The eufyCam S3 Pro is no longer eufy’s newest premium outdoor camera, but that does not make it obsolete.
In fact, the arrival of the newer eufyCam S4 makes the S3 Pro easier to understand.
The S4 is built for properties where motorized PTZ tracking and wider changing viewpoints matter. The S3 Pro takes the simpler route: a fixed 4K view, strong low-light performance, solar charging, local storage and no required monthly recording fee.
That can make the S3 Pro the more rational choice if one well-positioned fixed camera already covers the area you need to protect.
The exact configuration reviewed here is the eufyCam S3 Pro 2-Cam Kit with HomeBase S380, Amazon ASIN B0DDPW1YK2.
Check current eufyCam S3 Pro 2-Cam Kit pricing and availability on Amazon.
EufyCam S3 Pro at a glance
| Feature | EufyCam S3 Pro |
|---|---|
| Reviewed configuration | 2-Cam Kit with HomeBase S380 |
| Amazon ASIN | B0DDPW1YK2 |
| Maximum resolution | 4K 3840 × 2160 |
| Lens | F1.0 |
| Field of view | 135° diagonal |
| Zoom | 8× digital zoom |
| Color night vision | MaxColor Vision |
| Infrared night vision | Yes |
| Motion detection | Radar plus PIR |
| Power | Rechargeable battery with SolarPlus 2.0 |
| External solar support | Yes |
| Local storage | 16GB HomeBase S380 storage expandable with compatible drive |
| Required monthly recording fee | No |
| Apple Home | Yes, video limited to 1080p in Apple Home |
| Alexa | Yes |
| Google Assistant | Yes |
| WiFi | 2.4GHz |
| Weather resistance | IP67 |
Why the S3 Pro still makes sense after the S4
The easiest mistake is to assume that a higher model number automatically makes the older camera a bad purchase.
The S4 does substantially more mechanically. It combines a fixed 4K bullet camera with a separate motorized PTZ system capable of rotating, tracking and zooming across a much wider area.
That is useful when activity moves across a large driveway, yard or several exterior zones.
But additional coverage only has value if you need it.
If one fixed 135° view already covers your front entrance, garage, side passage or backyard, the S3 Pro avoids paying for a moving PTZ system that may rarely provide a practical benefit.
Our EufyCam S4 Review looks at the newer model in detail if tracking and 360-degree coverage are your priorities.
4K video and a wide F1.0 lens
The S3 Pro records at up to 3840 × 2160 4K resolution using a 1/1.8-inch stacked CMOS sensor.
Its F1.0 lens has a 135° diagonal field of view, with approximately 112° horizontal and 60° vertical coverage.
That wide aperture is particularly important to the S3 Pro’s night-vision strategy because a larger aperture allows more light to reach the sensor.
The camera also provides up to 8× digital zoom.
Digital zoom does not create additional optical detail, so it should not be treated like a telephoto lens. Its usefulness depends heavily on how much detail the original 4K image captured.
MaxColor Vision is the S3 Pro’s standout feature
The feature that most clearly separates the S3 Pro from many conventional battery cameras is MaxColor Vision.
Rather than automatically switching every dark scene to monochrome infrared, the camera is designed to retain useful color information in low-light conditions.
This can matter during a security event because the color of clothing, a vehicle or another object may provide information that black-and-white footage does not.
However, MaxColor Vision should not be interpreted as meaning the camera can create daylight from absolutely no available light.
Eufy’s own current documentation says that in complete darkness, infrared illumination may still be preferable for greater clarity. The S3 Pro also includes adaptive spotlights and infrared night vision, so you are not restricted to one night mode.
SolarPlus 2.0 reduces charging maintenance
The S3 Pro has an integrated SolarPlus 2.0 panel and also supports an external solar panel.
Eufy says that under suitable direct sunlight, approximately one hour of optimal solar exposure can replenish the energy used during a typical day.
That should be treated as an installation target rather than a guarantee.
Actual charging depends on:
- sunlight intensity;
- shade;
- camera orientation;
- number of detected events;
- live-view use;
- temperature; and
- season.
The ability to use an external panel is particularly useful when the best camera position is under an eave or another shaded location. Eufy’s current specifications confirm both the integrated SolarPlus 2.0 panel and external-solar support.
Radar and PIR detection
The S3 Pro combines radar with passive infrared motion detection.
This gives the system more information than a conventional PIR-only battery camera before deciding whether movement warrants an alert.
Eufy markets the dual-detection approach as a way to reduce false alerts from irrelevant motion.
The camera can classify relevant events such as people and vehicles, while HomeBase S380 adds eufy’s BionicMind processing and facial-recognition features. Eufy’s current specifications list radar-powered detection at up to approximately 40 feet.
Local storage without a required monthly fee
The no-subscription proposition is one of the S3 Pro’s strongest advantages.
The exact 2-Cam Kit reviewed here includes HomeBase S380, also known as HomeBase 3.
HomeBase provides 16GB of internal storage and can be expanded with a compatible drive up to 16TB.
That allows the system to store security footage locally without requiring a recurring cloud-recording plan. Eufy’s current HomeBase documentation confirms the 16GB built-in storage and expansion up to 16TB.
An important storage clarification
Some retail wording describes the S3 Pro system as having built-in local storage.
Technically, the camera itself does not contain that 16GB storage.
Eufy’s detailed specification says the S3 Pro uses the 16GB eMMC storage inside HomeBase 3.
That distinction matters if you are considering buying an add-on camera without the required HomeBase.
Does the EufyCam S3 Pro need HomeBase 3?
Yes.
Eufy’s current documentation says the S3 Pro works with HomeBase S380/HomeBase 3 and does not work with HomeBase 2.
That is another reason we are reviewing the complete 2-Cam Kit rather than an add-on camera.
The system-level proposition depends heavily on HomeBase for storage and AI functionality.
Apple Home is a real advantage over the S4
The S3 Pro currently supports Apple Home, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
Apple users should know that video viewed through Apple Home is limited to 1080p even though the S3 Pro can record 4K within the eufy system. Eufy’s current S3 Pro page explicitly lists Apple Home support and the 1080p limitation.
This has become a meaningful distinction from the newer S4.
Eufy’s current S4 documentation says Apple HomeKit is not currently supported on that model.
So an Apple-focused household should not automatically assume that moving from S3 Pro to S4 represents an upgrade in every area.
24/7 Snapshot is not the same as 24/7 video
This distinction is worth making clearly.
The S3 Pro supports 24/7 Smart Snapshot, which periodically captures images between normal motion-triggered events.
That is not the same thing as continuous video recording.
Eufy’s current S3 Pro FAQ still describes continuous wired recording as being in development, so we would not buy the S3 Pro today specifically for continuous 24/7 video surveillance.
If uninterrupted video recording is mandatory, choose a system whose current technical documentation explicitly supports that mode rather than assuming the word “24/7” always means continuous footage.
Two-way audio and siren
The S3 Pro supports full-duplex two-way audio using a dual-microphone array with noise reduction.
Eufy also specifies a built-in security siren.
That allows the camera to function as more than a passive recording device when somebody approaches the property.
Weather resistance
The S3 Pro carries an IP67 weather-resistance rating.
Eufy’s listed operating range is approximately -4°F to 122°F (-20°C to 50°C).
That does not remove the need for sensible placement, especially around extreme heat and direct sun, but it positions the camera for normal year-round outdoor use.
Should you buy the S3 Pro instead of the S4?
The newer S4 is unquestionably more capable when the property benefits from active tracking.
Its fixed upper camera can continue monitoring the original area while its lower PTZ system pans, tilts and zooms to follow movement. Eufy describes the S4 as a 4K fixed-camera plus dual-2K PTZ system with 360° pan and 8× hybrid zoom.
But the S3 Pro retains several meaningful reasons to exist.
Choose the S3 Pro if
- one fixed camera angle already covers the important area;
- MaxColor low-light performance matters more than PTZ tracking;
- Apple Home compatibility is important;
- you want the simpler fixed-camera design;
- the S3 Pro is significantly cheaper when you buy; or
- you do not need motorized 360-degree tracking.
Choose the S4 if
- you have a larger outdoor area;
- people regularly move beyond one fixed camera view;
- automatic PTZ tracking is useful;
- you need stronger long-range tracking and zoom;
- cross-camera tracking is valuable; or
- the additional coverage justifies the higher system cost.
The important point is that the S4 does not make the S3 Pro bad.
It makes the S3 Pro more specialized.
If you need wide moving coverage, see our EufyCam S4 Review. If you only need one excellent fixed viewpoint, the S3 Pro can remain the cleaner choice.
EufyCam S3 Pro vs Ring outdoor cameras
Eufy and Ring take very different approaches to storage and monetization.
The S3 Pro’s strongest argument is its HomeBase-based local storage and the ability to retain the core recording system without a required monthly cloud plan.
Ring is attractive when you prefer the Ring ecosystem and its integrated security-lighting products.
If powerful exterior lighting matters more than solar flexibility, our Ring Floodlight Cam Pro 2nd Gen Review covers the premium Ring alternative.
What we like about the EufyCam S3 Pro
- Sharp 4K fixed-camera video.
- F1.0 lens and MaxColor Vision give it a strong low-light focus.
- Infrared and adaptive spotlight modes provide alternatives when conditions change.
- SolarPlus 2.0 reduces routine battery maintenance.
- Radar plus PIR detection provides a strong motion-detection foundation.
- HomeBase S380 provides expandable local storage.
- No required monthly recording fee.
- Apple Home support remains useful, particularly now that the S4 does not currently support HomeKit.
- IP67 weather resistance.
What we do not like
- It cannot pan or tilt to follow activity.
- It requires HomeBase S380 rather than working with HomeBase 2.
- Only 2.4GHz WiFi is supported.
- Apple Home video is limited to 1080p.
- MaxColor Vision still needs some usable light; infrared may be better in total darkness.
- 24/7 Smart Snapshot should not be confused with continuous video recording.
- The newer S4 is more capable for large properties and moving subjects.
Who should buy the EufyCam S3 Pro?
The S3 Pro is best suited to buyers who know exactly where the important security zone is.
Good examples include:
- a front entrance;
- a driveway already contained within one wide view;
- a garage;
- a side passage;
- a fixed backyard zone; or
- another location where the camera does not need to rotate to stay useful.
It is particularly attractive for households that want local storage, solar operation and Apple Home compatibility without making a monthly cloud subscription central to the system.
Who should skip it?
Skip the S3 Pro if the main problem is that one fixed camera cannot see enough of the property.
In that case, the S4’s tracking architecture is addressing a genuine limitation rather than merely adding another feature.
You should also look elsewhere if:
- continuous 24/7 video is essential;
- you need 5GHz WiFi;
- you already own HomeBase 2 and do not want to upgrade;
- you need motorized tracking; or
- a simpler lower-cost camera already covers the same area adequately.
Is the EufyCam S3 Pro still worth buying?
Yes.
The S4’s arrival changes the S3 Pro’s position, but it does not remove its strengths.
The S3 Pro remains a strong fixed 4K solar camera with MaxColor Vision, radar-assisted detection, HomeBase local storage and no required monthly recording fee.
If the no-monthly-fee part of that equation matters most, our Best Security Cameras Without Subscription guide compares the S3 Pro with other strong local-storage choices.
It also has one particularly relevant advantage for Apple households: current Apple Home support, while the S4 does not currently support HomeKit.
The buying decision therefore comes down to coverage.
If the camera needs to follow people across a large property, buy the S4.
If one fixed camera view already covers the security zone, the S3 Pro can be the simpler and potentially better-value choice.
Check current eufyCam S3 Pro 2-Cam Kit pricing and availability on Amazon.
Frequently asked questions
Does the EufyCam S3 Pro require a subscription?
No monthly recording subscription is required for its core local-storage system. The reviewed kit includes HomeBase S380, which stores footage locally and supports expandable storage.
Does the EufyCam S3 Pro include HomeBase 3?
Yes. The exact Amazon 2-Cam Kit reviewed here, ASIN B0DDPW1YK2, includes HomeBase S380, also known as HomeBase 3.
Does the EufyCam S3 Pro work with HomeBase 2?
No. Eufy’s current documentation says the S3 Pro works with HomeBase S380/HomeBase 3 rather than HomeBase 2.
Does the EufyCam S3 Pro record in 4K?
Yes. Its maximum native resolution is 3840 × 2160.
Does the EufyCam S3 Pro work with Apple HomeKit?
Yes. Eufy currently lists Apple Home compatibility for the S3 Pro, but video presented through Apple Home is limited to 1080p.
Does the EufyCam S3 Pro have local storage?
Yes at the system level. The reviewed kit stores footage on HomeBase S380. The camera itself does not contain the HomeBase’s 16GB storage.
Can the EufyCam S3 Pro record 24/7 video?
Do not confuse its 24/7 Smart Snapshot feature with continuous video. Eufy’s current S3 Pro documentation still describes continuous wired recording as being in development.
Does MaxColor Vision work in complete darkness?
Not necessarily at its best. Eufy recommends infrared illumination when there is effectively no usable light. The S3 Pro offers MaxColor Vision, adaptive spotlight and infrared modes for different conditions.
Is the EufyCam S3 Pro better than the S4?
It can be the better choice when you want a fixed 4K view, MaxColor night imaging, Apple Home support and do not need PTZ tracking. The S4 is more capable when subjects move across a large property and wider automated coverage matters.
Is the EufyCam S3 Pro solar powered?
It uses a rechargeable battery together with an integrated SolarPlus 2.0 panel and also supports external solar charging.