Ring vs Ring 2
Introduction
Video doorbells eliminate the need of having to walk all the way to your door to see who’s there. They enable homeowners to identify their guests and stay alert for intruders. This happens at the comfort of your couch.
Ring is one of the most popular brands when it comes to manufacturing the best video doorbells on the market. The Ring and Ring 2 are two models which top the list due to their quality and functionality. You can get the former for less than $100.
Ring Description
Features
The Ring comes in black and gray with a lower illuminated button and a camera at the top. It’s slightly smaller when compared to the Ring 2. It boasts of a lower resolution of 720p with a 180-degree field of view.
One of its most notable features is motion detection. When it detects movement, an automatic alert is sent to the homeowner’s smartphone. You can also customize how sensitive you’d like your sensors to be.
The device itself measures 4.98 by 2.43 by 0.87 inches. You can choose to go with the wireless option or the one that requires hard wiring during installation. The wireless version allows you to take out the battery from the wall and charge it before using it again.
Viewing late-night guests has also been made easy by the night vision feature. You get to see who’s visiting and find out the reason why using the program’s two-way audio that allows you to speak to your guests. All you need to do download the program on your smartphone and get speaking no matter where you are.
Other features of the Ring include customizable motion detection that allows you to disable or enable specific zones, 2.4 GHz WiFi network compatibility, 1 year warranty, and Amazon Echo compatibility. The Ring is priced at $99.99 only.
Strong sides
- Easy to install especially, where there’s no hardwiring required.
- The Ring program is easy to understand and navigate.
- It delivers video feed directly to your smartphone at any time. You’re able to see who exactly is at the door.
- It has great night vision and you don’t have to worry about seeing people at night.
Weak sides
- The video quality is highly dependent on the strength of your internet connection.
- The motion detector lacks geo-fencing. It uses a heat detector to detect movement.
- Unlike in the Ring 2, you cannot exclude certain regions when customizing the sensor’s sensitivity.
- Short battery life.
What people say
Some users complained about Ring’s software. They mentioned that it’s a bit slow and should be updated.
Ring 2 Description
The Ring 2 is slightly bigger than the Ring. It measures 5.05 by 2.50 by 1.08 inches. It’s also available in two: a wireless and a hardwired version. Its footage might be pixelated and choppy, but performs better than that of the Ring.
One of its best features is its ability to make it easier for users to match their décor. This is thanks to its interchangeable face plates that allow you to pick a color of your choice. The audio is also great but doesn’t differ that much from that of the Ring.
Just like the Ring, the Ring 2’s motion detector sends automatic alerts whenever it detects motion around your home. It, however, comes with better video quality and a quick-release battery. Unlike the Ring which forces you to pull off the entire device from the wall, all you need to do is remove the battery to charge it.
Other notable features include 1080p video recording, 2-way communication, 160-degree field of view, night vision, customizable motion detector, Wi-Fi and Amazon Echo compatibility, an easy-to-use app and 1 year warranty. The Ring 2 is currently priced at $199.
Strong sides
- Has a wireless battery-powered version.
- Includes mobile application compatibility that is easy to use.
- Better video recording quality compared to the Ring.
- Longer battery life.
- Supports Amazon Alexa, IFTTT, and Wi-Fi connectivity.
- Boasts of two-way communication that allows you to talk to your guests and find out who they are.
- The Ring program allows access to live feed at all times. You don’t have to be in your house to access the live feed. You can see who is at your door from the office or shopping mall.
Weak Sides
- Relatively bulky when compared to the Ring.
- Comes with an unpleasant ringing sound with every notification that is sent to your smartphone.
- Ring does not offer any free storage for your footage. You may have to incur extra costs if you wish to get storage for your videos.
- Video quality is affected by changes in Wi-Fi strength.
What people say
Most buyers complained of unreliable customer service whenever they experienced an issue with the device.
Overview and Conclusion
The original Ring doorbell is the most affordable doorbell. It provides similar features as the Ring 2 doorbell. These include two-way communication, compatibility with IFTTT, Alexa, and SmartThings. It also provides access to live feed which you can use to identify guests while at home or away.
The ability to communicate with guests is facilitated by Echo Spot and Echo Show. Unfortunately, Ring doesn’t integrate with Google Assistant/Home devices. It also features a number of outdated features that do not perform to par. This is where the Ring 2 comes in. It features better video and image quality, and improves on the battery life of the Ring.
It currently costs $199 and is the better doorbell of the two. You’ll have a rechargeable battery that can be easily removed and the added benefit of an easier installation process. Keep in mind that Ring doesn’t offer free cloud storage. To save footage on Ring’s cloud, you’ll need to pay $3 per month for 60 days or $30 per year. If your house has several Ring cameras, you’ll need to pay $10 a month or $100 for an entire year.