Testing to determine the best of the best in video doorbells is similar to how we test any other home security camera. For this article, I started by downloading the Ring app. I recommend starting with the app rather than sifting through the tutorial booklets that ship with the hardware, because a good app includes detailed steps on the installation process, as well as how to connect the doorbell to your Wi-Fi network. The app will also be where you can check your notifications, alerts and settings, making it your one-stop shop for all things video doorbell-related.
After installing the video doorbells based on the manufacturer’s specifications, it was time to test the specs. Each video doorbell, despite all being Ring products, has slightly different features, so I took the time to test each unique feature to determine which was best. As soon as the Ring video doorbells were connected and I could view the live video feed, I checked their settings. I enabled features like motion detection, package alerts and bird’s-eye-view to get a sense of how well each feature performed.
Watch this: Ring 4 or Nest Doorbell Battery? Find the better fit for your porch
06:58
After hours of testing, I gave the highest rating (7.5) to the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2. While it’s not the best value on the market, the advanced specs — a super-wide field of view, a 1:1 aspect ratio, 1536p resolution and all the basics you’d want your smart buzzer to have — make it a great choice for a high-end video doorbell.
Though rated lower than the Pro 2 at a 7.4, the Ring Video Doorbell 4 is my recommendation for best standard Ring doorbell. If you’re looking for a doorbell that’s a fair value and packed with nifty features, but just doesn’t send package alerts, then this is the best choice.
Finally, we gave the second-gen Ring Video Doorbell (2020) our lowest score (7.2) because it’s certainly an improvement over the original Ring Video Doorbell, but the built-in battery that needs to be removed to charge is a bit of a hassle. While it’s not our very favorite, it’s a decent buzzer with solid features at a fair value.