Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 review

(CNN) –

Ring’s Best Performing Video Doorbell launched today and we’ve spent the last few weeks with it. Yes, the $ 249.99 Video Doorbell Pro 2 packs almost every doorbell and whistle imaginable.

The addition of 3D motion sensors allows the Pro 2 to see more and even trace the paths a person takes to reach your doorbell. Why is this important? You get a deeper understanding of who or what is approaching your home, coupled with more accurate alerts. In terms of view, it offers crisp video that shows the ground up to the sky in a fish-eye orientation.

After a long period of testing, we found that while there is a lot to like about the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2, it has some issues with its new integration with Amazon Alexa which allows the virtual assistant to answer the door. . And at more than four times the cost of the wired entry-level video doorbell, it’s not for those on a budget. But if you’re looking for the ultimate doorbell, the Pro 2 makes a lot of sense, especially introducing features that tell you a lot more.

Who is he talking to: The Ring Video Doorbell 2 Pro is a premium option for anyone who wants extra security in their home and doesn’t mind paying for the best. Its 1536p camera with additional sensors captures the entire scene, making it easy to see who or what is walking past your door.

What would you like to know: At $ 249, the Pro 2 doesn’t come cheap, but it’s also loaded with features that arguably justify the price tag. Video quality is crisp and shows more, thanks to a wider field of view. This allows you to see where a package can be dropped off and a full view of the delivery person. 3D motion detection and bird’s-eye view ensure more detailed alerts and give you more context on who or what is approaching your doorbell.

How it compares: The 3D motion and bird’s eye view features of the Pro 2 are not found in any other doorbell, which gives the Pro 2 a big advantage. Being able to trace the path someone took to get to your doorbell is not only convenient, but it can also give you peace of mind. The fisheye view makes it easy to see everything and everyone near your door and is, again, something that other Ring doorbells, as well as competing doorbells like the Nest Hello, cannot match because they do not have the larger lens. Many of the basic features of the Pro 2 are enabled by new hardware that cannot be found on other doorbells.

Unlike the Video Doorbell 3 or 3 Plus, the Video Doorbell Pro 2 is wired only. And you won’t need to buy a new door chime module – it works with your existing chime. The most critical part of the installation requirements is that you have a doorbell transformer capable of delivering between 16 and 24 volts of power. This is a metal box, usually located near your electrical panel, which converts the standard electrical current in your home to a lower voltage that will power the doorbell. You can check your voltage with a multimeter or contact a licensed electrician to do so.

Once you’ve confirmed that the Pro 2 will work in your home, the Ring app (for Android or iOS) will walk you through the setup. You’ll start by scanning a small QR code to add the doorbell to your Ring account. After that, the application details all the necessary steps to complete the installation. You will need to be comfortable with the electrical wiring for some parts of the installation, namely removing your old doorbell and installing the Pro 2. If you have a chime, you will also need to install the Ring’s Pro Power kit. included in the box.

In total, it took us about 15 minutes to install the Pro 2 doorbell, and while you are not familiar with the doorbell wiring, it should take you about the same amount of time. Everything you need to install the doorbell is in the box except for an electric drill or screwdriver. If you are not comfortable, we suggest you contact a licensed electrician who can complete the installation.

Once the doorbell is installed and powered back on, you will use the app to connect it to your Wi-Fi network and install any pending firmware updates.

Once it’s up and running, the app will help you configure motion detection and choose where alerts come from. We recommend that you do not include the road, if you are facing it, so that you do not receive a ping every time a car passes.

Ring has equipped the Pro 2 with a wide lens that captures crisp, clear video, meeting the bar set by previous Ring bells and increasing the quality a bit. The Pro 2 captures 1536p high definition video, which is an odd resolution. Instead of capturing 1080p or even standard 4K, the Pro 2 has a 150-degree by 150-degree field of view. This results in a video that captures not only a wide horizontal view, but also a tall vertical view.

This allows you to see anything directly under or above the camera, like a package a delivery guy left on your porch. Other video doorbells offer similar viewing functionality, but it’s usually only in one direction. For example, the Logitech Circle video doorbell has a 160-degree diagonal field of view for a head-to-toe view.

The Pro 2’s videos have a fish-eye look, with some edge distortion, but that doesn’t detract from the overall quality. We would prefer to have a wider field of view, so it’s fair trade in our book.

In addition to a wider field of view, the Pro 2 features color night vision, making it possible to see more detail of what you’re looking at in low-light situations. We prefer this approach to the night vision aspect that Ring video doorbells and competitive doorbells have had in the past. It’s much easier to see who or what might be near your door, and for late-night package deliveries, you can easily tell the size, shape, and color.

The two exclusive features of Video Doorbell Pro 2 work together to give you more detailed and accurate motion alerts. 3D Motion provides more accurate measurements of how far a person is, and Bird’s Eye View uses this information to overlay the route a person took when walking to your door.

Right now they’re only available on the Pro 2, but we desperately want them to be standard on all of Ring’s outdoor cameras and doorbells.

A few times during testing random strangers approached our door – which doesn’t happen very often where we live – and it was fascinating, even reassuring, to be able to open the Ring app and see exactly where they were walking. they approached the door. Of course, we could watch the recorded video clip to see where they were going, but the points were already mapped on the video so we knew if there was anything we should be aware of or not.

As the person walks, orange dots appear to show their most recent location. The more time passes, the orange dots turn red and eventually fade.

Our only complaint about Bird’s Eye View (besides the fact that it’s not available on all Ring devices) is that the setup process isn’t very precise. After installing the Pro 2 and connecting it to your Ring account, a satellite image of your home is displayed. You are then prompted to place a pin on the image of where the doorbell is installed. Ring then uses this same satellite image as the basis for the orange and gray dots.

Because the images are not precise and our placement may have shifted a bit, the points were not placed exactly where the person was walking. The dots on our overlay often crossed part of our yard or right next to the sidewalk instead of showing the person’s path along the sidewalk.

Again, it’s nitpicking. We admit it. But it would be nice to see Ring use the camera to identify common objects, like a sidewalk or path, and combine that information with the satellite image to more accurately describe where the person has walked.

Ring recently added the ability for Amazon Alexa to answer a ringtone and allow the person to leave a message for you. You can also ask Alexa to provide an automated response. Either will answer the doorbell ringing after a set amount of time (up to 20 seconds) of your choice. It’s a good feature on paper, but there’s a catch here. You must answer the door in the Ring app for it to prevent Alexa from intervening. If you’re at home and answering the door, you’re also not going to answer the door and the Ring app.

On one occasion during testing, we opened the door for a pizza delivery, and as we signed the credit card receipt, Alexa started talking to the person. She announced that she would interact with them and accept a message. It was embarrassing and honestly somewhat embarrassing. There was no clear way to silence her, so we just tried to play a joke (she fell flat) and rush inside for dinner. (Yes, the pizza was always good.)

We encountered similar situations with quick responses answering the door long after accepting a delivery, confusing the driver as he returned to his vehicle. Needless to say, Quick Replies and Alexa Greetings have been disabled on our Pro 2.

There’s a clear goal for a digital assistant to answer your door, but it would be nice if it would automatically turn off when you’re at home and then turn back on whenever you’re away. We look forward to more customization options around this feature set.

There is a lot to love about the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2. It is packed with features, old and new, useful and reassuring. Greetings and quick responses would benefit from some changes, especially with so many people working from home now.

At $ 250, the Pro 2 isn’t the most affordable video doorbell that Ring sells, but it’s the best performing and it earns its hefty price tag. If you want the best of Ring, clearly the Pro 2 is.

Ring’s Video Doorbell Pro 2 is available now for $ 249.99 on Amazon.