Customer Ratings & Reviews

We got this newer Ring doorbell to replace an older one. The video resolution is amazing. It also shows a wider area including more of the ground to see packages and one can enlarge seeing much more details compared to the older Ring doorbell. We also have it programmed with Alexa to turn on the front yard lights when it senses motion at night and turn them off a few minutes later.

The Ring Wired Doorbell (newest model) with Retinal 2K image and a wide angle set up is a great addition for front door security. I was replacing a 10 year-old Ring Wired doorbell (one of the originals) with this new device. In order to get set up, you need to have the Ring app installed on your phone, and set up an account. I have had Ring products for years, so already had this set up, but creating a new account is quick and simple. You then need to choose 'add device' in the Ring app. It will ask you to scan the QR code on the back of the Ring device. This is a little fiddly, you have to have the right lighting, and the zoom function in the app really helps. Once you have scanned the QR code, you are provided with easy, step-by-step instructions for installation. If you have a previous Ring doorbell camera, you will need to remove the original chime adapter that you'll have placed on your original doorbell chime mechanism. Once you remove that, you need add the supplied jumper lead to the chime. After that, installation is really pretty simple. If you had a previous Ring doorbell installed, the footprint of this new doorbell is slightly different, so you will have to drill new holes in order to mount it. I was able to use one of the previous holes I had set up, but I did need to drill one new hole. If you are replacing a standard doorbell, you will need to potentially drill two new holes to mount the new Ring doorbell. Once you have placed the mounting plate over the wires (run them through the center of the plate) and screwed it to the wall, the connection to the back of the Ring doorbell is simple. There are two screws that you back out slightly, and then you place the (in my case) red and white wired behind the screws and tighten them down. It doesn't matter what orientation you have them, as long as you make sure the wires DO NOT TOUCH each other. As you do this, the doorbell button will light up blue and it will make a sound. You can then place the doorbell on the mount from the top first, feed the wires behind the doorbell, and secure the doorbell in place with the security screw on the bottom. Now, in the instructions, they state that if your wiring isn't long enough, you can use the included extensions and wire nuts to extend the wires, but my doorbell did NOT come with any extension wires, or wire nuts in the kit. Not sure if these were missing, or if that is an error on the instructions in the app. But just note there are no wire extensions in the kit. You are then taken to a settings menu, the Ring doorbell will update right away, that takes a couple of minutes, and then you are good to set up the doorbell in the app. You can change the motion detection, they type of detection, they types of detection that you want to be notified. You can change the motion parameters, the zones that are monitored, it's very flexible. Something that was on my previous Ring doorbell camera was color night vision, and this Ring doorbell does not have color night vision. However, the 2K Retinal image is so much clearer than the original doorbell that I had in place, so it is definitely worth the upgrade. You can get the 4K version that does have color night vision in place. The field of view is much greater than the original Ring doorbell, and the quality is superb. You also have the opportunity to enhance the zoom by 6x, which is great for capturing details, or looking loser that things a little further away in frame. There are AI prompts available for free for 30 days, and then it's part of your Ring subscription (should you choose to subscribe to their service). The AI prompts will tell you if its a person that noted, a vehicle or something else. It will also tell you what they are doing, for example in my image, the prompt shows 'there is a person crouched on the porch trying to open the door'. Very explicit information. Through your Amazon account, you can also have the camera show up on your Echo products, or even your TV when the doorbell is rung, which is a nice feature as well. Overall, in the 3 days that I've had it installed, I've had not issues with it at all, it if functioning as I would expect it to, and has enhanced the security at my front door. Very happy with the new Ring doorbell.

I've been using the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2, and it's a few years old already. I saw this 2026 version with 2K Retinal resolution and thought this could be an upgrade. But I was wrong. But to give a fair review, I will tell you the things that I do like about the Doorbell. The 2K resolution is very clear and really nice. I noticed I could see a little bit farther, and you can zoom in up to 6x. This is a great feature to have if you want to see something towards the sidewalk. It was easy for me to install since I already have an existing wired doorbell. Not only was it easy to install the hardware, but the software install was also easy to follow. There was an option to even replace it in the Ring app, but it doesn't really replace it because your old doorbell will still continue to show up. One thing to note is the footage will not carry over from your previous Ring Doorbell to the new one. Before removing your old doorbell, you may want to save the footage that you want to save. But if you never had a Ring Doorbell, then you wouldn't worry about it. If I was directly comparing it to my older doorbell pro, here are the things that I will miss. My old Doorbell Pro has color night vision. This one has black and white night vision. It's not that big of a deal because we have lights in the front porch, so it's always going to be colored. The only time it will be black and white is if we didn't have electricity during the night or someone turned off the lights in the front. My old Pro has 3D motion detection which uses radar and can be more precise when someone steps into the zones it is monitoring. That one for me isn't really too important, because as soon as they get into the zone, anyway, it will start recording. For me, I think the biggest miss is it doesn't ring in my existing in-home chime. If my phone is not close by, then I may not hear the doorbell ring. If you have other smart devices around the house that connect to the Ring, then it can notify you, so it all depends on what you have in your home. But since I already have the Ring chime, then it would no longer be used, and I think that's a big convenience factor for me. If you're looking for a doorbell with basic features, this is actually a little bit beyond basic because of the 2k resolution and the zooming capability, but just keep in mind the other options that it does not have. If you currently have a Ring Doorbell Pro, check which version it is and what features you may be losing if you purchase this doorbell. For me, the Ring chime is an important feature, but I'm going to try it out for a few more days to see if it is something that I will miss. Otherwise, this is a solid doorbell if you just want a smart doorbell. The other thing I want to mention is it doesn't come with an angle bracket, so if your existing doorbell wiring isn't facing the area you want to monitor, you're going to need an angle bracket. When you search for it, make sure it is for the 2026 version. You should be able to find some for under $20.

My review of the new Ring - Wired Doorbell with Retinal 2K with wide-angle video, up to 6x Enhanced Zoom, and Two-Way Talk - Speckled Grey starts out with it being a wonderful product. We already had a different brand of a wired doorbell camera so this is a wonderful update to that. I selected the wired version and switching it out with the old one was super simple, cut the power, take the old one down and the new Ring was installed in about 5 minutes. We also have a Ring garage camera so adding this to our account was simple as well. Ring makes it very convenient to just add a device to your account. I scanned the QR code provided on the instructions and it went well from there. The only downside I have is that it doesn't link to my chime box inside the house. I connected it to my phone to alert me instead and it was easy to communicate with people at the door, and easy to snooze when needed. The quality of the 2K is amazing, crystal clear picture, easy to zoom in to street area if needed. The night vision seems to be good as we have a dusk to dawn porch light so our videos are color and pretty clear. The setup options are clear and easy to understand and change, and link with the garage camera. I already pay for the annual subscription for the garage camera and will be adding this to the account as well. I like knowing that the activity is accessible if needed. Would definitely recommend this 2nd Gen Ring doorbell.

This doorbell is a replacement for a current video doorbell we have which is older and doesn’t always record everything. I wanted the wired one because that’s what’s already there. Setup and installation was easy, connected right to our existing wiring. The picture is clear for 2K but you won’t be reading any license plates, night vision isn’t too good and it’s not in color. The two way mic works well. I wanted to add it to my Echo show, that works well also, I asked Alexa to show me the front door and it appeared on the screen. This is a bit smaller than our old one and fits in small spaces. The things I wasn’t impressed with are that a jumper had to be put on our chime, not sure why, we have an older Ring doorbell on our back door and we didn’t have to install it for that one. The chime doesn’t ring in the house which is pointless to have it wired except you don’t need batteries. The only time I hear it ring is on my phone or through the door because it is loud. The other thing I’m not too crazy about is it comes with a 30 day pro subscription, this is nice but it notifies you of everything, vehicle, package, person, what the person is carrying, color of car. That’s great but I don’t need all of those features. After the trial is up no subscription is needed but you’re not getting any videos or notifications at all unless you pay, which can be a bit pricey. It’s a definite upgrade from our old doorbell and works well just wish it came without a subscription needed.

Recently I was able to get wired internet service to my rural property, so I picked up the newest Ring Doorbell now that I have internet speeds to support it. This review is based on a week of use. TL:DR - If you are looking for an exterior camera, or already have Ring products, this doorbell camera integrates seamlessly with other Ring products and has a good resolution camera. It does not offer color night vision, but does come with a 6x zoom and 2k resolution to see details at a distance many other cameras may miss. Pros: Ring just keeps improving, there are tons of features in the app that more than meet my needs. Seamlessly integrated with my other Ring cameras and "Chime" device Easy to install Cons: I have a flower pot in front of my door, and will have to relocate it due to false motion alerts and the inability to exclude it from motion detection while still getting people who come to the door.  It takes a while to tweak the settings to not get false motion alerts from trees, birds, and everything else that moves on the farm. First, my '90s farmhouse had some very special contractors who did the electrical when it was built, so my experience is likely not yours. In the box is the doorbell, diode, and paperwork. When I went to install, there was no diode by the speaker (which was where it should have been), so I installed the diode there, but then found there was a diode spliced behind the original doorbell. The fuse panel wasn't labeled correctly and I didn't get the power killed to the doorbell, so I managed to fry my transformer and the 35 year old doorbell speaker during all of this, but ultimately got everything wired up. If my electrical was wired as expected, I would have installed the app, killed the power to the doorbell, followed the instructions and pulled off the speaker, wired in the diode (if you have a speaker and proper wiring, you likely already have one installed), then wire the Ring Doorbell to power in place of my original one. This really is relatively easy to do, the Ring app has a straight forward setup process, and the doorbell integrated into my Ring app with my other external cameras. I already had a Ring Chime, which acts as both a wifi extender and a speaker for the doorbell. I like that I can add multiple Chime devices so I can hear the doorbell on any level of the house. With the Chime extender, I have the doorbell ring in the house, as well as my phone, so I don't have to worry about missing someone, regardless if I'm home or not. As for performance, I really like the app alerts that happen nearly instantaneously, so I can intervene before I miss a delivery, or know when someone is at my door if I'm down at the barn. The Doorbell has a two way speaker, which allows you to talk to the person, provide package instructions if you can't meet them at the door, and screen strangers prior to ever opening the door. Note that if you have slower connections or poor upload speeds, you may have latency with two way sound. I have fiber with 1gbps up/down, and no issue. Second, being rural, I really like that the Ring app records the video footage, so if something unexpected were to occur I can go back and review who triggered the motion alerts and when. The camera offers 2k resolution, and the zoom is great for catching details prior to someone getting to your doorstep. I added an example in the photos, first photo is standard, the second is zoomed to ~40' away where you can still tell there is a person. This means when people come close to my porch, I can zoom in enough to clearly see all facial details. I do have a Ring subscription, so I get the AI description straight to my phone and smart watch, which helps quickly determine if I want to open the app to view the video or if it was not something I needed to check.  Bottom line, this is a no brainer addition if you already have a Ring security camera, this doorbell quickly integrates with existing cameras. If you want the security and convenience of being able to know who is at your door and what they want prior to ever opening the door, then this is a great doorbell for you. Lastly, if you want to know who is coming to your house while you are away, and the flexibility to pull up motion event footage from the past, this doorbell also meets that need. It's a great higher resolution security camera that doubles as a doorbell and communication device.

I recently replaced an old Ring Pro wired doorbell with the new Ring Wired Doorbell (Newest Model) with Retinal 2K video, wide-angle viewing, enhanced zoom and two-way talk. I anticipated a simple replacement and in some ways that’s exactly what it was. Installation is easy, the video quality is much better and the wider field of view does a great job of capturing visitors from head to toe. The extra zoom is also a nice improvement when checking package deliveries or detecting activity near the front door. Ring has dramatically improved its camera technology. The Retinal 2K image is crisp, colors are vivid, and motion notifications come in quickly. The sound quality is crystal clear and reliable through two-way talk. If all you need is a video doorbell camera, this device does very well. Unfortunately, it was frustrating when I tried to use it with the analog doorbell chime in my home. What I discovered…and what I believe is not made clear enough in the packaging or product description…is that although it is marketed as a “wired” doorbell, this model will not work with the traditional analog chime (Honeywell Type 6 mechanical chime) that works perfectly with my older Ring Pro wired doorbell. After troubleshooting and eventually contacting Ring Customer Service, I was informed that this behavior is by design. The only way to get an indoor audible chime is to use a Ring Chime device, specifically the Ring Chime (3rd Generation) or another compatible Ring chime solution. That was a huge disappointment. When most consumers hear the term “wired doorbell”, they will assume it will go with the wired doorbell infrastructure already installed in their home. My older Ring Pro did exactly that. The new one does not. As a result, what looks like an inexpensive upgrade can quickly become a bit more expensive as you may need to buy more Ring hardware to bring back the functionality you already had. I think Ring could do a much better job communicating this limitation on the box and in the product description so buyers know exactly what they’re getting into before installation day. One other caveat is to make sure you have a doorbell transformer thats rated a minimum: 16VAC - 30VA The camera itself is great, the video quality is excellent and the app experience remains the best in the smart home space. But the lack of compatibility with traditional wired chimes significantly reduces the value proposition for existing Ring customers upgrading from older wired models or from a traditonal analog wired doorbell. If you are considering this doorbell, budget for a Ring Chime as part of the purchase and don’t assume your existing analog chime will work simply because the product is labeled as “wired.” Great camera…great app…misleading expectations regarding wired chime compatibility.

Installation Installation couldn’t really be any easier. I already had the wiring in place from my last video doorbell, so the whole process was even quicker for me. If you’re replacing an existing wired doorbell, expect about 10 minutes of work. If you’re starting from scratch, give yourself an hour or two to get everything set up right. I have vinyl siding, so I needed a 4‑inch siding adapter to keep the doorbell from sitting at an angle. Just something to keep in mind if you don’t have a flat mounting surface. After that, it’s as simple as launching the Ring app and following the step‑by‑step instructions. No special tools, nothing complicated, just a bit of reading and patience. This model only supports 2.4 GHz Wi‑Fi, so make sure you have that available. Operation & Performance The Ring app is well thought out and intuitive. You’ll open it and immediately see a preview from the doorbell; tapping it gives you the usual options like rewind, fast‑forward, and browsing through the events you’ve set up. Video quality is really good, easily better than my last 1080p doorbell. Night vision is fine, but the upgraded Ring models have true color low‑light and adaptive night vision, which this base model doesn’t sport. Motion and activity alerts are easy to configure, and video calling works as expected. You’ll get an instant alert when someone rings the bell, and often even before that because the AI is constantly analyzing what’s happening in the video stream. Ring will tell you who’s approaching and give surprisingly accurate descriptions too. It can identify Amazon delivery drivers, bikes passing by, groups of people, and even the color of packages. You can also tag people you don’t want alerts for — like my daughter. I uploaded a picture of her, and now it ignores her completely. I could keep going, but you get the idea. The catch is that these advanced features require a subscription. Thankfully, the pricing is on the affordable side. Plans start at $4.99 for a single camera and go up depending on how much coverage and functionality you want. For most people with a couple of Ring cameras, the $9.99 multi-camera plan will be more than enough for general security and peace of mind. Without a subscription, you’re limited to live view, answering the doorbell when it’s pressed, and some basic motion alerts. There’s no video recording without a plan. I’ll drop a picture of the current subscription tiers in the review. Design & Build The design doesn’t stand out, but it blends in with pretty much any siding or wall. The doorbell feels like it’s mostly plastic which totally fine, but definitely on the lighter, cheaper‑feeling side. I do wish it fit onto the bracket a bit tighter; even with everything bolted down, there’s still a slight wobble. Nothing major, and everything is still functional and weatherproof. Overall Thoughts I like this doorbell. It’s better than the last one I had installed, and the subscription pricing for all the advanced features you’ll get used to during the 30‑day trial is reasonable. The price makes it an easy entry point into the Ring ecosystem. The 2K resolution will be more than enough for most people, and the feature set is solid as long as you’re willing to pay for the subscription. Pros Super easy installation Customizable alerts that just work Good value for what you’re getting Cons Basic night vision only, not great in low light Slight audio delay with two‑way audio Advanced features require a subscription

I couldn’t be happier with the new Ring Wired Doorbell. The Retina 2K video quality is a huge improvement, delivering an incredibly sharp, detailed picture both day and night. The wide-angle view captures my entire front porch, and the enhanced zoom makes it easy to identify faces, packages, and other important details without losing clarity. The two-way talk feature is clear and responsive, making it simple to communicate with visitors whether I’m home or away. Installation was straightforward since I already had existing doorbell wiring, and the setup through the Ring app was quick and hassle-free. The speckled grey finish looks modern and blends in nicely with my home’s exterior. Overall, this is an outstanding upgrade with premium features that provide both convenience and peace of mind. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a high-quality wired video doorbell.

I had Best Buy install the doorbell because ours did not work. After paying all this money, our doorbell still does not work. It doesn’t ring! When someone is at home, they don’t answer the door because the doorbell does not make any sound. We are missing important deliveries, and our visitors are frustrated because they have to phone us when they’re standing on the porch.

This modestly priced Ring doorbell camera comes with the screws, wire nuts and a jumper wire (more on this later) in the box. Installation is relatively easy using the Ring app. The app steps you through installation. Since this is a wired doorbell camera, you must already have a working wired doorbell transformer. (Don’t forget to turn off the power to your doorbell transformer.) You must also bypass the existing wired doorbell chime. This is what the jumper wire is for. I should have read the product description more closely, because this was almost a deal killer for me after I found out. For now, we are relying on the apps on our phones to know when someone rings the doorbell when we are home. Alternatives are available. If you have an Alexa device, it integrates with that. Also, Ring chimes that work with this doorbell are available. If you already have a multi device Ring subscription, you can add this device at no additional cost to that subscription. The two-way audio works well. Recently, I was out of town when I got a delivery. I spoke with the delivery person through the Ring device and arranged for him to leave the delivery at an alternate location. It worked well and prevented my delivery from being returned. The camera is not 4K, but works well, better than my old 1080p doorbell cam. Night vision on this Ring device is clear, but not in color. Overall, this Ring doorbell camera is a solid device with good resolution and very handy two-way audio. If you don’t care about using your existing wired doorbell chime, this reasonably priced Ring doorbell camera is worth considering.

This Ring - Wired Doorbell (newest model) has Retinal 2K Wide viewing Using APP. I love that this doorbell is hardwired. I feel safer with a hardwired verses WIFI only doorbell. I am always afraid that someone will just come and pull my WIFI only doorbell off. This doorbell is hardwired into the existing bell in my home so it is not as easy to disconnect it from outside my door. Using the APP along with this Retinal Vision 2K adds true to life video to my iPhone so easily. The photo from the door is so clear on my phone. It is so much clearer than my previous doorbell. I can see who is at the door as well as talk to them while they are there. Voices are clear and quick to receive, no lag time. I get a notice on my iPhone when it detects movement. I connected this doorbell with my back door bell for more protection. However connecting them was not required for use. There are several places to find the QR code to download the Ring APP and a fill users Manual. There is one on the pamphlet. There is one inside the Doorbell itself on the back side. So I never need to worry about finding information and the QR code will not get lost. Included with this doorbell is the Doorbell itself, Couple screws and the thing that goes inside the door frame to keep the screws from working out over time. The is also an electrical thingie to connect to your electrical doorbell. I am all about safety so I chose to add the free trial that is available when I set up the APP. This free trial of paid subscription is not necessary to use the Ring Wired Doorbell but it adds another layer of security. Using free trial will give me a sense of what I personally require of my doorbell. If after my trial is nearing the end I will decide if I want to pay or just use it without professional monitoring or Ring Protect. This subscription adds the ability to review, save and share my videos from the doorbell. The Professional Monitoring will also allow me to request emergency responders to my home when Ring Alarm is triggered. Again, none of this is required to use the wired doorbell. Using the doorbell with the free APP allows me to: 1. Get alerts on my iPhone when motion is detected from my doorbell 2. See people and talk to them while they are at the door. 3. Receive Real Time (While it is occurring) alerts from the doorbell. I am well pleased with this new version. It is exactly what I wanted to keep my home and family safe.

Finally Ring updating their product line and increased the video quality to 2K and it has exceeded my expectations. I am upgrading from the doorbell pro 2 and was waiting for improved video quality. The only thing that I wished they did was decrease the size of this doorbell but video quality trumps size at this point. The image quality is noticeably sharper than my previous model which is just HD so that says a lot. Specs on this is Retinal 2K with wide-angle video, up to 6x enhanced zoom. The enhance zoom is great because our house is ~40ft from the street so being able to view footage in live view or review footage I can zoom in without losing too much clarity like my previous model. Motion alerts are closer to realtime than previous 2021 model which was still working great but needed to upgrade because for some reason the covering around the lens was broken but the funny thing is the clarity was still good. Installation was easy because I replaced an existing Ring doorbell and adding to my existing account was a breeze. Gotta love the Ring ecosystem, just wish they would make improvements quicker and possibly make the cameras and doorbells a little more expensive feeling and looking. They are bulky looking and cheaply looking at this price point. Overall if you are looking to upgrade to 2K and up and in the Ring ecosystem this is a good buy as a replacement. The next upgrade Ring team if you are reading this is to capture video smoother when the system is activated by motion. Or provide more options to record continuously because when I review alerts the person or animal or car suddenly appears without any kind of transition. Also, if I can read someone’s license plate clearly or a face clearly from 40ft then you have perfected the product. Just a major please

I have owned camera doorbells since they were first generation. I have so many holes in my stucco from trying and testing so many of these that my wife just rolls her eyes and says, "another one honey?" Yup another one. So setup of this wired rig doorbell takes a little planning. If you are new to this several to ings needs to be thought through. 1 is the location of the doorbell itself and if you need any special adapters etc. also the wire place and how much slack you have etc. Making sure you plan all of this out prior to making any holes or drilling will save you a lot of headaches. After you get power to the door be you need to install the app and join the ring account process. Follow the prompts and you are all set. Operation and use is nice. Easy notification setup and customization. New replies are cute. Video quality is good. Night vision is decent. Field of vision and aperture is pretty wide with vertical. You can almost see all the way down to the ground. Overall good to deter thieves or soliciters etc. If you have an entire group of cameras then you will have a pretty secure facility. You just need to make sure you pay for the extended cloud use.

I replaced a two generation old ring unit with this retinal 2k model. The difference is almost astounding. I was initially driven to do this to make sure I would have no issues connecting to a new wifi setup, but had I realized how much better the performance is; I would have upgraded sooner ! Compared to my prior generation ring - Clarity of Retinal 2k - I can zoom and clearly see faces of people passing by on my sidewalk. This was not possible on my older ring. I can review and see license plates at the right angle from the street. Color video - The color video from my old unit required much light before it would flip to greyscale. This new model still provides clear color at dusk, dawn and if my porch lights are in use. Excellent. Two walk talk - Works like a phone and not a walkie-talkie What I love - The video quality and wide angle view. Faces are clear at a distance, license plates more readable ! Wifi - Supports current wifi routers ! Room for improvement - It would have been appreciated if it would fit the older brackets and adaptors ( include a spacer ) as this unit is shorter than prior ring cameras.

Switched from a battery Ring doorbell to this one. Installation was easy. Removed the old doorbell and mount, and installed the new one. Didn’t need the directions. Start to finish took me maybe ten minutes. Easy enough to remove the old doorbell in the app, and then install this one. You have to make sure that you cancel any monitoring plan that you have for your old doorbell, and then sign up for a new plan on this doorbell. That was probably the longest part of the installation. Ring makes this installation very simple. Use is the same as any other Ring doorbell. I did notice a substantial improvement in video quality over my old Battery Ring. The retinal 2K camera is fantastic, with an obvious increase in definition. I can see things clearer from far away, and up close is nice too. Ring provides a month free of advanced AI-generated monitoring, which will tell you things like delivery driver dropping off brown box. I am pleased with the new doorbell. I feel like it was easy to install, works good, and integrates perfectly into the Ring infrastructure.

Wow, I should have upgraded sooner! Being a current user of the Ring ecosystem, I had the older Ring doorbell camera. This 2k wired version has a much more ample field of view with a very sharp image! Mounting it and setting it up in my existing Ring app took me about 5 minutes. The app goes through a thorough tutorial on mounting, but I had done ot before so it was a breeze. Even if you've never done it, you will feel confident just following directions. For privacy reasons I won't show videos or pictures of the actual doorbell, but the lighting and clarity are very good. The detail is much better, which will help in recognizing people and packages. The shell color on this one looks great, and mounting it is as easy as 2 screws and 2 wires. I have mine mounted at a slight angle and it looks great. The audio is even more clear and loud than before. If you don't have a doorbell camera, go ahead and get it. If you have an older Ring model, go ahead and upgrade. You won't regret it!

I wanted to keep a better eye on the front door. On the core job of showing you who's there, it delivers. The video is clear — easy to make out faces and whatever's been left on the step. When someone comes into view, the doorbell announces "Notice, you're being recorded," which I've come to appreciate. Visitors know where they stand, and anyone with bad intentions knows it too. The view is clear both during the day (in color) and at night (in B&W). Installation was mostly painless. Getting it connected to my network was straightforward — no fighting with the app to get it online. The one catch is space: there's very little room behind the doorbell itself, so tucking everything in took some patience. Budget a few extra minutes and you'll get there. You may need to either cut some space into the frame or push wires back into the hole. The notifications are smarter than I expected. Instead of a generic alert, you get a short description of what the camera saw, which means you can decide right from your phone whether it's worth opening the app. The app is smart enough to know whether it’s a delivery person vs a salesman. It just told me “Amazon delivered a package”, which was nice to know without watching the video. It's the kind of small convenience you end up relying on. Now the catches, and they're real. First, those recordings and descriptions only come with a subscription that runs $10 a month. Without it, you get the doorbell function and a live picture when you open the app — nothing saved, nothing described. The hardware is, in effect, half a product until you start paying rent on it. Second — and this one surprised me — it doesn't ring my home's existing chime. The doorbell is wired in, but the indoor chime stays silent; every alert comes through the phone. If your phone is upstairs charging, so is your doorbell. Bottom Line: A clear camera, a thoughtful recording notice, and notifications useful enough that you'll miss them if you let the subscription lapse. If you're comfortable paying monthly and living with phone-only alerts, this does the video doorbell job well. If you expect a doorbell to ring your house and keep its recordings without an ongoing fee, this one will frustrate you — look elsewhere.

The Ring Wired Doorbell 2nd Generation is not my first Ring product. I have installed several previous generation Ring cameras for friends and family with positive feedback. I also have a mix of other Ring cameras at my own home and have used Ring alarm to monitor a rental property. While Ring is not always perfect, it is easy to get started and there are a lot of options to add new devices (including a variety of cameras and sensors). Ring offers an easy to us mobile app, cloud storage at a reasonable cost, Alexa integration, and reliable remote alerts (that seem to get smarter each generation). This 2nd Generation Doorbell replaces an older 1080p wired Ring Doorbell Pro, the main advantage on paper being the increase in resolution to 2k. Due to compression, the resolution increase only offers a minor improvement in sharpness, but the camera is definitely better overall. HDR is not offered, but the camera does a decent job of balancing the darker areas of my shaded porch with other areas that are directly in the sun. Low light performance and color are also improved. I was pleasantly surprised that the vertical viewing angle has been increased, allowing me to see more of the area above and below the camera (important for seeing packages left at the door). Installation and setup are fairly easy (with a few things to be mindful of). The app provides helpful step-by-step install pictures and guides you thru setup (like linking you to the network and basic settings). You need a working doorbell transformer and wiring (turn off the power so you don't damage the transformer). IMPORTANT - This install requires you to bypass your doorbell chime with an included jumper (it will no longer work). You will need to link an Alexa device or purchase an optional Ring chime to play doorbell alerts around your home (if needed beyond those provided via the Ring app). The install kit includes 2 screws with masonry anchors for mounting, but you will need to supply your own smaller Phillips screw driver and possibly a drill with bits (for harder woods or masonry). You may also want to consider an angled wedge to improve viewing angle if your doorbell does not face out (for those who are upgrading, my old Ring Doorbell's angled mount is not a perfect match to the new base, but I was able to make it work using a small foam filler). I already mentioned the Ring app, but it really is good. It works well on both my Android and Apple phones. It is easy to answer/view your door, view historical events in timeline, change settings, and manage multiple Ring devices. One thing to note, video recording, cloud based storage, and smart features can vary by Ring service plan. Notification popups with the regular service plan are very handy. They contain the type of smart alert and a few seconds of video. You can set up smart notifications (people, packages and cars), schedules, set package/motion areas, and linked triggers to capture multiple camera views on one triggering event. There are upgraded service plans that add on AI based alerts that can interpret what your Ring cameras are seeing, allowing detailed text summaries of events, summarizing multiple related motion triggers into one event alert, and spotting unusual activity. There is two-way audio to let you listen in, answer you door remotely, speak with people, and warn away unwanted visitors. Audio is clear and you can actually have a conversation through the doorbell. If you are unable to answer the door, there are also options for automatic replies and warnings to manage visitors (with AI based smart replies for different people available in the upgraded service plan). Ring also offers Alexa integration, allowing you to get alerts, answer your doorbell, and view cameras from an Alexa device (we have an older Echo Show and a few Echo Dots that work well). One important thing to note if you are new to Ring: You need a GREAT internet connection for the best image quality and two-way audio. Even with a modern mesh network (with a node only about 6ft away from my doorbell) and fiber internet, compression causes my recorded videos to be noticeably fuzzier than the example images in Ring's advertisements.

I’ve been using the Ring Doorbell for a while now and I’m really happy with it. The video quality is clear both during the day and at night, and the motion alerts are very fast and accurate. I like that I can check who’s at the door from my phone even when I’m away from home. The two-way audio works well, making it easy to talk to delivery drivers or visitors. Installation was also simple and didn’t take long. The app is user-friendly and gives peace of mind, especially when traveling or away from the house. Overall, it’s a reliable and convenient smart doorbell that adds an extra layer of security to the home. Highly recommend it.