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This usually involves cloud storage and a subscription service.
If you dont have such wiring, youll need to factor that into the installation cost.
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What to look for
Ready to learn more about buying a video doorbell?
Ring is owned by Amazon and its video doorbells tightly integrate with Alexa.
You might be surprised to learn that Ring doorbells dont come with a chime.
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Instead, they buzz your smartphone and Echo speakers.
A mains-powered chime is available separately.
Dont have an Alexa smart home?
Most are mains powered, drawing electricity from the wiring of your old doorbell.
Some options, such as theRing Battery Video Doorbell Plus, come with a rechargeable battery.
What specs do you need?
We began this buying guide by saying how most video doorbells work in the same way.
This is broadly true, but there are features and specifications to look out for.
Resolution is important, as with any camera, but the field of view is crucial here.
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Another key feature to consider is night vision.
If youd like to leave a message, you’re free to do it now.
Unfortunately, you cant record your own messages.
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Most other specifications will depend on the key in of subscription service you want.
As an example, Ring offers two tiers of Protect subscription service, called Basic and Plus.
Finally, there’s how the doorbell is powered.
That said, running an Ethernet cable all that way comes with its own challenges.
Should you wait for deals?
Deals on video doorbells are fairly common throughout the year.
This is especially true of bundles that include a doorbell and an accessory such as a plug-in chime.
Amazon also produces a video doorbell called Blink for even less money.
Even without a discount, the Blink is priced at just 59.99.
For example, while writing this guide, we spotted the mains-poweredNest Helloreduced by 44% on Amazon.
If you dont want to pay the full price, patience is key.
In our review, we praised its classy design, good video quality, and value for money.
Compact and discreet, the Arlo is designed to fit on (or next to) any door.
Setup takes about 30 minutes, and once that’s done the Arlo impressed us with good video quality.
There’s support for Google Assistant and Alexa, plus SmartThings and IFTTT.
Unfortunately for iPhone users, support for Apple HomeKit is lacking.
It also has infrared night vision that produces grayscale (instead of full-color) footage.
As with other Ring doorbells, video storage and other additional features require a subscription.
Note that this doorbell will not operate your existing chime.
It rings via a smartphone notification by default but can be set to alert Echo smart speakers, too.
Ring sells a mains-powered chime separately, priced at $29.99 / 29.99 / AU$59.
Read our fullRing Video Doorbell Pro 2 review
