TP-Link Tapo A201 solar panel review: best for security cameras

The TP-Link Tapo A201 is our Best for Security Cameras pick: 2.5W that keeps a Tapo battery camera running on about 45 minutes of daily sun, for around ₱1,200. It solves one problem completely.

What problem does it solve?

The ladder. A battery security camera needs taking down and recharging every few weeks, and that job gets old fast, especially on a second floor or a gate post. This panel ends it. 45 minutes of direct sun a day is enough to keep the camera running continuously, and in this country that is an easy bar to clear.

The 4m cable is what makes it practical rather than theoretical. Cameras go where you need to watch, which is often a shaded corner. The cable lets you put the panel somewhere sunny and run the lead back.

Is it built for the weather?

IP65, which means it handles rain and dust. That is the right rating for something bolted to an outside wall, and TP-Link states a 1-year warranty.

Worth being precise: IP65 is rain-resistant, not submersible. The bigger panels in this roundup are IP68, which survives being under water. For a wall-mounted camera accessory, IP65 is the appropriate spec, not a shortfall.

The mount has flexible angle adjustment, so you can aim it after it is up rather than getting the position perfect first time.

What can it not do?

Everything else. 2.5W is a trickle sized for one camera. It will not charge a phone, will not feed a power station, and works only with Tapo battery cameras. The connector is USB, so there is no DC plug for a solar input.

That is not really a criticism, it is the design. Just do not buy it expecting a small solar panel in the general sense.

Is the Tapo A201 Solar Panel sulit?

Around ₱1,200 as of August 2, 2026. Check the latest price on Shopee. Judged on cost per watt it is by far the worst number in this roundup, and that comparison is meaningless: you are not buying watts, you are buying the end of a recurring chore.

The better frame is that it costs roughly what one Tapo camera’s worth of convenience is worth, and it pays for itself the first year in trips you do not make. It is the most popular panel in this roundup, from TP-Link’s own Philippine Shopee store, with a strong owner rating behind it.

Who the Tapo A201 Solar Panel suits

Buy this if you own a Tapo battery camera and you are tired of taking it down to charge. It is the right choice for a gate, a garage, or a second-floor wall. It is the wrong buy for anything that is not a Tapo camera. See how it ranks in our best solar panels in the Philippines roundup, or browse more on our Home Improvement page. Our solar panel buying guide explains why matching a panel to its job matters more than raw wattage.

If the Tapo A201 Solar Panel is not right

If you want a small panel that charges phones instead of cameras, the EcoFlow 28W Portable has USB-C and USB-A ports at around ₱4,000 and folds to the size of a book. For a real power-station panel, the EcoFlow 125W Bifacial is our Best Overall at around ₱9,000.