120, which is only $20 more than the regular Outdoor 3, so it’s a good buy for people who want more advanced features.

But if you already have the Outdoor 3 camera, the extra features might not make it worth it to upgrade, unless you need to identify people. In this case, it might be cheaper to stick with the item you already have. In the end, your wants and preferences will determine whether you should upgrade.