Ring is steadily releasing new products, but the Ring Video Doorbell 2[1] is the first re-think of its original, core product. The new version of the smart Wi-Fi doorbell that started it all still offers both wired and battery power options, but the batteries are now removable, and it’s got a few other upgrades including true 1080p HD video.
I’m a longtime user of the original, and it’s been one of the connected home gadgets I’ve found to be the most useful overall. The new design takes the strengths of the original and improves them, and I’ve found that they make a big difference in the product in terms of improved usability and convenience. The real strength of the Ring Video Doorbell 2, in particular, is its battery power option, which allows you to use it on houses (like mine) where wiring is either nonfunctional or not present for directly powering a traditional doorbell, or one of Ring’s higher-end options.
The Ring Video Doorbell 2 improves in this regard by offering removable battery packs, which can charge directly using micro USB, and which easily slot in and out of the bottom of the doorbell itself while it remains installed at your front door. The battery packs each offer between six and 12 months of use under normal conditions, or the equivalent of about 1,000 notification events, according to Ring. I obviously haven’t had a year to test it yet (the product was only recently released), but already it seems to be longer-lived than the original Ring Video Doorbell it replaces.
Swappable batteries also address the single biggest issue I had with the original: When the battery was drained, it mean going without a doorbell entirely for hours at a...