You can now get an outdoor siren for your Ring home security set up

Ring has announced a new product, as well as an update: you can now buy an outdoor siren, as well as its second generation home alarm system.

Ring Alarm Outdoor Siren

The all-new outdoor siren was apparently developed in response to European customer feedback and will integrate with either the existing or the new Ring alarm system.

It features both audio and visual alarm elements. The siren has red LEDs that that flash when the system is tripped and the siren’s volume can be adjusted via the app.

It also has a ‘Dusk to Dawn’ feature, which illuminates the siren in white at night, as a clear deterrent to anyone wandering onto your property.

The Ring Alarm Outdoor Siren will be available to buy from 31 March and will cost £69 on release.

While this is a decent chunk of change, Ring customers with a large enough garden will likely appreciate the added security and peace of mind. Having an outdoor alarm also means that neighbours are more likely to be alerted if you’re away from home.

As an added bonus, if you pre-order it from Amazon now, it’ll cost you just £49. It will also be available from Ring.

Ring Alarm 2nd Gen

The Ring Alarm has had upgrades, although the changes aren’t huge. The keypad has been redesigned, not only to make it more aesthetically pleasing but simpler to use, with new Mode keys that’ll let you easily set your system to Disarmed, Home, or Away Mode.

There are also one-touch buttons that’ll allow you to instantly alert up to three contacts to an emergency via the Assisted Monitoring service – that is, if you opt for the Ring Protect Plus subscription plan, which costs £8 per month or £80 per year.

However, you can use the alarm’s standard features without subscribing to anything or making any ongoing payments.

The basic kit has five pieces: the base station; keypad; contact sensor; motion detector; and a range extender. The sensors have been redesigned and are now smaller for more versatile placement around the home. And that’s obviously the nice thing about the Ring Alarm: you can install it yourself.

The kit will cost from £219, although you’ll obviously be able to buy sets with more contact sensors and motion detectors. For most people this will be a must. If you have more than one door to the outside, you’ll really want more than one contact sensor.  

The original Ring alarm is now on sale on Amazon for £199, so the new system is only £20 more. New users might as well spend a bit more to get the improved features, although they do seem fairly minor.

However, it really doesn’t sound as though it would be worthwhile for current users to upgrade, unless you are a Ring Protect Plus user who would get more peace of mind from the one-touch features.  

The Ring Alarm 2nd Gen will go on sale on 28 April. You can pre-order it now on Amazon. There’s sadly no discount for getting in early on this one.

To find out more about how the Ring alarm system works and whether it’s right for you, read our review of the current Ring alarm.