Eufy S350 Indoor Security Cam Review: Excellent Camera Performance with a Software Slog – CNET

This surprisingly compact camera can quickly become the surveillance king of large rooms and open floor plans, whether you want to check in on the kids or keep an eye on a pet. The video quality helps Eufy’s cam stand out from the pack, and the object identification is satisfyingly accurate. At $130, it’s pricier than many cams yet still affordable for a higher-end model.

But there’s a notable hurdle for users to clear: Its software interface, which I found unintuitive and occasionally all-out annoying. If you can stay patient with the app, the S350’s hardware makes up the difference and lands the camera as a powerful indoor model for remote viewing.

These camera views are the highlight of the model: When combined with the on-app pan/tilt/zoom controls, they provide excellent viewing potential for an entire room or big open-floor space. If you want to turn and zoom in to see just what a pet is eating or a kid is watching on TV, you can do it in seconds. The night vision may lack color, but it performs well even in very dark conditions, reaching beyond 25 feet with excellent clarity.

Note that Eufy claims to have an 8x hybrid zoom in some S350 product materials. We aren’t sure where that number came from, possibly multiplying the 2K and 4K resolutions. In reality, the Eufy S350 has a 1x and 3x zoom that you can switch between. Thanks to the high resolution, a 3x zoom is completely satisfactory for an indoor cam, but don’t expect to count the freckles on anyone’s nose.

Finally, the cam also offers the ability to set several “snapshots” around a large space, and a mode that will continuously cycle between these viewpoints using the pan/tilt movement. It’s an alternative if you don’t want to directly control the cam, but it only works if the S350 stays in the same spot.

Eufy S350 Indoor Cam: Audio communication

Eufy’s two-way audio works very well whether you simply want to listen in or hold a full conversation. The cam’s mic is particularly sensitive, somewhat subject to ambient noise interference but also able to pick up voices in another room. Speakers are clear enough to have an easy conversation within 15-20 feet, entirely suitable for a quick indoor check-in.

Eufy S350 Indoor Cam: App settings and controls

Here the Eufy S350 runs into a couple of issues. App UI and performance is, for lack of a better word, a little janky. It lacks the intuitive design of many comparable smart home apps. Instead, settings are often hidden in unexpected places, and controls sometimes proved unresponsive or delayed. I often found that changes had no “confirm” option, so I was left to back out of the setting and hope my choices had taken effect. Large menu tabs like Edge and Explore exist for selling purposes, while options like turning on objection detection are buried under several layers.

Note that Eufy did have a problem in past years with uploading content to its own cloud from local storage, but it was quickly rectified. Eufy also offers sharing capabilities with friends who want to use the cam, as well as the option to share all cam footage with the company to improve the AI (not great for privacy, but at least they give you a choice).

Eufy S350 Indoor Cam: Smart home integration

Eufy reports that the S350 works with both Amazon Alexa and Google Home/Assistant. It certainly works seamlessly with our Alex app and Echo devices, with speedy integration that only took a couple of minutes.

For Google Home, however, I ran into technical difficulties: I could connect the camera to Google Home, but couldn’t access a view or control it. It seems like this is an ongoing issue for Google users that comes and goes with firmware updates and time. If you prefer Google Home, you may not encounter the same reliability as with Alexa.

Please note: This Eufy S350 cam does not work with Apple HomeKit, which I found out after numerous attempts to make it so. Other Eufy cams, including the 2K Pan/tilt cam for $55, do offer Apple compatibility, which is where confusion can arise. Always pay attention to the specific model when looking for Apple Home support!

Final thoughts for the Eufy S350 Indoor Cam

Once you get past the app settings, the Eufy 350 is one of the best indoor cams for detail and tracking, ideal for a nanny cam or keeping a sharp eye on a wide space. Plus, the $130 (and often on sale) price is reasonable considering the quality you receive. 

But you’ll have to endure some software vagaries (and spotty Google Home service) to get there. We recommend staying patient for the S350’s remarkable dual-cam quality. But if you want the smoothest app experience available, that honor currently goes to Blink cams.

• Overall Score: 8
• Performance: 9
• Usability: 6
• Features: 8
• Design: 9

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