With Black Friday and Cyber Monday knocking at the door, it could be the ideal time to upgrade to that video doorbell you’ve always wanted. As one of the original players in this space, Ring knows what it takes to create a great video doorbell, but which model should you buy?
First, we'll walk you though everything you need to know about video doorbells. Then we'll compare the Ring Video Doorbell 2 to the Ring Video Doorbell 3 to find what’s changed - and which one is best for you.
Video Doorbell FAQs
What is a video doorbell?
Designed to replace your regular doorbell and sit on your front door or right next to it, the best video doorbells have a camera inside. It allows you to check who is ringing on your phone, tablet, or computer without opening the door or peeking out of a window. You can also carry on a two-way conversation with whoever is there.
How do you install a video doorbell?
Ring video doorbells are designed to be easy to install, and everything you need to mount one is included in the box. They have rechargeable batteries inside and connect to your Wi-Fi network. In some cases, they can also be wired in using your existing doorbell wiring, but you may prefer to hire a professional to do that.
How do you use the Ring video doorbell?
The Ring video doorbell can detect motion and will also alert you when somebody rings the bell. You can receive alerts on your phone, tablet, smart display, or PC. Not only can you see who is there, you can also talk to and hear them thanks to the microphone and speaker.
Does Ring require a subscription?
You can use a Ring Video Doorbell without a subscription, but to get the most from it a subscription is advised. If you want it to record video, for example, and you want to be able to access that video in the cloud for up to 30 days, then you need to pay a monthly fee.
The competitors
Ring Video Doorbell 2
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Ring has been turning out video doorbells for a few years now, and it’s one of the most popular brands in the space. The company was acquired by Amazon in 2018 but continues to make smart and affordable devices. Larger than traditional doorbells, Ring Video Doorbells pack a lot of smart functionality in. The biggest competitor is probably the Google-owned Nest Hello, but other brands like Arlo and Eufy are also moving into this space.
The Ring Video Doorbell 2 has a camera capable of streaming or recording high definition 1080p video, a microphone, a speaker, a removable and rechargeable battery pack, and motion sensors. When someone rings your bell, it sends an alert to your smartphone, or another device you’ve set up, like a tablet or smart display. It’s also capable of delivering motion-activated alerts to warn you if someone is lurking near your door. You can review the video and you can carry on a two-way conversation with whoever is there.
Ring Video Doorbell 3
Designed as a direct replacement for its predecessor, the Ring Video Doorbell 3 has the same 1080p camera with 160-degree field of view. It’s also packing a microphone and speaker for two-way audio, a quick-release rechargeable battery pack, and motion sensors. You can tap into the live view at any time and there’s infrared night vision for when it’s dark. When someone rings the bell or the motion sensors pick up action, it triggers an alert.
To tempt you into buying the new version, Ring promises superior motion detection and better connectivity than the previous model.
The head-to-head
Ring Video Doorbell 2 vs Ring Video Doorbell 3
As similar as these video doorbells are, there are some differences. The Ring Video Doorbell 2 connected via 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, but the Ring Video Doorbell 3 is dual band, meaning it can also connect on the faster 5 GHz frequency. While 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi has a longer range, it is slower than 5 GHz Wi-Fi, so this new connectivity option will be handy, provided your Wi-Fi router is fairly close to your front door.
Ring has also added advanced motion detection in the Video Doorbell 3, which means you can adjust motion zones in the app. This should be a big help if you typically get a lot of false positives when people walk past your property or there’s other movement on the street outside. To go one step further for those concerned about privacy, Ring has also introduced Privacy Zones, which can exclude some sections of the camera’s view from being recorded at all. This may prove useful if your Ring Video Doorbell overlooks a neighbouring property, for example.
Verdict
The Ring Video Doorbell 3 is a straightforward upgrade to the Ring Video Doorbell 2, adding improved connectivity, motion detection, and privacy zones. It makes sense to opt for the newer device, unless the older model is being offered at a deep discount and you can’t make use of, or don’t need the new features. If you already have a Ring Video Doorbell 2, it’s probably not worth upgrading yet.
Pricing and Availability
Price and availability
The Ring Video Doorbell 2 costs $199.99 / £179 / AU$329, but we expect price drops now its successor is here and there could be some Amazon Prime Day deals. The Ring Video Doorbell 3 will set you back $199.99 / £179 / AU$329.
Either way, just remember that you’ll also need a Ring subscription if you want to be able to record video and access it in the cloud (which you probably do). Subscriptions cost $3 / £2.50 / AU$4 per month or $30 / £25 / AU$40 for the year for one device, or $10 / £8 / AU$15 per month or $100 / £80 / AU$150 per year for multiple cameras.
Best Ring Video Doorbell 2 and Video Doorbell 3 deals
Black Friday is just around the corner us, so if you want a great discount on a Ring Video Doorbell 2 or Ring Video Doorbell 3 then you had better act fast - as we're expecting the best Ring Video Doorbell deals to fly off the shelves pretty quickly.
Luckily for you, we've gathered the best prices right now for both products below:
- Find all the lowest Amazon product prices in our Prime Day deals guide
You might also want to check out the Blink vs Ring comparison.
