Aqara’s Second Outdoor Cam – G100 Launched in China

After initially being unveiled to the public at CES 2025 back in January, Aqara’s second only camera suitable for outdoor use has now been launched in China.

The Aqara G100 is, like the previously released G5 Pro, designed for outdoor use, with an IP65 rating to protect against rain and other external elements, although it’s also small and unobtrusive enough to be used indoors. Like nearly all of the company’s camera lineup, it uses the now tried and tested scissor-like stand, although once again like the G5 Pro, it takes a slightly different tack with the section that connects to the camera body, along with newly designed small feet on the underside of the stand.

As this is for outdoor use, the G100 comes with a built-in floodlight and siren, although we can’t find any more details on whether the spotlight is separately exposed to Apple Home or how bright it is, like is the case with the floodlight on the G5 Pro.

HOW DOES IT DIFFER FROM THE CAMERA E1 (AND G5 PRO)?

The G100 camera does compare handily to the company’s E1 camera in many ways, not least its compact size, but it also offers similar features; both offer 2K recording (the G5 Pro offers 2.5K), both use 2.4GHz WiFi and WiFi 6 connectivity (G5 Pro offers 2.4/5.0GHz or ethernet) and they also both offer an SD card slot within the camera. The E1 is a pan and tilt camera, however, whilst the G100 is more in line with the G2H Pro in that it can have its position adjusted and angle, but is otherwise static.

Power is supplied via a specifically designed outdoor USB-C cable that appears to be hardwired to the back of the camera. It can withstand temperature extremes +40 ~ -10ºC (104~14ºF), which seems to be fairly standard, although not so suitable for a Canadian winter perhaps. It can also connect using RTSP or to a NAS if you prefer not to use an SD card, and offers the usual detection algorithms via built-in AI detection functionality.

Of course, this is Apple Home compatible, as a camera but like the Camera E1, doesn’t feature a built-in hub of any type, so no Thread or Matter connectivity is listed (Matter still doesn’t support cameras…). Like the G5 Pro, the G100 is also available in either black or white. The International version is likely able to support both Google Home and Amazon Alexa.

This release, albeit in China only currently, comes hot on the heels of another announcement from Aqara for the imminent international release of a budget version of the Smart Lock U200, dubbed the U200 Lite, which should be available soon. The G100 meanwhile, is available at Chinese online stores including Taobao and JD for around RMB209 (after discounts), which equates to around US$30 | UK£22 | EU€26, and although it’s almost certainly going to be higher than this converted price, it’ll still likely to be one of the cheapest 2K outdoor cameras on the market.