The editorial team at AlfredCamera has decided to give hands-on reviews of some of the best budget cameras on the market. After testing each camera for a period of two to three weeks, we’ll share the things that we love and the things we don’t. We strive to be as honest as possible during the process because we feel that this not only informs our readers about security products, but also helps us to make AlfredCamera a better product.
Blink and you might miss it, but this humble indoor security camera is bound to make a great choice for security newbies and technophobes alike (at a price that’ll make even the most budget-conscious of us breathe a sigh of relief).
Main Features
- 1080p HD with night vision (infrared)
- 110° field of view
- Two-way audio
- Motion detection
- Alexa compatible
| Pros | Cons |
| 🟢 Discreet design 🟢 Easy to move about 🟢 Clear footage 🟢 30 FPS is impressive 🟢 Loud speaker 🟢 Super simple app is a breeze to navigate | 🔴 No person detection with or without subscription 🔴 No siren 🔴 Options for automation are very limited 🔴 Motion detection zones are inflexible 🔴 White balance can be poor when using night vision 🔴 No wall plugs included for screws |
Table of Contents
Packaging
With a name like ‘Mini’, it’d be ironic if this humble security camera’s packaging was much more than what it is.
The plain cardboard design opens by folding the lid upwards, revealing the device and its limited companions tucked safely inside black plastic casing (widely unrecyclable, unfortunately).
The camera, a micro USB charging cable, two screws, and product safety/warranty information are included. The contents are among the most minimal of all the cameras I’ve tried, which is appreciated, but a trip to a certain Swedish flatpack specialist may be required if wall-mounting is on the to-do list, since wall plugs aren’t included.
Installation & Onboarding
| App Setup Time | Mounting tools included? | Drilling? |
| 5 minutes | Screws x 2No wall plugs | ✅ |
As the instructions on the inside of the box suggest, setting up the camera involves plugging it in and downloading the Blink Home Monitor app. In contrast to Ring, the slightly more expensive sister security brand also on Amazon’s home security portfolio, setup is painless and very fast.
An email address, password, and phone number are provided by the user, and an Amazon account can be linked if desired (necessary if the user wants to activate a Blink subscription straight away).
Setting up the app was fairly fast. Verification codes were sent by email and text.
To add the Blink Mini camera to the app, users select it from a drop-down list before being instructed to scan the QR code on the back of the device. It can then be added to an existing ‘system’ (the group of cameras that can be armed/disarmed at the same time) or a new one, which is named by the user.
A Wi-Fi network is then created, which the user is prompted to join. After putting in the password for the router the phone is connected to, firmware is updated and the camera is ready to view.
Devices are grouped together as ‘systems’, which can be named by the user. The QR code on the camera is scanned before users are asked to input their Wi-Fi router password.
As mentioned, wall plugs aren’t included for the screws, meaning wall mounting may involve putting screws directly into the wall.
The mount can be pulled from the camera and attached to where the QR code is for easier wall mounting, although range of motion is more limited in this configuration.
A ring around the base can be pulled off, which reveals two holes for the screws to go through. The ring can be replaced afterwards to conceal the screwheads, keeping the look of the device uniform and discreet.
Hardware – Durability, Aesthetics, Size, Weight
| Size | Weight | Weatherproof? | Casing | Tilt/Pan? | Local Storage? |
| 48 x 48 x 34 mm | 90 g | ❌ | Black or white matte and glossy plastic | ❌ | ❌ Purchase of Sync Module 2 required for non-cloud storage |
‘How cute!’ is the appropriate response to seeing the Blink Mini for the first time. It’s a tiny device, resembling an old-school webcam. It’s available in black or white.
Though it’s smaller than AlfredCam, it is slightly heavier, but just as easy to plug-in and go for use on the move. For under $40, the quality of the build is decent enough, and it feels slightly stronger and more maneuverable than the similarly-sized Wyze Cam v3.
The ball joint on AlfredCam, however, is much smoother, which makes it a lot easier to pose compared to Blink Mini. Blink Mini is stiff, and moving it into different positions doesn’t exactly hide the cheapness of the materials.
See how users have been implementing AlfredCam as a rapid, reliable security solution.
As mentioned, the ring around the base is removable, allowing for screws to be hidden, which keeps aesthetics from being upset by wall mounting. The base pulls off and attaches to the alternative wall mounting position with ease.
Poses in either configuration are pretty limited compared to AlfredCam, with angles restricted by the hardware design as well as by the power cable sticking out of the back of the device. Its movement is much stiffer.
Blink Mini (black) pictured alongside AlfredCam (white). AlfredCam’s range of motion was greater and smoother.
The Blink Mini is made for indoor use, so it isn’t waterproof. It tucks away nicely on shelves and mantelpieces, and the micro USB power cable is just over 2 meters long, allowing it to be used at quite a distance from power sources.
Unlike both AlfredCam and Wyze Cam v3, the Blink Mini does not have a microSD card slot. To save footage, either a subscription or a Sync Module 2 is required. The Sync Module 2 is an add-on periphery that can transfer footage from the device to a USB flash drive. It usually retails for $34.99—the same price as the camera, meaning consumers will effectively be paying double if they want physical storage.
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Software – App Usability, Third Party Compatibility
| Wi-Fi? | LTE Data (3G, 4G, 5G)? | Bluetooth? | Wired? |
| ✅ 2.4 GHz | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ Micro USB |
Blink’s corresponding app is a breeze to use. Compared to similar apps like Ring and Wyze, Blink can be described as streamlined.
Sure, it is lacking in features, even compared with other budget-friendly security solutions. But the simplicity will make it a great choice for complete newcomers to home security.
Like other security apps, a named ‘system’ is created which houses all connected devices. Multiple systems can be created, which can be switched between at the top of the home screen.
Home tab (left), camera feed (right).
At the bottom are three tabs—a Home tab, which showcases all linked devices, a Clips tab that lists in chronological order any motion detected moments which can be tapped to view, and a Settings tab. Device settings can also be changed from the Home tab for specific devices.
On the home tab, screenshots can be easily taken by any linked devices by clicking the camera icon on the right of the preview window. Clicking the video camera icon on the left will take users to the live feed.
At the bottom of the Home tab are Disarm/Arm buttons, which makes turning all devices off at a moment’s notice easy. Arming and disarming can also be scheduled via the Settings, and an Alexa device can be added for voice control.
That’s more or less the extent of automation that can be done, but I felt that this simple, succinct, clear layout makes the app extremely accessible. After all, not everyone has the same requirements.
Ring’s Geofencing feature (arm/disarm based on the physical location of the viewing device) is sorely missed, however. It’s an uncomplicated feature in and of itself, but it adds more depth to the user experience.
That being said, the Blink line isn’t quite as diverse as Ring, which also has alarms and keypads to help create a de facto security system, so Geofencing might be deemed not quite as necessary.
Compared to Ring, though, the live stream was much more fluid, and a stable connection was fairly easy to maintain through Wi-Fi.
Camera
| Quality | Frame rate | Field of view | Infrared |
| 1080p HD | 30 FPS | 110° | ✅ |
Blink Mini supports up to 1080p HD footage, which looks good. More surprising was the frame rate, which, with strong Wi-Fi and the highest quality setting, can reach a smooth 30 FPS (unusual for a camera of such a diminished size and price). Naturally, this will be a lot more taxing on the Wi-Fi.
Speaking of quality, users will be able to choose between three defaults: saver, standard, and best. ‘Best’ produced less pixelation and a noticeably smoother frame rate. Video can be flipped, which helps alleviate any issues caused by the camera’s posing limitations.
There’s also three options for infrared intensity: low, medium, and high. Many cameras overlook this, or, as in Ring’s case, make the user specify exactly where the camera is going to be placed during setup, so being given the choice to alter the setting at any time is greatly advantageous.
If using a camera pushed up against a window at night, the infrared intensity must be lowered in order to avoid glare (the red light will reflect back into the camera’s lens if the intensity is too high).
On the other hand, motion detection settings were a little mediocre. Sensitivity and trigger time can be altered, as well as clip length, but activity zones are determined by splitting the image into 5×5 rectangles, which doesn’t allow for the same degree of specificity as some security apps.
If the device is viewing something at a medium distance, the rectangular blocking should be fine. But for objects far away and objects close-up, more accuracy at determining the zones would have been useful to avoid trigger failures.
For some reason, ‘Early Notifications’, the option to have push notifications be sent instantly after motion is detected, is turned off by default, so I’d recommend immediately turning that on if reliable notifications are required. With it off, a notification is sent only after the video clip has finished filming, meaning a significant delay between trigger and notification. With ‘Early Notifications’ enabled, notifications arrived within about a second of the camera detecting motion.
Night vision was also a little lacking compared to other security cameras. Although white balance has been a consistent issue with security camera night vision across the board, other cameras were able to balance whiteness within at least a few seconds of an object appearing. This is necessary to help the user make out details in the image.
Holding a hand up to Blink Mini, it wasn’t ever able to balance the whiteness even after some time had passed, resulting in an image of a featureless white blob. Image quality and frame rate in night vision mode were, however, strong.
Blink Mini does not support AI-based features like person detection even with the purchase of a subscription. AlfredCam and Wyze Cam v3 both feature person detection with a subscription, which helps reduce the amount of unnecessary notifications.
Audio
| Microphone | Speaker | Siren |
| ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
For such a tiny object, Blink Mini sure is loud. Its subtle speaker sits at the top of the device and is no bigger than a centimeter or two, yet the two-way audio function projects the user’s voice very audibly in a room. Ring’s Stick Up Cam, which I found was mysteriously quiet for a camera that can be used outdoors, could certainly take some notes.
The mic is also great, meaning two-way conversations are easy to hold.
It’s a shame, then, that Blink Mini doesn’t make the most of its small-but-powerful speaker with a siren that can be activated via the app, like AlfredCam does.
I experienced significant audio feedback when I had the viewing device near the camera with audio on, even after just a few seconds, though this isn’t exactly surprising given the powerful speaker and mic. Audio can be turned off at any time, and clips don’t have to be recorded with sound.
Cost
| Blink Mini | Subscription Service |
| RRP $34.99 | From $3 a month |
One of Blink Mini’s most attractive assets is its price tag. Available for $34.99, it sits alongside AlfredCam and Wyze Cam v3 as among the most inexpensive options for indoor surveillance. AlfredCam is currently available for $29.99.
A Blink Basic subscription will run users $3 a month in the US, but there’s no denying it is pretty basic. Cloud storage for a single device is all that it provides.
Final Thoughts
It’s hard not to be charmed by this inexpensive, tiny security camera. It functions very well, and the app is a pleasure to use. It looks great anywhere in the home, and the option to choose a monochrome black (fairly unusual for affordable security camera devices) is sure to be appreciated by aesthetes and the decor-savvy.
Ultimately, other indoor budget devices have an edge over it due its lack of features. AlfredCam, for example, has the option for person detection, a siren, a microSD card slot, and stronger night vision. Its hardware design also enables the camera to tilt to a much wider degree of angles than Blink Mini, particularly when it comes to wall-mounted positions.
Both AlfredCam and Wyze Cam v3 retail for around the same price as Blink Mini.
Read more of our reviews to find the best security cameras for you:
REVIEW: AlfredCam, A New Benchmark For Affordable Security Cameras?
REVIEW: Wyze Cam V3 Feature-Rich Budget Camera
REVIEW: Kasa Spot Pan Tilt (EC70) – Motorized 360 Panning Camera
REVIEW: Reolink E1 Pro 2K Panning Security Camera
REVIEW: Wyze Cam Pan V2 – 360° Panning Camera Perfect for Baby and Pet Monitoring
REVIEW: Google Nest Cam (Battery)
REVIEW: Ring Stick Up Cam (Battery)
Blink vs Ring vs AlfredCamera