Tapo C501GW Review

The Tapo C501GW in a nutshell

TP-Link took an interesting approach with the Tapo C501GW. With an asking price of less than €90 (it is still unavailable in the US), you get a feature-rich and high-quality smart surveillance camera (Best Of list) that can be operated outside the range of your Wi-Fi network thanks to the SIM card slot. This concept worked well in the review but is severely limited by the lack of a battery. That’s a real shame!

Design & build quality

The TP-Link Tapo C501GW is a pure outdoor surveillance camera and comes without a stand for your home. Instead, you screw it to an outside wall and connect it to the internet via SIM card or Ethernet. As the C501GW comes with pan-and-tilt capability, you can move the camera image using your smartphone to view more than just a static angle. The accessories are limited to protective cables for power and Ethernet as well as screws and plugs.

Pros:

• Simple setup via the Tapo app.
• Protection against water is also guaranteed for the cables thanks to the corresponding accessories.

Cons:

• MicroSD card slot remains unprotected at numerous angles.
• No longer waterproof when upside down.

When the Tapo C501GW arrives at your home, you can expect a simple package with a rather limited bunch of accessories. In addition to the camera, there are only plastic water protection accessories and the necessary plugs and screws for mounting. Ideally, you should use these to attach the camera directly where you need it and choose between wired and partially wireless use. I mentioned partially wireless here, as the Tapo camera without battery must be powered by a cable at all times, but more on that later.

After installation, additional setup is carried out via the Tapo app. You must create an account there first before adding the camera via your home network or the integrated SIM card. The process is quick and simple, from where you can begin using the camera.

Build quality commensurates with the comparatively low RRP of around €90. The IP66 certification is high enough for you to use the camera outdoors permanently. Unfortunately, Tapo only guarantees water protection for conventional mounting. If you have to mount the surveillance gadget upside down, the IP certification does not apply. However, what I found to be very clever is how the connections are also protected by the relevant accessories. All you need to do is simply screw the caps over the cables that protrude a few centimetres from the camera. This keeps everything well protected.

In addition to the two cables and the SIM card slot, there is also a microSD slot on the camera. This is located on the tilting “ball” segment, which also houses the camera and the lights. While this means it is ‘protected’ in many positions, as it is not accessible in the camera housing. While it is in other positions of the PT-System, however, it remains exposed. This means that the microSD card could be removed without any tools.

Smart home functions

Even though the Tapo C501GW comes without Wi-Fi connectivity, it has some built-in smart functions. First and foremost, you can access the camera image from anywhere in the world, as long as there is an Internet connection. If you place the camera next to your front door, for instance, you can tell the letter carrier to leave the parcel in front of the door thanks to the 2-way audio capability. Tapo also features powerful AI recognition.

Pros:

• Versatile scene recognition including motion tracking.
• Clever integration of the pan-and-tilt function.
• Can also be used without a cloud connection.

Cons:

• Comes without time control.
• No HomeKit compatibility.

Modern surveillance cameras can alert you to certain events on your property by themselves. The Tapo C501GW comes with a particularly wide range of tracking functions. There is video detection for movements, people, animals, and even vehicles. Tapo also offers sound detection for breaking glass, barking dogs, and the “meowing” of cats.

What I also found very clever was the presence of tampering detection. The camera notifies you if anyone tries to interfere with the camera image. If your property borders on your neighbor’s property, the detection area can also be limited. You will also be notified if an object or person crosses a certain line.

Tapo sends notifications to your smartphone. Video clips can also be stored in the cloud or on the plug-in microSD card. If you want to use the cloud function of the Tapo C501GW, you have to purchase a subscription. This is valid for either up to 5 or up to 10 cameras. If you already have more cameras and want to upgrade to the cloud, you don’t have to purchase multiple licenses. The prices are as follows:

• 1 Cam/month: $3.49
• 2 Cams/month: $6.99
• 3 Cams/month: $10.49
• Up to 10 Cams/month: $11.99
• 1 Cam/year: $34.99
• 2 Cams/year: $69.99
• 3 Cams/year: $104.99
• Up to 10 Cams/year: $119.99

Fortunately, the Premium subscription offers few advantages in terms of functionality. However, the basic version of the cloud storage is only available in the following countries: “United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Thailand, Philippines, and Malaysia”. So if you live in Austria, Switzerland or France, for instance, you have to choose the premium package. You also have the advantage of enjoying 30 days of cloud storage instead of 7 days.

Regardless of whether you have a Basic or Premium subscription or no subscription at all: Tapo is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Unfortunately, Apple HomeKit users are excluded. However, you don’t miss out on too much, as there is only voice control. This can be used to show the video feed on a smart display, among other things.

Picture & audio quality

Tapo equips its C501GW with a full HD color camera that has several night vision functions. There is color night vision for darker environments and IR night vision for situations where there is hardly any natural light. Thanks to PT, you can look around with the camera, plus 2-way audio and some AI-supported recognition functions.

Pros:

• Good video quality despite full HD resolution and 30 frames per second.
• Excellent AI recognition including tracking modes.
• Great at night thanks to lowlight mode and infrared lamps.

Cons:

• Too low resolution to zoom in.
• No WLAN connectivity.

Let’s begin by looking at its connectivity options: The C501GW comes without Wi-Fi connectivity and therefore remains connected to the internet via Ethernet or a mobile network. You can order an additional data SIM for your smartphone contract and set up the camera in a particularly flexible manner. All you have to do is deactivate the PIN entry and your SIM card can then be used. The fact that the Tapo app has a function for monitoring data traffic consumption is a welcome feature. This helps you avoid the additional costs that many mobile network operators charge if you exceed your data limit.

There has also been a recent trend for smart surveillance cameras to rely on systems with the highest possible resolution without infrared lamps. We saw this in a way with the Reolink Argus 4 Pro, which impressed with very good image quality in the review. In particularly dark environments, however, cameras without IR lamps lack the necessary clarity, which is why I still consider IR night vision to be superior technology for surveillance cameras.

The C501GW basically offers both technologies. Tapo still manages to extract colors and an astonishing amount of detail from dark environments. Light from a street lamp is enough to illuminate the camera image sufficiently. However, if it is completely dark, the smart home surveillance camera switches on its infrared lights and offers the typical “paranormal activity look”.

However, with the relatively ‘low’ Full HD resolution, the camera image is less sharp than the mentioned alternatives. As the camera can also be used with a SIM card, the lower resolution is an advantage. However, it is a disadvantage if we want to zoom in on the camera image. Zooms are possible with the C501GW, but the quality drops quite sharply. If you want to monitor an area and also possibly recognize license plates, the C501GW is less suitable.

However, the C501GW has the advantage that a particularly large area can be covered thanks to its pan-and-tilt function. You can look around yourself in the app or activate a patrol function. With this, the camera moves back and forth or up and down continuously and reports as soon as a person or vehicle is detected.

If we don’t want to constantly look at the camera image, the C501GW naturally also offers tracking functions. In addition to detecting people, vehicles, animals, and the trespassing of freely definable lines, it also has a tampering detection function. This was designed to inform you if someone tries to remove the camera or remove the inserted memory card.

If you wish, the camera will send you a notification in such cases. If you insert a memory card or use the cloud subscription, such events are automatically recorded. This is where we see the great advantage of smart surveillance cameras, which can decide for themselves when an event should be recorded. Alternatively, there is also 24-hour recording. According to the manufacturer, a 512 GB memory card is sufficient for around 55 days. Of course, the camera can automatically overwrite old events.

Thanks to 2-way audio, the Tapo C501GW is also suitable as a video-based intercom system. If you have a long driveway, for instance, you could attach the camera to the entrance gate and use it to communicate with visitors. The voice quality is decent and we were able to clearly understand all chatter during the review.

Power supply

The Tapo C501GW is not equipped with an internal battery. Instead, TP-Link enables operation via “PoE”. Power is supplied via the network cable, which reduces cable clutter. Alternatively, the C501GW comes with an external power supply unit. It is not compatible with solar panels.

Pros:

• Uncomplicated power supply via PoE.

Cons:

• Does not have a battery.
• Cannot work with solar panels.

Concerning its power supply, TP-Link emphasizes that the C501GW is a stationary surveillance camera. Without an integrated battery, you have to supply the camera with a fixed power supply. This is also a disadvantage compared to many outdoor surveillance cameras. It becomes even more stark as the lack of a battery makes operation via optional solar panels, such as the Reolink Altas PT (review), impossible.

What is convenient within the confines of the right infrastructure, however, is how power is supplied via PoE. I emphasize the existence of the right infrastructure because WLAN routers cannot generally function as PSE devices (Power Sourcing Equipment). The easiest way to enable a power supply via Ethernet would be to switch over to its power supply. Do bear in mind, however, that the length of the Ethernet cable for power supply to work must not exceed 100 meters.

Should You Buy the Tapo C501GW?