The Blink Mini, launched in 2020, offers 2K secure video for only about $35, but it doesn’t offer many smart features. The emergence of second-generation models changed this situation. The new Blink Mini 2 is still a compact, affordable camera, but it also comes with a waterproof housing for outdoor use, a spotlight for color night vision, and even adds people recognition so you can customize it Alerts (subscription required)). Despite these added features, it’s not that much more expensive, starting at $40 for the base model and $50 for a bundle with a weatherproof outdoor power cord.
Many copycat brands have looser security protocols. Blink encrypts data at the connection level and in cloud storage.
Best smart security cameras: Top models from Ring, Arlo, and Nest
The best smart security cameras use 3D motion alerts, night vision, and even Alexa integration to monitor the interior and exterior of your home.
It’s not hard to find a security camera for under $50, but many copycat brands have looser security protocols. Blink encrypts data at the connection level and in cloud storage. The latter may appeal to former Wyze users looking to switch after a glitch sent videos to the wrong account. The added encryption and more complete reputation may sway savvy shoppers towards the new Blink Mini 2 – although it’s worth noting that sibling company Ring’s track record isn’t quite as clean.
blink mini 2
great value
The Blink Mini 2 is a compact security camera priced under $50. Although expensive, it still includes human recognition. It can be shot indoors or outdoors using a weather-resistant power cord (sold separately). With multiple encryption types for added security, the Mini 2 is a solid budget option.
- Affordable
- Versatile use indoors or outdoors
- 143-degree wide field of view
- Face detection requires subscription
- No pet, package or vehicle detection
Prices, specifications and availability
The Blink Mini 2 retails for $40, or $49.98 when paired with a weather-resistant power adapter for outdoor use. The camera will be available in the United States and Canada from March 14, 2024.
blink mini 2
- solve
- 1080p HD video
- Connectivity
- 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi connection @ 2.4GHz
- night vision
- Yes, color (with spotlight) or black and white
- vision
- 143 degree diagonal
- Weather resistance
- Yes, with weather-resistant power adapter
- aspect
- 51×51×40mm
- Protection level
- IPX65
design
an adjustable miniature camera
The Mini 2 is a cube-shaped wired camera. It’s somewhere between a golf ball and a baseball in size (not including the base). Given the size of the white casing, the camera won’t stand out in most decors. The Mini 2 sits on top of a ball joint mount, allowing for quick and easy camera angle adjustments. The base can be placed flat on a table or mounted to the wall using screws.
The camera has a minimalist design. The two LEDs on the front indicate when the camera is recording. The spotlight is located above the lens, while the infrared is located below the lens for night vision. The reset button, speaker, and power cord port are on the back.
One of the biggest changes compared to the previous generation is that the second generation features an IP65 rating for weather resistance. However, you must add a $10 weatherproof power cord for outdoor use. I doused the camera with a cup of water and it continued to operate as expected.
Software experience and performance
Easy to set up, but has a short feature list
Setting up the Mini 2 is very simple. In the Blink app, tap the plus icon, select Mini from the list of options, and scan the QR code on the back of the camera. The app will then guide you through the rest of the process, which mainly involves connecting to Wi-Fi. Note that Blink only supports 2.4Ghz connections – so you may need to adjust your router settings.
As a budget camera, the Mini 2 has a short feature list. Unlike its predecessor, Blink’s latest camera can recognize people, although this feature requires a paid subscription. For me, person detection is a must-have feature, otherwise I would get a constant ping every time my dog or cat walks in front of the camera.
While the added person detection feature is great, the Mini 2’s list of AI detection features only ends there. It cannot recognize specific faces. It also doesn’t offer pet detection, so you can’t turn off people detection to only receive notifications about pets. It also lacks packet detection.
In addition to people detection, other options to reduce the number of unwanted alerts include limiting motion detection to part of the camera’s field of view. You can also add privacy areas. The Mini 2 lacks physical privacy detection. However, since capturing security footage is the device’s sole purpose — unlike the Alexa Show — users can unplug the camera to protect privacy.
If you spend more money than the Blink Sync Module 2, the Mini 2 also supports local recording. The accessory also allows you to schedule when to arm and disarm the system, for example, turning off notifications when you typically return home. Work.
Mini 2 features a 143-degree ultra-wide-angle lens that allows you to see most of a small room. Or, outdoors, more on a patio or driveway. The shots it captured were clear enough that I could recognize friends and family members walking into the frame, even from across the room. However, try to zoom in on a face and the quality quickly drops off.
A built-in light enables the Mini 2 to record color night vision. By default, the camera will use infrared light to record black and white. However, you’ll get color night vision if you go into the settings and trigger the lights to turn on when motion is detected. It’s surprisingly bright for such a small device, allowing you to see part of the room in person rather than just in the recording.
The Blink Mini 2 is easy to use and the video clarity is high enough. It lacks many of the smart features found in more expensive security cameras, but for $40 it offers a lot.
Privacy and security
Encryption in multiple places
No security camera is 100% free of privacy risks, but some devices have more prevention strategies than others. First, data from Blink is encrypted at rest and in transit. Encrypting data at the connection level is fairly standard, but not all security cameras encrypt data as it is stored. In fact, this is one of the reasons Wyze glitches sent videos to the wrong account. Therefore, having multiple levels of encryption is a big advantage.
Blink also designs chips inside its cameras, a process that helps prevent malicious content or bad firmware from introducing security risks. This also helps the camera consume less power.
Conclusion: Should you buy the Blink Mini 2?
The Blink Mini 2 isn’t the smartest security camera out there, but it’s one of the best options under $50. The Mini 2 is affordable, easy to set up, and still features people detection and motion detection zones. If paired with the Sync Module 2 ($40), you can even store footage locally without a subscription. Otherwise, subscription-free devices are limited to live video and cannot access recorded content.
If you want people detection or cloud storage, you’ll pay $3 or $10 per month for Blink, depending on the features you want and how many cameras you run. Even if subscribed, the camera cannot customize alerts for pets, vehicles, or packages. If you need these features, our top pick for the best security camera, the Google Nest, doesn’t require a subscription to customize alerts for people, pets, or vehicles, and it can also save video for up to three hours with no recurring fees. However, the initial cost of the Nest is higher, around $120, and that doesn’t include subscription costs.
While the Blink Mini 2’s smart features are limited, it’s a good choice if you can spend $50 or less. Security features on budget cameras can sometimes be lax, but Blink uses multiple layers of encryption. If you just want to run a camera temporarily while on vacation, want to see who’s causing trouble around your house, or just can’t spend more than $50, the Mini 2 has you covered. If you want a smart camera that can send unwanted alerts, identify packages, or has 4K footage, you’ll need to spend a little more.