The Ring Video Doorbell 4: Is It Worth It?
Hey, you know those smart video doorbells? They used to be kind of a fancy thing, but now everyone seems to have one to keep an eye on their front door. The Ring ones are super popular here in the US, especially this model, the Ring Video Doorbell 4. I was looking into it to figure out if it’s actually a good buy for a regular home.
So, what is it? Basically, it’s a doorbell that runs on battery power, which is cool because you don’t necessarily need existing wires. You can wire it in if you want, but the battery option is nice. The main idea is you can see, hear, and talk to anyone at your door, right from your phone or tablet, no matter where you are. It’s kind of in the middle of Ring’s lineup, not the cheapest, not the most expensive, trying to be a good mix of features and price.
It’s got some neat features that set it apart. The biggest one for security is probably “Color Pre-Roll.” That means it actually records a few seconds *before* it even detects motion, and it’s in color! So you get a much better idea of what happened right from the start. It also has a battery that pops out easily, so charging it isn’t a huge hassle. Plus, it connects to both kinds of Wi-Fi, which helps it stay connected better, especially in bigger houses.
This doorbell is probably best for you if you already have other Ring devices or use Amazon Alexa a lot, because everything just works together really smoothly. It’s also perfect if you need that battery power flexibility, maybe you don’t have doorbell wires or just don’t want to mess with them. And if catching those extra few seconds of video with Pre-Roll is important for your security, then this one shines.
On the other hand, it might not be the best choice if you really don’t want to pay a monthly fee. Also, if you’re already using a bunch of Google Nest products, you might prefer to stick with a Nest doorbell so everything matches up.
Okay, here’s the really important part about the cost. The doorbell itself is a mid-range price, which is fair. But you *have* to know that to get all the good stuff, like actually saving your video recordings, getting smart alerts about people, and checking your video history, you need a Ring Protect subscription. It’s just a few bucks a month, or you can get an annual discount. Without that subscription, you can only see live video and get basic notifications. You can’t go back and watch anything that happened, which really limits its use as a security camera. So, definitely add that monthly cost into your budget.
If you’re comparing it to something else, like the Google Nest Doorbell that also runs on battery, here’s a quick thought. The Nest one gives you an hour of video history for free, which is cool. But the Ring 4 has that unique Color Pre-Roll feature. Honestly, a lot of people just end up choosing based on whether they’re more into the Ring/Alexa setup or the Google/Nest world already.
So, all in all, the Ring Video Doorbell 4 is a really capable smart gadget for lots of homes. Its strong points are how flexible it is to install, that awesome Color Pre-Roll, and how well it fits into the Ring and Alexa ecosystem. If you want to boost your front door security and like to keep an eye on things proactively, especially if you’re already a fan of Ring, it’s a pretty strong contender.
But that monthly subscription is the big thing to remember. It really turns it from just a live camera into a full security recorder. If you already have Ring stuff, need a battery option, and don’t mind the subscription, then yeah, I think it’s a solid investment. If you hate subscriptions or have a house full of Google products, you might find something else that fits better.
Yeah, I think for many homeowners, the Ring Video Doorbell 4 is a pretty good investment. That Color Pre-Roll video, grabbing four seconds before motion even fully triggers, is a really useful security boost. Plus, the battery is removable and rechargeable, and it uses dual-band Wi-Fi for better connections. It’s a competitive option for front-door security at its price.
While you do get live view, two-way talk, and basic motion alerts without a subscription, I really think the Ring Protect Plan is a must to get the most out of it. Those plans, starting at a few dollars a month, give you the important stuff like video recording, saving your event history for months, person detection, and better notifications. Without it, you can’t review past events, and that really cuts down on how useful it is as a security device.
The Ring Video Doorbell 4 did bring some nice upgrades. That Color Pre-Roll video is definitely the most significant, giving you a clearer picture of what triggered an alert. It also has better battery life and that quick-release battery pack makes charging super easy. The improved dual-band Wi-Fi means a more stable connection, which is really key for consistent alerts and performance, especially in bigger homes or ones with lots of smart devices. It’s also designed to be pretty easy for most people to install themselves.
