Aqara Cameras Comparison

The Aqara range of smart cameras has increased, and we’ve been getting many enquiries on the differences between the different models! Here, we’ll try to list out the differences to help customers make the most informed choices!

Before we go into the details, here’s the TL:DR table!

	Aqara Camera Hub G2H Pro	Aqara Camera Hub G3	Aqara Camera E1
Price	$139	$199	$99
Works as a Zigbee Hub	Yes	Yes	No
Dimensions	82.4 × 56.5 × 50.5 mm	123.4 × 85.1 × 67.8 mm	69 × 69 × 104 mm
Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi 5 – 2.4 GHz only	Wi-Fi 5 – 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz	Wi-Fi 6 – 2.4 GHz only
Pan / Tilt function	No	Yes	Yes
Pan / Tilt angle	Nil	Horizontal 340°, vertical 45° (upward 30°, downward 15°)	Not stated
Viewing angle	146°	110°	101°
Privacy mode	No	Yes, lens slides up until hidden	Camera can be rotated to face a wall
Mount	Metal plate + Magnetic base	Screw hole on base	Screw hole on separate mount (included)
Video definition	Full HD; 1080p	2K; 1296p	2K; 1296p
USB Power plug requirement	5V 1A	5V 2A	5V 2A
USB Power plug	Not included	Included	Not included
USB Power port	Micro-USB	USB-C	USB-C
Power cable included	Yes, USB-A to Micro-USB	Yes, USB-A to USB-C	Yes, USB-A to USB-C
IR controller	No	Yes	No
MicroSD card maximum capacity	512 GB (not included)	128 GB (not included)	512 GB (not included)
Apple HomeKit Secure Video	Yes	Yes	Yes
Works with Google Home and Alexa	Yes	Yes	Yes
Two-way audio communication	Yes	Yes	Yes
AI Features	None	Human tracking Pet tracking Gesture Recognition	Human tracking
What’s in the box	G2H Pro Camera Hub × 1 User Manual × 1 Screw × 2 Metal Plate × 1 Power cable x 1 Ejector Tool × 1 Sticker × 1	Camera Hub G3 × 1 User Manual × 1 Power Adapter × 1 Power Cable × 1	Camera E1 × 1 User Manual × 1 USB-A to USB-C Cable × 1 Plastic Base × 1 Screw Kit × 1

Size

It’s no contest, the Aqara Camera Hub G2H Pro is the smallest of the three cameras. If you value a camera that looks inconspicuous, the G2H Pro is the one to get. It also has a good mounting system.

Mounting Options

The three models have very different mounting options.

Aqara Camera Hub G2H Pro

This camera comes with a magnetic base; on which you have almost unlimited options of swiveling and articulating from the stand. This means the G2H Pro can be mounted on any flat surface, including normal planes, walls, and ceilings. It’s easy to adjust the camera to achieve the view you want, especially with the 146° viewing angle.

Aqara Camera Hub G3

The G3 Camera has a screw thread in the bottom of its base. You can mount the G3 on a mounting stand (sold separately) and install this stand on the wall or ceiling.

Aqara Camera E1

The E1 Camera has a separate mount. The camera can be install on the mount (slide in until it clicks). This mount can be installed on the ceiling directly with screws; alternatively, it has a screw thread where you can mount it on another mounting stand (sold separately). Generally, this camera is most ideally installed upside down (it has a 30° upward tilt and 15 degree downward tilt – this means when upside down, it can see more of the space below).

Field of view

The G2H Pro has the widest field of view, probably to make up for the lack of a pan / tilt function. At 146 degrees, it’s easy to capture the entirety of a room when it’s placed in a corner.

The G3 and the E1 are quite similar.

Pan / Tilt Function

Only the G3 and the E1 has a pan / tilt function. What this means is that you can remotely move the view of the camera – motors inside the camera body can rotate to show the view that you want. The G2H Pro does not have this function.

It’s important to note that this pan/tilt feature only works when streaming. You can’t adjust the view of historical, recorded clips – it records wherever the camera was pointing at, in that point of time. This means that sometimes, it may make sense to have a camera with a wider field of view, than a camera that can pan/tilt.

Zigbee Hub

The Aqara G2H Pro and the Aqara G3 both work as Zigbee hubs – that is, they can be used to connect your other Aqara Zigbee devices, such as smart wall switches, motion sensors, and more. The latest addition, the Aqara Camera E1, doesn’t have this feature.

IR Control

IR control means that the device is able to send commands to your existing IR appliances, such as air-conditioners. Most air-conditioner units have a remote control – this remote control beams IR (infrared) commands to your air-con to turn on or off, or to set a temperature.

The Aqara G3 camera has this function, and is able to give your air-conditioners smart controls by using this function. This means you’ll be able to control your air-con and change its settings with your smartphone app, and even do so remotely.

The other two cameras, the G2H Pro and E1, do not have this function. Our other product, the Aqara Hub M2, can do this as well.

AI Features

The G3 Camera has many AI features, namely

1. Person tracking (camera pans and tilts to follow humans)
2. Pet tracking (camera pans and tilts to follow dogs and cats)
3. Gesture recognition

The Aqara G2H Pro doesn’t support any of these. The Camera E1 only supports Human tracking.

Conclusion

Choosing the right camera for you really boils down to a few factors.

Need the cheapest camera, don’t need a hub – Aqara Camera E1.

Need a basic camera that works as a hub – Aqara Camera G2H Pro.

Need a fully featured camera that supports tracking and IR control – Aqara Camera Hub G3.