If you walk down an average street in the Netherlands, you will come across smart doorbells with cameras at many houses. Currently, this market is dominated by the Ring and Eufy brands. Ring was one of the pioneers, while Eufy is popular because it works without a subscription and offers many functionalities.
The Japanese company SwitchBot is now also entering the smart doorbell market and partly follows Eufy’s strategy by not charging hidden costs. SwitchBot’s first smart doorbell comes with a separate screen that lets you see who is at the door and integrates seamlessly with the brand’s smart locks.
Over the past few weeks we have extensively tested the SwitchBot Video Doorbell in practice. Our findings can be found below.
SwitchBot Video Doorbell
The SwitchBot video doorbell consists of two parts, the doorbell with camera and a video monitor. Both devices are linked together via a WiFi network. When the doorbell rings, an RTSP video stream is set up between the doorbell and the monitor. The live images from the doorbell camera appear almost immediately on the monitor. It is also possible to open a linked SwitchBot door lock via the monitor if you have one.
Obviously you are not dependent on the monitor, you can also view the images on your iPhone in the SwitchBot app. When someone rings the doorbell, a push notification can also be sent to your iPhone. It takes about 2 to 4 seconds before you receive this notification.
On the front of the doorbell there is a 2K camera, surrounded by the microphone, LED lighting and a light sensor. The PIR motion sensor is located above the lens. The doorbell has an illuminated bell symbol. When you press the button, a “ding-dong” sounds from the speaker.
The box contains both straight and 15° mounting plates so that you can optimally position the camera. Both are suitable for mounting on either the left or right side of the door. As we have come to expect from SwitchBot, they have thought of everything: all mounting materials and drilling templates are included in the packaging.
The design differs from Ring and Eufy doorbells and is clearly inspired by Japanese design, recognizable to anyone who has ever been to Japan. The device is made of sturdy ABS plastic with UV protection and has an appearance that resembles aluminum. The finish and build quality are of a high level. The SwitchBot Smart Video Doorbell measures 131 × 65 × 30 mm making it a large device, but can be mounted effortlessly on most standard door frames.
Thanks to the IP65 rating, the doorbell can be placed outdoors without any problems, with or without protection against rain and wind. All connections and buttons have rubber seals.
2K HD camera with ultra-wide view & color night vision
The doorbell has a 2K Full HD camera with an extra wide angle of 165° and a 16:9 aspect ratio. Thanks to this wide viewing angle, you can view people from head to toe.
In addition, the doorbell is equipped with Color Night Vision, a technology that ensures that the cameras capture color images instead of black and white in low light at night. This is made possible by light-sensitive sensors and smart LED lighting, which allows you to better recognize details and objects when there is a little ambient light.
Installation and configuration
In addition to the doorbell and monitor, the packaging also contains all the necessary equipment for installation. You can choose to use screws, but there are also special double-sided 3M adhesive strips available. As usual, SwitchBot has thought of everything so you can complete the installation without drilling.
Once the installation is complete, you’ll need to add the smart doorbell to the SwitchBot app, a task that can be done by anyone. A wizard will guide you through the process step by step. All steps are clearly explained in the app, so you can have the smart doorbell and video monitor operational within a few minutes.
Video monitor
The SwitchBot video monitor, which comes with the doorbell, is a 4.3-inch external screen that you can place on a desk or table thanks to the built-in stand. You can also mount the monitor on the wall. Please note that this monitor must be connected to the electricity grid.
The monitor also serves as a chime (100dB) for the smart doorbell and is equipped with several useful functions. You can record calls and communicate directly with the person at the door, reject calls, provide constant monitoring, play saved videos and even unlock the door if you have a SwitchBot Smartlock, with all versions supported. You can operate the smart lock from the video monitor at the touch of a button. You can automatically put the screen to sleep or leave it on constantly. In standby mode, the screen shows a clock and weather forecasts.
The connection between the doorbell and the video monitor is via Edgelink, a technology that SwitchBot uses in its latest products to make local connections between devices faster and smarter. Edgelink allows SwitchBot devices to communicate directly with each other without using the cloud or an internet connection, resulting in faster response times and increased privacy. For optimal performance, it is recommended to place the video monitor within 5 meters of the doorbell.
Because you don’t need an iPhone to view the images of the smart doorbell, the device is also very suitable for seniors (homes). The device increases security because you can see directly on the screen who is at the door.
When the doorbell rings, you can use the “Quick reply” button to play a message on the doorbell, for example: “No, thanks, we’re not interested. Have a nice day.” Unfortunately, these texts are only available in English and Japanese. SwitchBot may add additional languages in the future. For example, SwitchBot’s S20 robot vacuum cleaner already supports Dutch audio messages.
Storage of images
The SwitchBot Video Doorbell comes standard with a 4GB micro SD card, with which you can record approximately 3,500 events of 10 seconds each. When the card is full, the system will automatically overwrite the oldest images for new recordings. If you want more storage space, the Video Doorbell is compatible with micro SD cards up to 512GB. On the left side of the video monitor there is an SD card slot, which is used to store the images.
Battery life and charging
The Smart Video Doorbell has a 5,000 mAh battery that, according to Switchbot, lasts up to 19 months on a single charge. However, actual battery life can vary greatly depending on the features you activate. Longer video recording and motion detection can significantly reduce battery life.
You can charge the internal battery via the built-in USB-C port. It is also possible to connect an optional solar panel to the doorbell.
You have the option to connect the doorbell wired to the monitor, if you would like. However, we would have preferred if an 8V-24 bell transformer could be used instead of a 5~6V 0.2A DC transformer. If you still want to use an existing doorbell system, you can replace the transformer with a 5V USB charger and connect the smart doorbell to it. Make sure you connect the plus and minus connections correctly.
RTSP/ONVIF support
With the support of RTSP/ONVIF, you can integrate the doorbell’s video stream with other platforms such as Home Assistant. It is also possible to watch the stream via apps such as VLC. By installing VLC on an Apple TV, you can even watch the doorbell images on a television.
Detailed instructions on how to use the RTSP streams can be found here SwitchBot support page.
Smartlock support
When you connect the smart doorbell to a SwitchBot smart lock, you create a complete access system. Via the monitor and the SwitchBot app you can not only see who is at the door, but also immediately open the door. This integration works with all SwitchBot smart door locks.
In addition, the smart doorbell can function as an NFC reader for a paired SwitchBot smartphone. This allows you to automatically unlock the door by holding an NFC tag near the doorbell.
Use in practice
Installing the SwitchBot video doorbell is very simple and can be done by anyone, especially if you do not want to connect it to a fixed bell installation. You have access to the doorbell and monitor settings via the Switchbot app. The app is completely in Dutch, but here and there the translations are not completely clear or are incorrectly translated. However, the texts on the monitor can only (yet) be displayed in English or Japanese. This also applies to the quick response texts, making this function slightly less useful in the Netherlands.
The monitor responds quickly when the doorbell rings, thanks to the direct connection to the doorbell. The live images and recordings in 2K resolution are of good quality, both during the day and at night. This also applies to the audio connection, via the monitor and app you can communicate clearly with the person who rings the doorbell. Disturbing ambient sounds are automatically filtered out.
The images are stored locally on the SD card in the monitor, but if you prefer cloud storage, this is also an option. However, this does require a service subscription. When choosing this option, you also get some additional AI features, such as vehicle and pet recognition.
Conclusion: SwitchBot Smart video doorbell
REVIEW SCORE
The SwitchBot Video Doorbell distinguishes itself by the addition of the external monitor. This makes this smart doorbell a good choice for the elderly, as the SwitchBot app is not necessary. You don’t have to pick up your iPhone to see who is at the door, just look at the display. But of course this does not only apply to the elderly.
It is crucial for a smart doorbell that it responds quickly, as parcel deliverers do not have much time these days. A good and stable WiFi network is therefore a requirement. The better your WiFi, the faster you will receive a notification on your iPhone. Thanks to the Edgelink technology, there is always a direct connection between the doorbell and the monitor, so that the live stream appears on the monitor almost immediately after ringing the doorbell. It is important that both devices are no further than 5 meters apart.
Almost all functions are available at no extra cost, so without the need for a subscription. However, for the optional cloud storage you need to take out a service subscription, which also gives you some additional AI features. There is no need to use cloud storage as the images are stored locally on the SD card in the monitor.
Can SwitchBot’s smart doorbell compete with market leaders Ring and Eufy? Absolutely, thanks to the excellent price, functionality and quality. In addition, the SwitchBot ecosystem makes connecting to other smart devices extremely easy.
- Handy monitor for viewing images
- Very suitable for seniors
- Good 2K image quality with wide viewing angle
- Local storage, no subscription required
- Easy to install
- Cannot be connected to an existing 8V doorbell system.
- Texts on the monitor only available in English and Japanese
Purchase SwitchBot Smart video doorbell
You can purchase the SwitchBot Smart video doorbell in the webshops below, the recommended retail price is around € 160.00.
