Ring belongs to Amazon, which gives the retail giant complete freedom to price these video doorbells however aggressively it wants without worrying about profit margins on individual units. Amazon’s strategy focuses on getting Ring devices installed in as many homes as possible and knows that subscription revenue and ecosystem lock-in will pay off long-term even if the hardware sells at cost or below.
The newest battery doorbell model delivers head-to-toe video coverage with 66% more vertical view than the previous generation, and captures packages on the ground and tall visitors’ faces in a single frame. This latest version currently sells for $49 on Amazon instead of the usual $99 which marks a record low price that makes smart doorbell technology accessible to practically anyone with a front door and a WiFi connection.
Video Coverage That Shows What Really Matters
The bigger vertical field of view is a big improvement over older Ring doorbells which often cut off the tops of tall people’s heads or packages on the ground below the camera’s frame. This full-body coverage gets rid of the annoyance of having to watch footage again and again only to find that important details are missing because they were out of the camera’s view: You can clearly see the faces of delivery drivers while also making sure they really left your package instead of just pretending to deliver it. You can also see people who look suspiciously like they’re casing your property while they think they’re outside the camera’s range.
The built-in rechargeable battery means you don’t have to connect the doorbell to your home’s electrical system so renters or anyone who doesn’t want to deal with electrical work can install it. You probably already have cables that work with the USB-C charging port because it uses modern connector standards that are the same as those used by most new phones and tablets. When the battery gets low, just take the doorbell off its mount, plug it into any USB-C charger, and put it back in place after a few hours.
With the Live View feature, you can use the Ring app on your phone to see what’s going on at your door at any time, even if no one has pressed the doorbell button or motion detection has been triggered. This is helpful if you’re waiting for a delivery and want to see the driver, if you want to make sure your kids got home from school, or if you just want to see what’s going on outside without having to walk to the door.
When there is movement near your door, motion detection sends real-time alerts to your phone. However, the basic notifications only let you know that motion was detected and don’t say what caused it. Ring’s subscription service offers Smart Alerts, which use AI to tell the difference between people, packages, and other moving things like cars or animals. This way, you get more useful notifications that help you decide if something needs your immediate attention.
With Alexa integration, you can stream doorbell video to Echo Show devices all over your house, use Alexa speakers to announce visitors, or use voice commands to control Ring functions. You can ask Alexa to show you the front door, and within seconds, the video feed will appear on compatible Echo displays which lets you check who’s there without having to pull out your phone.
When you consider that smart doorbells from well-known brands usually cost between $150 and $250, spending $49 on a Ring video doorbell with its build quality and features is a great deal. Amazon’s usual price of $99 already made this a good deal compared to other options, but the 50% discount makes it so cheap that it is almost as cheap as regular doorbells from home improvement stores.
