Ring has launched its new Pro version with a battery , and we've had the opportunity to test it for several weeks to tell you what the differences are compared to the previous version and whether it's worth upgrading. The device has been improved with new features, but if you already own one, the upgrade will depend on your living situation. We'll explain below.
Find out when they knock on the door
Smart doorbells have helped many users to finally be able to answer those failed calls or visits at home. The possibility of being able to connect and see the other person on the other side of the door is a huge help, but if you thought that everything was limited to watching a video and being able to talk through a speaker, you are wrong.
Ring has improved the camera's image with a new lens that allows it to capture more thanks to a much wider viewing angle . This essentially lets us see what's happening at ground level, whereas before we could only see the area from about 1 meter high. It's really effective, as the view is complete, and we avoid surprises from people hiding within the camera's field of vision, since it will be impossible to hide.
See the night in color
Image quality has also been improved, as we can now view video in HDR , providing a better preview in areas with strong highlights or deep shadows. This will be quite useful for outdoor installations, but those installing the camera indoors will likely not benefit as much. However, the color night vision works particularly well, offering a more detailed color image than the classic black and white infrared view.
A distant bird's eye view
In the official sheet and the product presentation videos it was possible to see how the new camera included a new bird's eye view mode with which to track the person or animal that moved in front of the camera. Thanks to this function you can know the route that the person takes and allows you to see how far they are from the door and the bell, however, it is a function that depends on the MapBox maps, and as we will see, it is quite limited.
The problem is that it uses satellite images from the MapBox service, so forget about using it indoors. On the other hand, the proximity of the Google satellite images is not enough (at least in my area), to have a detailed perspective of where the person who rang the doorbell is located, so the point on the map It could very well indicate that it is on the other side of the sidewalk.
Is the new Ring Battery Doorbell Pro worth it?
Taking into account the performance of the new functions, we believe that, if you do not have a Ring doorbell, this new model will be perfect for your needs, however, if you already had a previous model, the changes introduced cannot justify the new buys. The new 3D panoramic view mode demonstrates the effectiveness of the radar with a maximum distance of 6,5 meters, however, it is barely useful due to the low resolution of the satellite maps provided.
You should also keep in mind that to obtain the bird's-eye view preview while you are watching the live video, you must have a Ring Protect Plus subscription, or else you will not be able to use it.