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Comparing the 5 Best Ring Video Doorbells Available in 2023

The Ring brand has become to video doorbells what Kleenex is to tissues or Ziplock is to plastic bags — you see a video doorbell and automatically think “Oh, there’s a Ring Video Doorbell.” When a brand becomes the recognized noun for a product, you know it’s a quality product.

Ring Video Doorbells are rather impressive. They can stream and record video in HD and have two-way talk so you can talk to whoever is at your door. Some Ring Video Doorbells have package alerts to notify you when your packages arrive, and others have head-to-toe video so you can continue to see the whole person approaching your home even when they are close to the camera.

If you aren’t the type of person that carries your phone everywhere with you in your home, Ring also makes a handy device called Ring Chime which you can pair with your video doorbell. This is essentially the smart version of the audible noise your doorbell makes when someone presses your [existing] doorbell. The chime plugs into whatever wall outlet you choose and will announce when someone is at the door or when someone presses the doorbell.

Note that when it comes to recording video, you’ll have to pay a subscription fee in order to use that feature, but the fee starts at only three dollars a month. Depending on what Ring you go with, you’ll get a variety of different features.

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Speaking of choosing which video doorbell to go with, Ring has a number of video doorbells out, but with such a wide variety available, it can be hard to determine the best one for your home. Above all else, you should consider if you prefer a wired or battery-powered video doorbell.


The Best Ring Doorbells To Buy in 2023

We recently named the Ring Video Doorbell 4 one of the best overall home security cameras of the year, but it’s not the only model worth considering. Once you’ve determined whether you want to go wireless or wired, you’ll want to figure out how much money you want to spend on a video doorbell and what features you want. But admittedly, the number of Ring Doorbells available can still feel a bit overwhelming. But don’t worry, we have your back. We’ve picked the five best Ring Doorbells below to help make your choice an easy one. You’ll find the best wired and wireless options for Ring Video Doorbells below, so you can see who’s at your front door just by looking at your phone (which you were already doing anyway!).

The Best Ring Video Doorbells To Buy: At a Glance

Why We Chose It: No other video doorbell can trace on a map the route where someone was detected on your property.
Read More: The 11 Best Video Doorbells of 2023 To Stop Package Thieves Once and for All

Key Specs:

  • Video: 1536p HD+ Live Video, HDR, Live View, Color Night Vision
  • Field of View: 150° horizontal, 150° vertical
  • Motion Detection: 3D Motion Detection with Bird’s Eye View
  • Operating Conditions: -5°F to 120°F (-20°C to 50°C)
  • Power: Hardwired Standard doorbell system

One of the most robust video doorbells in the Ring catalog, the Pro 2 has incredibly useful features. For starters, the aspect ratio is 1:1 meaning when someone approaches your door or drops off a package, you’ll be able to see the person from head to toe.

John Velasco | SPY

SPY’s Tech Editor, John Velasco, has used the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 for over three months and was impressed by its detection technology. With 3D Motion Detection, he was able to see on a map the pinpoint locations where an individual was spotted by the doorbell.

John Velasco | SPY

It has a useful color pre-roll recording that records a few seconds before your alert or notification is triggered to help you with context. There’s even radar that traces someone’s route up to the door. And with this wired doorbell, you can also use your doorbell’s chime after you install it. If you want all the features, go with the Pro 2.

Pros

  • Outstanding detection tech
  • Superior video quality
  • Wide dynamic range
  • Supports color night vision

Cons

  • Wired option only
Courtesy of Ring

Why We Chose It: On top of offering incredible value, you have the option to go wired or wireless.
Review: Ring’s Entry-Level Video Doorbell Is Still One of the Best Options Around

Key Specs:

  • Video: 1080p HD Video, Live View, Night Vision
  • Field of View: 155° horizontal, 90° vertical
  • Motion Detection: Advanced Motion Detection with adjustable motion zones
  • Operating Conditions: -5°F to 120°F (-20°C to 48°C), water resistant
  • Power: Battery or hardwired

There is a lot to like about the second generation Ring Video Doorbell. Many people want video doorbells exclusively to see when their packages arrive and this Ring doorbell will let you know precisely when that happens. When a package is set down within the Ring’s zone, you’ll get an alert.

Testing the previous generation of Ring Video Doorbells. William Goodman | SPY.com

In his comprehensive review, SPY contributor William Goodman praised the Ring Video Doorbell for its straightforward installation and wonderful value. “As a budget-friendly device that gets you the Ring name and some of the device’s features, the Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) is definitely worth its $99.99 price,” detailed Goodman.

Sample video footage from our test of the Ring Video Doorbell. William Goodman

This doorbell can be wired or run on battery power, but also works with your previous doorbell’s chime, which is impressive. When you consider everything you get, plus the $100 price point, it’s pretty obvious why this is still one of the more popular Ring Video Doorbell editions.

Pros

  • Very easy to install
  • Two options for powering it
  • Great value
  • Good looking video performance

Cons

  • Entire unit needs to be removed from the mount in order to charge
Courtesy of Ring

Why We Chose It: This is the least you’ll shell out for in order to experience Ring’s core features.
Review: 7 Useful Things You Didn’t Know Video Doorbells Could do

Key Specs:

  • Video: 1080p HD Video, Live View, Night vision
  • Field of View: 155° horizontal, 90° vertical
  • Motion Detection: Advanced Motion Detection with customizable motion zones
  • Operating Conditions: -5°F to 120°F (-20°C to 50°C), weather resistant
  • Power: Hardwired

If you have an existing doorbell, and you don’t want to spend over $100, this is the option for you. For around $60, this wired Ring Doorbell provides all the essentials including HD video (and night vision), two-way talk and motion alerts.

Courtesy of Ring

At this price point, you still get the pre-roll video to provide you with context about motion alerts. You’ll forgo features such as package alerts or head-to-toe video, but for the budget-conscious, this is a great choice.

Pros

  • Ultra-affordable cost
  • Slimmer design
  • Water resistant rating

Cons

  • Wired power only
Courtesy of Ring

Why We Chose It: This is probably one of the few video doorbells approved for apartment living.
Read More: The Best Video Doorbells Without a Subscription Lets You Save Events For Free

Key Specs:

  • Video: 1080p HD Video, Live View, Night vision
  • Field of View: 155° horizontal, 90° vertical
  • Motion Detection: Advanced Motion Detection with customizable motion zones
  • Operating Conditions: -5°F to 120°F (-20.5°C to 48.5°), Weather Resistant
  • Power: Battery powered

One of the more unique options in Ring’s portfolio is the one that’s suited for apartment dwellers. The Ring Peephole Cam goes over the peephole, rather than on the side of the door where most traditional doorbells are situated. Apartments are more likely to approve this for tenants looking for an alternative, which is the reason why we love it.

John Velasco | SPY

We got the chance to check it out in action and we enjoyed how it fitted over a peephole properly. Of course, it has all the usual trimmings — like two-way communication, advanced motion detection, and crisp 1080p video.

John Velasco | SPY

If you really want to make the most out of this video doorbell, you should try and set an Alexa routine that will make announcements on your Amazon Echo smart speakers whenever the Ring Peephole Cam detects someone is at the door.

Pros

  • Most apartments allow it
  • Compact size
  • Ability to see through peephole

Cons

  • A little sensitive with motion detection

Why We Chose It: This is probably one of the few video doorbells approved for apartment living.
Review: Amazon’s Ring Video Doorbell 4 Is A Camera To Beat So Far in 2023

Key Specs:

  • Video: 1080 HD Live Video, Live View, Night Vision
  • Field of View: Field of view 160° horizontal, 84° vertical
  • Motion Detection: Motion detection Advanced Motion Detection with Customizable Motion Zones
  • Operating Conditions: -5°F to 120°F (-20°C to 50°C)
  • Power: Hardwired or battery

Like the Ring Video Door Pro 2, you also get amazing video resolution and color pre-roll recording. It has a wide 160-degree field of view and offers two-way talk so you can speak with whoever is at your door. One unique aspect of the Doorbell 4 is it can actually be used wired or wirelessly, although you won’t be able to use your existing doorbell chime.

William Goodman | SPY

What astounded William Goodman most about the Ring Video Doorbell 4 was its customizable motion zones. “The rental home I’m in gets a lot of street traffic, so I’m always thankful for the ability to customize the monitoring area for the Ring 4, which sees an enhanced feature set in this version,” explained Goodman.

William Goodman | SPY

With the option of going battery powered or hardwired, we love how you have the option to choose which route to go with when installing it the first time. Add to that, we were satisfied by its 1080p video performance, which produced realistic looking colors during sunny days.

Pros

  • Excellent battery life
  • Ability to set custom motion zones
  • Very easy to install

Cons

  • Still only 1080p video resolution

Ring Video Doorbells: Wired vs Battery-Powered

This may be a simpler choice than you think. It might all come down to: does your home have an existing doorbell? If so, connecting a wired Ring Video Doorbell is incredibly simple. All you need to do is remove the doorbell from the two wires it is connected to, connect those wires to the Ring doorbell and attach it to the exterior of the house. Oftentimes, you can even use the same chime box. Before you do that though, make sure you turn off the power to your house. You don’t want to zap yourself.

Ok, so, if that’s so easy, why would you consider a battery-powered one then? Remember, IF you have an existing doorbell, wired ones are rather easy to install. If you don’t, well, you might need someone to professionally install a wired doorbell. With a battery-powered one, you can’t beat how incredibly easy it is to install (you can easily do this yourself). And as it is battery-powered, you can put it essentially anywhere you please.

Testing the Ring 4 (left) and the Ring 3 (right). William Goodman | SPY

The downside to a battery-powered doorbell is … the battery. Since wired video doorbells draw power from your home, you don’t have to worry about them running out of power; you do with a battery-powered one. Be prepared to change the battery about every six months, and more often if you live in a place that gets cold at night.

As you can see, it’s all one piece. William Goodman

Let’s recap — if you want easy installation and want to put your video doorbell in a place where there isn’t an existing doorbell, go with a battery-powered version. If you want to replace an existing doorbell, and don’t mind a little bit of installation (really, it’s pretty simple) then perhaps go with a wired one, and you won’t have to worry about changing batteries.

Jonathan Knoder

Contributor

Jonathan Knoder covers a variety of topics from tech to lifestyle, but he has a special affinity for audio gear and smart home tech. He is based in Ogden, Utah and graduated from Weber State…