TOPDON TS004 review

What a night out with it looks like

TOPDON lists a 256×192 sensor with 12 µm pixels at 50 Hz and <40 mK, a 13 mm lens with a 13.5° × 10.1° field, 1x to 8x digital zoom, a 0.32-inch 800×600 OLED, 32 GB and five palettes including a fusion mode. The diopter knob lets mildly nearsighted users skip glasses, per TOPDON.

By our calculator, the 13 mm lens detects a person at about 975 m and recognizes a coyote at about 135 m (150 yd). TOPDON is more cautious, stating 450 yd (410 m) to detect a person and 100 yd (91 m) to recognize one. Those are the numbers to plan with.

The battery is the surprise at this price: 5,000 mAh built in, rated at about 11 hours. At 330 g with an IP67 rating, it lives in a truck door pocket without complaint.

The catch

Short reach and a short warranty. The TS004 is honest about its range, and 256×192 is the floor for a useful thermal; past 150 yards it shows heat, not animals. TOPDON lists 1 year of warranty, against 5 years on the AGM Taipan V2 10-256 for about $135 more.

The battery cannot be swapped. When the 11 hours run out, it is USB-C and a power bank.

Great if…

• you want to see what is in the yard, the chicken run or the barn at night for the least money
• you want a thermal that lasts all night without swapping (built-in 5,000 mAh)
• you want IP67 and 32 GB of recording at this price

Skip it if…

• you hunt fields: TOPDON itself gives 100 yd to recognize a person
• you want a long warranty (1 year)
• you want a sharp picture past 100 yards (256×192)

What TOPDON promises

Points taken from the official US product page.

• The cheapest model here: $409.99 on sale at the TOPDON US store on November 9, 2026
• Longest stated battery life: about 11 hours on the built-in 5,000 mAh cell
• 256x192 sensor and 13 mm lens: fine for the yard and short fields, not for long ranges

Sensor, power and recording

Sensitivity: <40 mK (TOPDON US spec table). Battery: Built-in 5,000 mAh, about 11 h of use (TOPDON figure). Photo and video recording to 32 GB of built-in memory.

Price and availability

US price checked on November 9, 2026 at the TOPDON US store: $499.99, on sale that day for $409.99. Sale price shown on the TOPDON US store on November 9, 2026, no end date stated. The price at the store is the one that applies.

Buying advice

On sale at $409.99 (list $499.99) on the TOPDON US store on November 9, 2026, with no end date stated. At that price it ranks first under $500 in our budget ranking. For more reach, the TS004 Pro is $899.

The verdict

The TOPDON TS004 is the thermal to buy if you want to see what is in the yard, the barn or the near field for as little as possible: $409.99 on sale (list $499.99), the cheapest model we compare, with the longest stated battery life (about 11 hours). A 256×192 sensor and 13 mm lens keep it a short-range tool. It scores 8.5/10 overall and 8.8 on value; the 1-year warranty is the weak spot.

TOPDON US store