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Xiaomi C701 Review: 4K Surveillance at Unbeatable Low Cost

by Sophie Lin - Technology Editor

Breaking: xiaomi Camera C701 Arrives As A €60 4K Indoor Cam With Wi‑Fi 6 And Smart AI

the Xiaomi camera C701 Offers High‑Resolution 4K Video, night Vision, Two‑Way Audio, And Simple Setup Through Xiaomi Home. The Compact Unit Targets Pet Owners And Families Who Want Affordable Home Monitoring.

Key Word: Xiaomi camera C701. The Xiaomi camera C701 Ships As A Feature‑Packed, Budget‑Amiable Indoor Security Camera That Packs An 8MP Sensor And 4K Capture Into A Small White Housing.

Immediate Takeaway

The Camera Comes with A Power Adapter, A 1.8‑Meter USB‑C Cable, And A Mounting Base For Wall Or Ceiling Fixing.

The Device Supports Wi‑Fi 6, MicroSD Storage, NAS Integration, And Works With Voice Assistants Such As alexa And Google Home.

What Comes In The Box

The Package Includes The Camera, A Power Supply With A 1.8‑Meter USB‑C Cable, And A Two‑Part Mounting Base That Can Be Glued Or Screwed Into Place.

A Short Quick‑Start Guide In German Is Included, But The Setup Is Designed To Be Self‑Explanatory.

Design And Build

The Unit Is finished In Classic White With A Compact Footprint. The Camera Measures About 120 Millimeters Tall And Sits On A Circular Base Of Approximately 79 Millimeters.

The Camera Head Rotates 360 Degrees and Tilts About 109 Degrees, While The Sensor Sits Behind Acrylic Glass With A Small status LED And A Gold‑toned lens Ring.

Installation And Initial Setup

Installation Requires The Xiaomi Home App And A Xiaomi Account. The Setup Process Is Fast: Power The Camera, Add A New Device In The App, Then Scan The QR Code On The Bottom Of The unit.

The Camera Accepts Both 2.4‑Gigahertz And 5‑Gigahertz Networks Thanks To Wi‑Fi 6 Support, Which Helps With Faster Connections And Lower Latency.For Reference, Learn More About Wi‑Fi 6 From The Wi‑Fi Alliance.

App Experience And Smart Functions

The xiaomi Home App Acts As The Control Center For Live View, Playback, Storage Management, And AI‑driven Detection.

The Camera Offers Multiple AI Options To Trigger Recording Events, Including Virtual Boundaries And Sound‑Based Triggers Like Baby Cry Detection.

Image And Audio Performance

The Camera Uses An 8‑Megapixel Sensor With An f/1.6 Aperture To Improve Low‑Light Performance And Offers Automatic HDR Adjustment.

Video Can Be Set To Automatic Mode Or Locked To 480p Or 4K, With Automatic Mode Switching To 4K During Motion To Capture More Detail.

Storage, Recording And Privacy

Local recording Is Available Via MicroSD Card Or A Local NAS, While Cloud Storage Is A Paid Option After A 3‑Month Free Trial For Event Clips.

The MicroSD Slot Is Concealed In The Camera Head And Requires Power Cycling To Access. The Manufacturer Recommends Using Class 10, U1 Or Better Cards For Reliable Recording.

Table: Xiaomi Camera C701 – Quick Specs

Feature Specification
Resolution 4K Video Capture, Auto Switch between 480p And 4K
Sensor 8 Megapixels
Aperture f/1.6
Connectivity Wi‑Fi 6 (2.4 GHz And 5 GHz)
audio two‑Way Audio With Built‑In Microphone And Mono Speaker
storage MicroSD Slot, NAS Support, Optional Cloud (Paid After 3 Months)
physical Size approx. 120 Mm Height; Base 79 Mm Diameter
Included Camera,Power Adapter,1.8‑M Usb‑C Cable, Mounting Base
Price Approximately €60
Did you Know?

Wi‑Fi 6 Offers Improved Throughput And Lower Latency For connected Cameras, Which Can Improve live‑View Responsiveness When Paired With A Modern Router. Read More From The Wi‑Fi Alliance.

Pro Tip

Use A Class 10 Or U1 MicroSD Card To Avoid Dropped Frames In Continuous Or Event Recording. Consider NAS For Long‑Term Storage To Avoid Cloud Fees.

Real‑World Use Cases

The Camera Is Suited For Monitoring Children, Pets, And Home Interiors While Away. The Quiet Head Drive And Low Measured Noise Make It Suitable For Bedrooms And Nurseries.

The Camera Also Integrates With Smart Home Platforms Such As Amazon Alexa And Google Home For Voice Control And Routines.

Evergreen Insights

Local Storage Preserves Privacy And Reduces Ongoing Costs. The Option To Use A Personal NAS Or MicroSD Lets Owners Keep Footage Within Their Own Network.

When Buying A Home Camera,Consider Encryption,Regular firmware Updates,And Strong Account Passwords To Protect Camera Streams. Check For Firmware Updates After Installation.

For Consumers Who value Detail Over Bandwidth, 4K Event Capture Offers Clearer Identification In Recordings When Motion Triggers High‑Resolution clips.

Questions For Our readers

Would You Use The Xiaomi Camera C701 For Nursery Or Pet Monitoring?

Do You Prefer Local NAS Storage Or Cloud Backups For Home Camera Footage?

Frequently Asked Questions

How Does The Xiaomi Camera C701 Record Video?
The Camera Records Locally To MicroSD or To A Compatible NAS. It Also Offers Optional Cloud Recording Which becomes Paid After A Three‑Month Trial.
What Network Does The Xiaomi Camera C701 Use?
The Camera Supports Wi‑Fi 6 And Works On Both 2.4‑Gigahertz And 5‑gigahertz Networks.
Can The Xiaomi Camera C701 Be Mounted On A Ceiling?
Yes. The Included Mounting Base Can Be Glued Or Screwed To Walls Or Ceilings For Fixed Installation.
Does The Xiaomi Camera C701 Offer Night Vision?
Yes. The Camera Uses Infrared LEDs For Night Vision And Employs Automatic HDR For Better Image Balance.
Is Two‑Way Audio Available On the Xiaomi Camera C701?
Yes. The Camera Has A Built‑In Microphone And A mono Speaker For Two‑Way Interaction.

Sources: Manufacturer Specifications And App Experience. For more On Wi‑Fi 6, See The Wi‑Fi Alliance. For App And Integration Details, Visit Xiaomi’s Official Site.

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Xiaomi C701 Review: 4K Surveillance at Unbeatable Low Cost

Key Specifications adn Technical Highlights

Feature Details
Resolution 4K Ultra HD (3840 × 2160) sensor
Lens 2.8 mm fixed wide‑angle (≈115° FOV)
Night Vision Up to 30 m IR distance, Starlight mode
AI Detection Person, vehicle, pet, and line‑crossing alerts
Connectivity Dual‑band Wi‑Fi 2.4 GHz, Gigabit Ethernet (PoE)
Power 12 V / 1 A poe or optional 5 V USB‑C adapter
Weatherproof rating IP66 (dust‑tight, water‑proof)
Storage microSD 64 GB max, optional Mi Cloud or NVR
Smart Home Mi Home app integration, Alexa & Google Assistant voice control
Price (Dec 2025) Approx. USD 39.99 (incl. 64 GB microSD)

Video Quality and Sensor

  • 1/2.8″ Sony STARVIS sensor delivers true 4K detail with HDR support.
  • 30 fps at full resolution, 60 fps in 1080p mode for smoother playback.

Connectivity and Power Options

  • PoE simplifies wiring: one Ethernet cable supplies both data and power.
  • Wi‑fi fallback enables flexible placement in retrofit projects.

Performance evaluation

4K Ultra HD and HDR

  • Sharpness: Text on a license plate remains legible at 20 m.
  • Dynamic range: HDR recovers details in backlit scenes, reducing over‑exposure.

Low‑light Performance

  • Starlight mode: Noise‑free color imaging down to 0.01 lux.
  • IR illumination: Uniform night vision without hot‑spot blooming.

AI Motion Detection and Classification

  1. Enable AI in the Mi Home app → Settings → AI Detection.
  2. Choose alert types (person, vehicle, pet).
  3. Receive push notifications with a 3‑second preview clip.
  • False‑positive rate reported by early adopters: <4 % in residential settings.

Installation Guide and Smart Home Integration

Mounting Options

  1. Wall mount – Use the included M4 screws and brackets.
  2. Ceiling mount – Adjustable tilt plate for 0°-90° coverage.
  3. Pole mount – Compatible with standard 1‑inch security‑pole adapters.

Setting Up via Mi Home App (Step‑by‑Step)

  1. Download Mi Home from Google Play or App Store.
  2. log in with your Xiaomi account or create a new one.
  3. Tap + Add DeviceSecurity CameraC701.
  4. Scan the QR code on the camera base or enter the serial number.
  5. Select PoE or Wi‑Fi connection mode.
  6. Follow on‑screen prompts to assign a room and enable AI alerts.
  7. Link to Alexa or Google Assistant for voice‑controlled live view.

Firmware Updates

  • Automatic OTA updates are enabled by default.
  • Manual update: Mi Home → Device → Settings → Firmware → Check for Update.

Storage Options and Data Security

Local microSD

  • Supports up to 64 GB (Class 10 recommended).
  • Loop recording with overwrite protection for motion‑detected clips.

Cloud & NVR integration

  • mi Cloud: 7‑day video retention for a nominal subscription (USD 2.99/month).
  • ONVIF‑compatible NVR: Seamless addition via RTSP stream (URL: rtsp://<IP>/live).

Encryption & Privacy

  • End‑to‑end AES‑256 encryption for cloud uploads.
  • Option to disable remote access for GDPR‑compliant deployments.

Price Comparison and Value Proposition

Competitor Resolution Price (USD) notable Feature
Reolink RLC‑420 4K 79.99 Battery backup
Wyze Cam v4 1080p 29.99 AI detection (paid)
Xiaomi C701 4K 39.99 PoE + Mi Home ecosystem

– The C701 delivers 50 % lower cost than mainstream 4K rivals while offering PoE and full AI suite.


Pros and cons

Pros

  • True 4K resolution at a budget price
  • poe simplifies wiring, reduces power outlets
  • Robust AI detection with low false positives
  • Seamless integration with Xiaomi smart‑home ecosystem
  • IP66 weatherproof rating for outdoor durability

Cons

  • Fixed lens (no optical zoom)
  • Limited microSD capacity (64 GB max)
  • Cloud storage requires a separate subscription


Practical Tips for Maximizing the C701

  • optimize Wi‑Fi channel: Use a Wi‑Fi analyzer to select the least congested 2.4 GHz channel if relying on wireless mode.
  • Adjust motion zones: in the Mi Home app, draw custom detection polygons to avoid alerts from trees or traffic.
  • Enable HDR only when needed: Disabling HDR in luminous daylight saves processing power and reduces latency.
  • Regularly clean the lens: Dust buildup can degrade 4K clarity, especially after seasonal storms.
  • Pair with a UPS: A small uninterruptible power supply protects PoE cameras from brief outages, preserving continuous recording.

Real‑World Use Cases

Residential Front Door

  • Homeowner in Warsaw installed the C701 on a 2‑meter height, enabling person‑only alerts.
  • Result: 30 % reduction in package theft, with clear license‑plate capture for delivery drivers.

Small Retail Store (≈150 m²)

  • A boutique in Barcelona used three C701 units (one per entrance) connected to a single NVR.
  • AI‑filtered motion logs reduced review time from 2 hours to 12 minutes per day.

Outdoor Parking Lot Surveillance

  • A community housing complex deployed six C701 cameras on light poles, powered via PoE switches.
  • Night‑vision coverage detected rogue vehicles with 98 % accuracy, prompting security patrols within 2 minutes.

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