The new Ring Battery Doorbell offers a compelling option for those seeking an affordable yet capable doorbell camera. Succeeding the popular Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen), which hit shelves back in 2020, this welcome addition to Ring’s family of battery-operated video doorbells sits at the same price point while packing several much-needed upgrades.
We’re most excited to see Ring’s new pushpin mounting in action, as it should make charging the Ring Battery Doorbell much more convenient — though you might not have to do it as often since the new iteration also promises an increase of up to 23% in battery life. More importantly, the video doorbell also inherits the head-to-toe video capability you’ll find in Ring’s higher-end models.
So, if you’re in the market for a new affordable doorbell camera, it looks like a great investment. Here’s everything we know about what’s shaping up to be one of the best video doorbell cameras on the market.
It’s available for preorder now
Featuring head-to-toe HD video, color night vision, a new pushpin mount, USB-C charging and longer battery life, the new Ring Battery Doorbell is the long-awaited upgrade for video doorbell users. It’s available for preorder today at the same affordable price as the previous-generation model.
You won’t have to wait too long to get your hands on the new Ring Battery Doorbell. The video doorbell is available today for preorder for only $100 at Ring and Amazon. It will start shipping out to customers on Sept. 4, so whether you’re looking to upgrade or give one as a gift, you’ll have it before the holiday season rolls in.
Premium head-to-toe video for the same attainable price
The Ring Battery Doorbell promises to deliver an expanded 150-by-150-degree field of view to users. That means it has a 66% taller view than its predecessor, which only has a 90-degree vertical view.
The head-to-toe video upgrade isn’t new to Ring video doorbells. The pricier Ring Battery Doorbell Plus and Ring Battery Doorbell Pro both boast this capability, though at a higher HD+ resolution.
Still, we’re glad to see it adopted in the “budget” model in HD since an expanded view comes with many benefits. Having the ability to “cover more ground” to see what or who is at your front door can help improve your home security system, especially if you’re keeping an eye on a delivered package while you’re away from home or if you need to record an important event like a bad character lurking at night.
That isn’t the only video upgrade here. Ring also throws in color night vision, which was only previously available to the two aforementioned higher-end battery models. Having color video footage at night doesn’t just provide you with a better viewing experience; it also adds clarity and improves the camera’s built-in ability to detect motion in low light.
You’d think with those two advanced features that Ring would take the opportunity to raise the price, but the company is sticking to that affordable $100 price tag. There are certainly cheaper options out there, but the Ring Battery Doorbell is shaping up to be the best value for your money.
Its new pushpin mounting is one of its most exciting features
If you’re a Ring battery video doorbell owner, you’re likely already familiar with how inconvenient it is to charge — unless you have yours connected to a solar charger. To deter thieves, these doorbells are designed to be screwed in at the base during installation. It’s an effective security measure, but charging them can be a process. When charging the Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen), for example, you first have to unscrew the two base screws before you can pull it off its mounting bracket to access the micro-USB port.
In addition to upgrading from a micro-USB port to USB-C, Ring has finally fixed that minor inconvenience on the new Ring Battery Doorbell, thanks to the company’s all-new pushpin mount. To release the doorbell from its mount, all you need to do is insert the included pushpin tool into a slot. While we have yet to test this new mount design, it sounds like a very promising solution to what has been a common source of annoyance for many Ring owners.
A longer battery life is always a welcome update
As a current Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) user, I’m not so impressed with its longevity. While Ring promises a battery life of six to 12 months, mine only lasted a little over four months after its first full charge before it needed recharging. I realize that charging devices is pretty much a fact of life at this point, but when combined with the fact that I have to unscrew my unit every time I need to charge it, it’s a chore that I do not look forward to doing more than twice a year.
Luckily, Ring upgraded the battery life on the Ring Battery Doorbell, giving it a 23% boost. Of course, we won’t find out whether or not the actual device lasts longer until we test one ourselves, but you can take comfort in the fact that its battery is at least designed to last longer than the previous generation.
The takeaway
Seeing one of the best video doorbells on the market get advanced capabilities and brand-new features while maintaining its affordable price tag is a nice treat to smart home fans. Those features might not be on par with the AI capabilities that many of the newer home security cameras are touting, and they might not be transformative enough to persuade existing Ring Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) who are already happy with their device to spend another $100 to upgrade. But the Ring Battery Doorbell is still a compelling proposition for those new to video doorbells and those still stuck with a much older model.
The most affordable battery-powered Ring doorbell camera finally receives a much-needed update, and we look forward to testing it ourselves as soon as we get our hands on it. Keep an eye out for our review.