33 Scoring Factors Researched in this Comparison

XM Smart Home Camera Review

Section Scores
Technical
89
80 (avg)
Alerts
75
81 (avg)
Storage
92
82 (avg)
Features
79
75 (avg)
Design
82
80 (avg)
What makes it better?
XM Smart Home Camera Average Pet Camera
Has more frames-per-second (20 FPS vs. 15 FPS)
Has a better field of view (130° wide-angle view vs. 110° diagonal)
Has local storage (Yes, w/SD card vs. w/USB flash drive)
Can record 24/7 (Yes, w/SD card vs. Yes)
Has better night vision (Up to 33 ft vs. Up to 30 ft)
Has snapshot notifications (Yes vs. No)
Has a better rotation range (Pan 350° Tilt 80° vs. Doesn't rotate)
Has better connectivity (2.4GHz WiFi / Ethernet vs. 2.4GHz WiFi)
Has sound alerts (Yes vs. No)
Can detect pets (w/subscription vs. No)
Has a siren (N/A vs. No)

Technical

Video Resolution

XM Smart Home Camera: 1080p HD
Average Pet Camera: 1080p HD
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Video resolution is important for how clear you see things on your screen. It shows the number of pixels or dots that are displayed for video at any given height. The more pixels, the clearer things will be.

Frames Per Second

XM Smart Home Camera: 20 FPS
Average Pet Camera: 15 FPS
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The frame rate is the number of frames that are captured per second by the camera sensor. The more frames per second, the smoother video will appear to viewers.

Field of View

XM Smart Home Camera: 130° wide-angle view
Average Pet Camera: 110° diagonal
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Field of view is the width and height of the area that a camera can see. It's not more technical than that, really!

Rotation Range

XM Smart Home Camera: Doesn't rotate
Average Pet Camera: Pan 350° Tilt 80°
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Smart pet cameras with rotation feature help you eliminate any blind spots. Just rotate your smart camera left or right to find your pet sleeping on the armchair.

Internet Connectivity

XM Smart Home Camera: 2.4GHz WiFi
Average Pet Camera: 2.4GHz WiFi / Ethernet
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Between the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies, the 5GHz will be faster to load live video feed on your phone. An Ethernet connection is also faster than 2.4GHz, but slower than a 5GHz wavelength connection. So, if you're looking for a fast video load speed, 5GHz is the best option.

Power

XM Smart Home Camera: Plugged-In
Average Pet Camera: Plugged-In
This is how you power the camera. Normally, all the cameras require an outlet to power on.

Battery Back-up

XM Smart Home Camera: No
Average Pet Camera: No
Some smart cameras come with a back-up battery to stay on in case of power outage.
Best
Technical
Scores
Our Score
90
Our Score
90

Alerts

Motion Alerts

XM Smart Home Camera: Yes
Average Pet Camera: Yes
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Every time the smart pet camera detects movement, you'll get a notification on your phone, so you can check straight away the live feed.

Sound Alerts

XM Smart Home Camera: No
Average Pet Camera: Yes
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Just like motion alerts, some cameras can send notifications whenever they detect sound.

Bark/Meowing Notifications

XM Smart Home Camera: No
Average Pet Camera: No
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Some cameras have advanced sound detection.

Motion Zones

XM Smart Home Camera: Yes
Average Pet Camera: Yes
With motion zones you can specify certain areas you want to keep a close eye on. You'll get motion notifications only when there's motion in those areas.

Pet Detection

XM Smart Home Camera: No
Average Pet Camera: w/subscription
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Some cameras are smart enough to distinguish between people and pets movement.

Movement Auto-tracking

XM Smart Home Camera: No
Average Pet Camera: No
Focus on your loved ones with an auto-movement tracking feature. The camera will rotate automatically and follow the movement of your pet wherever they go within camera's field of view.

Siren

XM Smart Home Camera: No
Average Pet Camera: N/A
You can use your smart pet camera like a smart security camera. With a siren built-in, you can scare off intruders and uninvited guests.
Best
Alerts
Scores
Our Score
97

Storage

Local Storage

XM Smart Home Camera: Yes, w/SD card
Average Pet Camera: w/USB flash drive
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Local storage allows you save all the video history locally on an SD card or a USB. In case your router starts acting up, it's good to have local storage as a backup.

Cloud Storage

XM Smart Home Camera: 6-months free
Average Pet Camera: 6-months free
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Some cameras offer cloud storage so you can review the video history from your camera later. However, it almost always comes at additional cost.

24/7 Non-Stop Recording

XM Smart Home Camera: Yes, w/SD card
Average Pet Camera: Yes
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With non-stop recording you won't miss a single move. You can always look back in video history to check who exactly ripped sofa pillows into small pieces.

Subscription

XM Smart Home Camera: Optional
Average Pet Camera: Optional
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Some brands lock additional features or cloud storage behind subscription. It's always better to check if there's any subscription required to save video history or use motion alerts.

NAS Support

XM Smart Home Camera: No
Average Pet Camera: No
One more convenient way to store video history instead of paying for cloud subscription.
Best
Storage
Scores
Our Score
100
Our Score
92

Features

Zoom

XM Smart Home Camera: Yes
Average Pet Camera: Yes
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The smart pet cameras use digital zoom. This enlarges the pixels so you can see more. The zoom will focus on a certain area of your screen, but there are no new pixels being added. This might make the image look blurry.

Night Vision

XM Smart Home Camera: Up to 33 ft
Average Pet Camera: Up to 30 ft
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Night vision is the ability to see clearly during nighttime or low-light conditions. While most of the smart pet cameras offer black & white night vision, there are some cameras that offer colored image.

Two-way Audio

XM Smart Home Camera: Yes
Average Pet Camera: Yes
With two-way audio, you can talk to your pets even when you're miles away! Hear them reply back and share your love by supporting them with your voice from afar.

Live View

XM Smart Home Camera: Yes
Average Pet Camera: Yes
Check out what your pet is doing right now with a live view mode.

Laser For Playing

XM Smart Home Camera: No
Average Pet Camera: No
Does your cat love playing with a laser? Well, good news! Some of smart pet cameras have a built-in laser toy so you can play with your furry friend even when you're not at home.

Alexa Compatibility

XM Smart Home Camera: No
Average Pet Camera: Yes
With Alexa compatibility you can control the cameras with your voice and add the camera to a list of your smart home devices.

Google Assistant Compatibility

XM Smart Home Camera: No
Average Pet Camera: No
You can use Google Assistant to control the camera with your voice.

HomeKit Compatibility

XM Smart Home Camera: No
Average Pet Camera: No
You can use Siri to control the camera with your voice.

In-app Vet Chat

XM Smart Home Camera: No
Average Pet Camera: No
Is your pet acting weird? Consult with a vet right from a smart pet camera app for quick recommendations and support.

Time Lapse

XM Smart Home Camera: No
Average Pet Camera: No
Create entertaining time lapses of your pets shenanigans.

Snapshot Notifications

XM Smart Home Camera: Yes
Average Pet Camera: No
Get a notification with a snapshot of detected motion. It can save you time checking false motion alerts.

Home & Away Modes

XM Smart Home Camera: No
Average Pet Camera: No
If you chose home mode, you won't get any motion/sound notifications.
Best
Features
Scores
Our Score
91

Design

Dimensions

XM Smart Home Camera: N/A
Average Pet Camera: 2.39 x 2.13 x 3.22 in
Dimensions can help you visualize how big or small the camera is. If you want it to be less noticeable, it's better to opt for a smaller size.

Color

XM Smart Home Camera: White
Average Pet Camera: White
Most of the smart pet cameras come in white, which makes it easy to mix them with your home's decor.

Mounting Options

XM Smart Home Camera: Stand
Average Pet Camera: Magnetic
Before buying a smart pet camera, it's good to think in advance about the placement of the camera. Some cameras only allow stand option, while others can also be mounted on a wall. So heads up!

Usage

XM Smart Home Camera: Indoors
Average Pet Camera: Indoors
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While most of the cameras are for indoor use only, there are a few that can operate outside as well.

Warranty

XM Smart Home Camera: 1-year limited warranty
Average Pet Camera: 1-year limited warranty
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In case of camera malfunction, it's good to have warranty to be able to replace it.
Best
Design
Scores
Our Score
100
Our Score
90
Our Score
89

Full Comparison Chart

XM Smart Home Camera Average Pet Camera
Technical
Video Resolution 1080p HD
XM Smart Home Camera
1080p HD
Pet Camera
Frames Per Second 20 FPS
XM Smart Home Camera
15 FPS
Pet Camera
Field of View 130° wide-angle view
XM Smart Home Camera
110° diagonal
Pet Camera
Rotation Range Doesn't rotate
XM Smart Home Camera
Pan 350° Tilt 80°
Pet Camera
Internet Connectivity 2.4GHz WiFi
XM Smart Home Camera
2.4GHz WiFi / Ethernet
Pet Camera
Power Plugged-In
XM Smart Home Camera
Plugged-In
Pet Camera
Battery Back-up No
XM Smart Home Camera
No
Pet Camera
Alerts
Motion Alerts Yes
XM Smart Home Camera
Yes
Pet Camera
Sound Alerts No
XM Smart Home Camera
Yes
Pet Camera
Bark/Meowing Notifications No
XM Smart Home Camera
No
Pet Camera
Motion Zones Yes
XM Smart Home Camera
Yes
Pet Camera
Pet Detection No
XM Smart Home Camera
w/subscription
Pet Camera
Movement Auto-tracking No
XM Smart Home Camera
No
Pet Camera
Siren No
XM Smart Home Camera
N/A
Pet Camera
Storage
Local Storage Yes, w/SD card
XM Smart Home Camera
w/USB flash drive
Pet Camera
Cloud Storage 6-months free
XM Smart Home Camera
6-months free
Pet Camera
24/7 Non-Stop Recording Yes, w/SD card
XM Smart Home Camera
Yes
Pet Camera
Subscription Optional
XM Smart Home Camera
Optional
Pet Camera
NAS Support No
XM Smart Home Camera
No
Pet Camera
Features
Zoom Yes
XM Smart Home Camera
Yes
Pet Camera
Night Vision Up to 33 ft
XM Smart Home Camera
Up to 30 ft
Pet Camera
Two-way Audio Yes
XM Smart Home Camera
Yes
Pet Camera
Live View Yes
XM Smart Home Camera
Yes
Pet Camera
Laser For Playing No
XM Smart Home Camera
No
Pet Camera
Alexa Compatibility No
XM Smart Home Camera
Yes
Pet Camera
Google Assistant Compatibility No
XM Smart Home Camera
No
Pet Camera
HomeKit Compatibility No
XM Smart Home Camera
No
Pet Camera
In-app Vet Chat No
XM Smart Home Camera
No
Pet Camera
Time Lapse No
XM Smart Home Camera
No
Pet Camera
Snapshot Notifications Yes
XM Smart Home Camera
No
Pet Camera
Home & Away Modes No
XM Smart Home Camera
No
Pet Camera
Design
Dimensions N/A
XM Smart Home Camera
2.39 x 2.13 x 3.22 in
Pet Camera
Color White
XM Smart Home Camera
White
Pet Camera
Mounting Options Stand
XM Smart Home Camera
Magnetic
Pet Camera
Usage Indoors
XM Smart Home Camera
Indoors
Pet Camera
Warranty 1-year limited warranty
XM Smart Home Camera
1-year limited warranty
Pet Camera

XM Smart Home Camera Review

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