I rely on thermal cameras while testing phones to identify hot spots and see how hot they get while gaming. I’ve used Thermal Master’s P3 in the past, and the brand’s latest P4 camera has many of the same features and a new dual-lens system that shoots in visible light, which is an interesting addition.
The P4 normally costs $399, but it is up to $299 before Prime Day on the Thermal Master website. You can get an extra 10% off using the code THERMALLBF10dropping the price to $269. The Amazon link still listed as $399and the brand notes that it will drop to $269 (with the code included) starting June 22, when Prime Day begins in earnest.
Like other Thermal Master products, the P4 is quite tiny and setting it up is as easy as plugging it into your phone and installing the Temp Master mobile app. It works with all Android phones and I had no problems using it with my Vivo V70 Elite and X300. It also includes a cable extender in the box if you need a little more room to place the camera, and there’s a hard carrying case to store the P4 when not in use.
As for thermal imaging, the P4 is capable of measuring -4℉ to 1112℉ (-20℃ to 600℃) and is quite good at identifying hot spots on devices; This is what I used predominantly in the month I had it. I tested it with the Redmagic 11S Pro (which has a built-in fan) and it showed that the device’s fan was blowing hot air out of the phone in real time, which was interesting to see.
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The P4 has a fixed focus lens and the sensor has a resolution of 512 x 384, which is pretty decent in this category. The visible light sensor is a great addition this time and works in conjunction with the IR lens to make it easy to identify any overheating issues.
You get 12 color palettes and the image quality itself is a little better than previous Thermal Master cameras I used. Overall, it’s a reliable product that does a lot of things well, and if you need a thermal camera that you can use with your phone, the P4 gets my recommendation, particularly now that it’s down to $269.
