In the increasingly competitive world of smart home security, the Reolink E331 represents a notable entry — one that takes the idea of affordable indoor monitoring. It upgrades it with intelligent detection, versatile control, and modern connectivity. Priced at a street-level budget, this camera surprises with capabilities that rival many mid-tier indoor models, making it a strong contender for anyone building a smart home on a modest budget.

The question for this review isn’t just what the E331 does, but how well it does it — from day-to-day performance to real-world usability. Let’s unpack the design, performance, smart features, integration, privacy considerations, and overall value, but at what cost it retails in the UK exclusively at Argos for £29.99 in the UK, or Best Buy in the USA for $49.99.

Design & Build: Simple, Smart, and Unobtrusive

At its core, the Reolink E331 follows a clean, minimalist design that suits most home environments. The camera uses a compact, rounded form factor that isn’t distracting — a subtle presence ideal for living rooms, nurseries, bedrooms, or home offices.

The unit mounts on a small integrated base that supports 360° pan and tilt coverage, enabling complete room monitoring from trusted vantage points. While the plastic construction won’t impress gadget enthusiasts with a premium tactile feel, it’s sturdy, lightweight, and feels robust enough for everyday use.

One modern touch is the use of USB-C for power, a welcome upgrade over the older micro-USB standards still common in budget smart cameras. USB-C is easier to use (thanks to reversible orientation) and aligns better with chargers and cables already found in many homes today — an appreciated convenience for setup and potential cable replacements, so you don’t have to use the charger that came with the E331.

Overall, the hardware is understated but practical — it doesn’t get in the way, yet does what you need it to without fuss.

You can easily update the firmware on the E331 via the Reolink app.

Video Quality — Rich, Clear 5MP Footage with Solid Low-Light Performance

Where many inexpensive cameras still struggle with basic 1080p quality, the E331’s 5MP sensor (2880×1616 resolution) delivers noticeably sharper and more detailed footage. Compared to 3MP cameras, it provides a clear step up in clarity — making faces, small objects, and text easier to identify in recordings.

Daylight and Colour Rendering

In well-lit conditions, the picture quality is vibrant and reasonably colour-accurate. Lighting transitions are handled smoothly, and while it’s not competing with high-end security cameras, it offers performance well beyond what you’d expect at this price point. The wide F1.6 aperture helps the sensor gather more light than typical smaller-aperture systems, contributing to clearer footage in dimmer spaces.

Night Vision

When light levels drop, the camera switches to infrared mode. The night vision range is effective for most indoor spaces (up to around 10–12 metres), providing usable black-and-white imagery that helps you see shapes and movement even in near dark conditions. With people and pets moving around, details remain surprisingly decent for an indoor budget camera — good enough for most home use cases.

Pan & Tilt — True Room Coverage from a Single Camera

The ability to pan and tilt isn’t revolutionary, but it’s still uncommon at this price tier. The E331’s dual-motor design allows you to rotate the camera nearly 360° horizontally and a generous amount vertically, covering virtually every angle of a room.

Manual control in the app lets you point the camera wherever you need at any moment, while automated movement can track subjects as they move — a major step up from budget cameras confined to static fields of view.

Auto-Tracking Makes a Difference

A standout feature is auto-tracking, which keeps moving subjects in frame without user input. Whether it’s a toddler exploring toys or a pet wandering from couch to rug, the camera will follow the action and record accordingly. While automated tracking isn’t perfect — performance can depend on lighting and speed of movement — for most home use, it enhances awareness and reduces blind spots.

Smart Detection — Person, Pet & Audio Alerts

Perhaps the most compelling reason to consider the E331 is its AI detection suite, which exceeds basic motion alerts and focuses on meaningful events.

Visual AI Detection

The camera’s smart detection can distinguish people and pets, reducing the number of false notifications triggered by irrelevant movements like curtains swaying or shadows shifting. This type of detection is particularly useful for security purposes or just filtering alerts that matter.

Audio Detection — Crying Alerts

On top of visual detection, the E331 also supports crying sound detection, meaning it can recognise the unique audio profile of a baby’s cry and alert you when it’s detected. This feature sets it apart from many budget rivals and makes the camera useful not just for security but also for baby monitoring. According to Reolink support, this audio detection capability is supported natively by the camera’s hardware and algorithms.

Together, these detection modes help transform the E331 from a simple camera into a more intelligent monitoring system.

Storage Flexibility: Local First, No Fees

A major advantage of Reolink’s ecosystem is the focus on local storage and the avoidance of mandatory subscription fees. Unlike many competing brands that lock advanced features or video storage behind monthly costs, the E331 supports:

• Local microSD card storage (up to 512GB) — ideal for storing continuous or event-triggered recordings without recurring fees.

• Reolink NVR / Home Hub integration — for users who want centralised storage and management across multiple cameras.

• FTP and NAS support — for advanced users who prefer their own server backups.

Local storage means your footage remains under your control even during internet outages, and you won’t be nudged into costly subscriptions just to access basic features.

Privacy Controls — One-Tap Peace of Mind

Indoor cameras raise valid privacy concerns, especially in personal spaces like bedrooms or nurseries. The E331 addresses this with an easy Privacy Mode, accessible with one tap in the Reolink app. When enabled, this mode quickly disables both video and audio capture — no need to unplug the camera or navigate complex menus.

This feature enables you to respect downtime, private conversations, or shared spaces without compromising the convenience of an always-ready camera.

App Experience — Feature-Rich and User-Friendly

The Reolink app is where the camera’s functionality comes alive. Available on iOS, Android, and desktop platforms, the app offers:

• Live view and camera control

• Pan & tilt navigation

• Alerts management

• Playback of recordings

• Smart detection configuration

• Privacy Mode toggle

The interface is clean and responsive, with minimal clutter — a stark contrast to many budget camera apps that feel rushed or limited. Most settings are intuitive, making setup and daily use simple even for non-technical users.

And key features like smart detection and local storage don’t require subscriptions — a major plus for long-term cost-conscious users.

Smart Home Integration — Works with Major Platforms

The E331 can be integrated with voice assistants and smart hubs, including:

• Google Assistant

• Amazon Alexa

• Home Assistant (community integration supported)

• Also coming soon to Homey, as it was announced at CES 2026 via Homey for Reolink devices.

This means you can view live camera feeds on smart displays like Google Nest Hubs or Amazon Echo Shows with voice commands — convenient for quick checks without opening an app.

While it doesn’t offer full ecosystem features like Apple HomeKit or ultra-deep automation hooks, it covers the most common smart home platforms many users already have.

Audio Capabilities — Two-Way Communication

Two-way audio is a standard feature on many indoor cameras, and the E331 handles this well. With a built-in microphone and speaker, you can listen to room audio and speak through the camera via the app. This becomes useful for:

• Talking to kids or pets

• Giving verbal instructions to guests

• Checking in on caretakers or family members

Audio clarity and volume are solid for everyday use, though, as with most budget cameras, don’t expect studio-grade fidelity.

Performance in Daily Use — What to Expect

In everyday operation, the Reolink E331 performs dependably. Its Wi-Fi connection (dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz) offers stable streaming and responsiveness, while pan-tilt controls feel smooth and responsive. Smart detection generally catches meaningful activity without overwhelming you with false alerts.

Some users note that the performance of advanced features (like smart detection sensitivity or continuous tracking) can vary slightly based on lighting and environment, which is typical for cameras at any price point.

Pros & Cons

Pros

✅ Sharp 5MP resolution with superior detail across scenes
✅ Full 360° pan & tilt coverage for complete room visibility
✅ AI-based person/pet detection with crying sound alerts
✅ Privacy Mode for instant audio/video disable
✅ Flexible local storage options — no subscriptions
✅ Works with Google Assistant, Alexa, and Home Assistant
✅ Two-way audio for remote communication

Cons

⚠️ No battery power option — requires USB-C power continuously
⚠️ Smart tracking and detection can be environment-dependent
⚠️ Integration isn’t as deep as premium ecosystem-specific cameras

Final Verdict — A Smart Indoor Camera That Delivers Real Value

The Reolink E331 is a rare example of a budget indoor camera that doesn’t skimp on features just to hit a low price. With 5MP resolution, smart detection, audio alerts, 360° pan & tilt, privacy controls, and support for popular smart home platforms — all without mandatory subscriptions — it delivers exceptional value for money.

Whether you want a reliable baby monitor, a pet watcher, or a smart security camera for daily home use, the E331 stands tall as a feature-rich, accessible option. It’s not perfect, but at its price point, it competes strongly with much more expensive alternatives.

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4.3 / 5)