TechRadar Verdict
If the idea of grainy images and crackly sound quality have put you off buying a security camera up until now, then the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery might just change your mind. It’s easy to use and personalize, captures full-color videos at night, and looks modern on the exterior of your home. Reasonably priced for the functionality on offer, the only catch is that you may have to stump up for an extra battery or the monthly subscription to get more out of it.
Pros
- +
Color video day and night
- +
Clear sound
- +
Wire-free for versatile installation
Cons
- -
Weak Wi-Fi outdoors can result in monitoring issues
- -
Doesn’t differentiate between people and other motion without a subscription
- -
Battery can deplete quickly
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One-minute review
Once known for some of the best video doorbells, Ring has steadily been increasing its range of products to include security monitoring beyond your doorstep. It’s actually been more than five years since Ring launched its popular Floodlight Cam, combining an outdoor light with security technology.
Since then, it’s evolved into the Floodlight Cam Pro, initially with a wired model followed by this battery-powered version, delivering greater flexibility in terms of where it’s installed outside your home. And while the concept behind the camera remains similar – its purpose being to monitor any comings and goings outside your home – the Floodlight Cam Pro Battery boasts a new lineup of features that make fulfilling this purpose easier, clearer and more accurate.
One of four permanent battery-powered outdoor-only cameras from Ring, the Floodlight Cam Pro Battery is at the more expensive end of the range, thanks to its advanced features and versatility. Most similar is the Floodlight Cam Plus, which lacks the Pro’s biggest selling points of radar-powered motion detection, Bird’s Eye View (providing an aerial view for added context outside the perimeters of your motion zones), and improved audio. We found some of these features more useful than others; however, overall, both the clarity of audio and video of the Floodlight Cam Pro Battery were excellent.
As such, this model is most likely to appeal to those who’d welcome better-quality video and sound than that delivered by even some of the best home security cameras. Those who already have a Ring product are also likely to consider the Spotlight Cam Pro Battery, given that it uses the existing app and can be integrated with other devices.
Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery price and availability
- List price: $229.99 / £199.99 / AU$329
The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery is priced at $229.99 / £199.99 / AU$329. It’s available to buy now in the US, UK and Australia directly from Ring or through Amazon. Solar, plug-in and wired versions are also available.
For the technology the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery includes, and the brand’s typical ease of use, it’s fairly reasonably priced – comparable cameras can easily cost up to a third more. However, it’s slightly pricier than Ring’s Spotlight Cam Plus Battery, which is its more affordable option.
The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery includes one battery in the box, but has space for two (allowing the second to serve as a backup). Additional batteries cost $29.99 / £24.99 / AU$49.
Value score: 4.5 out of 5
Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery design
- Twin LED lights
- Installation can be fiddly
- Space inside for two batteries
The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery is less obtrusive than some security cameras at a diminutive 3.1 x 3.2 x 5.7in / 7.8 x 8.1 x 14.4cm, but it still looks very much like a camera as opposed to a light. It has a sizeable speaker at its base, while a pair of LED lights flank the camera at the front. While these lights are definitely bright enough for you to be able to see at night, it’s clear that lighting isn’t this camera’s primary purpose. The model is available in two colors, black or white, allowing you to choose your preference over an option that blends in with your exterior or acts as a visible deterrent.
In terms of design, the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery is sleek. It has a single button on top, while the speaker section at the base twists off to reveal a twin cavity for batteries. The unit simply pushes onto and pulls off the mount; there are no clips or levers required. Mounting the camera is fairly easy, although you’ll need the right size of screwdriver since no tool is provided. Ring estimates that installation is a 5-10 minute process (there are four screws on the baseplate, plus one to attach the mounting). However, we found it took longer, especially when it came to tightening the grommet around the small, fiddly ball joint with the camera in place.
Linking the camera to Wi-Fi is straightforward, but the multiple decisions surrounding the settings you want lengthens the process somewhat, especially since they’re all available to toggle later on. An option to choose default settings would be a welcome addition for those who just want to get the Spotlight Cam Pro Battery up and running. A USB charging cable for recharging the battery is included.
Design score: 4.5 / 5
Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery performance
- Night videos clear and in color
- Needs reliable far-reaching Wi-Fi for best performance
- Limited video viewing without Ring Protect subscription
On the whole, the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery proved problem-free in terms of monitoring and alerts once it was set up, although keeping it “talking” to our Wi-Fi was an issue. The property where it was installed relies on booster discs to extend the signal outside – and while this has been sufficient for other outdoor tech, this camera didn’t work well on the system. Often simply nudging the camera for a better angle would cause it to lose connectivity. Essentially, you’ll need a solid Wi-Fi signal for the best performance – and you may well find that while the battery doesn’t limit where you install it, connectivity could have a bearing. Ring states that the Spotlight Cam Pro Battery requires a minimum upload speed of 2Mbps for optimal performance.
An existing camera at the property tended to register motion that the Ring didn’t (for example, animals) when we altered its sensitivity to preserve battery – although it did still spot people reliably. We found the Bird’s Eye View function largely redundant in our small outside area – it tended to pick up vehicles driving on the road past the property, resulting in multiple alerts every hour. However, in a home with a large garden or long driveway (its custom Motion Zones extend up to 29ft 6in / 9m), this could be very useful.
We especially liked its easily activated, ear-piercing 105dB alarm and the crispness of its sound, thanks to noise cancellation. The field of vision was also excellent at 140° horizontal and 80° vertical, allowing a view far beyond the boundary of the property. At night, when activated by motion, the LED lights really did transform the quality of the video, from grainy black-and-white to full color footage. This allowed us to clearly identify urban foxes from cats, for example. However, there’s no way of differentiating animals from something blowing along in the wind, or a vehicle.
While the camera functions without it, a Ring Protect subscription (from £3.49 a month) is required for some of the more useful functionality. Without it, you won’t be able to review videos that you may have missed in real-time, or save them; you’ll only have access to photos for up to 7 days. We found it annoying to have motion registered during the night without any video. You also can’t differentiate between people and motion alerts without a subscription.
Performance score: 3.5 out of 5
Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery app
- Easy to use app
- Ability to adjust sensitivity and motion zones
- Useful for multiple devices
As accompanying apps go, Ring attempt is probably one of the most user-friendly around. Key features appear to have been kept to the fore, with each option arriving with an explanation of what it is, or how it impacts monitoring. However, with so many features, there are a fair few options to choose from. This is great for those who like to tailor their tech just so, but less appealing for people who prefer to “fit and forget”. You can adjust privacy zones to block out certain areas, adjust the Bird’s Eye View’ reach, motion frequency and video length, among other things.
What could be useful, if you have more than one device, is the app’s Modes. These allow you to activate all cameras at once when you’re away, for example, or just the outdoor ones when you’re at home, plus its motion schedule, which enables alerts and recordings while you’re away.
The Spotlight Cam Pro Battery integrates with Alexa, illuminating and sending announcements to Echo devices when motion is detected, plus you can speak to people on camera with some Echo and Fire TV devices.
App score: 5 / 5
Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery life
- Easy to change the battery
- Frequent monitoring depletes battery life more quickly
- Recharges from flat in 5.5 hours
There’s no real indication of how long the Spotlight Cam Pro Battery’s battery should last, given that it’s largely dependent on use and the monitoring settings enlisted. Additional batteries state that they can last for months between charges, depending on use and the weather. We found that when set to frequent monitoring, our battery lost 20% of its charge in just three days, suggesting that those who want precise monitoring would be advised to invest in a second or third battery – and be prepared to charge them every fortnight or so. It was disappointing that Ring didn’t see fit to include a second battery, or a bigger battery that holds more charge. Our battery took 5.5 hours to recharge from flat.
Battery life score: 3/5
Attribute | Notes | Score |
---|---|---|
Price and availability | The Spotlight Cam Pro Battery offers clear, crisp video, good security lights and ease of use, plus the option to integrate with other Ring devices, making it excellent value for the price. | 4 / 5 |
Design | Sleek and minimal, while this is recognizably a security camera, it’s well-thought out and compact. | 4.5 / 5 |
Performance | When the camera worked, it was brilliant; but issues with exterior Wi-Fi connectivity caused headaches. | 3.5 / 5 |
App | Well-explained settings and clear menus makes the Ring app easy to use and toggle settings. | 5 / 5 |
Battery | Unless you alter your settings to suit, battery life can be incredibly short and require more frequent charging. | 3 / 5 |
Should I buy the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery?
Buy it if...
You like to keep an eye on your home without blowing the budget
The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery is ideal for those who like to monitor deliveries or kids coming home from school, or would like an extra layer of security. Video captured at night is beautifully clear and color-rich.
You already own Ring products
While you don’t need to own other Ring products, the fact that the Spotlight Cam Pro Battery functions seamlessly alongside a doorbell or an indoor camera is a real plus.
You want an easy-to-use app that allows settings to be easily toggled
The Ring app is definitely part of the appeal of this camera: it’s simple to personalize, allowing you to alter zones, switch options on and off, and find the right settings for your needs. If other Wi-Fi camera apps have left you going round in circles, this is sure to be a fresh breath of air.
Don't buy it if...
You like to watch your pets come and go
The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery is more about spotting people than general motion around your property. We found cats often slipped past it, especially when the sensitivity was set to preserve battery power.
You don’t want to have to keep charging a battery
If you have multiple comings and goings throughout a typical day, or the sensitivity for motion is high, the Spotlight Cam Pro Battery can quickly burn through its power. To combat this, you’ll either need to charge frequently, or invest in one or more spare units.
You want to mount a camera in a not so easily accessible position
Since this is a battery-powered camera, you’ll need to be able to reach it easily to swap out the battery when required. The wired version would be a better option for less accessible spots around your home.
- First reviewed: December 2022
Freelance journalist Rachel Ogden has more than 20 years’ experience but for the last 14 years, she's worked exclusively in interiors, writing about everything from large and small kitchen appliances to the latest home tech. Partial to strong coffee, low-fat chips, and any kind of cake, there’s nothing she likes better than a time-saving gadget.
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