YI Dome Camera Review
Looking to increase your home’s security or to keep an eye on your kids, pets or workers while you’re away? An indoor home security camera is a great way to help you do just that. There are countless models on the market today that come with an array of features and in varying price ranges. Here, we take a deeper look at the YI 1080p Dome Camera, which is one of the most affordable models on the market.
YI Technologies, Inc. was founded in 2014. They provide advanced, intelligent imaging technologies and sell an array of security cameras for homes and businesses, as well as dash cameras. The company also sells cameras under its sub-brand, Kami.
The YI 1080p Dome Camera is a good option for people looking for an inexpensive, versatile home security camera. At an MSRP of around $30, with some impressive features, the camera’s price is hard to beat. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of higher-end models, but for a reliable way to keep any eye on your kids, pets and home, it’s worth putting on the list to consider.
Nerd Pros
The YI 1080p Dome Camera features a wide-angle glass lens along with 345-degree pan and 115-degree tilt capabilities, so you can get a clear, full view of any space.
Nerd Cons
While your clips will be stored for 24 hours in the cloud, if you want them stored there longer, then you’ll have to sign up for one of YI’s paid cloud subscription plans. You can also choose to save footage to a MicroSD card, but you’ll have to purchase that separately.
YI Dome Features
- Smart motion tracking: When this camera detects a moving object, it follows its movement and captures the footage automatically.
- Two-way audio: A built-in microphone and speaker let you communicate with anyone within the vicinity of the camera. You can use the intercom mode if you want only one party to talk and listen at a time, while the hands-free mode lets both parties talk and listen simultaneously.
- 24/7 emergency response: With the tap of a button on the YI app, you can notify emergency responders if you see something amiss.
- 4x zoom: Want a closer look at what’s going on? This camera can zoom in 4x.
- Night vision: Check on your home and family, day or night. Night vision technology ensures you can see images clearly even in the dark with a range of up to almost 10 feet.
- Baby crying detection: Great for use in a nursery, this camera will send an immediate alert to your phone at the first sign your baby is crying.
- Auto-cruise and bookmarking: The camera will automatically survey the area with a 360-degree rotation, or you can set up to eight zones to have it “cruise” through, and see any of them on demand with the touch of a button on the app.
- 1080p video: Images are sharp and clear thanks to 1080p video display.
- Cloud storage: YI will store 6-second clips of footage that have been triggered by motion or sound for 24 hours in the cloud. If you want to save them for longer than that, you’ll need to subscribe to one of three YI cloud plans. The Entry plan is $5 per month and covers one camera with seven days of history. The Standard plan runs $12 per month and covers five cameras with a 15-day history. The Plus plan runs $19 per month and covers five cameras with a 30-day history. For all the plans, there’s a discount if you commit to a one-year agreement, and you can try any of the plans free for 30 days.
- User-friendly: Setup is simple. After installing the app and creating an account, you connect it to your home’s Wi-Fi, then scan a QR code. After that, your camera is ready to go. Most users say the app is easy to navigate as well.
- Equipment: The camera comes in either black or white. It measures 5.9 x 4.3 x 4.2 inches and weighs 11.4 ounces.
Bottom Line on the YI Dome Camera
For the price, features and ease of use, the YI 1080p Dome Camera is a strong contender for those looking for an affordable home security camera. It works especially well as a nursery camera, as it features a baby crying alert feature, and for keeping an eye on pets. Users must be willing to install and monitor the camera themselves, as YI offers no installation or monitoring plans, but as long as you’re up for that, then this camera from YI deserves a look.
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About the Author
Julie Ryan Evans
Julie Ryan Evans is a writer and editor who has worked with a host of diverse companies including Microsoft, USA Today, Realtor.com, Brit + Co, CafeMom and SheKnows, among others. She has a master’s degree in nonfiction writing from The Johns Hopkins University and regularly covers topics including health and wellness, parenting, technology, finance, real estate and pop culture. While she currently calls the Orlando area home, she has lived everywhere from Hawaii to Austin, Boston and beyond.