Apple AirPods Max 2 review: A huge audio improvement

8.2

Buy on Amazon

The original AirPods Max were polarising. In my circles, there were people who loved them and thought they had the best noise cancelling on the market, and there were people like me who loved the Spatial Audio effect but found the noise cancelling deeply disappointing for the price. This largely came down to head shape: if you could get a good seal, they were amazing, but if you had chunky glasses or a different head shape, we were out of luck.

While the AirPods Max 2 has the exact same body and fit, the improved audio algorithms mean that the internal microphones are better able to compensate for fit, adjusting noise cancelling to the point that I’m now in love.

I get the hype. While the price tag definitely still has some of the old-school Apple tax in there, the audio and noise cancelling quality are now good enough that it feels more justified. Already, I’m certain they’re one of the best-sounding headphones in my collection.

Table of contents

• First impressions
• Specifications and price
• Who are the Apple AirPods Max 2 for?

Apple AirPods Max 2 Wireless Over-Ear Headphones, Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio, Personalised Spatial Audio, Live Translation, Bluetooth Headphones for iPhone – Blue

Buy on Amazon

First impressions

The first thing I noticed when I opened the box is that the blue is slightly different to the blue of the original AirPods Max. From the pictures, I had expected them to look almost identical, but the new blue is a more washed-out, less vibrant blue. It’s more like if grey tried to be blue for Halloween.

Whether you prefer it or not will depend on how much you like bright colours versus something a bit more ‘sophisticated’. They look less fun, but more expensive.

Spot the difference: Apple’s first-gen over-ear headphones (left) next to the second-gen (right). Image: Alice Clarke.

The second thing I noticed is that, aside from colour, they look identical to the original AirPods Max. They’ve got the same joints connecting the ear cups to the band, the same ear cups, the same weird little nappy case that does almost nothing to protect the headphones in a bag (but is essential to turn the headphones off to conserve battery). The woven material on the band feels more robust than the original model, but that could also be that I’ve had my original model since release and have worn it hundreds of times, and time wearies us all.

Setup was as easy as you’d expect from an AirPods product: I held them near my iPhone 17 Pro Max, clicked connect on the pop-up, and they were automatically synced with all my Apple devices. I was able to jump between iPhone and Apple TV almost instantly.

Apple AirPods Max 2 specifications and price

Price (RRP)	$999
Warranty	1 year in addition to your Australian consumer law rights
Manufacturer’s website	Apple Australia
Chip	Apple H2 headphone chip (each ear cup)
Sensors	Optical sensor (each ear cup) Position sensor (each ear cup) Case-detect sensor (each ear cup) Accelerometer (each ear cup) Gyroscope (left ear cup)
Microphones	Nine microphones total: Eight microphones for Active Noise Cancellation Three microphones for voice pick-up (two shared with Active Noise Cancellation and one additional microphone)
Controls	Digital Crown
Weight	386.2g
Battery	AirPods Max 2 (full charge): Up to 20 hours of listening time on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation enabled 5 minutes of charge time provides around 1.5 hours of listening time.
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.3 USB-C

The only real upgrades in the AirPods Max 2 are the jump from H1 to H2 and a new amplifier. Personally, I’m surprised that Apple didn’t take this opportunity to debut an H3 chip, but given the component crisis, it’s not shocking that the company decided to go with something it already had on hand.

The H2 chip is only rated for Bluetooth 5.3, which is fine, but for $1,000 headphones, I’d expect Bluetooth 6.0. I would also want Auracast, but Bluetooth 6.0 and Auracast weren’t really concerns when the H2 debuted in 2022; they are in 2026, though.

This upgrade brings the AirPods Max 2 in line with AirPods Pro 3, and brings many of the AirPods Pro 3 features to the top-of-the-range Apple headphones.

More positively, the new amplifier is excellent. Zero complaints. But I would expect Apple to want to introduce new innovations in a product this expensive, rather than just bringing them in line with products from four years ago.

Aside from that, nothing has changed. It’s the same battery, same ear cups (that are prone to condensation and damage of components), and same headband that is notorious for warping, connection issues, and becoming uncomfortable, even if this webbing does feel more robust to me out of the box.

Wireless listening

Given it’s being driven by the H2 chip, the same kind of chip as the AirPods Pro 3, and a new amplifier, listening to music on the AirPods Max 2 is unsurprisingly excellent.

Going between the original AirPods Max and the sequel, the difference isn’t overwhelming at first. However, the more times I switched between the two across different genres, it’s easy to tell the difference that the H2 chip makes (in addition to the new amplifier), even before you start getting to some of the extra features. The bass is fuller, not louder or crowding the rest of the song, just fuller and with more definition.

They’re not quite at ‘burn your old AirPod Maxes and then salt the earth’ levels of improvement, but I can tell the difference when directly comparing the two.

Image: Alice Clarke.

Part of that is because the new audio algorithms and the H2 chip are working together to make up for the inadequacies of the fit. It’s still got the same fit problems as the original, but (for now, before the headband loosens too much, at least), the internal microphones are doing a better job of working out how much outside audio is leaking in and then cancelling that out, giving the illusion of a better fit. Personally, I would have just improved the hardware of the headphones to give a better fit over a diverse range of head shapes. But I am not Apple.

Compared to the AirPods Pro 3, which are essentially the same headphones in a different shape, I actually prefer the way the AirPods Max 2 sound. The difference between the two is so minor it’s barely noticeable, but the Max 2 just has a tiny little bit of extra warmth.

Wired listening

This difference between audiophile listening and regular Bluetooth listening is difficult to describe in a way that makes it seem worth it. But the jump between wireless listening and listening to the AirPods Max 2 with a USB-C cable plugged in and putting on a lossless track is like breathing in the Melbourne CBD (pretty good, not too polluted, feels fine) and then taking a deep breath in remote countryside on a crisp autumn day. Or eating a strawberry from the supermarket, and eating an organic strawberry you plucked fresh from your own garden.

Wireless is very good, and a great experience if it’s all you’re used to. But the elevated wired experience is a whole other level. It just opens up the songs so much more in a way that you have to hear to understand.

Apple’s button and Digital Crown controls remain the best on any over-ear headphones. Image: Alice Clarke.

With a wired connection, I’m able to hear things in the mix on “Simmer” by Hayley Williams that I normally only hear on my Sennheiser IE600 monitors with an amp. In fact, I think the soundstage on the AirPods Max 2 might be ever so slightly broader than the IE 600, which is wild. Listening to the song, I feel like I’m sitting on the floor in the studio, in the middle of the band. The extra sizzle on the ride cymbal is a visceral thing that adds depth and layers. Her voice sounds richer. There is more space in the music.

It’s the kind of experience that not only justifies using bulkier over-ear headphones, but also going old school and listening to wired music on the train, plane, or while walking around. Having that premium listening experience, and also the benefits of noise cancellation, conversation awareness and transparency mode is a game changer.

Switching back from wired listening to wireless is really hard. It’s like when you take an HDR picture and view it on a non-HDR screen — it’s missing texture and it’s less vibrant. Still fine, but you know what you’re missing now.

Noise cancelling

The noise cancelling in the AirPods Max 2 compared to the original AirPods Max is night and day. With the original AirPods Max on, I can still hear the vacuum cleaner and washing machine clearly. I can have a full conversation with noise cancelling on.

However, with the AirPods Max 2, I am aware that the robot vacuum cleaner is currently fighting for its life with my daughter’s Duplo, but it’s not the dominant sound the way it is with the originals. It sounds like it’s happening a couple of rooms over, rather than 3m away.

If this plush Tiger’s ears worked, it wouldn’t be able to hear much with noise cancellation turned on. Image: Alice Clarke.

Then again, if I put in the AirPods Pro 3, I can’t hear that sad little robot at all. Its struggles may as well not exist. There is a reason why I stopped bothering to bring over-ear headphones with me on flights under 13 hours, and why I carry the AirPods Pro 3 with me everywhere, and that’s because they’re just this good.

I believe Apple’s claim that the AirPods Max 2 have 1.5x the noise cancelling of the original AirPods Max, it makes a noticeable difference. Whether it beats the AirPods Pro 3 for you will depend on fit.

Transparency mode

I have been in awe of the transparency mode of AirPods with the H2 chip for four years, and that awe continues. While some headphones sound like the outside world is being piped in through a speaker, turning on transparency mode on the AirPods Max 2 just sounds like you’re not wearing headphones. Absolute witchcraft.

It makes them so useful for office environments, parents, and eavesdropping in public.

Comfort

Overall, I found the AirPods Max 2 to be quite comfortable for around the first hour, then they started to feel a bit heavy. They’re the same level of comfort as the original model, and they’re really held back by the lack of padding and the heavy weight.

I can only wear them for around four hours at a time before I need to give my head a break, whereas I can wear a pair of Sony XM5s for 15-plus hours straight without issue. Your mileage may vary.

Case

I hate this case. I hate this case so much. It’s ugly, it’s not especially protective, and it leaves the headband vulnerable to damage, as I have seen on my previous model.

That said, it’s also kinda genius. You can’t turn off the headphones without putting them in the case, which is deeply irritating. However, this ensures that most people are going to take the case with them, and put the case on before putting the headphones in their bag, thus protecting the internals of the headphones from debris.

Apple stuck with the same case design as the first model. Image: Alice Clarke.

If the case were larger, people wouldn’t want to carry it with them, and if they didn’t have to use it to conserve battery, they wouldn’t because (as previously stated) it looks stupid and offers very little functionality.

From a sheer practicality standpoint of achieving that one goal, I can understand why Apple did what it did in making this case. It’s like the mouse that can only be charged upside down – the company wanted to make sure people didn’t just leave it plugged in all the time, so they made it so you couldn’t.

However, from every other perspective, I cannot understand why Apple didn’t update this ugly and largely impractical feature on a premium product. Surely there’s a way to have the same outcome without being so lame?

Who are the Apple AirPods Max 2 for?

These are the headphones for people who have cash to splash, care about fashion, and want the best audio experience an Apple product has to offer. It’s not for people who live in particularly humid or changeable climates, or for those with sweaty ears (don’t wear them at the gym if you want the components to survive).

I’m torn, because I really love the AirPods Max 2; they sound amazing, they look good, the improved noise cancelling makes a huge difference, and (when they’re brand new and the headband is unwarped) they’re comfortable for medium bursts of wearing them.

But I’m also irritated. Apple had almost six years to address complaints and shortcomings in the original AirPods Max. Instead, the company just slapped a new chip and amplifier in the old headphones and raised the price by $100. I’m not surprised there are already rumours about a Max 3 model soon.

That said, I can’t think of a single pair of headphones for under $1,000 that sound better than the Apple AirPods Max 2. Add the seamless experience for Apple users, and a lot of people are in for a good time. I just wish they could be in for a better time.

GadgetGuy occasionally uses affiliate links and may receive a small commission from purchased products.

Apple AirPods Max 2

Malibu Stacy’s new hat (aka the AirPods Max 2’s updated chip) makes a huge difference to sound quality in Apple’s latest premium headphones.

Features

9

Value for money

6

Performance

10

Ease of use

10

Design

6

Positives

New H2 chip introduces a huge range of new features

Sounds great

Noise cancelling is significantly improved

The button controls are still the GOAT

Hi-res audio when plugged in via USB-C is a game changer

Negatives

All the same problematic features of the original AirPods Max

Not comfortable for long stretches of wearing

Case is still ugly

8.2

Buy on Amazon

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The Refoss Smart Energy Monitor simplifies tracking energy use

I am currently on a journey of making my house smart. If you believe what the various brands say about their offering, it is easy. In my case, I want to see what I can automate, how much I can automate, and whether I can retrofit existing infrastructure or if I need new gadgets. One piece of that equation is my electricity usage and the desire to maximise my solar usage to minimise my power bill. To do this, I need to measure my real-time energy usage, and one product that can help is the Refoss Smart Energy Monitor EM16P.

Image: Angus Jones.

Until a few years ago, the only way I measured my power usage was from the quarterly power bill. This changed when I got a smart electricity meter provided by the energy authority. This meant my usage was transmitted back to my energy retailer, so they did not have to read my meter anymore, and I could go to my retailer’s website to see my usage. This information was still delayed by around 24 hours.

What I want to do is see when my solar panels are generating more power than I am using, and, when in excess, activate power usage to take advantage of it. If I had the latest solar setup or battery solution, this would all be possible, but I don’t. What I have is old, thus the search for a solution.

How does the Refoss Smart Energy Monitor work?

Refoss have been making smart energy monitors for a while, and I have been testing its latest EM16P model, which costs US$199.99 online. The product is a smart meter combined with 2 x 200A clamp sensors and 16 x 60A clamp sensors. A clamp sensor is a measurement device that detects the magnetic field generated by electric current flowing through a cable. The wire does not need to be connected; simply, the sensor is clamped around the wire. This sensor can measure how much power is being consumed in a circuit and the voltage at which it occurs.

The EM16P will work on single- or three-phase house circuits and requires a connection to power and access to the wires in your fuse box. A licensed electrician must be used for its installation in Australia.

The smart meter (left) and the orange clamp sensors (right). Images: Angus Jones.

In my house, including solar, there are 10 circuits or fuses that power various parts of my house, including lights, power points, air conditioners, hot water, and the kitchen oven and stove.
Beyond my initial desire for real-time measurement of my solar output, which could enable importing or exporting power to the grid, I can now measure each circuit to understand how much power it consumes. In our case, we do not have a pool or use our air conditioning much, so most power is consumed by everything plugged into our power points, followed by our hot water.

Now, it may be that I have geeked out too much here, wanting to measure my energy usage better, but with power prices the way they are, it is interesting that this space has few solutions. Those who have invested in the latest solar and battery solutions definitely have an app to measure this. Refoss provides an app that lets the smart monitor connect to Wi-Fi either via the cloud or locally, if you don’t want your data to leave the house. The app will allow you to measure real-time voltage and wattage, as well as watt-hours (Wh) used over time. Your electricity retailer charges you per kWh (kilowatt-hour). If you do use the cloud, your data will be stored for up to five years.

Data from the smart meter. Screenshot: Angus Jones.

Whilst the data is accurate, there is not much you can do with it in terms of graphs via the app or a web browser connection. You can graph an individual circuit, but no fancy graphs of whole-home usage or comparisons of what is using the power. Refoss does indicate that they continue to improve their product through software updates, and they also support an open-source home automation system called Home Assistant. I have started playing with Home Assistant, and it is amazing, bringing all your smart home ecosystems into one place. Expect more on Home Assistant in a future article.

The Refoss Smart Energy Monitor EM16P has solved my real-time solar monitoring issue, but has opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for my ever-evolving smart home. Some other usage cases for an energy monitor include measuring the power usage of a rented granny flat or identifying an old, power-hungry appliance.

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Insta360’s slick Snap Selfie Screen upgrades your phone camera

I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it: the best camera is the one you have on you. For most of us, this is usually the cameras built into our phones. Many of the best phones have excellent cameras, but even they can benefit from a helping hand. Insta360 recently launched a novel accessory that could help you take advantage of your phone’s rear cameras: the Snap Selfie Screen.

Traditionally, the best cameras are the ones on the back of your phone. They’re great for taking pictures of pets, landscapes, and other people. Not so great for selfies.

A phone’s selfie camera is usually its weakest in terms of megapixel count and sensor size, so the quality takes a hit, particularly in low-light situations. But at least you can see yourself when taking a photo.

Image: Insta360.

As an alternative, the Insta360 Snap Selfie Screen attaches to the back of a phone, letting you see a preview of what the rear cameras see. The idea is that you can take selfies and record vlogs with more control using your phone’s best cameras, and therefore get nicer images.

Insta360’s device takes the form of a 3.5-inch touchscreen that aligns using magnets. For recent iPhone users, that means taking advantage of the built-in MagSafe technology. Fortunately, the Snap Selfie Screen still works with Android phones via an included magnetic ring. It then uses a small USB-C cable to connect, displaying a preview of native and third-party camera apps.

In Australia, the Snap Selfie Screen costs $139.99, or $154.99 for a version with a built-in fill light. For those who don’t have the use (or budget) for a standalone camera with a built-in preview screen, like the Insta360 X5 or DJI Osmo Pocket 3, this could be a good (and cheaper) alternative.

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$200 discount kicks off Samsung Galaxy A37 and A57 launch

Samsung has launched its mid-range Galaxy A37 and A57 phones in Australia with a decent launch discount to kick things off.

Announced last month, Samsung’s new handsets are the latest in the brand’s A-series range, sitting within the highly competitive mid-tier phone market. Previous entries, like the Galaxy A56, have been well-priced and well-rounded phones for folks who don’t want to spend anywhere near $1,000.

Like most devices this year, the Galaxy A37 and A57 both cost a bit more than their respective predecessors. Each one is $50 more expensive; the A37 costs $599 in Australia, while the A57 costs $749 at full price.

Samsung Galaxy A37 [AU Version] 5G A Series Mobile…

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Samsung Galaxy A57 [AU Version] 5G A Series Mobile…

Buy on Amazon

However, that full price is still a while away. Coinciding with the local launch, Samsung, along with several retailers, is selling the phones at discounts of up to $150 outright, and up to $200 off when bought on a plan.

Depending on where you shop, the launch deal for either the Galaxy A37 or Galaxy A57 discounts the handset cost by between 22 and 30 per cent. Not bad for a device barely a full day old.

For example, you can grab the Galaxy A37 from Officeworks for $497 or the Galaxy A57 for $597 via Amazon. Telstra offers a higher discount when buying either phone with an eligible plan: $150 off for the Galaxy A37, and $200 off for the Galaxy A57.

Meanwhile, Vodafone has a Samsung Galaxy A57 deal that includes the handset for $10 per month when tacked onto an eligible 36-month plan. Some quick maths: $360 for the phone saves nearly $400 on the device’s RRP.

Pretty much anywhere you go, you’ll find some kind of discount. Most of the discounts when buying outright last until 29 April, while Telstra and Vodafone’s plan-based deals run until 4 May.

We’re currently wrapping up our reviews of Samsung’s latest mid-range phones, and will share our full thoughts soon.

GadgetGuy occasionally uses affiliate links and may receive a small commission from purchased products.

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DJI Osmo Pocket 4 teased as follow-up to popular creator camera

One of the world’s most popular creator cameras is about to get a long-awaited follow-up. Overnight, DJI teased a brief glimpse of the Osmo Pocket 4 gimbal camera and confirmed when we’ll get the full reveal.

I’ve been using the fantastic DJI Osmo Pocket 3 since 2023, as have many other creators. Its large one-inch CMOS sensor takes better video than most phones, which is why you see so many of them at any event attended by journalists and creators.

While DJI didn’t show much about the Osmo Pocket 4 in its teaser video, the brand did set expectations for a bigger reveal on 16 April. Speculation is running wild about how the fourth-gen camera will improve on the existing model: will it have a bigger sensor? Multiple cameras? A more weatherproof design?

We’ll soon find out. For now, the Osmo Pocket 3 costs $679 in Australia, well below its original $849 price. Fortunately, we weren’t hit by the price increase faced by other countries.

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Student Spaces lets you quickly create study materials in Acrobat

No one student studies the same way, which is a big reason behind Adobe’s new Student Spaces feature in Acrobat. It’s like an AI assistant made specifically for study sessions that can go over notes and present them in different ways to suit personal learning styles.

Available online as a free beta tool, Student Spaces in Acrobat lets you upload documents, like textbook readings or study notes, so the AI can generate resources specific to your subjects. Via text prompts, students can then use the AI tool to produce flash cards, quizzes, and other study materials.

Not limited to just text-based outputs, Adobe’s new feature can also generate podcast-like audio summaries of uploaded documents, or a video summary for visual learners. Adobe is also keen to make it a collaborative learning tool, letting study groups work together in Student Spaces and share materials

Student Spaces is one of the latest AI tools that uses a technique called ‘Retrieval-Augmented Generation’ (RAG). It combines large language models (LLMs) with uploaded information that bases responses on your own data, as opposed to giving generic responses. Student Spaces is like Adobe’s student-focused answer to Google’s NotebookLM, which uses similar techniques.

As with many AI-based technologies, it’s important to verify the information with official sources. Below the Student Spaces text prompt box is a disclaimer that says “AI responses may be inaccurate”. These tools can be helpful, but should be cross-referenced with official study materials to ensure accuracy.

With AI use increasing in learning environments, it will be interesting to see how Student Spaces fits within the bigger picture. Like with any tool, it’s how you use it that matters the most.

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Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi review: Third time’s the charm

7.8

Buy on Amazon

An important thing to the GadgetGuy team is that we are independent and transparent with our reviews. We often get products to review before they are launched, and often they display issues that are subsequently fixed before mass availability. The Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight is a product I have been reviewing for six months, and I have three of them. Not because I want three, but rather it has taken three products and six months before I was prepared to write this review.

Fortunately, all ended well, but it took me some troubleshooting to solve some false trigger issues.

Table of contents

• Features
• Specifications and price
• Using the Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi
• Who is the Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi for?

Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi Camera, Dual-Lens 4K PTZ Security Camera with Local AI Video Search, 360° Auto Tracking, 3000-Lumen Light, Smart Detection, 2.4/5GHz WiFi 6, 24/7 or Motion Recording

Buy on Amazon

Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi features

The Reolink TrackFlex is a mains-powered, weatherproof, Wi-Fi-enabled, dual-lens pan-tilt-zoom security camera with dual floodlights. The camera ships with a USB cable and mounting hardware to assist setup, but you will require an electrician to install it, as it requires mains power to operate.

Box contents (excluding power cable) Image: Angus Jones.

The video footage is captured either on an optional local SD card, a Reolink home hub (external storage) or via the cloud. Connectivity for the video footage is via dual-band Wi-Fi 6, enabling fast, reliable streaming. You are limited in the camera’s position to ensure the camera has a good signal from your home Wi-Fi.

The security camera has three passive infrared (PIR) sensors that will detect movement across a 270-degree arc. This, in turn, allows the camera to pan to where movement is detected. Once found, the camera will continue to pan and tilt, following, for example, an intruder. You would need to mount the camera on a pole to take advantage of its 360-degree coverage.

The TrackFlex uses two cameras: one provides a 4K wide-angle view, whilst the other provides a 2K 6x zoom. This presents itself as two images, one giving the big picture view and one providing you with extra detail.

App view showing images from both cameras. Screenshot: Angus Jones.

Let’s assume you live on a busy road and want a camera facing outward towards the street. What you don’t want is every car setting off an alert. With the TrackFlex, you can adjust detection settings by person, vehicle, animal, and motion detection. You could change detection to zero for vehicles, or alternatively, only give an alert if the vehicle is detected as stationary for, say, eight seconds.

Reolink cameras are particularly good for night vision, even in black and white, depending on the other light sources in the surveillance area. The infrared light is good for viewing up to 30m. Assuming you are using this as a floodlight, this feature is irrelevant unless you want to be stealthy and avoid the floodlight activating.

Since this camera is mains-powered, it can record until the storage capacity is exhausted or overwritten. (Once storage capacity is full, it will start recording over the oldest footage) Two features this supports are time-lapse, which will allow the recording of, say, progress on a building site, and continuous recording, which, whilst capturing everything, also marks any alert triggers so footage can be easily found.

Image: Angus Jones.

Speaking of finding footage, Reolink has an AI search feature that works for both cloud-based footage and vision saved on a standalone camera. Reolink tells me it will be a future feature for the home hub. This allows natural language searching of all recordings, like ‘find any green cars’ or ‘show me recordings of someone carrying a box’.

Reolink cameras can be connected to Alexa and Google Assistant. In my case, I can ask Alexa to show me the image of my driveway on an Amazon Echo 11.

If you do detect an intruder, a 110 dB siren can be activated, and via two-way talk, you can communicate with them.

Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi specifications and price

Resolution	4K and 2K cameras
Brightness	3,000 lumens via two lights
Storage	Up to 512GB internal SD card
Dimensions & weight	28 x 18 x 20 cm 1.23kg
Price (RRP)	$399.99
Website	Reolink
Warranty	2 years

Using the Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi

I remain a big fan of floodlight cameras: they light up large areas, make a great deterrent, and make anything you capture on video easy to see in the well-lit footage. Having mains power means the floodlights can be bright and, in this case, provide 3,000 lumens (brighter than many competing brands), which is equivalent to a 250W bulb in the old scale and enough to light up 37 square metres. The floodlights can be set to run all night or only activate when movement is detected.

Floodlights in action. Image: Angus Jones.

A feature of the AI search I like is that you can search if an object has been taken. For example, a parcel has been removed from the recorded footage.

Having a camera that can rotate means it can end up facing away from where you want it to focus. A guard position needs to be set by you, which then automatically returns to this view. In addition, up to 64 other preset positions can be set. For example, you may have a guard position viewing the driveway, but preset views of the front door and the road.

Reolink does offer cloud storage, but at a reasonable cost starting at approximately $45 per year. This will provide you with 30 days of video history, rich notifications, and AI search. Rich notifications label footage with extra information, like a person in a box wearing a red shirt. You can then use AI search to find every recording of a person with a red shirt. Some interesting detection features are also available, including detecting loitering, determining whether a person crosses a virtual line, counting people, and creating heat maps of where people stand.

Smartphone apps are how Wi-Fi security cameras are managed across all brands. The Reolink app is good, and all the functionality and views are as you would expect (The Amazon Ring app is the benchmark). What Reolink does differently from other brands is offer a desktop program that gives you the same access from your PC. It is much easier to view live cameras and recordings on a big screen. A handy weekly insights report also gives you an overview of what is going on.

Screenshot: Angus Jones.

I am pleased to say that after six months of working with Reolink, this camera is working as it should. However, this camera should work well from the default settings and in my case, it did not.

Many users will never play with the various fine-tuning adjustments to get the best result, and importantly, minimise false triggers. A false trigger is when you get a recording and an alert of something that you don’t want. Across all brands, the most common false trigger is a plant moving in the wind. I am pleased to say the TrackFlex does not suffer from that.

Instead, I had issues with insects and rain causing false triggers. I know Reolink will continue work on this via software updates, but in the meantime, I solved the issue by selecting ‘Detection Alarm’ in settings, then selecting ‘Motion Detection’ and reducing the ‘All-Day Sensitivity’ to 6. This has the effect of only detecting larger objects, such as people or cars.

Who is the Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi for?

If you want a strong outdoor light that is also a sensor light and a security camera, then the Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi is a great option, especially if you want to view details within a security recording via its two cameras.

If you have an environment you want to monitor where a fixed camera is just too small, then the 270-degree sensors and the pan and tilt camera are a great way to ensure you capture incidents, but also allow you to have a good sticky beak of what is going on around a camera’s location.

GadgetGuy occasionally uses affiliate links and may receive a small commission from purchased products.

Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi

Once I sorted out some false trigger issues, the Reolink TrackFlex Floodlight WiFi is a good security with bright lights for warding off intruders.

Features

8

Value for money

7

Performance

8

Ease of use

7

Design

9

Positives

Super bright floodlights

4K camera that tracks the action

24x7 recording is possible

Negatives

Default settings allowed false triggers from rain and insects

7.8

Buy on Amazon

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