Arlo Pro 5S 2K Spotlight Camera review
By Tom Calder
Key specs
The maker's figures.
- Type
- Wire-free battery spotlight camera
- Resolution
- 2560×1440 (2K HDR), 160° field of view, up to 12x zoom
- Storage
- Cloud — Arlo Secure required after 30-day trial (from £3.49/mo)
- Power
- Rechargeable, ~6-8 months claimed (low-power mode)
The sharpest optics here on paper — 2K HDR, a wide 160° field of view and genuine 12x zoom — with a manufacturer-claimed 6-8 months' battery life in low-power mode. It's also the most expensive single camera in this comparison, and most of what makes it useful day-to-day sits behind an Arlo Secure subscription once the 30-day trial ends.
- Best for
- Buyers who want the sharpest zoom and widest field of view in this line-up and are happy to pay for a premium subscription tier.
- Skip it if
- Budget is the priority
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Researched, not used. We haven't used this product. This review is built from the maker's specifications, owner reports and our own sizing.
What we like
- 2K HDR image quality with a 160° field of view, wider than most in this list
- Genuine 12x zoom for pulling detail out of a wide shot
- Manufacturer-claimed 6-8 months' battery life in low-power mode
Worth knowing
- The most expensive single camera in this comparison
- Most useful features sit behind an Arlo Secure subscription once the 30-day trial ends
- Live Amazon.co.uk price couldn't be independently confirmed at time of writing — check before ordering
ⓘ As an Amazon Associate, PreparedBritain earns from qualifying purchases. We may earn a commission when you buy, or a fee when you request a quote, through our links. When two products are close, commission can decide which one we pick. A clearly better product always wins. Amazon prices come from Amazon's own product data and show the date and time they were retrieved. Prices at other retailers are checked by us, less often. Prices and stock can change at any time, so always check the retailer's price before you buy.
Our review
Arlo's Pro 5S is a battery spotlight camera that records at 2560×1440 with HDR across a 160-degree view and lets you zoom twelve times into the picture. The point that decides it in October 2026 is that Arlo no longer lists it in its UK or European store, and cloud recording needs an Arlo Secure plan. It suits someone already paying for Arlo Secure who finds one discounted; for everyone else there are better-supported cameras.
What it is, and a note on our sources
The Pro 5S (Arlo model VMC4060P) is a wire-free outdoor camera with a rechargeable battery and, as the name says, a built-in spotlight; Arlo lists the spotlight, siren and two-way audio among the features its cameras keep without a plan. Our catalogue records 2K HDR video at 2560×1440, a 160-degree field of view, up to 12x digital zoom and a battery that Arlo rates at six to eight months in its low-power mode. Recordings go to Arlo's cloud, which means an Arlo Secure plan once the 30-day trial ends.
One honesty note. Arlo's UK and European store pages for the Pro 5S returned 'page not found' when checked on 21 October 2026, and Arlo UK's camera range now lists the Pro 6, Ultra 3 and Essential 3 instead. We could not read a current maker spec sheet, so the figures above come from our catalogue record and the subscription facts from Arlo's live UK plan page. Numbers we could not confirm, such as weather rating or charge time, are left out.
What the subscription changes
On Arlo's UK plan page the entry tier, Secure, costs £7.99 a month for one camera and gives seven days of cloud video, person, animal, package and vehicle detection, custom detection zones, lock-screen previews and theft replacement of a stolen camera. Secure Plus and Secure Pro sit above it, with Secure Pro adding Arlo's Emergency SOS button and 30 days of storage. Continuous 24/7 recording is an add-on from £12.99 a month per camera and needs the camera plugged into the mains, which defeats the battery design. Without a plan, Arlo says its cameras still stream live, send motion alerts and can store locally to an Arlo Hub or Base Station bought separately; check the hub lists the Pro 5S first. Otherwise budget the plan as part of the price, every year you own it.
In a UK power cut
A battery camera keeps watching when the lights go out, but a cloud camera has nothing to talk to once your router is dark, so no clips are saved and no alerts reach your phone. A small battery for the router, covered on our router battery backup page, keeps the chain alive for a few hours. The spotlight and siren still work as deterrents either way. For the wider plan see how to prepare for a power cut.
How it compares
The Reolink Argus 4 Pro records 5120×1440 across 180 degrees from two lenses to a microSD card of up to 512GB with no subscription, is rated IP66, and comes with a 6W solar panel in the bundle we list. The Eufy SoloCam S340 pairs a 3K wide lens with a 2K telephoto for 8x hybrid zoom, stores clips on 8GB inside the camera and carries its own solar panel. TP-Link's Tapo C420S1 kit pairs one 2K camera with a hub recording to microSD, on a 5,200mAh battery claimed to last up to 180 days. All three avoid a monthly fee; the Arlo's answer is a 160-degree single lens with 12x digital zoom. More on our security cameras page.
Living with it
On Arlo's own battery estimate, expect to bring the camera down to charge it roughly twice a year, more often if it records a lot. Arlo's theft replacement comes with a Secure plan rather than the hardware. Because the model has left Arlo's UK range, check Arlo's support pages for how long it will receive software updates before you commit; we could not find a published date.
Our verdict
Buy it only if you already run Arlo cameras and a Secure plan, want one more camera that matches, and find it well below the price it launched at. Skip it if you are starting from nothing: a camera that has left its maker's UK range, needs a monthly fee or an extra hub to keep footage, and whose spec sheet we could not read is a hard recommendation. The Reolink or the Tapo kit give you recordings you own for the price of a card.
A researched review, built from the maker's specs, manual and UK listings; facts checked 21 Oct 2026. Sources: Arlo UK — Home security cameras range (Pro 5S no longer listed; checked 21 October 2026); Arlo UK — Arlo Secure subscription plans and prices; Arlo UK — Secure plan FAQ: what Arlo cameras do without a subscription.
Who shouldn't buy this
Skip this if budget is the priority — the Tapo C420S1 gives you a 2K camera and hub with local storage and no subscription.
This is a Researched review: we haven't used this product. We check every specification against at least two independent sources, re-check the UK price on a schedule where we can track it automatically, and say plainly who it isn't for. Commissions never change a rating.
If this isn’t the one
Best for Buyers who want 4K coverage of a wide area with solar power included and no subscription.
Read the review →
Best for Households with existing cabling, an NVR, or a PoE network switch who want 4K without any battery to manage.
as of 4 Nov 2026, 19:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Best for Buyers who want a genuine wide-plus-telephoto zoom and solar power with no subscription.
as of 4 Nov 2026, 19:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.Questions
Does the Arlo Pro 5S need a subscription?
For cloud recordings, yes. Arlo's UK Secure plan starts at £7.99 a month for one camera with seven days of cloud video and smart detection; a 30-day trial comes with the camera. Without a plan Arlo lists live view, motion alerts and local storage through an Arlo Hub or Base Station, sold separately.
Is the Arlo Pro 5S still sold in the UK?
Not by Arlo. Its UK and European store pages for the Pro 5S returned 'page not found' on 21 October 2026 and the UK range now lists the Pro 6, Ultra 3 and Essential 3. Retailers may still have stock.
How long does the Arlo Pro 5S battery last?
Our catalogue records Arlo's claim of six to eight months in low-power mode. Real life depends on how many events it records, how often the spotlight fires and how cold the winter is.
Can the Arlo Pro 5S record 24 hours a day?
Only with Arlo's continuous video recording add-on, from £12.99 a month per camera on the UK plan page, and only when the camera is plugged into mains power rather than running on its battery.
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