Ring Pro 1080p Review

You’re looking for a doorbell camera, and you’ve narrowed it down to the Ring and the Ring Pro. Is it worth it to spend extra on the Ring Pro?

We think Ring Pro is a good investment because of its customizability (though it may not be the best in privacy protection).

The Ring Pro’s a step up from the standard Ring because of its better video quality and custom motion zones.

The Ring Pro also has person detection to differentiate between people and ambient motion (although it doesn’t have facial recognition). And it comes with four faceplates for you to choose from, just in case one matches your home better than another.

When someone rings your doorbell, your smartphone lets you know. You can then view the video stream of whoever is at the door, talk to them through two-way audio, and even remotely unlock the door with your smart lock to let them in. When it comes to a video doorbell, that’s the stuff automation dreams are made of.

All Ring doorbells are compatible with a Ring alarm system. They’re also compatible with the following:

• Amazon Alexa
• Google Assistant
• Samsung SmartThings
• IFTTT
• Z-Wave (includes some Schlage and Yale locks)
• Some products from Kwikset, GE, Leviton, First Alert, Ecolink, and Dome Sirens

Sadly, Ring doesn’t work with Zigbee protocol.

Ring says you can get this baby installed in five minutes. We haven’t been able to verify if this is true. It doesn’t seem like the most reasonable claim since the Ring Pro is hardwired.

If you’re worried about not being able to hear your doorbell from everywhere in your house, we suggest adding a Ring Chime Pro during installation. It’ll extend your doorbell chime sound further (but add more time to the doorbell setup).

Ring Pro installation steps:

1. Remove existing doorbell
2. Download the Ring app
3. Plug in the Chime Pro (if you’re using it)
4. Set up the Chime Pro with the app
5. Find a nearby outlet
6. Run the wires from the outlet to the doorbell
7. Install anchors (if you’re using them)
8. Remove the doorbell faceplate
9. Connect the wires to the doorbell
10. Plug in the power adapter
11. Set up the Ring Video Doorbell Pro with the app
12. Replace the faceplate

After the installation, you can use your Ring app to further adjust the motion detection zones and cloud recording settings.

Last year, there was a lot of splash about Ring’s approach to privacy. Some consumers worry that Ring’s security measures aren’t strident enough.² Others question potential police access to users’ cameras.³ And some are understandably unhappy that Ring employees may have watched them for four years.⁴

That’s not to say that Ring products are necessarily unusable. We just caution potential buyers to weigh these security risks before getting the Ring Pro doorbell or any other Ring camera.

The Ring Video Doorbell Pro is a dependable doorbell option with some extra, useful features. Installation is fairly simple, and it delivers everything you'd want in a video doorbell. If you’re ready to pay a little more than you usually would for a doorbell, we think you should go for it.

The one caveat: if the news about Ring’s questionable approach to privacy leaves you feeling icky, you should go with another brand.

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