Best Logitech Circle 2 Wired Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020:

Two years after the launch of its first surveillance camera, Logitech presents the second version of its Circle . Naturally called Circle 2, this camera is full of options and presents itself as a versatile solution.

Presentation

Last June, Logitech did not present one, but two surveillance cameras  : the Circle 2 Wired, subject of this test, and the Circle 2 Wire-Free. They display common characteristics, with the difference that the first is supplied by a cable with a length of 3 m, when the second works thanks to a rechargeable battery. It is able to film and stream in Full HD 1080p. It also incorporates a (very) wide angle up to 180 °, like the D-Link DCS-960L , and can in fact cover the entire room. In addition, it has a microphone and a speaker and has recently been enhanced with Apple HomeKit compatibility . It has no microSD slot.

The Circle 2 Wired is launched at € 199, the launch price of the first Circle.

Best Logitech Circle 2 Wired Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals & Sales 2020

1. Logitech Circle 2 Indoor/Outdoor Wireless Home Security Camera Works with Alexa & Google Assistant with Easy Setup. 1080p HD, 180° Wide-Angle, Night Vision, 2-Way Talk, Alerts, Free 24-Hours Storage

2. Logitech Circle 2 Combo Pack: 2 Indoor/Outdoor Wired Home Security Cameras. 1 Window Mount Works with Alexa, HomeKit and Google with Easy Setup, 1080p HD. 180° FOV, Alerts, Free 24-Hours Storage

3. Logitech Circle 2 Wi-Fi Home Security Indoor/Outdoor 1080p Camera Wire-Free White

4. Logitech Circle 2 Plug Mount wireless accessory for Circle 2 Wired or Circle 2 100% Wire-Free Indoor/Outdoor Weatherproof Home Security Camera (Renewed)

5. Logitech Circle 2 Rechargeable Battery Accessory (Only Works with Circle 2 Wire-Free Camera)

Ergonomics and installation

The Circle 2 is distinguished from other surveillance cameras by a very rounded and could not be more minimalist design. To tell the truth, we are talking about a time that those under 30 cannot know, but it surprisingly resembles the traditional webcams that proudly sat above computer screens.

As ” old school ” as this camera may seem, it displays beautiful qualities of finishes, despite the excessive use of white plastic. Let it be said, it will not be an illusion for very long as its look is identifiable. However, its compact dimensions allow it to slip into the corners of a living room or entrance, even in the most confined spaces. The pack includes fixing screws, in case the user wishes to install it on the wall; it will then be necessary to accommodate the presence of the 3 m long white cable which supplies it.

Where the first Circle was inseparable from its rounded base, this new version rests on a metal ball joint, thanks to which it can be judiciously tilted at different angles.

The Circle 2 connects via Wi-Fi to the Internet box of the home – we regret that it does not have an Ethernet port. The configuration is very simple. Just download the dedicated application and let yourself be guided step by step. As soon as the camera is connected to a power source, the app immediately detects its presence and asks the user to enter the password for the Internet box to connect it. A real breeze.

Application

Since the test of the first version, the application has not really changed, at least on the graphic level, which is not to displease us. Note, navigation in the app is only in landscape mode, which can be surprising but not off-putting. By opening the application, the user accesses the live streaming stream on which we observed a slight delay of 3 seconds. Too bad, especially since many cameras in our comparison *, * like the Yi Home Camera , do not suffer from any lag .

On the right side of the live screen, the user has access to his timeline , which allows you to consult the summary of the day, the live stream, as well as the different recorded sequences, indicated by blue dots showing the time detection. By selecting one of them, the user can view a sequence lasting 3 to 4 minutes, which is very long and therefore very comfortable. During a day, the user can download all his videos in unlimited number (they are recorded directly in the gallery of the smartphone).

The free cloud offerlasting 24 hours seems perfectly sufficient, provided that the user regularly consults the notifications he receives. However, if he wanted to extend this period, he can take out a paid subscription: 14 days of storage for € 3.99 per month and 31 days for € 9.99 per month. In addition to extending the storage period, paid subscriptions include intelligent alerts of people and animals, or the definition of detection zones, which the free version does not offer … too bad.

Image quality

Before starting the festivities, remember that the Circle 2 stands out for its angle of field of up to 180 °. On surveillance cameras, there are more commonly viewing angles between 110 ° and 130 °. It is therefore a very wide angle of field, which is not without causing a – moderate – distortion of the image. The latter, although slightly curved, is not completely deformed. In this, we note that the image processing is rather well optimized. The result is therefore not really disturbing, or even rather interesting if the camera is placed in a small room, and the camera easily manages to get rid of the fisheye effect that we feared.

In good lighting conditions, the Circle 2 is able to provide a good quality image. The colors are a bit saturated and draw towards cyan, but that is not discriminating. The level of detail is much higher than on the first version and the dynamics are better.

The infrared mode is activated when the brightness falls below 3 lux. It should be noted that in night mode, the camera tends to really overexpose the scene and we lose a lot of details. The contours of the scene are better nuanced and benefit from better dynamics. But overall, we see a strong pixelation with the appearance of some artifacts that complicate the reading of the image.

Audio quality

The Logi Circle 2 Wired disappointed us somewhat in terms of sound. Indeed, the quality of sound reproduction is really worse than with the first Circle. Certainly because of the reduction of the space allocated to the speaker on the camera. Indeed, the first version of the camera had a circular speaker located all around the sensor.

The power is correct, but the distortion is omnipresent, especially on male voices. The sound rendering, very tight on the mids, also exaggerates the nasal side of the voice. Finally, the message delivered remains a minimum understandable, but it is particularly aggressive for the ears.

Fortunately, the microphone is more effective, but not overwhelming either. It offers a capture rather focused on high mids, which gives a sharper, more “metallic” sound to all the captured elements. The metallic sounds are therefore logically reinforced, as are the contact noises, the clicks and certain friction, to the detriment of the sounds which are located in the lower frequencies (the resonance of the step noises, the feeling of proximity to the voice …) . We can also perceive a little breath in the recording.

However, we must emphasize the arrival of a very useful function that we would like to see more often on surveillance cameras: the possibility of choosing between several sensitivity thresholds. Here, there are two (“medium” or “high”), to adapt the capture to the environment and to what we want to monitor as a priority. In general, we preferred all the same the high threshold, which allows to capture and hear the more discreet sounds without having to push the volume of listening to excess.

Consumption

Not energy-intensive for a penny, the Circle 2 consumes only 0.060 kWh in a day, which generates an electricity cost of around 3.80 €. Based on this criterion, the Netatmo Welcome is the most energy-hungry, generating an annual cost of around € 7.

STRONG POINTS

• Compact design.
• Easy installation.
• Rich, intuitive application with well-designed ergonomics.
• Shoot and film in 1080p.
• Free recovery of sequences in unlimited number over a day.
• Image quality in day mode.
• Energy consumption.

WEAK POINTS

• Identifiable design.
• No Ethernet port.
• No alarm.
• Useless infrared below 2 meters.

CONCLUSION

The Circle 2 is the worthy successor to the first Logitech camera, which had already won us over. By design, it stands out both from the first Logi Circle of the name and from the rest of the competition. And the choices Logitech pays: the Circle 2 is a very effective solution. Its ease of installation, its rich and intuitive application and its image quality in day mode are all arguments to go to the act of purchase. Small flat and not least: the infrared lamp, which significantly overexposes faces at a distance less than 2 m, can be detrimental.

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