Smart features easily become impressive specifications that never get used. Before buying, answer one question: which manual task is this replacing?

• Know the algorithm class: pixel-change motion detection is cheap but noisy; object-based analytics such as person, vehicle and line crossing are far more usable; face matching and attribute recognition are advanced functions demanding more from both imaging and platform.
• Compute and channel count: on-device compute determines how many analytics can run at once. Confirm the frame rate still holds with everything enabled.
• Linkage capability: analytics only deliver value when combined with actions — recording, snapshot, upload, siren or light output. Check what the back-end platform can trigger.
• False-alarm control: ask about target-size filtering, region exclusion, schedule rules and alarm de-duplication. These decide whether alerts are usable at all.
• Upgrade path and ecosystem: models that accept updated algorithms and remote model deployment stay useful for longer.

Recommended approach: pilot at one real position for two weeks, measure accuracy and false-alarm rates, and only roll out at scale once the numbers are acceptable.