Eufy S4 Max NVR review: Upscale home security, no subscription | usagoldmines.com

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Most home security systems force you to choose between smart features and local control. the Eufy PoE NVR Security System S4 Max gives you both. As its name indicates, this is a PoE (Power over Ethernet), NVR (Network Video Recorder) system with a built-in AI agent that runs on its own local hardware—there’s no cloud storage and no subscription fees required to unlock key features.

Specifications

Eufy markets this system as an all-in-one solution for robust yet easy-to-set-up home security. The bundle features local AI, local storage, and support for high-powered 4K cameras.. The bundle includes four of Eufy’s PoE Cam S4 triple-lens cameras. Each of these has a fixed-position camera with a single wide-angle lens (122-degree field of view) that’s fused to the dual-lens, pan/tilt/zoom camera beneath it.

Eufy

The upper camera has a 16MP image sensor that captures video in 4K resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels), while the lower PTZ camera has twin 2K lenses (each with resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels). The lower camera can rotate a full 360 degrees and tilt up to 70 degrees, with automatic tracking to follow and zoom in on a person moving within its field of view. Together, they form what Eufy calls a “Tri-Cam” system, engineered to eliminate blind spots.

The cameras are built for outdoor use, with an IP65 weather rating that protects against dust, rain, and water jets (we’ll tell you everything you need to know about IP codes). For nighttime coverage, the PoE Cam S4 uses starlight color night vision and HDR processing to capture detailed, color-rich footage, even in low light. Black-and-white Infrared night vision is also available. When motion is detected, the built-in spotlight can activate to enhance visibility—useful for identifying people or license plates—while flashing red and blue warning lights provide a visible deterrent.

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

Eufy’s NVR hub hosts a 3.5-inch 2TB hard drive for local storage. That should be plenty for most users, but you can replace that drive with one that has up to 16TB of capacity. And since the NVR can support up to eight camera channels out of the box (it can be expanded to handle up to 16 channels), you might find yourself needing to do just that down the road. Note that the four bundled cameras will consume two channels each, because each one is sending two video independent streams. Since the system uses PoE, the cameras will be hardwired to the NVR, with that one cable handling both data and power. This makes deployment much simpler because you don’t need to worry about having a power outlet near where you want to mount each camera.

The system’s intelligence comes from Eufy’s on-device AI, which runs entirely on the NVR. There’s no round-trip to the cloud and no delay waiting for AI to kick in. The system can recognize people, vehicles, pets, and even unfamiliar faces (once you’ve helped it identify friends, families, neighbors, and anyone else who might make frequent appearances). You can set custom detection zones and choose which types of activity trigger alerts.

That layered design powers Eufy’s advanced tracking features. When the upper wide-angle lens detects a subject, the lower PTZ lens automatically locks on and follows it, reframing as needed to keep the person centered in view, even from as far as 164 feet away. In group scenarios, the camera can adjust zoom and framing to keep multiple people in view, switching back to single-subject tracking when others leave the frame.

The four dual-lens cameras work in sync, delivering coverage equivalent to an eight-camera setup. Thanks to Eufy’s Live Cross-Cam Tracking feature, when one camera reaches its tracking limit, another can automatically pick up the subject, allowing continuous monitoring across zones. Recorded video is searchable by keyword, making it easy to locate specific events without scrubbing through hours of footage.

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

While the system is managed primarily through the Eufy app or web interface, it also supports voice control via Alexa and Google Assistant. There is no support for Apple HomeKit Secure Video, however, so users in that ecosystem will find integration more limited.

Setup and performance

Installation isn’t difficult, but it’s more involved than setting up battery-powered Wi-Fi cameras. The S4 Max is built to be installed outdoors and hardwired to your router, so you’ll be drilling into walls or soffits to mount the cameras with the provided hardware, and drilling larger holes and inserting weatherproof pass-through them that you’ll pull your ethernet cables through. The job requires more planning, tools, and time than the typical battery-powered, Wi-Fi camera does.

First, you’ll need to connect the NVR to your router, plug in the included mouse for system control, and then hook up a monitor via the NVR’s HDMI port. From there, you’ll choose your camera locations, mount the camera brackets and mount the cameras to them, and then drill nearby holes in your walls, insert weatherproof grommets (something like this would work) into the holes on the interior and exterior sides of the wall, and feed the ethernet cables through them. You’ll connect the other end of the cables to the NVR).

Once you’re finished with the labor, configuring the system to work is as easy as you’d expect. The NVR automatically detects the connected cameras, and you can access the system through a monitor, the Eufy app, or via Eufy’s web portal.

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

Once everything’s in place, the S4 Max gets to work quietly and capably. Live Cross Cam Tracking allows the cameras to hand off moving subjects between zones with minimal delay. When the system spots something it flags as a threat, it reacts quickly, sending alerts within seconds.

Video quality is consistently sharp, delivering clear, detailed footage even in low-light conditions. The system handles faces, license plates, and movement well, and the built-in search tools make it easy to locate events using natural language like “man in a red hat.”

In my testing, the app was stable and responsive. Live view loaded quickly, object recognition was accurate, and playback was smooth. You can tailor how each camera responds to activity independently, including defining activity zones, choosing which types of events trigger alerts, and customizing how long the on-camera spotlight stays active. You can also schedule when cameras are active or mute notifications by time of day. Each camera’s behavior can be fine-tuned individually, which gives you more control over how the system works in different areas of your property.

Should you buy the Eufy PoE NVR Security System S4 Max?

At $1,299, Eufy’s high-end NVR system isn’t exactly a casual purchase but it delivers solid value for anyone serious about home or small business security. You’re paying for local control, advanced detection, and a system that doesn’t nickel-and-dime you with subscription fees. If you’re comfortable with the installation requirements and want a system that stays local, customizable, and expandable, the S4 Max is a easy to recommend.

If you like Eufy’s local storage and AI features, but would prefer wireless, battery-powered cameras, consider the $550 EufyCam S3 Pro Kit. We recently reviewed a two-camera system with a Eufy HomeBase 3 for local AI processing and storage costs. It also earned a TechHive Editors’ Choice award.

This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security cameras.