Qolsys IQ Card-S 319.5 Posts

The IQ Panel 5 family has officially arrived, and we now have stock available on nearly every model. The IQ Panel 5 family represents a major step forward in security system technology, featuring the Qualcomm DragonWing quad-core processor, Android 14, and built-in PowerG wireless support across all panel variants.

Stock is now available on every panel in the IQ5 family with the exception of the IQ5 Hub with AT&T LTE. As manufacturing ramps up, this panel will become available. We'll update this post when that happens.

IQ Panel 5 Family Variations

As the rollout continues, we will see additional variations become available. You can see a list of all of them below:

If you click any of the product links above for items that are not yet available, the product page will appear with a placeholder price. Once these items become available, we will update the pricing and this blog. You can bookmark this post and check back anytime to see the latest availability for the panel variation that interests you.

Daughter Cards

All IQ Panel 5 family panels come with PowerG built-in. If you need to support legacy wireless sensors from an existing system, you can add an optional daughter card. These are the same cards used with the IQ Panel 4 and are available now:

Accessories

Each IQ Panel 5 family system includes a SmartMount wall mount bracket in the box. The table stand is sold separately and works with all three panel models:

IQ Panel 5 Family Kits

Looking to get everything you need in one package? Our starter kits bundle a panel with the new PowerG+ sensors, the updated line of PowerG sensors featuring a sleeker, more modern design while delivering the same long-range, encrypted wireless performance PowerG is known for.

3-1 Kits are perfect for smaller homes or apartments. Each kit includes one panel, three PGP9303 door/window sensors, and one PGP9914 motion sensor.

10-1 Kits are ideal for larger homes with more entry points. Each kit includes one panel, ten PGP9303 door/window sensors, and one PGP9914 motion sensor.

IQ Panel 5 Kits:

IQ Hub Kits:

IQ5 NS Kits:

What is the IQ Panel 5 Family?

Like the IQ Panel 4 family, the IQ Panel 5 comes in three distinct variants designed to meet different installation needs and budgets:

IQ Panel 5 is the flagship model with a 7-inch HD touchscreen, built-in 13MP PortraitView camera for disarm photos, built-in glass break detection, dual microphones, and all the advanced features you would expect from a top-tier panel. The camera automatically captures photos without requiring manual tilt adjustment.

IQ5 Hub delivers the same 7-inch touchscreen experience and software interface as the IQ Panel 5 at a more accessible price point. It shares the same processor, operating system, and a similar feature set, making it an excellent choice for customers who want full touchscreen functionality without the flagship price.

IQ5 NS (No Screen) eliminates the touchscreen entirely. This panel is designed to be mounted out of sight and configured through the IQ Installer app available on iOS or Android. Status is conveyed through LED indicators: green for disarmed, red for armed. The IQ5 NS is ideal for installations where the panel will be hidden in a closet or utility room, and users prefer to control their system through the Alarm.com app, an IQ Remote keypad, or a third-party automation system like Control4.

IQ Panel 5 Family Comparison Chart

Key Improvements Over Previous Generations

All IQ Panel 5 family panels run on the Qualcomm DragonWing processor with Android 14, a significant upgrade from previous generations. The panels include Z-Wave 800-series modules with Z-Wave Long Range support, Bluetooth 5.0 + LE for touchless disarming, and LTE + WIFI dual-path communication. The hardware design has been refined with improved power supply, tamper switch, and SmartMount backplate for easier installation.

One major change from the IQ Panel 4 is how legacy RF sensor support is handled. The IQ Panel 5 family uses PowerG as the built-in wireless protocol. Legacy RF frequency support for 319.5 MHz (Interlogix/GE/Qolsys), 345 MHz (Honeywell/2GIG), or 433 MHz (legacy DSC) sensors is added through optional daughter cards rather than being built into separate panel SKUs. This simplifies the product lineup while still allowing easy takeovers of existing sensor installations.

Each panel supports up to 128 PowerG security devices, up to 128 legacy RF sensors (with daughter card), up to 167 Z-Wave devices, up to 100 PowerG automation devices, up to 242 user codes, and up to 4 partitions.

Choosing the Right Panel

Choose the IQ Panel 5 if you want the complete flagship experience with all available features, including the built-in camera for disarm photos, glass break detection, Live View and Live Answer for video doorbell cameras, Photo Frame, and weather display.

Choose the IQ5 Hub if you want the full touchscreen experience at a more accessible price point. The IQ5 Hub uses the same software interface and delivers the same capabilities as the IQ Panel 5.

Choose the IQ5 NS if you plan to mount the panel out of sight and control your system entirely through the Alarm.com app or an IQ Remote secondary keypad. This panel is also perfect for high-end automation integration. The IQ5 NS does not have a touchscreen, camera, glass break detection, or weather display, but it offers the same powerful processor and connectivity options at a lower cost.

Questions?

If you have questions about which panel from the IQ5 family is right for your installation, or if you need help setting up your new system, the Alarm Grid support team is here to help. Contact us Monday - Friday from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time, or email us at support@alarmgrid.com. You can also visit our site and take advantage of our live chat option.

The newest entry in the Qolsys "One Platform" lineup is the Qolsys IQ4 NS. This is basically an IQ4 Hub minus the touchscreen and a microphone. Qolsys is marketing this lineup as a Good, Better, Best offering with the IQ4 NS, IQ4 Hub, and IQ Panel 4 respectively filling each of those roles.

The "NS" in IQ4 NS stands for "No Screen." As a touchless panel, the IQ4 NS does not need to be installed in a visible location. It can be installed tucked away in a closet in the middle of the home or business. By installing in this way, the panel is protected from attack by intruders, and being centrally located it can provide the best range for Z-Wave and other RF devices.

In this world where seemingly everything has a touchscreen, you may be wondering how you control the IQ4 NS. There are a couple of options, actually. First, you can perform any tasks such as arming, disarming, checking status, and controlling automation devices using the Alarm.com mobile app. This app is available in both iOS and Android versions and is available as a free download from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

If you're looking for a more traditional security system experience, meaning you'd like to use a keypad, you have options there as well. The IQ Remote is compatible with all panel versions, and the IQ Remote-PG and some of the push-button PowerG keypads are compatible with the IQ4 NS when a PowerG daughter card is installed. Qolsys also plans to roll out a low-cost, battery-powered keypad called the IQ Keypad PowerG at the end of 2023. This is a basic, numerical keypad. It has an estimated three (3) year battery life and up to five (5) keypads can be used per system. It will work with all of the IQ4 panel lineup, as long as the panel supports PowerG.

To program the IQ4 NS locally, the IQ Installer Interface app is used. In addition, dealers can program the panel through the Alarm.com dealer portal. To program at the panel, simply download and install the free IQ Installer Interface app, open it, scan the QR code for the panel, located on the back of the unit, and follow a few onscreen prompts. You'll be programming the panel within minutes. The UI for the installer interface app is very similar to programming the IQ Panel 4 and IQ4 Hub through the panel touchscreen.

Qolsys has made the IQ4 NS a very modular system. Users can purchase a system with only the Z-Wave card installed, for example. This system can then be used as an automation hub only, perhaps in a newly constructed home, for demonstration purposes. When someone buys the home, they may then want to add security sensors. They can purchase a PowerG, 319.5MHz, 345MHz, or 433MHz daughter card to be installed into the panel. Now the same IQ4 NS is a full security system.

Because the IQ4 NS has no screen with which to relay information to the user, it has two (2) LEDs on the front of the panel that provide some information. The left LED indicates power and the right LED indicates security system status.

The table below shows the various LED states and their respective meanings:

Power LED
Solid Green	AC is present.
Flashing Green	System running on battery, AC power is down
LED OFF	System is Powered Down
Status LED
Solid Green	Disarmed, Ready to Arm
Flashing Green	Ready to Arm, with Zones Open
Solid Orange	System Trouble Present
Flashing Orange	RF Jam is Present
Solid Red	System Armed
Flashing Red	An Alarm has Occurred
Flashing Red (Rapidly)	Active Fire Alarm, Bell Silenced
Flashing Blue	Rebooting After an Update
Solid Blue	IQ Installer Pairing Mode

With no touchscreen interface on the panel, the power button also has some additional functionality on the IQ4 NS. See the chart below for details:

Power Button
Press and Hold, 3 Seconds	Panel Powers On, if Currently Off.
Press and Release, While Disarmed	Announces Alarms, Troubles, and any other Status. Alarms and Troubles can be Cleared by Pressing and Releasing again, after Annunciation Ends.
Press Twice within 3-Seconds, While Disarmed	Initiates a Pairing Window for the IQ Installer App. If Enabled in Programming, May Also Initiate a Cell Test.
Press and Hold for 30-Seconds	Initiates a Hard Reboot.

Links for the various versions of the IQ4 NS can be found below:

Not all versions of the IQ4 NS are available just yet, but as they roll out, we'll add links to those panels in the chart above. We've been, frankly, unimpressed with prior manufacturers' all-in-one panels with no touchscreen, but the Qolsys IQ4 NS seems to have been well thought out. We'll see how popular it is with our customers.

What do you think about this type of screenless panel? Would you consider purchasing one? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. It seems that every manufacturer of all-in-one, professional-grade security panels decides to try a screenless panel at some point. It will be interesting to see if Qolsys can succeed where others have failed.