The hummingbird feeder’s been getting hammered lately. Not by birds, mind you – by deer. They lean in, long necks reaching, slurping the sugar water with brazen disregard for the spiky metal guards I rigged. This, then, became my primary test case for the Arlo Pro 4. Forget the hypothetical porch pirate; I needed to catch a four-legged, four-hundred-pound scofflaw red-handed.

Setting it up was surprisingly straightforward. No hub? Hallelujah. I’ve battled enough convoluted smart-home ecosystems to fill a landfill. The Arlo connected directly to my Wi-Fi, which is a definite win. That simplified everything, right off the bat. The 2K video quality is genuinely impressive; you can see individual hairs on those opportunistic deer, and I get the color night vision, no matter the time. Compared to my old Arlo Pro 2, it’s light-years ahead in clarity.

I positioned one camera near the feeder, the other at the edge of the woods, both angled to capture the nightly raids. The motion detection is snappy. The notification ping on my phone almost instantly after it detects movement. I can also customize sensitivity levels, so no more false alarms triggered by the swaying oak branches.

The two-way audio function is great, though I haven’t yelled at the deer yet. I’m thinking of using it for scolding my neighbor’s dog that keeps getting into my trash. It’s all very convenient, but the field of view, while wide, isn’t quite as expansive as the latest Ring Spotlight Cam. I had to slightly reposition the camera near the feeder to ensure full coverage. Minor inconvenience, though. The easy mounting system more than compensates.

Here’s the deal: If you’re after plug-and-play simplicity and crystal-clear video with excellent night vision, the Arlo Pro 4 is a solid choice. For the homeowner with a penchant for DIY solutions and an aversion to clunky hubs, this is your jam. Consider purchasing the Arlo solar panel charger. It’s well worth the investment to keep those cameras humming during the summer months. Now, about those deer…