Reolink OMVI 3i WiFi review: The smart AI home security camera that sees almost everything

When you're in the market for the best security camera, you need to choose a model that is reasonably easy to install, not too overly complex to use, efficient at triggering events when an intruder enters your property and, above all, is equipped with a high-quality camera sensor and lens that can preferably handle a minimum of 2K resolution. Any thing less and chances are that identification may be impossible to prove, especially if the suspect has been captured from a distance.

I've reviewed many home security cameras over the years and I think that the dual-lensed panoramic Reolink OMVI 3i WiFi I'm reviewing today produces some of the sharpest footage I've seen to date. Comprised of a unique wide-angle panoramic camera that covers the full breadth of a property and a second 350˚ PTZ (pan, tilt, and zoom) 4K camera that delivers exceptional close-up imagery, this wired model is an ideal option for first timers looking to increase their home security without the extra cost of having to employ the services of an electrician. However, there are one or two caveats you need to know about.

Let's look at the Reolink OMVI 3i WiFi in more detail.

Price and availability

The Reolink OMVI 3i WiFi is available in both the UK and USA, having launched in June 2026. The UK Reolink store currently lists it at £259.99 while in the US it sells for $279.99.

In the UK you can buy the OMVI 3i WiFi directly from Reolink or via Amazon and if you're in the States, try the US Reolink store or Amazon.

Installation

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The OMVI 3i WiFi is IP66 weatherproof and suitable for permanent outdoor installation. You'll be pleased to learn that it is one of the easiest wired security cameras to set up and install (and I'm no DIY expert) but I should add that it uses its own proprietary power cable and a 12V plug on the end that will not fit safely inside the most common type of outdoor plug housing with clipped waterproof lid.

Likewise, you will not be able to utilise any existing mains spurs if you're thinking of replacing your existing camera with this one. Instead, you will need to use the supplied 4.5m extension cable and possibly drill a hole in the wall so it can be plugged in indoors. You will also need a plug socket within about five metres of the camera though you can buy a second extension cable if necessary.

I personally prefer the Eufy system which is hard wired at the point of mounting but I also appreciate that most people won't want to dabble with electric cables or call in an electrician so I can see the appeal of a DIY system like this.

Actual set up and connection to one's home WiFi couldn't have been easier and simply involved launching the Relink app, scanning the QR code on the camera and typing in my WiFi password. Simples.

Features and performance

Most PTZ cameras are on the portly side but I have to admit that this one takes the biscuit for sheer size. At 202 x151 x 125mm in size, it's frankly huge and, at just over a kilo, pretty hefty for a domestic security camera. It's therefore highly conspicuous, which could be a good thing, because it tells any aspiring thief that your home is like GCHQ so don't even think about it.

The OMVI (a portmanteau of OmniView) combines two cameras in a single unit. At the top is a vertically adjustable 180° dual-lens camera capable of 5120 x 1920 (10MP) video, while beneath it sits a motorised 350° pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ) camera delivering 3840 x 2160 (8MP) pixel resolution for extremely sharp detail.

The clever part is how the two systems work together – the top panoramic camera provides the constant big-picture view while the lower PTZ camera automatically locks onto and follows a person, vehicle or animal. Auto Framing, meanwhile, keeps the tracked subject accurately centred, while the Pinpoint function lets you tap an area of the panoramic image to direct the PTZ camera straight to it.

In the pantheon of domestic security cameras, this model produces some of the very best footage on the market. It's sharp, well defined and you can really see the features on a face when you pinch and zoom using the app. I've also been exceedingly impressed by its efficient subject tracking.

I tried everything to trip it up by sneaking into the frame on the far side of the PTZ camera's range and the moment I appeared within its range the camera's pixel-based software motion detection system started recording. I also tried dashing across the frame and it tracked me like a hawk. Likewise, when I walked up the side of the garden behind a row of trees it intelligently estimated where I was and picked me up as soon as I walked onto the lawn at the far end of the garden. Very impressive.

The OMVI 3i’s AI-enhanced detection also adds some very useful intelligence to its surveillance duties. Aside from the usual AI stuff like recognising people, vehicles and animals, it also supports line-crossing, zone-intrusion and loitering alerts. While requiring some experimentation when setting them up, these perimeter features basically let you define specific areas of your property and receive targeted notifications when something suspicious occurs.

For instance, you could define a specific area around the shed door and when someone steps inside the boundary it will immediately send an alert and, if programmed, sound the unit's extremely loud siren. It will also keep track of a package and notify the user when it's left the scene. Add time-lapse recording, 24/7 recording and the wherewithal to set recording to continue for up to one minute after the motion event ends, and you have one of the most customisable security cameras on the market.

While the Reolink OMVI 3i's small spotlights aren't a patch on Eufy's floodlight range of wired and wireless cameras, they make a fair fist of illuminating the area up to a distance of around 15 metres. Beyond this, images are reliant on the camera's infrared vision which thankfully extends to around 30 metres. If you have a large garden, yard or frontage and require much more light around the perimeter of the home, perhaps opt for Reolink's Elite Floodlight WiFi model instead, or take a look at some of Eufy's offerings.

Like most good home security cameras, the OMVI 3i has a built-in microphone and speaker for two-way audio, allowing you to hear and speak to anyone within range. Audio recording is subject to much stricter privacy considerations than video, but the ability to capture clear conversations could prove invaluable if footage is ever required by the police. In terms of audio quality, the OMVI 3i's microphone is a huge cut above those I've experienced with Eufy and Arlo cameras, delivering impressively clear uncompressed audio even when the subject isn't particularly close to the camera.

The OMVI 3i's connectivity is via dual-band Wi-Fi 6 with support for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks. I've been really impressed by the speed of this camera's live WiFi response to movement. In short, there is just one second delay between raising an arm and seeing the motion on the app's screen. To put this into perspective, with some of my admittedly older Arlo cameras, the delay is between two and five seconds.

Many security camera manufacturers provide subscription-based cloud storage though in most cases – including this camera – it's not a requirement and this saves forking out on yet another subscription.

In essence, cloud-based storage is primarily for theft protection as local storage can be physically stolen or destroyed. In this case the camera comes with a MicroSD slot (up to 512GB) for recording all triggered events and if a determined thief steals the camera, they steal the footage, too. This could feasibly be an issue with the OMVI 3i since you are advised to install it at a height of between 2.5m and 3.5m, which is within reach of a determined thief if standing on a piece of garden furniture.

Thankfully the OMVI 3i also works in tandem with the Reolink Home Hub (£109.99) which is kept indoors where it saves all footage to its built-in 2TB hard drive. Since it is far less likely to be stolen, the Home Hub is an excellent way to safely store footage while avoiding any subscription costs. For the record, Reolink's Cloud subscription starts at £3.59 per month for the 1GB SIM Plan, rising to a whopping £38.99 for the 20GM Sim Plan.

App

No question, the OMVI 3i WiFi is the most advanced camera I've so far reviewed and this means that the Reolink app is filled to the gunnels with all manner of customisable options and settings. It doesn't help that everything is laid out completely differently to the way Eufy, Arlo or Imou's apps operate. In fact I still find the Reolink app very confusing to navigate simply because of the huge amount of options.

For instance, it took me ages to find even the most basic of camera options like record settings and motion detection sensitivity, and even once I'd found them (under the confusing heading Detection Alarm), it took me a while to remember where they were when searching again.

It's all very well having a security camera with a full compliment of bells and whistles but when the app is this frustrating to use it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Heaven knows how anyone who isn't tech savvy will get along with the app but all I can say is good luck.

Verdict

The Reolink OMVI 3i WiFi is an impressively capable security camera that combines superb video quality, wide-area coverage and clever subject tracking in one very substantial package. I'm not a fan of the convoluted app and its proprietary wiring system is less convenient than standard connections, but once fitted the OMVI 3i delivers outstanding surveillance coverage, excellent audio and genuinely useful AI detection. If you're in the market for a serious home security camera, this one is among the most accomplished options currently on the market.