Motorola MBP846 Connect baby monitor review

Despite all the bells and whistles, it still comes in much cheaper than the Angelcare AC527 Baby Movement Monitor (199.98 on Amazon).

Tested by:

Sarah Dawson is a freelance journalist who lives in a small village in Leicestershire, with her husband, their 3-year-old son Wilfred and 6-month-old baby Edie. She tested the Motorola MBP846 Connect Smart Baby Video Monitor with her baby girl.

First impressions?

The camera unit is surprisingly stylish and the parent monitor has a huge screen – measuring 4.3 inches diagonally.

How easy is it to set up?

It really couldn’t be easier. Plug in the camera and point it in the right direction, then just charge up the parent unit and you’re good to go.

Setting up the smartphone access was really simple, too. All you have to do is download the Hubble app and follow the prompts to sync it with your camera. I was all set up in a matter of minutes.

What are the key features of the Motorola MBP846?

This monitor can be used as a standard video monitor at home, but if you download the free Hubble app, you can access the video stream remotely so that wherever you are – at work, on a night out, or leaving your little one with your other half for the weekend – you can check on your baby.

You can even speak to them using the talk-back function, which works remotely.

You can also use the app to chart and track your baby’s sleep patterns and, if you upgrade (for a fee), you can record videos and take photos to share with family and friends.

The monitor can also be used as a soothing sleep aid, offering an impressive selection of lullabies, nursery rhymes and calming music including ocean sounds and white noise, which can be played via the parent unit.

And if your toddler is always asking for one more story, there’s a function to play one of the bedtime stories through the monitor, too.

Does the Motorola MBP846 Connect Smart Video Baby Monitor have an adjustable camera?

Yes – this is one of the things I love most about the product. The camera can be adjusted up and down, and left and right, all from the parent unit – a total lifesaver if you’ve accidentally knocked the camera out of position slightly when walking out the room or if you want to get a better view of your baby.

MFM tester Jennifer, mum of 2, also praised this feature, "I love the pan option. I find with hoovering/cleaning a room the camera can be moved and with the pan feature I don't have to go back into the room to correct it."

How easy is it to position everything correctly?

It’s simple – although the camera is quite sensitive, so it’s best to move it slowly to get the position you want.

What is the sound quality like?

Once I’d realised you have to adjust the microphone so that it points in the right direction, the sound quality was really impressive. The monitor is able to pick up even the quietest grumbles from my baby and you can select from eight different volume settings.

How was the background noise?

Despite being able to pick up even the quietest noise from the nursery, I was amazed that the monitor wasn’t set off by my pre-schooler bombing around just outside the baby’s room. I wish I could tune out background noise as well as the Motorola MBP846!

What is the picture like on the Motorola MBP846 Connect Smart Video Baby Monitor?

The large, 4.3in diagonal screen gives a great, high-definition picture – both in colour and infrared night vision. The picture quality is excellent, and you can zoom in if you need to.

Does the Motorola MBP846 Connect Smart Video Baby Monitor have a voice-activation function?

When a noise is detected by the camera, the parent unit lights up – I liked the extra peace of mind this gave, especially at night when I would have the volume on the parent unit turned down quite low. You can also choose to get notifications on your smartphone or tablet when any noise is detected.

Is there a talk-back function on the Motorola MBP846 Connect Smart Video Baby Monitor?

Yes, there’s a two-way talk-back function – you just press the microphone symbol on the parent unit to talk to your baby. As my little girl is only six months, I found the talk-back function more useful for asking my husband where he’d put the wet wipes! But I know it'll come in handy as she gets older.

One thing we did notice was that there was a slight delay in the audio kicking back in after you’ve pressed the microphone button, so sometimes you’d miss the other person’s reply. Cue a lot of repetitive conversations until we finally caught the gist of what each other was saying!

Was there any interference?

There was no interference at all.

Did the various entertainment modes work well for your baby?

As my baby has been falling asleep to a specific white noise machine since she was born, I was too scared to rock the boat and try something new, as at six months she’s finally started to give us some decent sleep!

However, if we had had this monitor from birth, with its range of soothing sounds, we wouldn’t have needed to buy a white noise machine.

Does it have a temperature indicator?

The room temperature is permanently displayed on the parent unit – and you can choose to get notifications on your smart device if the room temperature dips too low or it gets too hot in the baby’s room (you can set the temperature yourself and choose whether to have it displayed as C° or F°).

Does the Motorola MBP846 Connect Smart Video Baby Monitor offer data analysis of baby’s sleep and, if so, did you use this?

The Hubble app provides a free baby tracker, where you can track your baby’s sleep, how often they feed, and have their nappy changed, and so on.

If this was my first baby, I’d definitely have tracked all of this, but to be honest I didn't feel I needed it with my second child as I'd had previous experience of establishing a routine.

Does the Motorola MBP846 Connect Smart Video Baby Monitor operate via Wi-Fi, and, if so, how secure is it?

It does, but Motorola claim it’s a secure and private connection.

Does it operate on mains or battery, or both?

The camera operates solely on mains, but the parent unit works via mains and battery. For the whole time I’ve been using this monitor I have never known the parent unit to run out of battery, despite being on for various daytime naps and for at least five hours in the evening before plugging in at the mains overnight.

What did you like most about the Motorola MBP846 Connect Smart Video Baby Monitor?

For me, the large screen, super-clear picture (daytime and infrared night vision) and excellent audio are the stand-out features of the monitor. These are what I would always look for when choosing a baby monitor, and the Motorola MBP846 delivers big-time, offering total reassurance that you know exactly how your baby is doing.

The ability to watch the live video stream in HD on my smartphone is another huge plus. It offers a lot more freedom and extra peace of mind for parents – especially as the video quality is so clear.

Who would this monitor be best for?

This is such an all-rounder, it’s the kind of monitor that will grow with your baby from birth right up through the toddler and pre-schooler years. It’s also perfect for parents who want to be able to check in on their baby when they are away from home, thanks to the Hubble app.

Is the Motorola MBP846 Connect Smart Video Baby Monitor good value for money?

Yes, although £139.99 might feel pricey for a baby monitor, the Motorola MBP846 Connect is really innovative, boasting a lot of amazing features, excellent quality and it looks great, too.

Would you recommend it?

Absolutely. It’s the best baby monitor I’ve used or come across in my (almost) four years of parenting.

Where can I buy the Motorola MBP846 Connect Smart Video Baby Monitor?

It’s available from Argos, John Lewis and Amazon

MadeForMums verdict

The Motorola MBP846 Connect Smart Video Baby Monitor is an innovative gadget that really impressed. It's a good-looking and well-priced monitor, which offers stand-out HD video and clear audio and the ability to watch live video of your baby via your smartphone when you’re away from home.

Extra touches, like being able to pan, tilt and zoom the camera, as well as play a selection of soothing music via the parent unit, makes this a truly excellent all-rounder.

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