Arlo Pro 6 2K review

Arlo Pro 6 2K: Introduction

• Type: Outdoor
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi

The Arlo Pro 6 2K looks almost exactly like the Arlo cameras that came before it, right back to the Arlo Pro 3. While the external details may not have changed much, there are changes aplenty inside: easier setup, a denser battery and a few subtle improvements that make it feel more polished than the Pro 5.

If you’re looking for the most flexible and powerful security camera, then this one should be top of your list; just be warned, it’s expensive to buy and expensive to run.

Design and installation

• USB-C charging
• Wall mountable
• Connects via Wi-Fi or Smart Hub

There’s little to separate the Pro 6 from the Pro 5 at a glance: same shape, same 2K resolution, same spotlight.

Look a little closer and the camera’s USB-C port is the most obvious upgrade. It replaces Arlo’s old magnetic connector with something standard, and a little more sensible, as you can use any USB-C cable. USB-C also means faster charging.

The battery has been improved too, and is higher density. Arlo says it offers 15% more battery life, which should mean fewer charging removals, depending on where the camera is placed.

Bluetooth makes setup quicker, too, with faster discovery of the camera. You can connect the Arlo Pro 6 directly to Wi-Fi or through an Arlo Smart Hub. The Smart Hub adds offline recording, but the trade-off is steep: many of the camera’s best features are tied to Arlo’s cloud service.

The mount is the same fully adjustable design Arlo has used for years. It’s easy to fit and easy to aim, which is what you want.

Features

• Needs a subscription for main features
• Very flexible detection

The Pro 6 is controlled via Arlo app, which remains one of the better security apps around. For control, the app acts like a security system with Arm Away, Arm Home and Standby modes. Each is configurable, letting you control which cameras are active and when.

There are also customisable widgets, so the cameras you use most can have their own thumbnails on the home screen.

If you use a Smart Hub, offline recording is available, but you lose out on the advanced detection features you get with an Arlo Secure subscription. Realistically, if you buy the Arlo Pro 6, you’ll need to pay for a subscription. Subscriptions vary by location, but the UK ones are noticeably tight on the amount of cloud storage you get.

The basic plan (£7.99 a month) gives you cloud recording for one camera at up to 2K, plus seven days of history. You also get person, animal, vehicle and package detection.

Secure Multi-Cam extends that to four cameras in the UK and costs £11.99 a month.

Secure Plus adds 4K recording, 14 days of cloud history and Arlo’s new AI detection tools. That costs £19.99 a month.

Secure Pro (£24.99 a month) ups storage to 30 days of history and the Emergency SOS Button. When motion is detected, you get a notification and can long-press the SOS button to dial emergency services via your phone.

In the US, the basic plan is $7.99 a month, but you get 60 days of history. Unlimited cameras cost $17.99 a month.

For Premium ($24.99 a month), you get the same features as Plus in the UK, but with 60-days of video history. The highest tier in the US is $39.99 a month and is similar to Secure Pro, but with the addition of 24/7 recording for up to three cameras.

No matter where you live, subscriptions are expensive. But, the service is very good. Even on the cheaper plans, motion zones and object detection settings (people, pet and vehicle detection are all options) do a good job of reducing notifications. Set the camera up properly, and the alerts are reduced to just those that are important.

The more expensive plans add person recognition. You can train the camera to identify specific people after they’ve been spotted, or upload photos to give it a head start.

There’s one odd catch: person recognition only works on a single camera in the home. That feels unnecessarily limited.

Vehicle recognition is similar but for spotting known cars and vans. This feature works across all cameras.

Then there’s Custom Detection, which is one of Arlo’s smarter ideas. You use two images with a difference between them (agate open, a bin missing, a garage door ajar, for example), and the camera can alert you when it sees it. It can trigger on motion, on a schedule or when the mode changes.

I set one to watch for the back door opening while the system was in Arm Away mode. It worked as intended. A neat, specific alert for a specific problem.

Clips are stored in the cloud and appear in the Feed section, where you can sort them by date, device and event type. It’s a tidy system, though Ring’s AI search still feels a step ahead.

Performance

• Sharp 2K video
• Excellent night vision

Arlo cameras are some of the best quality, and the Pro 6 continues that tradition. By day, footage is sharp, detailed and well balanced. The 160° field of view captures plenty of any outdoor area; colours are strong, and the image is exactly where it should be for a good 2K camera.

At night, the spotlight brings full-colour recording, and the results are excellent. Detail stays impressively strong. Motion can introduce some blur, but the camera still performs well after dark. It’s one of the better 2K cameras in low light.

Arlo says battery life can stretch to eight months, though that depends heavily on placement. As ever, avoid pointing it at a busy road if you want the best results. In my testing, five months between charges seems realistic.

Final thoughts

The Arlo Pro 6 is very good at what it does. The app is polished, the video is strong and the smart features are genuinely useful. But Arlo still wants a lot of money for subscriptions, and you realistically need one to get the most out of the camera. In the UK, the subscriptions are not only expensive, but limited in terms of cloud storage.

If you already own the Pro 5, the upgrade is hard to justify. If you’re starting from scratch, the Pro 6 is one of the best premium security cameras. If you want one with ongoing costs, read the guide to the best outdoor security cameras.

How we test

When we publish our reviews, you can rest assured that they are the result of “living with” long term tests.

Smart security cameras usually live within an ecosystem, or a range of products that – supposedly – all work in harmony. Therefore, it’s impossible to use a security camera for a week and deliver a verdict.

Because we’re testing smart home kit all day, everyday, we know what matters and how a particular camera compares to alternatives that you might also be considering.

Our reviews are comprehensive, objective and fair and, of course, we are never paid directly to review a device.

Read our guide on our review process for smart security cameras to learn more.

FAQs

Arlo Pro 6: Specifications