It becomes the eighth Ring doorbell currently available to buy
Not known to make its fans suffer too long between releases, Ring has announced the arrival of a new smart video doorbell – the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus.
Verdict: Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus review
The latest model isn’t just here to make up the numbers, it seems, either. Despite becoming the eighth video doorbell offered to potential buyers, it does boast the highest-ever resolution we’ve seen in a Ring battery model.
Priced at $179.99 / £159.99, it slots in around the Ring Peephole Cam and Ring Video Doorbell 3, though the 1536 x 1536 resolution bests the 1080p HD available through both of those models.
In fact, the only doorbell in the family that can match up to that resolution is the wired Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2.
The 1:1 aspect ratio is also relatively unique, becoming the first Ring battery device to offer it, and ensures that you’re able to get a full head-to-toe view of anybody on your doorstep.
Naturally, the Battery Video Doorbell Plus also boasts a decent range of Ring’s features – ones like Advanced Motion Detection (which simply allows you to specify the areas the camera will actually look for motion), pre-set Quick Replies, Live View and Two-Way Talk.
Given that Ring is Amazon-owned, it also syncs up very nicely with Alexa. Once you’re all set up, you should be able to hear and speak to visitors through your Echo or Fire TV.
Premium plans: Ring Protect costs and features
In terms of battery life, Ring only mentions that the Battery Video Doorbell Plus is capable of tripling the original Ring Doorbell Battery’s lifespan – thanks to energy-saving features.
Really, though, this isn’t much of an estimate – even if these are often irrelevant anyway, given the variable nature of things like camera wake-ups and temperatures.
Perhaps more pertinent, then, is the fact Ring is putting these free features behind a Protect subscription over the coming weeks, which means anybody considering the Battery Video Doorbell Plus should also factor in a monthly cost if they’re looking to get the most out of their device.
Pre-orders begin in the US from today ahead of a release on 5 April, with the UK model launching on 13 April.