Updated November 2026
Data from the official Google and Reolink sites.
2026 verdict
On sheer hardware, the Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel beats the Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) as an outdoor battery camera, with 4K video, pan and tilt and a solar panel in the box, usually for less money.
It also brings color night vision, a spotlight, privacy zones, microSD recording with no subscription and a 2-year warranty against 1 year. The Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) is the smoother fit for a Google home: HDR video, an optional wired mode, SmartThings support, a native Home Assistant integration, and with Nest Aware it adds familiar faces and alerts for glass breaking, smoke and CO alarms. Both detect people, animals and vehicles and work with Alexa and Google Home. Choose the Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel for pay-once coverage of a wide yard, and the Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) if you live in Google Home and value its polish.
Connectivity
- Wi-Fi 2.4/5 GHz
vs
Winner
Works with
Connectivity
- Wi-Fi 2.4/5 GHz
News by email
Still comparing? Get what's new by email
New releases and the smart home news worth knowing, in your inbox.
No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.
| Feature | Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) | Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.00 | $134.99 | Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel |
| Rating | 4.1 | 4.0 | Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years | Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel |
| Solar Charging | NO | YES | Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel |
| 2K Video | NO | YES | Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel |
| 4K Video | NO | YES | Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel |
| HDR | YES | NO | Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) |
| Color Night Vision | NO | YES | Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel |
| RTSP | NO | Reolink Home Hub required | Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel |
| Alerts | Motion, People, Animals, Vehicles, Familiar Faces, Glass breaking Sound, Smoke Alarm Sound, Carbon Monoxide Alarm Sound | Motion, People, Animals, Vehicles | Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) |
| Light | NO | YES | Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel |
| Privacy Zone | NO | YES | Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel |
What the differences mean
Solar and power
The Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel ships with its solar panel, so the battery tops itself up. The Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) is rated for about 7 months per charge with no solar panel in the box, but can run permanently on its USB cable.
Coverage
The Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel pans 355 degrees and tilts 140 degrees, so one camera can watch a whole garden. The Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) has a fixed 130 degree view.
Image and night vision
The Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel records 4K with color night vision and a spotlight. The Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) records 1080p with HDR, which helps in harsh sun, and black and white night vision.
Recording without a plan
The Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel saves events to a microSD card for free. The Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) keeps 3 hours of event clips on its own and needs Nest Aware for longer history and 24/7 recording when wired.
Home Assistant and SmartThings
The Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) works with SmartThings and Home Assistant directly. The Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel needs a Reolink Home Hub for Home Assistant and RTSP, and does not support SmartThings.
Which one to buy if
- you never want to pay a subscription
The Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel keeps all its clips on a microSD card.
- one camera has to cover a large garden
Its pan and tilt reach far more than the fixed lens of the Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery).
- you want alerts for glass breaking or a smoke alarm
The Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) listens for them with a Nest Aware plan; the Reolink does not.
- the camera may move indoors or run on a wall plug
The Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) is built for both and can run wired.
- you use SmartThings
Only the Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) supports it.
$199.00
- + Rating: 4.1
- + HDR: YES
- + Alerts: Motion, People, Animals, Vehicles, Familiar Faces, Glass breaking Sound, Smoke Alarm Sound, Carbon Monoxide Alarm Sound
- - Price: $199.00 vs $134.99
- - Warranty: 1 year vs 2 years
Winner
19% OFF
$134.99
$166.99
- + Price: $134.99
- + Warranty: 2 years
- + Solar Charging: YES
- - Rating: 4.0 vs 4.1
- - HDR: NO vs YES
What owners say
Owners of both cameras praise accurate alerts for people, animals and vehicles and battery life that means rarely taking the camera down. Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) owners single out the strong magnetic mount, sharp HDR video and the free 3 hours of event clips, and some bolt on third-party solar panels; a minority report Wi-Fi drops or slow charging. Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel owners say the included panel keeps the battery near full even in winter, call the 4K image detailed and the spotlight bright enough to deter, and value pan-tilt and pay-once local storage. Their complaints are that it sleeps rather than recording 24/7, that the Reolink Home Hub and app can be finicky, and that some USB-C chargers will not charge it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Reolink vs Nest: which is better, the Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel or the Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery)?
The Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel, for most outdoor buyers. It records 4K, pans and tilts, charges from its included solar panel, sees in color at night and stores clips on microSD without a subscription. The Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) suits Google Home users who want HDR and Nest Aware's extra alerts.
What is the biggest difference between the Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) and the Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel?
The Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel is a solar-powered pan-tilt camera with free local storage, while the Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) is a fixed camera that leans on Google's cloud for anything beyond 3 hours of clips.
Do the Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) and the Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel need a subscription?
The Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel does not: it records to a microSD card and runs its AI alerts for free. The Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) gives 3 hours of event history for free and needs Nest Aware for longer history, familiar faces and sound alerts.
Do the Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) and the Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel work with Home Assistant?
Yes, both. The Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery) connects directly, while the Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel needs a Reolink Home Hub for Home Assistant and RTSP. Both also work with Alexa and Google Home, and neither with Apple HomeKit.
Who should buy the Google Nest Cam (outdoor or indoor, battery)?
Google Home and SmartThings households who want a flexible camera that works indoors or out, runs wired or on battery, and gains familiar faces and sound alerts with Nest Aware.
Who should buy the Reolink Argus PT Ultra + Solar Panel?
Anyone covering a wide outdoor area without power who wants 4K video, pan and tilt, color night vision and solar charging with no monthly fee.
Spotted something wrong on this page? Tell us and we will fix it.
Our store on AmazonShop our ideas on AmazonLists of the smart home setups we would put together ourselves, ready to add to your Amazon cart.Shop on AmazonFull comparison table
Compare all 151 Cameras side by side
You are looking at two of them. The full table lines up all Cameras in the catalog with the same specs, so you can filter by what you need and sort by price or rating.
- 151 Cameras
- 67 specs compared
- 64 filters
- Cameras
Window Camera E10
- Cameras
OMVI X16 PoE
- Cameras
Ring Indoor Cam
- Cameras
Floodlight Cam Wired Plus
- Cameras
Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam
- Cameras
OMVI 2i PoE
- Cameras
Smart Outdoor Camera
- Cameras
Indoor Cam Plus
- Cameras
Nest Cam Indoor (Wired, 3rd Gen)
- Cameras
Tapo C260
- Cameras
Nest Cam (indoor, wired)
- Cameras
Ring Outdoor Cam
- Cameras
Tapo C200
- Cameras
Tapo C210
- Cameras
Mini Pan-Tilt
- Cameras
Spotlight Cam Plus
- Cameras
Mini 2
- Cameras
Ring Outdoor Cam Plus
- Cameras
Tapo C320WS
- Cameras
Tapo C500
- Cameras
Nest Cam Floodlight
- Cameras
Nest Cam Indoor (Wired, 3rd Gen)
- Cameras
Nest Cam Outdoor (Wired, 2nd Gen)
- Cameras
Nest Cam (indoor, wired)
- Displays
Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
- Displays
Nest Hub Max
- Doorbells
Nest Doorbell (battery)
- Doorbells
Nest Doorbell (wired, 3rd Gen)
- Doorbells
Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd Gen)
- Door Locks
Nest x Yale Lock
- Routers
Nest WiFi Pro
- Smoke & CO Detectors
Nest Protect (Battery)
- Smoke & CO Detectors
Nest Protect (Wired)
- Speakers
Nest Audio
- Speakers
Nest Mini (2nd gen)
- Streaming Devices
TV Streamer (4K)
- Temperature & Humidity Sensors
Nest Temperature Sensor (2nd gen)
- Temperature & Humidity Sensors
Nest Temperature Sensor
- Thermostats
Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen)
- Thermostats
Nest Learning Thermostat
- Cameras
4MP Indoor
- Cameras
Altas PT Ultra
- Cameras
Argus 4 Pro
- Cameras
Argus MagiCam
- Cameras
Duo 2V PoE
- Cameras
Duo 3 PoE
- Cameras
Duo 3 WiFi
- Cameras
E1 Pro
- Cameras
Elite Floodlight WiFi
- Cameras
OMVI 2i PoE
- Cameras
OMVI 2i Ultra
- Cameras
OMVI 3i PoE
- Cameras
OMVI X16 PoE
- Cameras
RLC-810A
- Cameras
RP-PCT8MD
- Cameras
TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi
- Cameras
TrackMix PoE
- Cameras
TrackMix WiFi
- Doorbells
Battery Video Doorbell (2nd Gen)
- Doorbells
Doorbell WiFi