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  • About the Logitech Circle View Doorbell

  • What we like

  • What we don’t like

  • Should you buy it?

  • Related content

  • About the Logitech Circle View Doorbell
  • What we like
  • What we don’t like
  • Should you buy it?
  • Related content

Pros

  • Timely and accurate smart alerts

  • Head-to-toe view

  • Advanced features

Cons

  • iOS only

  • Doesn't work with Alexa/Google

A stellar smart doorbell for Apple users—and Apple users only.

The doorbell offers a 160-degree field of view, on par with other smart doorbells like Google’s Nest Hello, though smaller than the 180-degree field of view offered by the Arlo Essential Wire-Free Doorbell, our pick as the best video doorbell you can buy. The camera records in 1200p x 1600p and offers color vision at night.

Given its Apple-exclusivity, this isn’t the go-to pick for most people. But if you’re in a committed relationship with Apple’s Siri already, Logitech’s new doorbell is an obvious choice to watch over your front door. It delivers a smooth experience, sharp video, and advanced front door features like facial recognition and intelligent smart alerts for anyone running an Apple ecosystem.

About the Logitech Circle View Doorbell

The Logitech Circle View Doorbell Wired on the front of a house.
Credit: Reviewed / Rachel Murphy

The Logitech Circle View Doorbell Wired only works with Apple's Siri, not Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

Here are the Logitech Circle View Doorbell's specs:

  • Price: $199.99
  • Colors: Black
  • Connectivity: Dual-band WiFi (2.4GHz/5GHz)
  • Smart assistants: Siri
  • Installation type: Hardwire only
  • Weather rating: IP65
  • Video Resolution: 1200 x 1600 HD resolution
  • Dimensions: 4.68" H x 1.65" W x 1.1" D

Logitech’s smart doorbell offers many features commonly found on other video doorbells like two-way talk and custom motion zones. There’s also a built-in motion sensor and a light sensor that measures the amount of light in lux, the latter of which can trigger other smart home products in your arsenal, such as turning your lights on when it's getting dark outside.

An Apple Home Hub like an Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD, HomePod, HomePod mini, or iPad is needed to use the doorbell. Existing doorbell wires on a low voltage transformer are required for installation, and most indoor chimes are compatible. A chime kit is included, and a compatible indoor chime is required for use. The chime kit must always be installed and connected to the indoor chime. You can also receive announcements on a Home Hub or push notifications on your iOS device.

A paid iCloud subscription is necessary to access the Logitech Circle View Doorbell's best features like intelligent smart alerts, facial recognition, and more. You don't need an iCloud storage plan to stream video and store clips, but a 200GB iCloud storage plan is necessary to record video. This doorbell also supports HomeKit Secure Video, which encrypts videos before uploading to iCloud.

What we like

Head-to-toe view

The day and night view from the Logitech Circle View Doorbell Wired from the Apple Home app.
Credit: Reviewed / Rachel Murphy

Here's the view from the Apple Home app showing the daytime view (left), nighttime view with my porch light on (middle), and the nighttime view with only the LED light strip lit up (right).

The Logitech Circle View Doorbell displays video in a 3:4 format that gives a full view of who is at your front door and also makes it easy to see packages on your porch. For comparison’s sake, many video doorbells, like those from Ring, record in a 16:9 format, which offers a wide-screen view that doesn’t always fully capture people from top to bottom or packages at your doorstep.

The daytime video is sharp, offering a clear, picture-perfect view of what’s unfolding at your house. There’s also an LED light strip across the front that helps illuminate the view for color vision at night quite well.

It knows who’s at your door

Apple HomePod Mini sits on a white desk.
Credit: Reviewed / Rachel Murphy

A Home Hub like the HomePod Mini (pictured) is needed to use the Logitech Circle View Doorbell Wired. It also doubles as a doorbell chime, making announcements when someone is at the door.

Facial recognition isn't common to most smart doorbells (Google's Nest Hello being one of the few exceptions), so it was a pleasant surprise to find it in Logitech's latest. It's a nifty feature that can potentially tell you who specifically is at the door by pulling from the photos on your iOS device to recognize your friends and family.

When I rang the doorbell, my HomePod Mini speaker announced: “Rachel Murphy” (that’s me) was at the door. Audible announcements like that make facial recognition a useful (optional) feature that can add a touch more convenience to your smart home.

Smart object detection

More and more video doorbells are moving from motion-only alerts to intelligent smart alerts that can differentiate between objects. Logitech’s requires a paid iCloud subscription, which allows the doorbell camera to differentiate between people, animals, vehicles, and motion. However, unlike the Nest and Arlo doorbells I keep referencing, it does not detect packages, which is kind of a bummer.

Another great feature of this doorbell is that it has truly customizable motion zones, meaning you can draw activity zones tailored to your front door view. This is helpful to avoid false alerts caused by things like trees blowing in the wind or the shadow of your neighbors flag, ultimately making your doorbell a more reliable and accurate home security camera.

What we don’t like

Apple or nothing

Since an Apple Home Hub (Apple TV, HomePod, HomePod mini, or iPad) is needed to use the doorbell, owning at least a few iOS products is a must here. That might not be a bad thing if you’re all in on Siri as your smart assistant of choice. However, if you prefer to use Alexa and/or Google to control your smart home, or if you want to use some more affordable products (many of which don't work with Siri), this isn’t the doorbell for you.

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell is a great alternative because it works with either Alexa or Google, costs the same, and delivers a great head-to-toe view of who's at your front door.

Should you buy it?

Yes, but only if you’re Siri or nothing

The Logitech Circle View Doorbell Wired on the front of a house.
Credit: Reviewed / Rachel Murphy

If you are shopping for a smart video doorbell that works with Apple HomeKit, the Logitech Circle View Doorbell Wired is a great pick.

For Apple-only users, the Logitech Circle View Doorbell is a great choice. It detects motion events immediately, and can accurately tell the difference between people, animals, and vehicles. The head-to-toe view, facial recognition features, and integration with other iOS devices make it an ideal pick for any Apple-driven smart home.

But with a retail price of $199.99, Logitech’s latest doorbell is already teetering on the edge of being a more expensive option than comparable smart doorbells. It’s made for Apple users and Apple users only, requires additional hardware (Apple Home Hub) to work, and a paid subscription to unlock all its features. If you’re looking for an Android-friendly doorbell (that’s still compatible with iOS devices), you’ll want to pick up the best video doorbell we’ve tested, the Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell. It works with both Alexa and Google (but not Siri), offers a better view, and doesn't require a hub—all for the same price as the Logitech Circle View Doorbell.

However, if Apple HomeKit is your smart home platform of choice, the Logitech Circle View Doorbell makes a fantastic addition to your Siri-only ecosystem.

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Meet the tester

Rachel Murphy

Rachel Murphy

Editor, Home

@rachel_murphy

Rachel Murphy is Reviewed's home editor. She holds a journalism degree from the University of Central Florida. Prior to joining the team, she worked as a freelance writer for publications like Insider and Mashable, and as an associate editorial producer for Good Morning America. Aside from smart home tech, her interests include food, travel, parenting, and home renovation. You can usually find her sipping on coffee at any time of the day.

See all of Rachel Murphy's reviews

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