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eufy Security Video Smart Lock FamiLock S3 Max with Palm Vein Recognition

eufy Security Video Smart Lock FamiLock S3 Max with Palm Vein Recognition

By eufy · Video Doorbells · Cleaning & Smart Home · More from eufy

  • Palm vein unlocking in 0.6s
  • 2K HD camera with 150° wide-angle doorbell
  • 4-inch 1080p internal video screen
  • 15,000mAh rechargeable + 4 AAA backup battery, up to 5 months
  • IP65, -22°F to 158°F

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Problems, parts and running costs

Summary

An all-in-one deadbolt that adds a 2K video doorbell, a palm-vein reader and a 4-inch screen inside the door, with local storage and no required subscription. Check the space in front of your door first: a storm or screen door blocks the camera and the palm scanner.

Strengths

  • Palm vein entry is quick once hand placement is learned, and testers got it right away.
  • The inside screen shows who is at the door without reaching for a phone, which helps children and older family members.
  • Local recording for basic clips needs no monthly subscription.
  • Daytime 2K video is sharp, and PCMag found the black-and-white night view held detail to about 20 feet.
  • Alexa and Siri commands reached the lock instantly in PCMag’s testing.
  • One unit replaces a separate deadbolt, doorbell and camera.

Weaknesses

  • Expensive next to a plain keyless deadbolt.
  • Low-light video is only adequate, with no spotlight to compensate.
  • A storm or screen door in front of the entry can block both the camera and the palm scanner.
  • Matter exposes lock and unlock only; live video, palm enrolment and settings stay in the eufy app.
  • No IFTTT support, and Wi-Fi is 2.4 GHz only.
  • Owners report firmware lockouts, calibration failures and slow live view, so keep a mechanical key somewhere outside.

Verified specifications

ModelFamiLock S3 Max, US deadbolt variant E85V0JY1.
Unlock methodspalm vein, app, voice control, password and physical key.
Palm veinabout 0.6 seconds to recognise, up to 50 users; PIN codes up to 100.
Camera2K HDR with infrared night vision; the maker rates 150° horizontal and vertical and 180° diagonal.
Interior display4-inch 1080p color screen acting as a digital peephole.
Motion detectiondual sensors with a range up to 6 m (19.6 ft) and a claimed 95% cut in false alarms.
Powerremovable 15,000 mAh rechargeable pack plus four AAA backup batteries, charged at 5V/2A, with a USB-C emergency power port.
Battery lifeup to 5 months by eufy, about 4 months in eufy’s battery FAQ, and up to 6 months in How-To Geek’s testing.
Auto-lockdoor-sensor based.
Weather and temperatureIP65, working from -22°F to 158°F (-30°C to 70°C).
Connectivitydirect 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth; Matter carries lock and unlock only, no video, with Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home and SmartThings support.
Door compatibility35-55 mm thick, standard North American deadbolt prep.
HomeBaseworks with HomeBase 3, not HomeBase 2.
Dimensionsexterior 7 × 2.7 × 1.1 in and interior 7.9 × 3 × 1.2 in (PCMag); Tom’s Guide measured 6.9 × 2.9 × 1.1 in and 7.8 × 2.9 × 1.4 in.
Warrantyup to 12 months on the older FamiLock page; the current US policy states 18 months for electronic parts and 36 months for mechanical parts.
In the boxinterior and exterior escutcheons, deadbolt assembly, strike plate, two keys, mounting hardware and a quick-start guide.
Full research notes and sources

Palm vein entry and the app

The palm reader is the reason to pick this lock over a keypad, and independent testers liked it. PCMag called it speedy and reliable, and How-To Geek found it worked very well, with recognition advertised at about 0.6 seconds and room for up to 50 people. Tom’s Guide was more measured, describing the scanner as decently quick and noting that hand placement takes practice at roughly 4 inches from the sensor. One owner who ran an S3 Max for about 1.5 years reported weaker recognition in direct sunlight before switching to a eufy E40, so weigh how much sun your door gets.

The lock runs through eufy’s app for palm enrolment, events and settings; older reviews note that a few units showed only battery status on the inside screen while video stayed in the app. Matter carries lock and unlock only, so the camera stream does not reach Apple Home, Alexa or Google Home no matter what the box implies. Adding a HomeBase 3 brings a chime and AI facial recognition, though the lock will not auto-unlock for a recognised face.

Battery, charging and running costs

The 15,000 mAh pack is removable, and eufy rates the lock at up to 5 months per charge; its own battery FAQ says about 4 months at ten unlocks a day, and How-To Geek saw up to 6 months. A full charge takes roughly eight hours at 5V/2A, so a spare pack is the practical fix for charge downtime, and eufy sells a compatible one for $36.99 (eufy direct, October 2026). One owner reported 75% remaining after about a month of heavy surveillance use.

Four AAA cells provide emergency power once the main pack is low, but they run PIN entry only, not the camera or palm reader. Target’s Energizer MAX AAA 8-pack at $6.49 works out to about $3.25 for the four cells a full swap needs. Basic on-device recording needs no subscription, and an Echo speaker can serve as a doorbell chime, since none is bundled.

Fitting it to your door

This is a full deadbolt replacement, not a retrofit that clamps over your old thumb-turn, so the door needs standard North American prep and a thickness of 35-55 mm. The two escutcheons are large and heavy, and reviewers warn that they overwhelm narrow or decorative doors. How-To Geek installed its unit in about 15-20 minutes.

The bigger catch is sightlines. A storm or screen door in front of the entry blocks the camera and the outdoor palm zone, and unlike a separate doorbell you cannot move the camera to a better angle. Test bolt movement with the door open before you trust auto-lock, because at least one owner hit a calibration error where the deadbolt would not motor.

Is it worth it?

The S3 Max is aimed at people who want one device instead of a lock, a doorbell and a camera. eufy lists it at $399.99 (eufy direct, October 2026), with a $359.99 figure appearing on a eufy category page, and Best Buy listing the same E85V0JY1 at $279.99 in one saved view and $329.99 in another.

Dropping the inside screen saves money: the screenless FamiLock S3 is $349.99 direct, and the FamiLock E34 is $279.99 direct but has no video doorbell or screen. Above $400 it is hard to justify unless the single-device setup and the inside screen solve a specific problem for your door.

Which model this is

This page covers the FamiLock S3 Max, the black US variant sold under model E85V0JY1, and its US listing is ASIN B0DTHMFMKP; a white version also exists. Don’t confuse it with the screenless FamiLock S3, the FamiLock E34 and E40, or the Video Smart Lock S330 and E330. The S3 Max is the model that combines the palm-vein reader, the video doorbell and the 4-inch inside screen in one deadbolt.

Sources

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Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

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