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There is no getting away from the awful PR Ring has had recently, it has been revealed that the company has some serious issues with privacy as well as agreements with law enforcement to share your data.
They are trying to improve though; they claim to have locked down the privacy concerns enforcing mandatory 2FA on their web access as well as new privacy controls within the app.
I’ll be honest, I still love my Ring Doorbell 2, and apathy has meant I didn’t worry too much about the privacy concerns.
Ring has now launched the Doorbell 3, which comes in two variants, the normal one and the Pro model.
In the US they will be available form the 8th of April for $199.99 and $299.99 respectively, no word on UK pricing or availability yet, but expect them soon.
These are now available and shipping. I have the Doorbell 3 Pro and will be reviewing it soon.
The most significant upgrade from the Doorbell 2 models is the new Pre-Roll feature, which is only available on the Plus model. This records footage in black and white for four seconds before motion is detected, giving you a more reliable clip should you need to identify what someone is doing.
The feature was available on the Doorbell 2 Pro, but that requires a wired connection, whereas this is the first Doorbell to do it on battery (how this affects the battery is not known yet).
Thankfully Ring has now added dual-band 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz Wi-Fi to both the doorbells. The previous wireless doorbells on had 2.4Ghz, this has a longer range, but I find that the congested channels means it is difficult to get a good signal being recorded by the Doorbell, my RSSI number is often too high. With 5Ghz this, in theory, should be easier to reduce, which in turn should make the Doorbell respond faster.
Ring has also upgraded the motion zones to include a new Near Motion Zone feature that provides motion detection in areas approximately 1.5-4.5m in front of your home (reducing unnecessary Motion Notifications and saving your Video Doorbell 3 battery life).
Doorbell 3 Plus = Wireless Doorbell Pro
Basically, the new Ring Doorbell 3 Plus is a wireless version of the existing Pro model, with 5Ghz and pre-roll.
Should I upgrade?
If you have a Ring Doorbell 2, it is probably not worth getting the 3 unless you have problems with the signal on 2.4Ghz. If you want the additional protection of pre-roll, it could be worth it, though if it is at all viable, you could opt for the existing Video Doorbell Pro which is hardwired but has 5Ghz and pre-roll.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Video Doorbell Pro Hardwired | Includes Chime (1st... | Buy on Amazon |
Ring Doorbell 3 Plus Pre-Roll example footage
Ring Doorbell 3 vs Doorbell 2 Pictures
Price Comparison of Ring Products
The pricing is extremely attractive, to the point it makes the Doorbell 2 look redundant. The ony exception is if you want something as cheap as possible the Doorbell 1 is just £89.99
- Ring Video Doorbell – £89.99
- Ring Video Doorbell 2 – £179.99
- Occasionally drops down to around £120
- Ring Video Doorbell 3 – £179.99
- Ring Video Doorbell 3 Pro (with pre-roll) – £199.99
- Ring Video Doorbell Pro – £179.99
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus by Amazon | 1080p HD video,... |
£63.80 | Buy on Amazon |
No products found.
Compatibility – Can you use old accessories and how easy is it to swap over doorbells?
If you do upgrade, not everything you may have bought previously will be compatible.
Mounting brackets and wedge/corner kits are not compatible, but new versions will be provided in the Video Doorbell 3 box.
Solar mounts are not designed to be used with the new Video Doorbell 3, and a new version will be available soon.
The Ring Doorbell 3 has its screw points in the same position as the previous model, so if you are swapping units over it should take you a few seconds. I am useless at DIY and it was very easy.
Ring Doorbell Alternatives – No decent battery options
While Ring has done a lot to address the issues they have faced recently, for some, it is too little too late. So if you are looking for a video doorbell alternative, there are a handful of decent options, but from what I can gather, there is no well-known company offering a battery-based solution.
There are plenty of random brands on Amazon with this, but if you have privacy concerns with Ring, I wouldn’t recommend placing your privacy in the hands of an unknown Chinese brand.
Eufy Video Doorbell $159.99 (no current UK stock)
- Wired
- 2.4Ghz only
- 2560 x 1920 resolution
- Local storage 4GB eMMC – no cloud subscription needed – roughly 30days storage
- AI Human detection
- 3s pre-buffer video & no wake up time
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Hello Black, Silver Hello, Black, Silver, 1280 x 720... |
£99.95 | Buy on Amazon |
- Wired Doorbell
- HD UXGA 1600 x 1200, up to 30 frames/sec, H.264 encoding, HDR
- 160° field of view
- 24/7 streaming/recording
Arlo Video Doorbell $149.99 (not available in the UK)
- Wired Doorbell
- 2.4Ghz only
- 1536×1536 resolution
- 180-degree FOV
Ezviz Smart Video Doorbell – £134
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EZVIZ DB1 3MP Video Doorbell | £69.99 | Buy on Amazon |
- Wired
- 105-degree horizontal view
- 2.4Ghz only
- microSD and cloud options
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
