Ring Video Doorbell (1st Gen, 2015)

Enormous security potential ; Intuitive app ; Easy installation ; Inexpensive

Latency in time-to-answer ; Plastic-y case components

We think the Ring Video Doorbell is a great addition to any home, and at just $99, is a steal.

Easy to install. HD video. Cloud recording. Motion detection notifications.

Pricey. No on-demand video. Audio could be better. Short battery life.

Conclusions With the Ring Video Doorbell, you can see who is at your door from the safety and comfort of your couch. It lets you accept or deny visitor calls, and uses motion detection to alert you of activity on your doorstep even when the bell hasn't...

Interact with visitors and delivery persons without opening the door---or even without being home. Painless installation and setup. New feature can detect motion on your property, up to 30 feet away. For a small fee, every trigger is recorded

Alerts sometimes take far too long to arrive on your smartphone---as long as 30 seconds. Motion detection requires some fine-tuning. No remote camera access (yet)

Let's you view, and speak with, anyone who presses your doorbell. ; Wide-angle video with night vision. ; Motion-detection feature sends video alerts when anyone steps to your door.

Bad lag times between doorbell presses and smartphone alerts. ; Slow app performance. ; No video-on-demand (yet).

My connection problems notwithstanding, I still give Ring a cautious thumbs-up. Every user will enter the Ring experience with a different connectivity situation—different home Wi-Fi dynamics; different smartphone variables—so others might experience...

Overall Ring is a pretty nifty gadget that really didn’t disappoint. Admittedly there are a few streaming issues here and there but my AT&T network has always been flaky, I drop WiFi on my devices a lot. Ring worked every time it was activated and the...

Sometimes good enough is good enough. The Ring Video Doorbell's 720p camera works just fine for recognizing faces, the app has a strong array of features and its starting cloud storage plan is reasonably priced. It's also one of the few video doorbells...

To see the device in action, check out the video above. Home owners should take a hard look at what this device has to offer. Sure, you might find that a more robust security system is a better fit for your home, but you’ll be looking at monthly fees...

The Ring Video Doorbell is built to survive common hazards. It has a pair of anti-theft screws on the bottom and the manufacturer promises to replace any stolen units. It’s also rated to withstand bad weather and I haven’t had any problems with our...

Answer your door from anywhere ; Comprehensive mounting kit included

Needs to be within Wi-Fi range ; Some occasional lag

Ring as it currently stands is immensely valuable to anyone who has to answer the door frequently, or who depends on regular package delivery for their jobs. It has actually saved me at least two trips to shipping depots 30 minutes away by car, thanks...