Wyze's lineup of security cameras continues to grow, with additions such as the $40 Wyze Cam Pan v3 and the $94 Wyze Cam Floodlight However, as Wyze's lineup expands, prices have increased to match the more advanced features

With the Wyze Cam OG, the company is going back to its roots by releasing a basic security camera at an affordable price I spent about three weeks testing the Wyze Cam OG, a $24 camera with 2-way audio, 1080p video, improved performance, and IP65 weather resistance

The result Sometimes basic is better So let me explain Let's compare it to some of the best home security cameras

The Wyze Cam OG is available directly from Wyze for $2399 per unit The Wyze Cam OG and Wyze Cam OG Telephoto can also be purchased as a set for $5599 The telephoto version alone is priced at $3399, saving less than $2 when bundled

Cam OG can also be purchased on Amazon for $2998

Based on the name alone, it would be natural to assume that the Wyze Cam OG uses the same design as the Wyze Cam At least that's what I thought when I first read it, but that couldn't be further from the truth

Sure, the perfectly square housing and matte white material are still there, but the similarities stop there On the front of the camera housing, there is a black circle in the center, where the camera lens is located Above the lens are two spotlights totaling 40 lumens Just below the lens is a status light that lets anyone nearby know that the camera is active and recording

At the bottom of the camera housing is a reset/setup button and a microSD card slot, both covered with a silicone-like material

On the back of the housing is a speaker grille and a pigtail for connecting the power cord; you won't find a battery-powered camera for less than $25

The housing is IP65 dustproof and waterproof, and Wyze claims it is weatherproof

Instead of a built-in stand, the Cam OG has a stand that attaches with screws on the bottom of the camera The stand is adjustable so the camera can be pointed where you want it There is a mounting plate on the bottom of the stand that allows the camera to be attached to a wall or other flat surface

If you look closely, you will notice a small removable insert at the top of the camera; if you purchase the Cam OG by itself, this insert has no value However, if you purchase the Cam OG and Cam OG Telephoto with the Stack Kit bundle, you get a short stand that slides right into that insert and allows you to stack the cameras This is a clever way to easily mount the two cameras in one location, even if they are oriented in different directions

The overall design of the Cam OG is nothing to write home about, but it doesn't need to be, especially at this price point It looks like a security camera, and that is more than enough

The Wyze Cam OG won't surprise you when it comes to camera specifications, recording at a modest 1080p video quality, 20fps during the day and 15fps at night $54 Wyze Cam v3 Pro - on our list of best home security cameras Top - Records 2K video, but at the same refresh rate

And the clips look amazing Pixelation and choppiness are minimal, even when there is movement, such as someone walking across the camera's field of view This is due to the low frame rate at which Cam OG records If there are any complaints about the video quality, it is that clips can be overexposed or oversaturated However, this does not prevent us from seeing exactly what is happening in the video

These stats are similar to what the original Wyze Cam offers, but where OG improves the experience is the color night vision capability This means that instead of viewing a black and white video feed at night, one can view a full color video clip Otherwise, you will see black and white clips, so be sure to turn it on

The spotlight itself is not very bright at 40 lumens It is bright enough to illuminate something directly in front of the camera For reference, the Wyze Cam v3 Pro spotlight is 70 lumens, which is also not very bright, but the Ring Spotlight Cam is 750 lumens, more than 10 times brighter than the Cam OG In other words, it is not expected to cover the porch with light

Wyze touts that the Cam OG is 50% faster to load the camera's live stream and 3 times faster to do motion notifications compared to other Wyze Cams And while there is no scientific way to measure that performance improvement, we can at least say that the live feeds load faster in the iPhone and Android Wyze apps, and the motion- or event-triggered push alerts seem to arrive in a timely manner Is it 50% faster or 3x faster? It's hard to say

Like all Wyze cameras, there are two storage options A microSD card with up to 256 GB of storage can be used to store continuous recording

Recently, however, we were hit by a terrible storm with tennis-ball-sized hail while we were away Frustrated because none of the security cameras captured the hail, I remembered that the Wyze Cam OG was set up and recording continuously The result Six minutes worth of video of the storm

In addition to saving recordings to a microSD card, users can also subscribe to Cam Plus, Wyze's subscription service The standard price is $299 per month for a single camera, which includes 14 days of cloud recording and smart alerts for people, luggage, cars, and pets It also offers access to Wyze Web View, which allows users to stream the camera via the Wyze website on their computer, as well as fast forward through clips This is a bit cheaper than competing security camera cloud storage plans, but the video history is half that of competitors

If you do not subscribe to Cam Plus, there is a 5 minute delay while Cam OG records motion-triggered snapshots instead of video clips

The Wyze Cam OG is a no-frills home security camera that does exactly what it promises: for under $25, you get a 1080p camera that can be used indoors or outdoors, with advanced features such as pet, people, and package tracking

If you're looking for a high-performance security camera at an affordable price, the Wyze Cam OG is a perfect fit Or, if you're willing to spend a little more, the Wyze Cam v3 is a worthwhile upgrade that adds better low-light recording thanks to a starlight sensor made specifically for nighttime recording