Ring has announced the launch of an upgraded, battery-powered video doorbell.
The new doorbell, called Battery Video Doorbell Plus, will have the highest video resolution offered by Ring, a square field of vision and better battery life. It’s more affordable than the previous battery powered model as well.
In the US, it’s priced at $179.99. Its predecessor, the Video Doorbell 4, costs $219.99. In the UK, it will cost £159.99 – again, it’s slightly cheaper than the the previous model, which is available for £179.
If you’re in the US, you can pre-order the Battery Doorbell Plus right now, direct from Ring or from Amazon and it will ship on 5 April. UK users won’t be able to get their hands on it until 13 April, when it’ll go on sale on Amazon and Ring.
The new model might look the same, but will provide 1536p video, where the Doorbell 4 only offers 1080p resolution. There are other upgrades as well. Its battery life is up to three times better than Ring’s original Video Doorbell.
But for most people, the key feature is probably the increased 150×150° field of view. Yes, that means you’ll be able to see your visitor from head to toe. But more important than being to admire their footwear is the fact that you should get a clear view of any packages left on your doorstep.
This feature ties into the Package Alerts option. You can create a specific zone (ie a designated area where a package is usually left) and you’ll receive an alert to let you know whenever something appears in that spot.
The snag here is that Packages Alerts are only available if you sign up for the Ring Protect subscription plan, which starts from $3.99 per month or $39.99 per year in the US and £3.49 per month or £34.99 per year in the UK. There are different tiers of the subscription as well, depending on whether you have one device, a number of devices, or for US users, professional Ring alarm monitoring as well.
Ring has recently come under fire for moving a few of its previously free features behind its subscription paywall, including Home and Away modes on the official app. So, if you’re considering buying, we’d suggest you look carefully at the features you’ll be able to access with the hardware and app alone and make sure it’s in line with what you want.
Still, the new Battery Doorbell Plus also comes with all the features you’d expect from earlier iterations:
- Colour night vision
- Two-way conversations with noise cancellation
- Advanced motion detection
- Real-time notifications
- Customisable motion and privacy zones
To compare this with Ring’s previous battery powered model, the Ring Video Doorbell 4, check out our review. Or to see video doorbells from all brands and see which we recommend, have a look at our round-up of the best video doorbells we’ve tested.
Author: Emma Rowley, Home Tech Editor
Emma is Home Tech Editor at Tech Advisor. She covers everything from kitchen appliances to smart home devices, from floor care to personal care to air care technology. She’s particularly interested in environmentally conscious brands and products that save people time and money.