Lockly Vision Elite.

The Gavler Review.

Lockly Vision Elite Review: A Smart Lock That Wants to Replace Two Devices

The Lockly Vision Elite ranks sixth on Gavler's Best Smart Locks list with an 8.5, and it's built for a specific kind of buyer: someone renovating a front door who'd rather install one device than two. It's a full-replacement deadbolt with a built-in 1080p video doorbell camera and two-way audio, five ways to unlock it, and a randomized keypad that's genuinely clever security engineering. PCWorld's Christopher Null summed up the whole experience in one line: "Now if it could pick up the kids from school and cook dinner, we'd be set." The catch is installation — Null called it the most complex lock install he'd ever encountered, and that's not a small caveat for a $399 smart lock.

What it is

The Vision Elite folds a doorbell camera, a fingerprint reader, a numeric keypad, a physical key cylinder, and Wi-Fi app control into one deadbolt. Lockly's signature feature is the PIN Genie keypad: four circular touch zones each display three digits, and the arrangement shuffles every time you approach the pad, so nobody watching over your shoulder — or checking which numbers are worn from repeated fingertip contact — can reconstruct your code. The built-in camera does double duty as a motion-triggered security sensor with roughly 15 feet of infrared detection range, recording to a microSD card via an included Wi-Fi bridge that has to be wired to your router with ethernet.

Power comes from a large lithium-ion battery, charged initially by USB-C and then trickle-charged in place by a small solar panel built into the swing-away keyhole cover — a feature Lockly borrowed from earlier smart-deadbolt designs. A second battery ships in the box, so there's always a charged spare on hand if the lock doesn't get enough direct sun. Smart-home control runs through Alexa and Google Assistant; there's no Apple Home Key and no Matter support, so buyers building an Apple-first smart home should look elsewhere on this list.

In use

Once it's mounted, reviewers are consistent that the Vision Elite works well. PCWorld found the fingerprint reader flawless in testing — "I never encountered the slightest hiccup with it" — and praised the video quality day and night, along with clean integration between the doorbell button, motion recording, and the lock's own event log. CNET's take echoes the same conclusion from a different angle: "Lockly Vision Elite is the right renovation pick — replaces lock and doorbell camera at the same time with one install visit."

Getting to that point is the hard part. PCWorld's review is blunt about it: the Vision Elite has four separate wire connections between the exterior and interior halves of the lock, where most smart locks need just one, and two of those wire pairs use identical connectors that can only be told apart by a small red dot. Null spent close to half an hour on installation and registration — a real time commitment compared to most deadbolt swaps, and one worth planning around rather than discovering mid-project.

Strengths

• PIN Genie randomized keypad. Both PCWorld ("a brilliant innovation") and Tom's Guide ("genuinely clever") single this out — it's a real defense against shoulder-surfing and smudge-pattern guessing that no other lock on this list offers.
• Genuinely reliable fingerprint reader. PCWorld's testing found zero hiccups across repeated use, which isn't a given even on premium smart locks.
• Two batteries and solar trickle-charging. A spare battery plus a keyhole-integrated solar panel means the lock is unlikely to die on you without warning.
• One install replaces two devices. For a household without an existing doorbell-camera wiring run, that's a genuine convenience and cost savings versus buying a separate lock and doorbell.

The trade-offs — who should skip it

The Vision Elite is capable, but it asks more of the buyer than most locks on this list, and the honest weak points are specific:

• Installation is genuinely difficult. This isn't reviewer hyperbole — a 20-page manual, a nearly 5-pound device, and four wire pairs to match correctly is real friction for a DIY install. Budget extra time or plan to hire it out.
• No Apple Home Key, no Matter. Buyers standardizing on Apple's smart-home ecosystem will find the Vision Elite's Alexa-and-Google-only support limiting compared to Home Key–native locks elsewhere on this list.
• It's the priciest camera-lock combo here. At $399, it costs more than the no-subscription Eufy alternative, and its camera features lean more on optional cloud storage than Eufy's local-first approach.

How it compares

The Eufy Security Smart Lock E330 (Video) at rank seven is the direct rival and the no-subscription answer: a 2K integrated camera that stores locally with no required monthly fee, at a lower price than the Vision Elite, though it shares the same lack of Apple Home Key and Matter support. The Level Lock Pro at rank five takes the opposite design philosophy entirely — an invisible-from-outside deadbolt with native Apple Home Key and Matter-over-Thread, for buyers who'd rather their smart lock not look or act like one. If the camera integration is the reason you're shopping this category, the Vision Elite and the Eufy E330 are the two real options; if a discreet, Apple-native lock matters more, the Level Pro is the better starting point.

The Gavler verdict

An 8.5 that credits genuinely innovative security engineering — the PIN Genie keypad is a real differentiator, not marketing — bundled with an installation experience that reviewers across the board describe as the hardest they've encountered on a residential smart lock. The Lockly Vision Elite is the right buy for the renovation household replacing a lock and a doorbell camera in the same visit, and it will reward that buyer with a reliable fingerprint reader, solid video, and a five-year runway of features most single-purpose locks don't offer. For anyone who just wants a straightforward deadbolt upgrade, the install complexity alone is reason enough to look at simpler options first.

Common Questions

Is the Lockly Vision Elite worth it in 2026?

For renovation buyers who want to replace both a lock and a doorbell camera in one install, yes. It ranks sixth on Gavler's Best Smart Locks list with an 8.5. PCWorld called it 'a smart lock with a side of everything' and concluded that 'if you can get past the daunting price tag and the even more daunting install process, I predict most buyers will be fairly satisfied with their choice.' That install-complexity caveat is the real thing to weigh before buying.

Is the Lockly Vision Elite hard to install?

Yes, notably so. PCWorld's Christopher Null called it 'the most complex lock installation I've ever encountered' — a 20-page manual, a nearly 5-pound device, and four separate wire connections between the interior and exterior escutcheons, two pairs of which use identical connectors that have to be matched by a red dot marking. Budget real time for this install, or hire it out.

What is PIN Genie and does it actually work?

PIN Genie is Lockly's randomized keypad, where four touch areas each display three digits in a rotation that changes on every use, so an onlooker can't learn your code by watching your fingers or by checking which numbers show wear. PCWorld called it 'a brilliant innovation,' and Tom's Guide agreed it's 'genuinely clever' — a real security feature, not just a gimmick.

Lockly Vision Elite or Eufy Security Smart Lock E330 — which should I buy?

Buy the Vision Elite for its five entry methods and the PIN Genie randomized keypad if a 1080p camera and Wi-Fi-only smart home control (Alexa, Google) are enough for you. Buy the Eufy E330 if a no-subscription, locally stored 2K camera matters more than Lockly's extra entry options — Eufy's local-storage model means no recurring cloud fee for video history, where Lockly's camera features lean on optional cloud storage.