Ring has revamped its video doorbell lineup with the new Video Doorbell Pro 3, featuring a 4K camera, dual-band wifi 6 connectivity, and AI-powered alert settings. The top-tier model, priced at £219.99 (€249.99/$249.99/A$329.99), is available in both wired and battery versions, offering significant improvements over its predecessor.
Design and Build
The Video Doorbell Pro 3 adopts a sleeker, more modern design while retaining Ring's signature two-tone color scheme, button, logo, and chime. Despite its slimmer appearance, it is slightly larger than the 2021 model. The wired version comes with interchangeable colored faceplates to match home decor, featuring a glowing blue ring around the bell button. The battery model starts at £80, with the Pro version at £219.99, aligning with competitors like Google Nest Doorbell (£179.99) and Eufy Video Doorbell E340 (£169.99).
Camera and Video Quality
The doorbell's new 4K camera captures significantly more fine detail than previous models, enabling clear reading of name badges and improved digital zoom up to 10x. It can read a car number plate from about nine meters away in daylight. Low-light performance has been notably enhanced, especially in mixed conditions with street lights. A monochrome infrared-illuminated mode provides crisp night vision, capturing every movement of people or animals. The 140-degree square field of view allows head-to-toe viewing of visitors, even when they stand directly in front of the door. Package detection alerts users to boxes left within customizable zones.
Motion Detection and Connectivity
Radar-based motion tracking provides a trace of a person's movement overlaid on an aerial view of the driveway, allowing users to customize motion detection distance to reduce unwanted recordings. Privacy settings can block parts of the field of view to avoid recording neighbors. The upgrade to dual-band wifi 6 from wifi 5 improves bandwidth and reduces latency, eliminating the need for a wifi booster in many cases. Live view sessions start faster, enabling quicker response to callers. However, wifi 6 can still be jammed by criminals; the wired model offers a traditional low-voltage transformer (included) or Ring's plug-in adaptor for power, avoiding battery charging.
Pre-Roll and Continuous Recording
The wired Doorbell Pro provides six seconds of full-color, HD pre-roll video with sound before an event recording, including in low light. Alternatively, it can continuously record 24/7 for an extra monthly fee. The battery model offers four seconds of lower-definition pre-roll without sound and does not function in low light.
Subscription and AI Features
While the doorbell can be used without a subscription for basic notifications and live view, it does not store videos locally or in the cloud. A subscription is essential for full functionality, with a 30-day trial included. The Ring Solo plan costs from £4.99 (€3.99/$4.99/A$4.95) per month, providing 180 days of saved event videos, extended live view, phone-call-style doorbell rings, smart alerts differentiating between person, package, and vehicle, and animated previews. The Ring Multi plan covers multiple cameras at one location from £7.99 (€9.99/$9.99/A$14.95) per month. The Ring Pro plan, at £15.99 ($19.99/A$29.95) per month, adds AI-powered features: video descriptions (e.g., "a black car driving past"), search by description, and facial recognition to label frequent visitors. However, search by visitor name is not supported.
The most notable AI feature is unusual event alerts, which learn patterns over several days and notify users only when something unusual occurs. According to the reviewer, this reduced alerts from about 30 per day to a few warranting attention. These AI features can be added to lower plans for £3 ($5/A$5) per month per camera, while 24/7 continuous recording is available as a £3 ($3/A$4) per month add-on per camera.
Sustainability and Price
Ring will provide software updates until at least 31 December 2030. The device is made from 25% recycled materials, including aluminum and plastic. Amazon offers trade-in and recycling schemes. The Ring Wired Video Doorbell Pro (third gen) costs £219.99 (€249.99/$249.99/A$329.99). Other models include the Video Doorbell Wired (£49.99), Wired Video Doorbell Plus (£159.99), Battery Video Doorbell (£79.99), and Battery Video Doorbell Pro (£219.99).
Verdict
The Video Doorbell Pro 3 delivers significant upgrades in design, camera quality, and connectivity. The 4K camera improves fine detail and zoom, with mixed-light performance being "night and day better" than previous models, according to the review. Alexa integration allows existing Amazon speakers or displays to act as chimes and display callers. The wired model eliminates battery charging and records more pre-roll footage, but requires existing wires or an electrician. Unlike some rivals like Eufy that support local recording without a subscription, Ring requires at least the Solo subscription for optimal use. The Pro plan's alert-reducing features are praised as "gamechanging" for notification fatigue. Pros include: 4K camera, excellent low-light performance, wifi 6, fast video calls, pre-roll recording (wired), attractive design, wired or battery options, Alexa integration, and included brackets. Cons include: no ethernet, no local recording, subscription dependency, and ecosystem lock-in.
