Affordable 5MP PoE CCTV with 2TB storage, but not a premium system

Is the ZOSI 5MP PoE CCTV Camera System worth buying? Yes, if you want an inexpensive PoE kit with 24/7 recording, a 2TB HDD, and human detection at £195.99. It is less convincing if you want the sharpest image quality or the most polished app experience, because the spec sheet is modest next to pricier rivals and the review count is still limited at 18.

First impressions

At £195.99, this ZOSI kit sits in budget-to-midrange territory, and the value proposition is clear: 4 cameras, an 8-channel H.265+ NVR, built-in 2TB storage, 100ft night vision, and remote access. The current price is also the all-time lowest, which makes this a better buy now than at a typical retail price of £219.99. For UK buyers looking for a wired system that records continuously rather than relying on cloud subscriptions, that matters more than flashy marketing.

What do you actually get?

The headline spec is 4MP UHD video at 25fps, which is a sensible step up from basic 1080p systems. In practical terms, 4MP should give you more usable detail for faces, clothing, and general activity than lower-resolution kits, especially on a driveway, side passage, or front garden. The system also includes 100ft night vision, so it is designed to cover typical domestic distances without needing extra lighting.

ZOSI’s human detection is another useful feature because it should reduce pointless alerts from swaying branches, passing cats, or general motion. That said, the listing only says “advanced person detection technology,” so buyers should treat it as a filtering feature rather than a guarantee of perfect AI accuracy.

How does it perform for everyday home security?

For a wired PoE system, the biggest strength is reliability. Plug-and-play PoE means each camera only needs a single network cable to carry power and data, which is simpler and more stable than Wi‑Fi cameras in awkward outdoor locations. That is especially useful if you want 24/7 recording and do not want to worry about weak signal, battery charging, or missed clips.

The built-in 2TB security-grade HDD is a major practical advantage at this price. It means the system is ready to record out of the box, and the NVR’s H.265+ compression should help storage efficiency compared with older recording formats. The listing does not specify exact retention days, so storage duration will depend on camera settings and motion activity, but 2TB is a meaningful starting point for a 4-camera kit.

Remote viewing is included through the ZOSI Smart app, allowing live and recorded footage playback from a smartphone. That feature is now standard on many CCTV kits, but app quality matters. ZOSI does not provide enough detail here to judge whether the app is especially fast or intuitive, so I would treat remote access as a useful convenience rather than a selling point.

Build quality and outdoor suitability

The listing says the cameras are weatherproof, which is essential for UK outdoor use, but it does not provide an IP rating. That is a gap: without a stated IP code, you cannot compare durability as precisely as you can with products that clearly list IP66 or IP67. For a home owner, that means the system is suitable for outdoor installation in principle, but the lack of a published rating is a mild warning sign.

Is it good value for money?

At £195.99, this is far cheaper than the main alternatives provided. The Reolink 4K NVR 8CH PoE system costs £389.99 and carries a 4.4★ rating, while the ieGeek 8MP+2TB HDD PTZ system is £284.99 with 4.4★, and the Reolink 4K PoE 8MP system is £424.99 with 4.3★. ZOSI undercuts all three by a wide margin, but it also offers a less ambitious spec: 4MP cameras rather than the 5MP/8MP options found in the pricier kits.

That makes the ZOSI system good value only if your priority is dependable wired recording at the lowest price, not top-tier image detail or advanced camera features like PTZ, colour night vision, or automatic tracking.

What should buyers watch out for?

The main warning is that the product has only 18 reviews and a 4.2/5 rating, so the sentiment is positive but still based on a relatively small sample. Another limitation is the lack of a stated IP rating, which makes it harder to judge long-term outdoor resilience. Also, the product title says 5MP PoE CCTV Camera System, but the listed cameras are 4MP; that mismatch is something buyers should double-check before ordering.

How does it compare to alternatives?

Against the £389.99 Reolink 4K kit, the ZOSI is dramatically cheaper but less detailed and likely less refined in software and hardware. Against the £284.99 ieGeek system, ZOSI loses features such as 360° PTZ, AI human and vehicle detection, and colour night vision, but wins on upfront cost. If you want the simplest path to a hard-wired system with recording built in, ZOSI is the budget pick; if you want the strongest feature set, the more expensive kits are ahead.

Final assessment

The ZOSI 5MP PoE CCTV Camera System is a practical buy for homeowners who want cheap, wired, 24/7 recording with human detection and 2TB storage. It is not the most advanced kit here, and the vague weatherproofing details plus the 4MP/5MP naming inconsistency are real cautions, but at the current all-time low of £195.99 it delivers a lot of core security hardware for the money.