Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 Review

If you’re all in on Ring and love to try the latest gear (we don’t blame you) the Pro 2 may appeal, functioning as a premium version of other Ring doorbells I’ve tested. Audio and video are two of the most important video doorbell features, and the Pro 2 excels at both. The audio is impressively loud and easy to understand, and the video resolution is sharp and on par with the best smart doorbells we’ve tested. But in a sea of smart doorbells, the Pro 2’s extra features just don’t add enough value to justify its high price.

About the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2

• Price: $249.99
• Colors: Satin Nickel
• Connectivity: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi/5GHz Wi-Fi
• Smart assistants: Amazon Alexa
• Installation type: Hardwire only
• Operating temperature: -5 degrees Fahrenheit to 120 degrees Fahrenheit
• Video Resolution: 1536p HD
• Dimensions: 4.49 H x 1.9 W x 0.87 D inches

Ring's Video Doorbell Pro 2 records in 1536p HD video and has color night vision. It offers a 150-degree horizontal and 150-degree vertical field of view that provides a top-to-bottom look of who is at your front door. Two-way talk with noise and distortion cancellation is available. There are also new features like Alexa Greetings, Quick Replies, and 3D Motion Detection with video previews.

Installation should take less than 10 minutes using existing doorbell wiring, but there is no battery option. A Satin Nickel faceplate is included with your purchase. There is a limited one-year warranty and Theft Protection, Ring's free replacement plan if your doorbell is stolen. A Ring Protect Plan (starting at $3/month per device) is needed to store and share videos.

What we like

Alexa answers the door

If you're unable to respond to the door, the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 can do it for you using Alexa Greetings, which can be set up in the Ring app under Smart Responses. When someone rings the doorbell, Alexa will start a brief conversation to determine the purpose of the visit (like a package delivery). You can customize how quickly you'd like her to respond after someone rings the doorbell, with response times ranging from immediately to up to 20 seconds.

Alexa can also take voice messages from unanswered visitors, similar to leaving a voicemail on someone’s phone, which is a handy feature that works well. Alexa asks for details like the person’s name and phone number before recording the voice message. You can then access voice messages in your Ring video history. (A paid Ring Protect Plan is required to use Alexa Greetings.)

Quick Replies are also available on the Pro 2 doorbell. Unlike Alexa Greetings, this feature doesn’t require a paid subscription plan. Just choose from one of six preset messages to play if you can’t get to the door like, “Hi! We’ll be right there,” or “Sorry, we’re not interested.”

Flawless video day and night

If sharp video is what you’re after, Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 delivers on that front no matter what the time of day is. The Pro 2 records in 1536p HD video—better quality than any other Ring Doorbell (and there are a lot of them). It’s the same resolution as our current pick for the best smart doorbell, the Arlo Wire-Free Essential Video Doorbell. You can zoom in and easily make out the details of someone’s face even when they are standing 10-feet to 15-feet away from the doorbell.

Exceptional audio quality

Ring’s superb sound quality rivals other top-rated video doorbells I’ve tested, as well. The doorbell’s audio system features noise and distortion cancellation so that the sound is smooth and easy to understand from anywhere. The audio can be heard from subjects at up to 20 feet away from the doorbell. It also sounds great when using the Ring app or an Amazon Echo display or smart speaker to communicate with visitors at your door. Sometimes doorbell audio can experience delays during use, but not the Pro 2, which hits all the notes when it comes to loud and clear sound quality.

What we don’t like

The extra features don’t justify the cost

New to the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 are advanced home security features like 3D Motion Tracking and Bird’s Eye View. The motion tracking feature is intriguing, letting you specify the exact area you want the doorbell to start recording once motion is detected for more accurate alerts. There’s also Bird's Eye View, which creates an aerial map view that outlines the exact path of where a motion event starts and stops up to 30 feet away from your doorbell.

When motion is detected, you can access the Bird’s Eye View in the Ring app. Ring says the two features work together to give homeowners more "control and context" about what's unfolding outside. The new features are nice to have and work well, but only perspicacious homeowners will truly appreciate the more detailed explanation of what’s going on outside their doorbell.

It only works with Alexa

Unlike most top competitors, Ring doorbells don’t work with Google Assistant, let alone Apple’s Siri. While this has always been the case, the Pro 2’s top competitor, the Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell, plays nice with Alexa and Google, the two most popular smart assistants. Our current pick for the Best Value in the segment, the Eufy Security Wi-Fi Video Doorbell, also works with both assistants. It also sends notifications over WiFi and data almost instantly, and offers crystal clear video at 2560 x 1920 resolution day or night for less than $160.

Privacy

Ring has had its fair share of privacy mishaps over the last few years, but the company has taken strides to beef up user privacy with its Control Center, which is available for all Ring devices (not just Ring’s latest doorbell). It offers security features like mandatory two-factor authentication, the option to view and remove linked accounts and shared users, and control over which devices and third-party apps are synced to the account.

Much like other Ring doorbells, the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 supports Ring's Privacy Zones which allow you to define which areas you don't want to record.

Should you buy it?

Maybe, but only if the price drops significantly

The Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 is a premium, Alexa-only smart doorbell outfitted with impressive video and audio quality alongside advanced home security features like 3D Motion Detection and Bird’s Eye View. These features will appeal to curious homeowners who enjoy diving into the details, but aren’t crucial to the day-to-day operations of your doorbell. Unless you’re examining motion events on the regular, you likely won’t pay much attention. The built-in responses from Alexa offer added convenience when you can’t get to the door, including the option for visitors to leave a voice message, which you can quickly access in the Ring app. But for most people, the Pro 2 is simply overpriced.

Our top-ranked video doorbell, the Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell, offers the same great video quality as the Pro 2 and can be purchased for $50-70 less. Unless you’re all in on Ring, Arlo’s is a more versatile doorbell pick that works with Alexa and Google Assistant, runs on rechargeable batteries or existing doorbell wires, and offers a similar head-to-toe view. Arlo’s doorbell is also the smarter of the two—it can alert you to specific motion events from packages, vehicles, people, and animals, while the Pro 2 can only detect motion and person alerts (People Only mode is also supported).

If Ring is what your heart desires, the $60 Ring Video Doorbell Wired performs well and is priced right. It’s as quick and smart as more expensive Ring doorbells, has no problem maintaining a steady Wi-Fi connection, and supports features found on more expensive Ring doorbells like People Only mode, Snapshot Capture, and customizable motion zones. You can use all that cash you saved to further build out your budding smart home.

If you love the idea of all those extra features, the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 could still be worth consideration. But we'd strongly suggest you wait until you can find a serious sale.