Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus review - Pushing all the right buttons - Android

Video doorbells have become one of the simplest and most common ways to protect and keep tabs on our homes. Whether you’re out of town or just stepping out of the shower, the ability to answer the doorbell — complete with video and sound — from your phone is empowering and potentially even life-saving. The Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus, the newest offering from Ring, adds some fancy features in order to stay abreast of the competition.

With 1080p high-definition video, customizable motion zones, and a quick-release battery pack, is the Ring 3 Plus the best option to stand sentinel? We find out in the Android Authority Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus review.

Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus review: Ringing the bell

Ring launched the market for video doorbells back in 2013 when it was known as Doorbot. Ring founder Jamie Siminoff famously went on the Shark Tank television show seeking $700,000 in funding. He was turned down and later raised venture capital from other sources. In 2018 the company sold to Amazon, which folded Ring into its smart home empire.

Seven years and multiple product generations later, Ring now competes in a rich ecosystem. The Ring 3 Plus, announced in April, has some clutch features to help it stand out, such as advanced motion settings and pre-roll video capture to snag those key moments leading up to bell presses. With Arlo, August, Eufy, and Google all seeking a piece of the home security pie, there’s lots of competition amongst video doorbells, which is good news for consumers.

See also: Best security cameras

How hard is the Ring 3 Plus to set up?

If you’re handy with a drill and screwdriver, you shouldn’t have too much trouble installing the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus on your home. The box includes most of what you need for the ring doorbell setup.

Video doorbells are either powered by wires or powered by a battery. The Ring 3 Plus includes a battery, but can also be wired to your home. Most homes rely on powered doorbells, so when you remove your old bell you’ll find two low-voltage wires. You may choose to use them and they will keep the battery charged. Wired or not, the first thing you’re going to want to do with the Ring 3 Plus is plug in the battery. It takes a good six hours to charge visa USB.

Installing the Ring 3 Plus requires you to toss your old doorbell and mount the new one to the doorframe. It is much easier to manage if your doorframe is made of wood. If you’re mounting to steel or masonry, be prepared to break out your drill to drill some pilot holes. This ensures the screws are snug without damaging the wood (or gives you the room you need for anchors). The drill bit and screws are provided, as is a screwdriver.

I like that Ring provides several wedges in the kit, which allow you to alter the angle of view if the Ring doorbell is in a corner, or if your entryway is elevated. Simply put the wedge onto the doorframe and then the doorbell onto the wedge. Use a level, if possible, to make sure the doorbell is properly squared off.

Once the doorbell is secured to the wall, slotting the battery under the doorbell button is the next-to-last thing you need to do.

Put on the face plate of your choice, install the security screw and you’re all set. It took me less than 10 minutes. Download the app and away you go.

How is the Ring doorbell app?

The Ring doorbell app is a rich place and can be a tad overwhelming if you just want to get up and running in a hurry. There are various menu panels that allow you to control nearly every facet of the camera and how it responds to bell presses, motion, and such.

Some of the stand-out tools allow you to set privacy screens, which won’t record certain areas of the field of view, strict recording times for door presses, and when/how notifications are delivered to your phone.