The Xiaomi Smart Cam C701 Pro now has a Philippine price: ₱5,849, and it is already on sale here. It is an indoor camera built around an unusual idea for its price band — instead of one lens, it uses two, pairing an 8MP ultra-wide with a 5MP telephoto to reach 9x hybrid zoom while recording in 4K. Xiaomi Philippines introduced it alongside three other pet-focused devices, and all four are selling now through Lazada, Shopee, and Mi Store Philippines outlets, as reported on July 15.
That local price is notable for a second reason. When the C701 Pro first appeared globally in April, Xiaomi had not announced any international pricing or release date for the Pro model. The Philippines is among the first markets to get a real number attached to it.
What the two lenses actually do
Most indoor cameras at this price use a single wide lens, then crop into the image when you zoom — which is why distant details turn mushy. The C701 Pro splits the job across two cameras, and Xiaomi's official product page lists the specifics:
- 8MP ultra-wide lens — f/1.6 aperture, 2.8mm focal length, 127-degree field of view, back-illuminated sensor
- 5MP telephoto lens — f/1.6 aperture, 8mm focal length, 6P (six-element) lens design
- 9x hybrid zoom — the two lenses working together, rather than digital crop alone
- 10 × 940nm infrared LEDs for night vision with no visible red glow
The 940nm detail matters more than it sounds. Cheaper cameras use 850nm infrared LEDs, which give off a faint red glow — annoying in a bedroom or a nursery. The 940nm wavelength is invisible to the eye.
C701 Pro vs the C701: what the Pro adds
Xiaomi already sells the standard C701 in the Philippines, so the fair question is what the extra money buys. The base C701 launched globally in September 2025 at €59.99 (around ₱4,200 at current rates) with a single 8MP lens and no optical zoom.
| Feature | Smart Camera C701 | Smart Cam C701 Pro |
|---|
| Lenses | Single 8MP | 8MP ultra-wide + 5MP telephoto |
| Zoom | No optical zoom | 9x hybrid zoom |
| Resolution | 4K Ultra HD | 4K (3840 × 2160) |
| Pan-tilt | Yes | 360° horizontal / 180° vertical |
| Tracking | Motion detection | Adaptive-speed tracking, 30% faster motor |
| Global launch price | €59.99 (around ₱4,200) | ₱5,849 PH price |
The second sensor is the core upgrade. Xiaomi also cites a rebuilt motor that rotates 30% faster, paired with adaptive-speed tracking that speeds up or slows down to match the subject — aimed squarely at pets that dash across a room faster than a normal pan-tilt camera can follow.
AI features and the privacy shutter
The camera runs its detection on a chip Xiaomi rates at 1 TOPS (one trillion operations per second — a rough measure of AI processing power). That local processing drives:
- Pet detection and human detection with alerts
- Crying baby detection — sends a notification when it hears an infant cry
- Abnormal sound detection — flags noises like breaking glass
- Virtual Fence — alerts only when someone enters or leaves a zone you draw, such as a kitchen or balcony
- Gesture control — an "OK" hand sign starts a two-way voice call to your phone
There is also a physical lens shield that covers the lens on demand, rather than a software-only "off" toggle. For an always-on camera pointed into your living room, a physical cover is the meaningful privacy feature.
Specs at a glance
From Xiaomi's official spec sheet (model MJSXJ31CM):
- Resolution: max 3840 × 2160, H.265 encoding
- Connectivity: dual-band Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax, 2.4GHz/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.4
- Storage: microSD card, 16GB to 256GB (sold separately)
- Power: 5V/2A wired adapter — no built-in battery
- Dimensions: 78 × 72 × 127mm
- Operating temperature: -10°C to 40°C
- Compatibility: Android 8 or later, iOS 14 or later; works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
Is ₱5,849 worth it for a Filipino household?
At ₱5,849 the C701 Pro sits above the usual ₱1,000–₱2,000 indoor cams that flood local marketplaces, and you are paying for the second lens and the zoom. If you only need to see whether the gate is closed or the helper arrived, a basic cam does that. The Pro earns its price in bigger spaces — a two-storey sala, a long hallway, a yard visible through a window — where 9x zoom turns a distant blur into a recognisable face.
Two practical cautions for local buyers. First, it is wired-only at 5V/2A, so plan around outlet placement and brownouts — there is no battery backup. Second, 4K H.265 streaming leans on your home broadband upload speed; H.265 is the more efficient codec and helps, but if your connection struggles, remote 4K viewing will stutter. Households on newer home broadband plans will have an easier time than those on entry-level DSL.
Worth noting for transparency: Xiaomi Philippines has not yet put up a dedicated C701 Pro product page on its own local site — the ₱5,849 figure comes from its Philippine launch announcement as carried by local tech outlets, and the listings on Lazada, Shopee, and Mi Store. Xiaomi's global site confirms the specs but carries no pricing.
The launch continues a busy stretch for the brand locally, following the Xiaomi 17T series' record first-day sales in the Philippines.
FAQ
How much is the Xiaomi Smart Cam C701 Pro in the Philippines?
It is priced at ₱5,849 and is available now through Lazada, Shopee, and the Mi Store Philippines website and physical stores nationwide.
Does the C701 Pro need a microSD card?
It supports microSD cards from 16GB to 256GB for local recording, but the card is sold separately and is not included in the box.
What else did Xiaomi launch in the Philippines alongside it?
Three other pet devices: the Smart Pet Air Purifier (₱5,699), the Smart Pet Food Feeder 2 (₱4,649), and the Smart Pet Fountain 2 (₱2,399).
