The Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 is a brand new video doorbell that costs 249 euros. This makes it one of the most expensive smart video doorbells you can buy. In this Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 review you can read about which functions the bell has and whether it is worth buying.
Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2
price € 249, –
Wireless 802.11b / g / n / ac (2.4 and 5 GHz)
Video 1536p
Field of view 150 degrees
Functions Two-way audio, 3D motion detection, bird’s eye view
Storage options Online via optional Ring Protect subscription
Website www.ring.com
8.5 Score 85 
- Pros
- Ease of installation
- Works with plug or bell wiring
- Smart home integration
- User-friendly app
- Negatives
- Does not work with your existing chime
- Cannot be used wirelessly
- Subscription required to watch videos
Ring is launching the Video Doorbell Pro 2 as the successor to the Video Doorbell Pro, which is now disappearing from (web) stores through offers. The second generation Pro is Ring’s most expensive separate video doorbell at the moment. The company also offers a number of cheaper models, some of which can be used wirelessly on a battery.
Sales package: plug or bell wiring?
The Video Doorbell Pro 2 cannot be used wirelessly and only works if it receives continuous wired power. That’s a point of concern over Ring alternative calling and competing brands like Hombli and Eufy. The advantage of the mandatory wired operation is that you do not have to think about replacing or charging the battery.
Ring sells the Video Doorbell Pro 2 in two versions, which are equally expensive. One works via your existing bell wiring, so you don’t have to use a separate cable. Please note that the video doorbell requires 16 to 24 VAC (alternating voltage) or 24 VDC (direct voltage). Not all bell transformers provide a suitable voltage, which means that you have to use a different bell transformer.
You don’t have to worry about these kinds of things if you take the variant with separate power cable and included transformer for the socket. Ring sent me this model. The cable is six meters long and you plug the plug adapter (inside) into a socket. In my case in the meter cupboard, which is next to the door. I thread the cable out through an existing wiring hole, after which I hang the two pins on the Ring bell. The power supply is thus regulated.
Ring supplies the doorbell with a corner plate for hanging the bell at an angle, a privacy warning sticker for passers-by and the necessary screws and screwdriver to mount the bell.
The bell itself is relatively compact, looks inconspicuous and comes with a silver front. You can request a cover in a different color for free via the Ring website. Decently. I think the bell looks stylish. The round push button is clearly in the middle, with the camera above it and all kinds of sensors around it.
Requires separate chime
Good to know is that both versions of the Video Doorbell Pro 2 not work with your existing chime. The manufacturer states on its website: “To make installation easier, the Video Doorbell Pro 2 requires you to bypass the existing doorbell chime, so it won’t go off anymore.” That is a shame, especially if you are satisfied with your gong just like me.
A call notification on your smartphone is useful, but not an ideal replacement for the gong. If you therefore – logically – still want to hear the bell everywhere in the house, you have to buy a special gong from Ring for 35 euros each. You connect it to the video doorbell and hang it in the socket. I did not receive a Ring chime for the test, so unfortunately I cannot tell you how well this system works. I can imagine that you want to hang several gongs in a single-family home, for example one on each floor. Then the system gets pricey. You can also use an Amazon Echo (Dot) as a gong. These smart speakers start at 60 euros.
Installation and operation
I have been regularly testing Ring home automation for a few years now and am always amazed at the ease of installation of the products. Installing a camera, alarm system or bell is easy and is well explained in the app. Not only with text, but also with images and short videos via step-by-step guidance. Some competitors can learn from that.
You can also hang up this Ring video doorbell in no time, after which you can set it up via the app within a few minutes. You can then get started right away.
I am positively surprised by the recording quality of the Video Doorbell Pro 2. The regular recording mode produces sharp video fragments, thanks to the high 1536p resolution. The videos also look sharp in the dark, and even in color. That’s a plus compared to some competing video doorbells that record black and white.
Ring also leaves a good impression with the 3D motion detection and the ‘bird’s eye view’. The viewing angle of the video doorbell is nice and large (150 degrees horizontally and vertically), so that people are fully visible. The motion detection recognizes the distance from an object or person to your front door and combines this information with detection of the direction, size and speed at which the object or person is approaching. That sounds a bit vague, but in practice it means that I get fewer pointless reports from passers-by. And almost exclusively from people who enter my garden and then ring the bell.
The bird’s eye view means that I can see in the app when and where the Ring doorbell first detected movement. This can be nice, for example, if you have a large garden and want to know where someone came from. Since there is only one way to enter my front yard, the function interests me less.
Because the video doorbell has a microphone and speaker, you can talk to the visitor via the app. The quality of this two-way audio function is fine. It is nice to be able to tell the parcel deliverer that you are still in the supermarket and that he / she can put the parcel at the door. Just to give an example.
Ring app and Ring Protect
As said, the Ring app is very good. The app is clear, sends relevant notifications immediately and gives priority in the menu to functions related to your privacy and viewing images. I think the app works well, also because you can easily link the bell to other Ring home automation and partner products. For example, you can set your Philips Hue lamps to light up brightly as soon as someone rings the doorbell. Just keep in mind that Ring equipment (from Amazon) practically doesn’t interact with Google’s smart home platform. That’s a shame, especially if you use a lot of Nest equipment like me.
Also important to know: to watch video clips from the Video Doorbell Pro 2, you need a Ring Protect subscription. Unfortunately, you cannot save the images on a micro-SD card. When you purchase the bell, you get a free 30-day Ring Protect trial. If you keep the subscription, you pay three euros per month (Basic) to watch the video fragments of the bell thirty days. The Plus subscription of ten euros per month makes the video clips from an unlimited number of cameras and doorbells available at one address for thirty days. This subscription also extends the warranty of the devices and gives a ten percent discount when you buy new equipment through Ring’s web store.
All very nice, but do ask yourself if you want a subscription. Being able to watch video fragments seems to me especially useful for an uninvited visit, a parcel deliverer who later claims that he has not been by or when someone bumps into your car. In any case, keep in mind that such a Ring Protect subscription will cost you a few tens a year.
Conclusion: Want to buy Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2?
The Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 is the best Ring video doorbell yet and one of the best smart video doorbells you can buy right now. The bell is easy to install, offers excellent recording options and comes with a user-friendly app with many features.
Yet he is not without points of interest. For example, the bell only works via a wired power supply, you can no longer use your existing chime and you have to take out a monthly Ring Protect subscription to use all functions of the bell. In addition, the Ring ecosystem – understandably – interacts poorly with the Google ecosystem.
Finally, the price. 249 euros is a lot of money for a smart doorbell. Less advanced calls from Ring and the competition are tens to a hundred euros cheaper and therefore interesting if you are not yet sure whether a smart bell is something for you. Are you (already) convinced of the concept and willing to spend 249 euros? Then the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 is an excellent choice.
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