Cubo Ai Plus Review

CuboAi was founded in 2017 by a pediatrician, tech parents, and AI experts with the goal of creating a better baby monitor to meet varying needs. After researching the most pressing baby needs and monitoring goals, they set out to create a single product that was the first monitor to use AI proactively for baby safety and sleep. Their goal is to empower parents through technology.

Performance Comparison

Audio / Visual

The CuboAi has above-average video and sound. While the video is important for seeing cute details and getting more information, the sound alerts you to look at the monitor and can make or break your ability to sleep, so it is equally important.

The CuboAi earned an above-average score for sound. It offers a maximum volume of 102 dBa, and the sound is good quality with no distortion. This volume is likely to rouse most sleepers if the baby cries. The sounds are super clear, but there is an occasional skip of sound that distracts from the overall experience. It doesn't happen all of the time, and it isn't significant enough to be a deal breaker, but it would rate higher if it didn't happen.

The noise cancellation is where the sound score takes a dive. This option has a consistent volume sound from the parent unit of 56 dBa with chronic white noise. It has the sound of being in a car driving on the freeway with regular skipping that makes it less like white noise and not peaceful. It does offer sound activation, a feature designed to keep a monitor quiet if little ones aren't crying, but this one doesn't work that well with a consistent volume of 47 dBa coming through the monitor when closed overnight.

Video images were also better than average, though nothing to brag about compared to several other WiFi competitors in this group. The camera is 1080p with a tilt of 90 degrees but no ability to pan. While the field of view is large enough for an above-crib view of the entire crib, it is disappointing that the camera can not be removed side to side remotely.

The day images for the CuboAi have a lot of blue tones. The clarity is good enough, but it lacks contrast to give the letters a nice, legible pop. You can definitely see what is happening in the nursery, but the lack of true-to-life colors and contrast impacts some of the details and makes it less authentic to the real room.

The nighttime images are less impressive than the day images. While it is better than video quality from ten years ago, it isn't all that impressive. The clarity of the eye chart is limited, and you can no longer read the letters. The contract between the colors on the chart is negligible, with some shades not showing up or looking the same as others. Several competitors have images that allow 2 to 3 lines of the eye chart to be easily read and a clearer distinction between color shades.

Range

The CuboAi's range is based on internet connectivity and can be used wherever there is sufficient internet service. CuboAi currently only supports WiFi routers with WPA (WPA, WPA2) series encryption.

Ease of Use

The CuboAi performed well in our tests for ease of use. While you do need to download an app, set up an account, and connect your monitor, it wasn't particularly difficult for this kind of product. We think parents with tech knowledge who use app-connected devices regularly will not have difficulty navigating the app or setting up the monitor.

The app allows you to do other things with your phone while still viewing your baby with picture-in-picture capabilities. You can also continue to monitor sound from the nursery with the phone locked. Monitoring does stop when you accept a phone call, but you can swap back to the app while on the call to continue watching and listening to the monitor (deprioritized audio). We think these are important functions if you choose a smart device based monitor. Otherwise, you could lose monitoring capabilities when doing other things.

The app has loads of features and lots of menus. The icons are not labeled, and not all of them are intuitive, even if you use apps frequently. We had frequent connectivity issues during testing, and we think the sheer volume of features and information contained in the app could be quickly overwhelming. There are advanced menu settings that could be confusing or largely go untouched by those who lack tech savvy.

Battery Life

Our battery life testing is based on the parent unit of dedicated monitors. As a WiFi-enabled monitor that uses a smart device as the parent unit, we don't run a battery life test. Because the battery life of any device will be device dependant and based on how the device is being used outside of monitoring, it is harder to get a real look at how long the device will last when monitoring. Scores here for WiFi smartphone monitors are based on the average life of an iPhone battery of 9.6 hours. All devices will vary, and if battery life is a concern, you should take extra measures to keep your device plugged in.

Features

The Cubo is divided into tiers when it comes to features. Some are part of the basic free package, and others fall under the premium and ultimate tiers. The premium subscription is free for a year, but you'll eventually pay a subscription fee if you want all the functionality available in this tech-filled camera. In general, we are not fans of subscriptions, but even more so given the overall cost of this monitor before you even get to the monthly/yearly fees. This means the lifetime cost of the CuboAi is one of the highest in the group, and it is worth considering whether or not you want to incur this cost when other monitors offer similar features and functionality without the ongoing fees.

As we write this, the CuboAi Plus is about $280 without a sale. If you plan to use your monitor for about 3 years (the average for most parents), then there is at least a 2-year cost of $50-80 dollars, depending on the tier you choose. So your monitor over 3 years could be $380-$440. It could be as high as $520 if you choose to upgrade your first year from the free premium to the ultimate. Competitors with similar prices and features that do not have subscription fees would save you $100-240 in the first three years. If you use your monitor for multiple kids, the lifetime cost goes up for more years of full service.

In addition, we don't like when products (apps) essentially put it in your face every time you use their product that you are not getting the full benefit without buying something else. This feels like advertising to us and isn't our favorite when using a product we've already paid for. The app shows a full announcement ad at the top of the home screen that is distracting. However, some people may not be bothered by this, and it wouldn't be a big deal. It is a personal choice, but it is worth mentioning.

Basic Features

• 2-way talk
• Temperature and humidity sensors
• Night light
• Smart home compatible
• 3 stand or wall mount sets (depending on purchase)
• 1 year of CuboAi Premium included (paid subscription after that)
• Cry and cough detection
• Lullabies (Plus only)
• Smart Home integration (Plus only)
• Picture in picture
• Pair up to 5 cameras
• 8 possible viewers
• Continuous audio monitoring with a locked phone
• Motion detection (gross motor movement in the room)

Premium Subscription Plan Details (Extra Cost)

• Covered-Face & Rollover Detection
• Auto Photo Capture
• Danger Zone Detection
• Download the 18-hour Playback
• Download the Notification Event videos
• Sleep Sensor Pad AI Mode (additional purchase)
• Daily Highlights
• Nighttime Sleep Report
• 30 Days of Nighttime Sleep Reports Storage
• 30 Days Moments Wall Storage
• 1 Lullaby Schedule

Ultimate Subscription Plan Details (Extra Cost)

All of the above plus:

• Auto Photo Capture
• Danger Zone Detection
• Daily Highlights & Baby Monthly Journey
• Daytime Sleep Report
• Daily Sleep Summary
• Unlimited Sleep Reports Storage
• 90 Days Moments Wall Storage
• Music Therapist Playlist (28 songs included)
• Up to 10 Lullaby Schedules

In the Box

• 3 stand options
• Temp/hygrometer sensor
• Camera
• Cable
• Cable track

Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Levels

While the verdict on the impact of EMF on health is still out, we think it is best to err on the side of caution and think it might be important for some parents to choose products with the lowest EMF emissions. For this reason, we test EMF but do not include it in the scoring process.

In our tests, the CuboAi had an average reading of 0.07 V/m at 6 ft from the monitor. This is one of the lowest in the group, making it a potential choice for those who want the lowest EMF possible.

Security

Any WiFi-enabled monitor has potential security concerns and could possibly be hacked. We did not find any information on prior security concerns with CuboAi. CuboAi is CTIA cybersecurity certified and offers enterprise-level security (AES-256 bit) symmetric-key encryption/Encrypted data protection (TLS/SSL).

Should You Buy the Cubo Ai Plus Monitor?

The CuboAi is an adorable bird-shaped WiFi monitor that performed well during testing. It could be a contender for those who love features and want a monitor that can do it all. It offered better-than-average video images and sound activation (though it wasn't as effective as others). This unit is easy to mount, has a night light, and is easy to use, even if the app is overwhelming. However, the real downside for us is the overall lifetime cost if you plan to use this monitor for all its potential. While this monitor will work with a basic/free plan for basic functions, it requires an annual subscription to use all of the functionality and features. After the free one-year premium subscription, plans can cost between $50-80. So, using the monitor for more than a year will increase the lifetime cost significantly. The CuboAi is already a higher-priced monitor, so the additional year fee is offensive to us. However, we understand that for some, this fee will be acceptable and the features worthwhile. If you don't want to pay continuing yearly fees, then we recommend you look elsewhere. If you don't mind another subscription fee in your life, then it might be a possible option if it meets your monitoring goals.

What Other Video Monitor Should You Consider?

If your goal is the best video images, the Eufy S340 is our favorite. This option has versatile mounting options, a full swiveling camera for the biggest field of view, and sound features that create a quiet monitor when your baby isn't crying. The Eufy has loads of features like movement and motion monitoring, and there is no subscription fee. This WiFi-enabled monitor can be paired with multiple cameras and used by multiple viewers.

Manufacturer Video