blink mini vs wyze cam vs wyze cam pan

Blink Mini vs Wyze Cam v3 vs Wyze Cam Pan v3 [2024]

In Home Security by Tim Brennan

Affiliate Disclosure

As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

In this article, I’ll compare the new Blink Mini vs Wyze Cam v3 vs Wyze Cam Pan.

I’ll include a features comparison table so you can compare features between the three cameras side-by-side.

Want to know what is the same and different between these cameras?  Here are the main things:

They are all wired, record in 1080p HD resolution, have two-way audio, and have subscription options for full functionality. Wyze Cam v3 has a 130° field of view vs 120° on Wyze Cam Pan and 110° on Blink Mini. Blink records at 30fps vs. 20fps on both Wyze cams. The Wyze Cam and Pan are IP65-rated for outdoor use; Blink Mini is designed for indoors only.

There are some other noteworthy more technical differences as well. I will cover those below.


A ‘Wyze’ Decision?

In a move that has left a few critics puzzled, Amazon announced an inexpensive new security camera last year. The hot-off-the-press Blink Mini Cam is positioned to compete with two popular cameras by Seattle-based Wyze in the smart home security space.

wyze-cam-vs-pan-vs-blink-1-3952415I don’t find it confusing at all. Because of the price point and great quality, I have bought several Wyze Cams over the past couple of years to give as gifts.

As reported in a recent Forbes magazine article, citing a study by Strategy Analytics, the home security cameras market is poised to surpass a whopping $9.7 billion by 2023.

Wyze has captured a substantial market share in the high-stakes home security space, selling over one million units in its first year of business. And that was way back in 2017.

Amazon is no fool.

But what are the differences between the three cameras?

Let’s start by comparing them side by side.


Blink Mini Vs Wyze Cam vs Wyze Cam Pan: Head to Head

The following table illustrates the major technical differences between Blink Mini vs Wyze Cam v3 vs Wyze Cam Pan.

Blink Mini – Compact indoor plug-in smart security camera, 1080p HD video, night vision, motion detection, two-way audio, easy set up, Works with Alexa – 1 camera (White)10
Editor's Choice
WYZE Cam Pan v3 Indoor/Outdoor IP65-Rated 1080p Pan/Tilt/Zoom Wi-Fi Smart Home Security Camera with Motion Tracking for Baby & Pet, Color Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Works with Alexa & Google Assistant10
WYZE Cam v3 with Color Night Vision, Wired 1080p HD Indoor/Outdoor Video Camera, 2-Way Audio, Works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT10
Blink Mini
Wyze Cam Pan v3
Wyze Cam v3
Designed for
Indoor Use
Indoor and Outdoor Use (IP65 rating) *But no battery power, see Wyze Cam Outdoor for a wireless option.
Indoor and Outdoor Use (IP65 rating) *But no battery power, see Wyze Cam Outdoor for a wireless option.
Video Quality
1080p
1080p
1080p
Night Vision
Yes. infrared
6 IR LEDs for improved night vision
Full Color HD
Two-Way Audio Through App
Motion Detection with Mobile Push Notifications
Custom motion detection zones
Field of View
110°
120°
130°
Free Cloud Storage
Free Trial, then small monthly fee
12 sec video clip of motion detection stored for 14 days
12 sec video clip of motion detection stored for 14 days
Ability to Record Locally
Yes, through Blink Synch Module coming later this year
Yes, VIS 8 GB, 16GB, or 32GB FAT32 MicroSD card sold separately
Yes, VIA 8 GB, 16GB, or 32GB FAT32 MicroSD card sold separately
Wi-Fi
2. 4GHz WiFi network
2. 4GHz WiFi network
2. 4GHz WiFi network
Voice Assistants
Amazon Alexa
Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
Mobile Device Support
Android 5.0+, iOS 12.5+, Fire OS 5.1+
Android 5.0+, iOS 9.0+,
Android 5.0+, iOS 9.0+,
Manufacturer
Blink Home Security (Amazon owns Blink)
Wyze Labs
Wyze Labs
Dimensions
50 mm x 49 mm x 36 mm
5.02" x 2.36" x 2.36
2.2" x 1.97" x 1.97"
Weight
48 grams (g)
249g
100g
Pan/Tilt/Zoom
Blink Mini – Compact indoor plug-in smart security camera, 1080p HD video, night vision, motion detection, two-way audio, easy set up, Works with Alexa – 1 camera (White)10
Blink Mini
Designed for
Indoor Use
Video Quality
1080p
Night Vision
Yes. infrared
Two-Way Audio Through App
Motion Detection with Mobile Push Notifications
Custom motion detection zones
Field of View
110°
Free Cloud Storage
Free Trial, then small monthly fee
Ability to Record Locally
Yes, through Blink Synch Module coming later this year
Wi-Fi
2. 4GHz WiFi network
Voice Assistants
Amazon Alexa
Mobile Device Support
Android 5.0+, iOS 12.5+, Fire OS 5.1+
Manufacturer
Blink Home Security (Amazon owns Blink)
Dimensions
50 mm x 49 mm x 36 mm
Weight
48 grams (g)
Pan/Tilt/Zoom
Editor's Choice
WYZE Cam Pan v3 Indoor/Outdoor IP65-Rated 1080p Pan/Tilt/Zoom Wi-Fi Smart Home Security Camera with Motion Tracking for Baby & Pet, Color Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Works with Alexa & Google Assistant10
Wyze Cam Pan v3
Designed for
Indoor and Outdoor Use (IP65 rating) *But no battery power, see Wyze Cam Outdoor for a wireless option.
Video Quality
1080p
Night Vision
6 IR LEDs for improved night vision
Two-Way Audio Through App
Motion Detection with Mobile Push Notifications
Custom motion detection zones
Field of View
120°
Free Cloud Storage
12 sec video clip of motion detection stored for 14 days
Ability to Record Locally
Yes, VIS 8 GB, 16GB, or 32GB FAT32 MicroSD card sold separately
Wi-Fi
2. 4GHz WiFi network
Voice Assistants
Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
Mobile Device Support
Android 5.0+, iOS 9.0+,
Manufacturer
Wyze Labs
Dimensions
5.02" x 2.36" x 2.36
Weight
249g
Pan/Tilt/Zoom
WYZE Cam v3 with Color Night Vision, Wired 1080p HD Indoor/Outdoor Video Camera, 2-Way Audio, Works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT10
Wyze Cam v3
Designed for
Indoor and Outdoor Use (IP65 rating) *But no battery power, see Wyze Cam Outdoor for a wireless option.
Video Quality
1080p
Night Vision
Full Color HD
Two-Way Audio Through App
Motion Detection with Mobile Push Notifications
Custom motion detection zones
Field of View
130°
Free Cloud Storage
12 sec video clip of motion detection stored for 14 days
Ability to Record Locally
Yes, VIA 8 GB, 16GB, or 32GB FAT32 MicroSD card sold separately
Wi-Fi
2. 4GHz WiFi network
Voice Assistants
Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
Mobile Device Support
Android 5.0+, iOS 9.0+,
Manufacturer
Wyze Labs
Dimensions
2.2" x 1.97" x 1.97"
Weight
100g
Pan/Tilt/Zoom

Last update on 10/09/2024 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API


Blink Mini Explained

In comparing Blink Mini vs Wyze Cam vs Wyze Cam Pan, the Blink Mini Cam is Amazon’s answer to the Wyze Cam. It features a 110-degree diagonal field of view and will let you record in 1080p HD video at up to 30 frames per second [FPS]. It is more compact than the previous Blink cams measuring 50 mm x 49 mm x 36 mm and weighing 30 grams. One main difference when comparing Blink Mini vs Wyze Cam is that this camera will work indoors only while the Wyze v3 will work outdoors too.

What it will do is integrate nicely with your Amazon smart home, including the Echo Show and your Fire TV devices. I have this set up with my Echo Show, and I love it: “Alexa, show me my fish tank cam.” (You can see some additional cameras that work with Echo Show, I’ll include a link to another article I wrote at the end of this post.)

In fact, I just bought a second one of these to monitor outside my kitchen window as I have had a coyote come to visit me lately.

blink mini scaled

My 2ND Blink Mini “Coyote Cam”

Blink Mini has a 2-meter micro USB cable and power adapter that requires an electric rating of 00-240V 50/60 HZ 0.15A [standard power]. Amazon typically offers Free Cloud Storage on a trial basis. You either need to purchase a Blink Subscription Plan, or you can leverage local storage through Amazon’s Blink Sync Module 2 and a USB Flash Drive.

I’ll add a little Amazon product box here to the Synch Module if you are interested:

Pros

  • Faster 30 frame-per-second record rate makes quality slightly better.
  • Works flawlessly with Alexa Amazon smart home ecosystem.
  • Compatible with Amazon Fire OS to display footage on Fire TV devices (e.g., your flat screen TV).

Cons

  • Designed for indoor use only.
  • 110° field of view vs 130° on the Wyze Cam v3.
  • Requires subscription or add-ons for if you want more than a live feed.

Availability

The Blink Mini Cam is available for now. Amazon typically offers steep discounts on this camera on Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday.

You can get Blink Mini here at Amazon.


Wyze Cam v3 Explained

The Wyze Cam v3 is the little engine that could, and it is a fan favorite among smart home enthusiasts.  It remains one of the most affordable quality cameras you can buy. Tens of thousands of units have sold.  I have bought, set up, and tested several of these cameras myself [for review purposes and given as gifts].

The addition of color night vision and the outdoor rating are perhaps the biggest updates to the new V3 model.

The set-up process is a breeze and takes about 10 minutes. The camera is small and light enough to stick it virtually anywhere.  Some benefits make Wyze Cam Pan a worthy upgrade, though. I talk about those below.

Pros

    • Color HD night vision.
    • IP65 rating for outdoor use as well as indoor.
    • People detection and package detection are available with upgrades.
    • Two-way audio worked flawlessly in my testing.

    Cons

    • Need a subscription or a SIM card for full functionality.

    Video Review

    Reed from Smart Home Solver has an awesome video review of Wyze Cam V3 out on YouTube. I’ll embed it below. Nice work, Reed.

    Availability

    Wyze Cam v3 is priced to sell and available to purchase today.

    You can get it here at Amazon.


    Wyze Cam Pan Explained

    In comparing Blink Mini vs Wyze Cam vs Wyze Cam Pan, the Pan camera has a number of benefits over the traditional Wyze Cam.

    I’ll bet you can guess what the first one is. Yup! The ability for the camera to pan 360 degrees. But it can also tilt and zoom. This is a great benefit as it lets you see around the whole room, giving you a broader field of view.

    The second improvement is better night vision than the old V2 model. The one complaint I used to see out in the forums about the Wyze Cam Gen 2 is that the night vision is just so-so. The company solved this with the v3 upgrade. However, the color night vision is now lacking on the Pan model. Still,  Wyze Cam Pan does have six LED sensors as opposed to four with the older Wyze Cam.

    Third, you get a slightly larger field of view out of the box at 120 degrees instead of 110 with the older Wyze Cam. The v3 has a 130-degree field of view, though.

    Last but not least, this camera is IP-64 waterproof rated so you can use in out in the rain as well as in your nursery.

    Pros

    • Biggest draw here is the ability to pan around a room 360°.
    • Super affordable.
    • High quality 1080p for stream and recorded footage.

    Cons

    • Not designed for outdoor use.
    • Doesn’t have the upgrades of the Wyze V3 Cam, like color night vision (older generation technology).

    Video Review

    Here’s another great video review of the Wyze Cam Pan from LifeHackster.

    Availability

    Wyze Cam Pan has been out and is available to order now.

    You can check the latest price here at Amazon.


    What’s In the Box

    Blink Mini

    • Blink Mini camera
    • 1 attached stand
    • 2 mounting screws
    • 1 USB cable
    • 1 Power adapter

    Wyze Cam v3

    • Wyze Cam v3
    • Quick Start Guide
    • USB cable
    • Power adapter
    • Wallplate
    • Mounting tape

    Wyze Cam Pan

    • Wyze Cam Pan x1
    • Power adapter x1
    • USB cable x1
    • Quick Start Guide x1


    The Verdict

    All three of these cameras are great buys. If you told me a few years ago, I could buy a sub-$50 video camera that lets you monitor a baby, keep dibs on your dog, or spy on your Nannie with color night vision…I would have said you were smoking the devil’s lettuce.

    Well, you know what I mean.

    I think Amazon’s addition of this budget option is brilliant and will appeal to Amazon ecosystem subscribers. I am looking forward to testing the differences in Alexa integration too.

    With its pan and tilt capabilities, the Wyze Cam Pan V3 is the best of the bunch here IF you are ok with a wired camera option. If you want a battery-powered option, see the link I posted in the table above.


    Blink Mini Vs Wyze Cam v3 vs Wyze Cam Pan: Your Take

    So what do you think about the differences [and similarities] between the Blink Mini vs Wyze Cam v3 vs Wyze Cam Pan?

    Do you already own a Wyze Cam? Plan to purchase a Blink Mini?

    Please leave me a comment below and let me know – and also your thoughts of choosing one over the other. I look forward to hearing from you!


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    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    Tim Brennan

    Tim Brennan, a tech blogger and host of the @TecTimmy YouTube channel, writes about smart homes at oneSmartcrib, home theaters at UniversalRemoteReviews, and AI in writing at Writeinteractive. He holds a Journalism degree from Northeastern University and has covered technology for three decades. He lives on the ocean in Nahant, Massachusetts.


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