Security Cameras / Aqara
Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E)
HomeKit Secure Video over PoE with RTSP and ONVIF — the least locked-in camera here.
Overall score 7.6/10
Pros
- + The most open camera here: RTSP, ONVIF, SMB NAS, HomeKit Secure Video, Alexa, Google, SmartThings and Matter all at once
- + Being a Zigbee hub and Thread border router as well means it replaces a $60-$100 hub you would otherwise buy
- + f/1.0 over a 1/1.8in sensor gives colour at night without leaving a spotlight on, at half eufy's price
- + PoE means one cable for power and data, and it runs from -30C, the widest temperature range in this set
Cons
- − PoE injector and switch are not included — budget another $20-$40 unless you already own PoE infrastructure
- − 8GB of eMMC and no microSD slot: without a NAS or HomeKit Secure Video your on-camera history is measured in hours
- − 2688x1520 is 4MP, noticeably short of the 4K on the Lorex and UniFi cameras at similar money
- − Aqara publishes no frame rate or bitrate for the camera anywhere on its US page
- − ONVIF arrived by firmware update, so a unit on old firmware will not be adopted by a third-party NVR until you update it
Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) review: what the specs say
HomeKit Secure Video over PoE with RTSP and ONVIF — the least locked-in camera here. At $199.99, Aqara's 2025 model sits at the premium end of the category — the security Cameras we compare run from $29.99 to $429.99. It scores 7.6/10 overall, calculated from published specifications across 8 categories rather than from a subjective impression.
Its strongest showing is Subscription Freedom at 9.5/10 — what the camera still does when you pay nothing — this category's trap dimension, because several drop to live view with no recording at all. The weakest is Power & Battery at 5.0/10, which is the trade-off to weigh before buying: if that is the specification you care about most, one of the alternatives below will serve you better.
Worth knowing before you buy: PoE injector and switch are not included — budget another $20-$40 unless you already own PoE infrastructure; and 8GB of eMMC and no microSD slot: without a NAS or HomeKit Secure Video your on-camera history is measured in hours. Every specification on this page comes from Aqara's own documentation or a verified retail listing — where a figure is not published, the table says so rather than estimating it.
Specifications and price last verified . Report an error
Full Specifications
| Max Resolution | Quad HD 2688x1520 (4MP) |
| Frame Rate at Top Resolution | Not published by Aqara on the US product page |
| Field of View | 133 degrees diagonal |
| Power Source | 802.3af PoE (48V, 0.27A) or USB-C 5V/2A. The box holds a power cable and an RJ45 waterproof kit — no PoE injector and no PoE switch |
| Battery Life Claim | Not applicable — PoE or mains powered |
| Night Vision | Colour night vision from a 1/1.8in sensor at f/1.0, with a 3W 3000K spotlight available if you want it |
| Weather Rating | IP65, rated -30C to +50C |
| Wi-Fi / Network | Dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz with WPA3 on the Wi-Fi model; this PoE model can use Ethernet instead. Also carries Zigbee 3.0 and Thread radios |
| Local Storage | 8GB encrypted eMMC on board plus SMB NAS backup, or HomeKit Secure Video. There is no microSD slot |
| With No Subscription | Everything. All seven AI detections run on the camera and recording goes to eMMC, your NAS or HomeKit Secure Video with no plan |
| Cheapest Plan | 0 $/mo |
| RTSP / ONVIF / NVR | RTSP and SMB NAS from launch; ONVIF added in firmware 4.3.4, which Aqara confirmed publicly and which lets UniFi Protect adopt it as a third-party camera |
| Connectivity | 802.3af PoE, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, 5GHz Wi-Fi, Zigbee 3.0, Thread border router, Matter controller, HomeKit Secure Video, ONVIF, RTSP |
| Material | Polycarbonate with a graphite-cooled sensor assembly |
| Warranty | 12 months |
Compare Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro, PoE (CH-C03E) With
Cheaper Alternative
Lorex 4K Smart Security Lighting Deterrence Bullet AI PoE Camera (E895AB) — $179.99