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Arlo Essential Indoor (2nd gen) (Black) — 2023
Arlo

Arlo Essential Indoor (2nd gen) (Black)

2023

80
/ 100
From $100
VS
Samsung SmartThings Station wins by 2
Samsung SmartThings Station — Hub
Samsung

Samsung SmartThings Station

Hub

82
/ 100
From $79
Specdex verdict

Samsung SmartThings Station takes it — here’s why.

In our weighted Specdex score, Arlo Essential Indoor (2nd gen) (Black) lands at 80 and Samsung SmartThings Station at 82. That puts Samsung SmartThings Station ahead by 2 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.

Pick Arlo Essential Indoor (2nd gen) (Black) if…

  • ✓Matter/Thread support (modern SKUs)
  • ✓App-based setup
  • ✓Works with major voice assistants

Pick Samsung SmartThings Station if…

  • ✓Matter support (modern)
  • ✓Zigbee/Thread radios (most)
  • ✓Automations
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Winner by scenario

Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate test

Ease of use

Tie

Compared on the ease of use sub-score

Effectively tied — neither pulls a 2-point weighted lead.

Ecosystem

Samsung SmartThings Station

Compared on the ecosystem sub-score

Samsung SmartThings Station leads on ecosystem (82 vs 80).

Features

Samsung SmartThings Station

Compared on the features sub-score

Samsung SmartThings Station leads on features (80 vs 78).

Value for money

Samsung SmartThings Station

Specdex score per dollar at MSRP

Samsung SmartThings Station more score per dollar ($79 vs $100).

Arlo Essential Indoor (2nd gen) (Black) 80
vs
82 Samsung SmartThings Station

Score breakdown

Arlo Essential Indoor (2nd gen) (Black)
80
ecosystem 80
local 70
ease 84
features 78
Samsung SmartThings Station
82
ecosystem 82
local 70
ease 84
features 80

Specs side-by-side

Arlo Essential Indoor (2nd gen) (Black) versus Samsung SmartThings Station — full spec comparison
Spec Arlo Essential Indoor (2nd gen) (Black) Samsung SmartThings Station
Release year
2023
—
Color
Black
—

Arlo Essential Indoor (2nd gen) (Black)

Pros
  • +Matter/Thread support (modern SKUs)
  • +App-based setup
  • +Works with major voice assistants
Cons
  • −Subscription sometimes required
  • −Cloud dependency on many
  • −Ecosystem lock-in

Samsung SmartThings Station

Pros
  • +Matter support (modern)
  • +Zigbee/Thread radios (most)
  • +Automations
Cons
  • −App quality varies
  • −Cloud dependency on some
  • −Ecosystem lock-in

FAQ: Arlo Essential Indoor (2nd gen) (Black) vs Samsung SmartThings Station

Which is better, Arlo Essential Indoor (2nd gen) (Black) or Samsung SmartThings Station? +

Samsung SmartThings Station scores 82 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 2. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.

Is Arlo Essential Indoor (2nd gen) (Black) worth the price? +

At $100, Arlo Essential Indoor (2nd gen) (Black) delivers a Specdex score of 80 — strongest in ease.

Is Samsung SmartThings Station worth the price? +

At $79, Samsung SmartThings Station delivers a Specdex score of 82 — strongest in ease.

Does Arlo Essential Indoor (2nd gen) (Black) or Samsung SmartThings Station last longer? +

Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.

Which is better for ecosystem, Arlo Essential Indoor (2nd gen) (Black) or Samsung SmartThings Station? +

Samsung SmartThings Station — leads on ecosystem (82 vs 80). Compared on the ecosystem sub-score.

Which is better for features, Arlo Essential Indoor (2nd gen) (Black) or Samsung SmartThings Station? +

Samsung SmartThings Station — leads on features (80 vs 78). Compared on the features sub-score.