Review Ring Video Doorbell 4

Ring Video Doorbell 4 Specifications

The Video Doorbell 4 ($199.99) offers features not typically found on battery-powered doorbells including dual-band Wi-Fi, optional wired connectivity, and Pre-Roll video for capturing the first few seconds of activity before a motion alert is triggered. As with other Ring doorbells, this model works with Amazon Alexa and can interact with lots of third-party smart home devices. The main difference between this and the $179.99 Video Doorbell 3 is that it supports full-color Pre-Roll video. However, you still need to pay a monthly fee to access recorded video and to use certain features, and while the Video Doorbell 4 delivered sharp 1080p video in testing.

Design and Features

The Ring Doorbell 4 closely resembles all the other Ring doorbells. It has the same glossy black and satin nickel finish as the 2020 Ring Video Doorbell, and at 5.1 by 2.4 by 1.1 inches (HWD), it’s roughly the same size. The camera assembly occupies the upper portion of the device while the bottom half holds a removable cover with a backlit ring button that pulses blue when you press the button.

Beneath the cover are a reset button and a removable battery pack. If you would rather not deal with charging the battery every couple of months, you can connect a wired power source (8-20VAC) using the two terminals on the back. An embedded dual-band Wi-Fi radio lets you connect the doorbell to either a 2.4GHz or a 5GHz network SSID. Alongside the doorbell, Ring includes a mounting wedge; mounting hardware and terminal connectors; security screws and a security screwdriver; and a user guide in the box.

The camera captures video at 1080p, has a 160-degree (horizontal) field of view, and uses four infrared LEDs for black-and-white night video. It also supports Ring’s full-color Pre-Roll feature that captures a four-second clip of whatever activity took place before an alert. The Doorbell 4 will record video and send a push alert when someone presses the doorbell button or when it detects motion. However, you have to subscribe to a Ring Protect plan to actually view, download, or share the clips. You also need a plan to receive Person Alerts (the doorbell will send an alert only when it detects a person) and use the Snapshot Capture (the camera takes snapshots throughout the day so you can see what goes on between motion-triggered events). The $3-per-month ($30 per year) Basic plan gives you 60 days of video history for one camera, while the $10-per-month ($100 per year) Plus plan gives you the same coverage for all of your Ring devices.

The doorbell uses the same mobile app (for Android and iOS) as every other Ring device, and appears in a dedicated panel on the app’s dashboard screen. In the app, a Neighbors button takes you to the Ring Neighbors community screen, while the History button shows you all doorbell events. Tap the doorbell panel to launch a live stream that can be viewed in full-screen by turning your phone sideways. Below the video panel is a timeline of events (motion detection, button press, and live view).

The timeline offers controls for pausing, fast-forwarding, and rewinding video. At the very bottom of this screen are additional buttons: Share, Calendar, Filter, and More. Use the Share button to send clip to friends or the Ring Neighbors community. The Calendar button lets you search for timeline events by date. The Filters button enables you to customize what type of events appear on the timeline (Person, Ring, Motion, and Live View), while the More button has options that let you delete and download video clips.

Tapping the gear button in the upper right corner takes you to a screen with buttons that let you view a live stream, as well as enable or disable Ring Alerts, Motion Detection, and Motion Alerts. The Smart Responses feature lets you assign a prerecorded response when someone rings the doorbell. With Motion Settings, you can configure the sensor's sensitivity and create motion schedules. Additional Mode Settings enable you to arm or disarm the doorbell camera. In the Device Settings screen, you can configure video quality and notification settings, create privacy zones, and adjust ringer volume settings.

The Doorbell 4 works with Alexa voice commands and supports IFTTT applets for integrations with lots of third-party devices. However, it doesn’t support Apple’s HomeKit platform or Google Assistant voice commands.

Installation and Performance

Installing the Video Doorbell 4 was quick and easy in testing. I already had the Ring app installed, but if this is your first Ring device, you need to download the app and create an account. I charged the battery for several hours, tapped Set Up a Device at the bottom of the home screen, and selected Doorbells from the list of devices. Using my phone’s camera, I scanned the QR code on the back of the doorbell, selected my location, and gave the doorbell a name. Next, I inserted the battery and waited a few seconds for the voice prompt to tell me that the doorbell was in setup mode. I verified that the light was spinning, selected my Wi-Fi SSID, and the doorbell immediately connected to my network and joined my Alexa device list. I waited several minutes for the firmware to update, attached the doorbell to my front door frame, and secured the cover with the security screw to complete the installation.

The Video Doorbell 4 delivered sharp 1080p video in testing. Colors appeared accurate and well saturated during daytime hours. Black-and-white night video showed good contrast and appeared sharp out to around 25 feet.

Motion and button press push alerts arrived instantly, with no false motion alerts. I had no trouble viewing video from the doorbell on an Amazon Echo Show using Alexa voice commands, and Alexa always announced when the doorbell button was pressed. Two-way audio between my phone and the doorbell came through loud and clear.

Conclusions

If you're looking to add a smart doorbell to your home security arsenal and don’t want to deal with any wiring, the Ring Video Doorbell 4 is worth considering, especially if you already have other Ring devices. It's pricey at $199.99 and locks its best features behind a paid monthly subscription, but it's very easy to install and supports Alexa voice commands. It also works with lots of third-party devices, such as smart door locks and lighting systems, and lets you see what transpired before a doorbell ring or motion-triggered event. If 1080p video just won’t cut it, the $199.99 Arlo Essential Video Doorbell is equipped with a higher-resolution HDR camera with a 180-degree field of view for the same price.