Swann AdvancedX™ Wired NVR 4K Security Camera System, 8 Channels, 4 PoE Dome Cameras Outdoor, 1TB HDD Storage, Color Night Vision, Smart AI Video Analytics/Alerts, Advanced Motion Detect

Great Image Quality, But the AI Needs Serious Work
As an experienced user of wired security camera systems (I’m upgrading from an older 1080p system where this is now and I have several other wired systems around a 500 acre former farm), I tested the Swann AdvancedX 4K NVR with four dome cameras primarily for monitoring perimeter access points and a backyard patio area over two months. My review focuses heavily on the system’s core performance: image quality and AI reliability.Installation (Physical vs. Digital)The majority of the effort in setting up this system is the physical labor of running the Ethernet cables for the Power over Ethernet (PoE) cameras. I’d estimate this is 90% of the job. However, once the wiring is done, the actual installation and connection of the Network Video Recorder (NVR) is surprisingly easy and straightforward. A minor point on the NVR itself: it is surprisingly lightweight, which doesn’t lend a premium feel, but this is a purely aesthetic observation and not a functional issue. It’s also worth noting that, as expected from a wired PoE system, I have experienced zero connectivity or dropout issues during my two months of testing.Image and Night Vision Quality: ExcellentThe 4K resolution is genuinely excellent. Both the daytime and the nighttime display quality are crisp and clear, providing the crucial detail needed to identify objects or activity. If you are solely looking for raw video footage, this system delivers high quality.AI Detection is Frustratingly UnreliableUnfortunately, the AI detection performance, which is a key feature of an advanced system like this, borders on useless. The system suffers from a critical lack of accuracy, exhibiting both frequent false positives and concerning false negatives.False Positives: It constantly detects objects that aren’t there. For instance, it frequently flagged a cat as a “human” and repeatedly registered “cars” from my enclosed patio, which is physically impossible. Later, it detected a raccoon as a person. That is problematic, because the farm is obviously in the countryside and animals often wander by.False Negatives: More critically, the system failed to detect me when I walked directly in front of three different cameras on separate occasions. If the primary purpose is security and reliable detection, this failure rate is a major concern.Storage and Functionality ConcernsThe included 1TB hard drive fills up quickly, especially with the volume of false detections recorded by the flawed AI. While the drive is expandable (the manual states it supports up to 6TB, which is a significant plus. Though others are saying 3TB), the core recording functionality has issues. I cannot get the system to simply loop record constantly, despite setting the option in the settings. It seems locked into only recording when motion or AI detection occurs, which is counter-intuitive for users who want continuous footage. Maybe this has something to do with the fact that I didn’t buy any cloud storage. Of course, there’s a perfectly good hard drive right there to record onto.Overall ValueThis is a decent system from a hardware perspective. The 4K cameras and night vision are impressive. However, the severe reliability issues with the AI detection and the inability to enable simple continuous loop recording compromise its utility as a primary security solution. These flaws make me hesitant to recommend it highly as a good value proposition for a security system at this price point. A security camera’s value is tied directly to its reliability, and in this aspect, the AdvancedX underperforms.

Phenomenal Security Camera System with Professional Quality Video. Awkward UI but workable.
So, I give this a full five stars because of the extreme functionality of the product and the camera quality. It is very nice with extremely high quality video and has advanced features to ensure you are only getting the notifications that you need (still needs some work, though).Additionally, I gave this 5 stars because of the form factor of the equipment and the installation ease. For me, the hardest part was finding my way INTO the house from the outside in my brick rancher. Once I discovered easier access above my soffits, I was good to go. The cameras look very nice and sleek in their locations and do a great job.I _may_ adjust my ranking over time if Swann doesn’t act upon some of the issues that need some attention, but don’t truly take away from the camera. These issues are below, but easily corrected with firmware upgrades.- AI detection. Plain and simple, it needs work. The number of “cars” that have been detected on my deck is problematic as there is no street visible from my backyard.- System UI. While it is usable with the mouse, there is no keyboard support and that is very frustrating to log in each time with a mouse clicking through password letters.- Notification and No-Notification Zones. I cannot seem to figure out, for the life of me. how to exclude areas from notifications. Sure, I want to see what is going on within my property boundary, but don’t need to know every car that has past us by. I have used the Phone App, the Main system, and still can’t get it to register. I will keep looking.- Phone App: It’s pretty good, but there are some learning curve items that need some time to get used to.At this point, you are probably asking why I still gave it 5 stars. Well, the video quality is great and high quality. I get the recording that I need (maybe more than I need) and it has 1TB of native storage, expandable to 3TB. It is definitely doing its job providing the footage around my home, and I know that the UI will only get better over time.