Blink Indoor Security Camera review: Can’t handle the great indoors

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“Despite its name, Blink Indoor is simply not capable of handling the interior of the home.”

Table of Contents

Avg

Battery life up to two years

Against

Live playback limited to 30 seconds
A wired power source is optional
Very simple motion detection trigger

Earlier this year, security camera maker Blink released the Blink Mini to expand its portfolio. It’s certainly a step in a new direction, as it was the company’s first indoor camera following the success of its Blink XT line of outdoor cameras.

Now we get another indoor camera, aptly named Blink Indoor, which looks a lot like its sibling – Blink Outdoor. Compared to the Mini, the Blink Indoor boasts an $80 higher price tag and is billed as a wireless solution. Are you willing to pay a premium when the Blink Mini retails for $35?

Lots of similarities

Place Blink Indoor and Blink Outdoor cameras side by side and it’s hard to tell them apart. From the square plastic design to the way they are powered by two AA lithium batteries, they share many similarities. The only difference, however, is that the Blink Indoor back cover does not have the same weatherproof cover. And, oh yes, the Indoor is available in white, while the Outdoor is available in black. You can use the Blink Outdoor camera indoors if you want, but you can’t use the Indoor camera outside because it’s not weatherproof.

Limitations with live view

Due to battery power, the Blink Indoor has a rather short live view when accessing the camera directly from the app – and that’s a problem. When you access the live view, you have just over 30 seconds before the connection is lost. I thought there was a tweak option, but there isn’t. When it gets close to the 30 second mark, a button will appear on the screen asking if you want to continue. Sure, you can press it after each 30 second mark, but that’s a pain.

Interestingly, you can connect the Blink Indoor to a power source, as there is an exposed microUSB port on the back. But even with constant power, the live view is still limited to about 30 seconds. Additionally, there are controls for its motion detection sensitivity, as well as the ability to set motion zones to reduce false alarms. Speaking of which, it lacks the advanced detection of its peers, such as person or pet detection, which helps reduce false alerts.

Less than the internal camera

As I mentioned earlier, the Blink Mini was released earlier this year as the company’s first indoor camera solution. The Blink Indoor, however, feels more like an outdoor camera than an indoor one, especially when it includes the same wall mount as the Blink Outdoor. Because of this, you won’t be able to articulate it for different points of view if you decide to place it on a table or desktop.

John Velasco / Digital trends

Let’s talk about battery life. The battery can last up to two years, but the app does a terrible job of showing the remaining battery life. Instead of a percentage or a bar, it only gives a vague “OK” in the app after almost a week of use. Of course, battery life will be most affected by how often it is activated. It is possible to connect to a power source, but it is difficult that there is no wire in the box.

Our opinion

The difference between Blink Outdoor and Indoor Blink Outdoor is only $20, the main difference being the weatherproof construction of the former. At $80, the Blink Indoor is a tough sell given the limitations of real-time video streaming and the fact that it lacks the advanced features of its contemporaries.

How long will it last?

The all-plastic construction makes it lightweight, but still feels sturdy enough to withstand minor drops. If there is a defect, you will have a one-year limited warranty to cover it.

Is there a better alternative?

While its video quality is no different, the cheaper Blink Mini is the better buy considering its $35 price tag. You definitely save money while not having to worry about live streaming restrictions.