Logitech Circle 2, a versatile camera like itself

Logitech has brought us a second version of its security camera with a new design and above all with enormous versatility. SIf you want a security camera that you want to use indoors or outdoors or that does not have the limitation of needing a nearby outlet, This new Circle 2 from Logitech is going to interest you a lot.

We have been able to test the model with integrated battery for several weeks, which does not need a power cable, and we tell you our impressions in this article, in addition to detail its operation and show you its characteristics on video so you can judge for yourselves.

A design for any place

The Circle 2 camera has a design that you can perfectly place in any location in your home without clashing. Inside or outside you will not have the slightest problem, in the kitchen or in the living room, on a shelf or in a socket in the hallway. Being the model without cables, with integrated battery, you will not have the slightest problem when placing it where you want or need. Only a front LED that lights up when you wake up from rest will stand out from its black front, and the white spherical body looks spectacular wherever you place it.

The camera includes a stand to place on the wall but it is not useful to put it on a surface unless you want to focus it upwards, because it will not stay stable due to its weight. To place it on a flat surface you must use it without a base, thanks to the fact that at the bottom it has a flat area where there is a tripod thread, the camera will remain stable. Even so, it will always have a certain upward tilt. It is a detail that is missed: a base that allows to rotate and tilt as we need.

Features and configuration

It is a camera that records at FullHD 1080p resolution and allows live or delayed viewing thanks to Logitech's cloud storage. It does not have physical storage, something that is gradually becoming more widespread in this type of camera. Relying on cloud services has many advantages, because we don't have to worry about anything, but they reserve many functionalities for paid subscriptions, something that we will detail later.

Resistance to rain, cold, heat and sun allow you to place it outdoors to use it outside. Its night vision and its wide angle that allows a field of vision of 180º mean that you do not miss anything that happens in front of the camera. It also has a motion sensor and a battery that according to Logitech reaches three months of autonomy, although that will depend on the configuration you set. A built-in microphone and speaker allow communication in both directions.

The camera setup is done entirely from the app that is available for iOS and Android. It is a very simple and fast process, which requires that the camera be connected to power. The camera is designed to be always off and alert, thus saving maximum battery life. When a movement is detected in its field of vision, it records a sequence and you are notified of it through the app on your smartphone.

You can always enter the application and see what has happened in the last 24 hours (free) or for more days if you choose to pay a monthly or annual fee. You can configure some options such as smart notifications, so that it only warns you when you are not at home, or the resolution of the video if your internet is not too generous. Notifications work very well and being at home or away is automatic thanks to the fact that the application uses the location of the smartphone for it. The sensitivity of the motion sensor will be what most influences consumption but it will also be what determines that it detects any movement or only the most obvious ones, something important if you are going to use it as a security camera.

Deciding whether to stay with the free or paid plan is something very personal and that each one must decide based on their needs. The free version only gives you access to what was recorded in the last 24 hours, while the Premium option (€ 9,99 per month) It offers you the possibility to see up to 30 days of recordings, intelligent detection of people, configure the motion detection area and other options that can be very interesting to many. Taking into account the prices of any security system with video surveillance, these € 99,99 per year are even cheap.

A very well designed application but without HomeKit

I was very pleasantly surprised by the Logitech application because after trying several cameras of this style it is without a doubt the one that I liked the most. I am not much of using the iPhone horizontally, and this app forces you to do it, but in return it offers you a very well organized vision and in which you can quickly see everything that happened during the day, even a summary of the events. In the video in this article you can see it in detail.

But all the advantages of using a battery-powered camera come at a price, and that is that there is no HomeKit compatibility. Apple requires cameras compatible with its demotics service to always be on, and therefore this Circle 2 with battery does not fit into that group. However, if we buy any of the accessories that make it a camera always connected to power, then it automatically becomes a HomeKit accessory.

Very interesting accessories

Logitech has some very interesting accessories available for this Circle 2 camera that increase its versatility. A base that allows it to be placed in any window and another that allows it to be connected directly to a socket they will make that camera with battery automatically become a "conventional" camera, and as we said before compatible with HomeKit. You can even buy another extra battery on the website of Logitech.

A pity that what we can not do is to convert the wired camera to a battery one and vice versa since there is no possibility to buy the wired base independently and battery case is not suitable for camera without battery. The window and socket base does work with either of the two models, with or without a cable.

Editor's opinion

The Logitech Circle 2 with battery is one of the most versatile cameras in its category thanks to the possibility of using it indoors or outdoors as well as the different compatible accessories that allow it to be placed in windows or outlets. Forgoing HomeKit in exchange for a battery that allows you to place it where you need it most without worrying about a plug can pay off many users, and a really well designed app make it one of the best options available on the market right now. You can find it in Amazon for about € 218, a price higher than other competitive models but lower in performance.