Ring Battery Doorbell Pro review: Feature-packed, pixel-deficient

Video doorbells have found their way into millions of homes, with Ring alone selling more than 1 million units annually. Since being acquired by Amazon for $1 billion in 2019, Ring’s product portfolio has grown to include home security cameras, alarm systems, doorbells and smart lighting.

Not too shabby for a company that unceremoniously rejected Shark Tank in 2013. While it now has more depth, its star player remains the video doorbell. I tested the company’s new Ring Battery Doorbell Pro last week.

Prices, specifications and availability

First, let’s look at where the Battery Doorbell Pro fits into the Ring lineup. Generally speaking, Ring divides its doorbells into two categories: wired video doorbells and battery-powered video doorbells. Both versions of the company’s doorbells come in standard, “Plus” and “Pro” models, with the Ring Battery Doorbell Pro being the latest in the battery range and the first battery model to carry the “Pro” moniker.

The wired version of the doorbell has a slimmer, more modern form factor, while the battery model’s external hardware is more similar to what Ring devices have looked like for about a decade. Additionally, Ring offers an “Elite” version of its wired doorbell aimed at commercial applications. As mentioned, the battery-powered range now culminates with the new Ring Battery Doorbell Pro.

The Ring Battery Doorbell Pro is available starting today at Amazon, Best Buy, and directly from the Ring website for $230.

Design and battery life

So what exactly does battery level mean?

While all current-generation battery-powered Ring doorbells can also be hardwired, Ring is quick to warn you that easily removable and rechargeable batteries should be As the primary power source, your home’s doorbell wiring only provides trickle charging, which may help extend battery life between charges.

In practice, if you don’t get many notifications, have a strong Wi-Fi signal, and don’t activate every smart setting, you can use a hardwire to power a “battery” video doorbell, but it will take quite some time. a long time. In fact, in my testing, I installed the new video doorbell with a 24% battery and hardwired it, and after 18 hours, it was at 36%.

If you buy a battery model and want to take advantage of the various software features and frequent motion detection the Ring offers, plan on charging the removable battery slightly more frequently.

If you talk to different users about their Ring Battery Doorbell models, some will report battery life in months, others in weeks. In my tests, the battery reached 1% 48 hours after installation. To be honest, whether a battery model actually requires frequent charging depends on a variety of factors.

If you buy a battery model and want to take advantage of the various software features and frequent motion detection the Ring offers, plan on charging the removable battery slightly more frequently.

The batteries in new Ring models like the Battery Doorbell Pro are easier to remove and recharge than past models. The front shell pops off easily and the rechargeable battery simply slides out from the bottom of the doorbell. Users can then charge the battery using the included USB cable.

Software experience and performance

Prices vary widely for some software and better audio

The Ring Battery Doorbell Pro is an easy-to-install, simple-to-use, and feature-rich smart video doorbell. While I certainly want to highlight the great features of the software that I enjoy using, let me start with my biggest complaint. The new doorbell represents the first “Pro” model in the battery range and is more than 50% more expensive than the “Plus” model.

I was disappointed to find that the hardware, especially the camera, is nearly identical to the Plus version. For such a price increase, not upgrading the camera at all seems like a missed opportunity to future-proof and deliver a value proposition to consumers. Note that competitors like Arlo and Lorex already offer video doorbells in 2K and 4K resolutions for less than the Ring Battery Doorbell Pro’s 1,536p price tag. Even the original Nest Hello doorbell from 2018 (which was my daily video doorbell when I wasn’t testing other doorbells) delivered a higher-quality image.

I was disappointed to find that the hardware, especially the camera, is nearly identical to the Plus version.

Some users will definitely appreciate the 150-degree vertical and horizontal field of view that the Battery Doorbell Pro offers, making it easier to spot packages, while others may prioritize video quality over other features. While the camera may be the same as on the much less expensive model, the new Pro version does come with an upgraded microphone and speaker, which Ring calls “Audio+.”

One aspect of this camera that I do find impressive is its ability to display full-color video at night. While other cameras may use infrared night vision that displays in black and white, the full-color nighttime images are a welcome bonus.

Where the Ring Battery Doorbell Pro really shines is in its software. Tools like 3D motion detection with a bird’s-eye view area leverage built-in radar and existing satellite mapping to create a detailed picture of the path people take to approach your door. Since the technology can detect depth using radar, users can select areas within which the Ring Doorbell will alert you to movement, but outside of which movement should be ignored.

This is useful if your front door opens onto a busy sidewalk, for example. Features like this can help eliminate some of the false notifications you might receive from video doorbells targeting high-traffic areas. Some may also find this useful for tracking anyone who may be wandering in front of your property, at least within range of the doorbell’s view.

These features, along with support for dual-band Wi-Fi and pre-roll, are the only improvements over the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus, and to be fair, we pointed out the lack of these features in our mid-term review. horizontal model. While these new and improved tools may find use cases for a specific audience, I think a real update or upgrade to the hardware may serve a broader range of consumers.

Conclusion: Should you buy the Ring Battery Doorbell Pro?

The latest addition to Ring’s battery-powered video doorbell range represents a well-rounded product that will serve millions of front doors well. If you’re not already in the video doorbell club, this model will be a good choice for most homes.

If you’re not already in the video doorbell club, this model will be a good choice for most homes.

It’s also clear that these features and improvements may be where home security and surveillance technology is heading. With a greater focus on predictions and smart tools or algorithms, there may not be a need to pursue the clearest, highest-resolution pictures at all. The Ring Battery Doorbell Pro is now available for pre-order to keep you connected and safe at home.