I was recently considering which Ring smart doorbell I should get. So, I did some research to find out the differences between the two.
So, what are all the differences between Ring Video Doorbell 1 and 2? The largest difference between the two is their video resolution. Ring 2 boasts a 1080p HD resolution while Ring 1 is at 720p HD. Both are battery powered, however, the Ring 2’s battery allows for easier removal and replacement.
| Ring 1 | Ring 2 | |
| Video Resolution | 720p HD | 1080p HD |
| Power Source | Internal Battery | Removable Battery Pack |
| Field of View | 180° horizontal, 160° vertical field-of-view | 160° horizontal, 90° vertical field-of-view |
| Colors | Three Choices of Finish | Two Interchangable faceplate colors |
| Price | $99 | $199 |
| Battery Life | 6 – 12 months | 6 months |
| Size | 4.98 x 2.43 x 0.87 inches 12.65 x 6.17 x 2.21 cm | 5.05 x 2.50 x 1.08 inches 12.83 x 6.35 x 2.74 cm |
| Issues? | Several Bugs | N/A |
Many people considering purchasing a new device automatically assume that the newest version is the only one that can meet their needs. When it comes to the Ring 1 and Ring 2, there are only a few differences. How significant these differences are really depend on what you need your doorbell to do.
Ring Video Doorbells
The reason why video doorbells have become popular in the past couple of years is that technology is finally being innovated in a way that allows for super cool tech advancements and accessories for homes.
Smart video doorbells are a must-have for security and smart home enthusiasts.
Both the Ring 1 and Ring 2 are made to do the same job, to be an added security measure, and your cool new toy that allows you can see who is at the door without getting up from the couch.
Statistics show that burglars are more likely to avoid homes with security and smart features such as smart doorbells.
The Ring Video Doorbell proves itself to be an effective deterrent because often burglars will ring residential doorbells to first check to see if anyone is home. No matter whether you are, or aren’t, the burglar will notice your video camera doorbell first.
Since he’s already been caught on camera, if he is smart, the burglar will choose to abandon his thieving venture. If he isn’t, then you’ve got identifiable video with the burglar caught red-handed.
1. Video Resolution
The biggest spec difference between the Ring 1 vs. Ring 2 video doorbell is definitely their video resolutions.
The jump from 720p HD to 1080p HD is a giant leap. Depending on your needs, this difference will make or break your decision.
People that are looking for just general protection should have no qualms with purchasing the Ring 1. Potential burglars will not have a clue what your video doorbell’s camera specs are. Whichever Ring video doorbell you choose, both will be equal in acting as an effective deterrent.
Ring 1 video doorbell has a grainy, blurry image that is to be expected. However, this does not prevent owners from being able to identify what is actually being pictured in the image. Clarity is missing, but it does the job. If you are looking for general awareness of people, and cars, this will do the trick.
If you are looking to purchase a video doorbell where everything has clarity and there is no question as to who is coming to your door, then you’ll want to go with the Ring 2 video doorbell.
The quality of live streams can sometimes have less clarity than when you look up saved video. This is largely due to WiFi speed issues. If you do purchase either the Ring 1 or 2 and are unsure that this is the best video quality it can offer, check your WiFi speed and consider purchasing a new router.
Some Ring owners that upgraded from Ring 1 to Ring 2 have noticed better night vision. The night vision tech is the same, but the biggest difference is due to the 720p HD and the 1080p HD difference. The night vision image will be in black and white on both camera feeds, but due to the added clarity of the camera on Ring 2, the night vision does appear significantly better.
2. Power Source
In general, the power source does not differ significantly, just the hassle and headache it causes when you need a recharge.
Ring 1 and Ring 2 video doorbells both have rechargeable batteries to keep your video feed up and running. On the Ring app you can monitor the power of your doorbells, and you will also receive alerts when your Ring video doorbell is getting close to needing a recharge.
The Ring 2 doorbell has a superior feature than Ring 1 with regards to the recharge process. Ring 2’s doorbell features quick release batteries meaning that you don’t have to remove the whole device just to charge it’s batteries.
This was a product feature that was quickly upgraded between the Ring 1 and Ring 2 due to widespread user response.
Ring 1 purchasers will find themselves having to remove their doorbell every time it is in need of a recharge. Luckily, that isn’t too frequently, but there is an added hassle when recharge time does roll around. It will basically be like uninstalling and re-installing your doorbell again. You better keep that installation pamphlet handy! Just kidding, installation is a breeze.
Ring 2 can also be powered with hard-wiring as opposed to users relying on the rechargeable battery pack. For users that opt for this instead, the installation will be a bit more intense, but you’ll never have to worry about forgetting to recharge those batteries.
3. Field of View
The whole point of having a video doorbell is so that it can see everything for you. So, you want the best view possible, right?
The one “downgrade” from Ring 1 to Ring 2 is its field of vision. The Ring 1 boasts a 180° horizontal and 160° vertical field-of-view versus Ring 2’s 160° horizontal and 90° vertical field-of-view.
Some users report that the field of view change doesn’t bother them as much because of the huge increase in video resolution between the two is a bigger factor.
But, why? This downgrade means that people may need to be closer to the door for your Ring 2 to capture them on camera, and the footage will not be as wide. However, this doesn’t seem to have as much of an impact in practice as it seems on paper.
In fact, newer models of the Ring video doorbell line all have the same field of view specs as the Ring 2 making this “downgrade” look like it may actually be the Ring video doorbell’s optimum field of vision.
4. Colors
Options, that is all we want to have out of life. The option to take a nap, the option to have a day off, the option to dye your hair a crazy color. But just because the options are available to us doesn’t mean that we actually take advantage of them, we just like having them.
The Ring 1 video doorbell can be purchased in four colors: Venetian Bronze, Polished Brass, Antique Brass, and Satin Nickel. Unfortunately, the color you choose is permanent because these are colors of finishes and not face-plates.
The Ring 2 allows users to have options. When users purchase the Ring 2 video doorbell it comes with two face-plates: Satin Nickel and Venetian. If users elect to, they have the option of changing them out every other day depending on their moods.
Yes, there is less color choice than if users were to choose the Ring 1, but the color chosen upon purchase is the color users are stuck with. If users purchase the Ring 2 there is the possibility that Ring may introduce more faceplate colors or because they are removable, users could self-modify colors with spray paint.
Ring was recently purchased by Amazon, and Amazon likes options. It is possible that Amazon will expand the Ring product line starting with color options for users.
5. Price
When it comes to security, price should come up, but not be the main factor.
Security is priceless. Security is that little barrier between safe and not safe. Dead, and not dead. So when it comes to security and you put the price first, just know that you are making a green piece of paper a higher priority than actual human life whether it be yours, your family, or other loved ones.
The Ring 1 video doorbell costs $99 bucks vs. the Ring 2 at $199. Ok, so the Ring 2 video doorbell is double the price. In the long run, both of those prices are negligible. You can totally fit either purchase into your budget.
We all know that if we make something a financial priority, we can scrounge up the money for it. Those concert tickets? Yeah, they didn’t just fall into your lap, you planned for them, scrounged, and spent far too many hours on the web loking for the most killer deal.
If security matters to you, you can do the same. If you download the Honey extension to your browser, it can give you price alerts, and the price history of items. So, if Amazon is having a great tech deal on the Ring video doorbell one day, you’ll know.
But you don’t have to wait for a killer deal. We all know that the $3 you spend at Starbucks on the daily could be going toward something better. If you stop going to Starbucks everyday, you could have the money for the Ring 1 in a month.
Perspective change? Yeah.
6. Battery Life
In the tech age battery life is a spec we all care about. No one wants their device dying on them all the time.
Earlier in this post I mentioned that there is a hassle attached to the battery recharge of the Ring video doorbell. Surely, you wouldn’t wish that hassle to occur frequently.
Luckly, the Ring 1 video doorbell can last anywhere from 6 months to 12 months depending on the use it gets. If you are always getting visitors or at the very least, the neighbor kid next door is always ding-dong-ditching, then your doorbell’s battery is going to go down a lot faster than the introvert who owns the same doorbell.
That doesn’t mean you will be having to recharge all the time, it just means that the time frame in which you recharge is going to be closer to 6 months than the 12 month optimistic estimate.
Like the Ring 1, the Ring 2 is said to have a 6-12 month battery life. Sadly, users report that the Ring 2 is always closer to the 6 month time frame than 12 months.
I guess that extra video resolution does come at a little bit of a cost. Because the Ring 2’s batter pack can more easily be recharged than the Ring 1, the battery life is not as much of a downfall.
Users can monitor the decline of their battery percentage on the Ring app, and as it gets closer to the time needed to recharge, they will begin receiving alerts.
Ring devices can withstand temperatures as low as negative five degrees Fahrenheit and as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are planning on purchasing a Ring video doorbell where temps are higher (Arizona) or lower (Minnesota) than that on the regular, then your battery will be draining much faster, and may not be sustainable.
7. Size
Everyone knows that the answer to the question ‘does size matter?’ is supposed to be answered with a ‘no.’ But really, it sometimes does. When it comes to luggage sizes, airlines are always decreasing their carry-on size allowance which makes it inconvenient for passengers always having to adjust to more stringent restrictions.
So, how does Ring stand up? The Ring 1 video doorbell clocks in at 4.98 x 2.43 x 0.87 inches. The Ring 2 video doorbell arrives at 5.05 x 2.50 x 1.08 inches.
The Ring 2 is more bulky than its predecessor, but not by too much.
The important thing when purchasing the doorbell and considering size is knowing the exact measurements of space where your doorbell can actually go. If you have very little amount of wall to place your doorbell, then it may or may not fit. You’ll have to dig out your ruler before you hit purchase.
8. Issues
Everyone has a rough draft before they turn in their final copy. That’s the same way with products, right?
Sort of. Ring 1 obviously went through a lot of development and testing before it went on the market, but as the first of its kind from Ring, there were obviously improvements that could be made.
A lot of “bugs” or issues reported with the Ring 1 video doorbell, and so when Ring released the Ring 2 video doorbell, they made sure to resolve those issues.
Motion detection with the Ring 1 was a little bit of a pain for users. Ring 1 owners would often experience false alerts. There is a motion detection sensitivity setting that can be changed in-app, however, this did not resolve the false alerts that some users received.
Ring 2’s motion detection sensitivity was improved so that users could better adjust the sensitivity and get less false alerts.
Because the both Ring 1 and Ring 2 are run off of batteries, Ring opted to use a less taxing motion detection technology. In new models of the Ring doorbell, this has been changed.
Bonus: The Ring Video Doorbell Elite and Pro
Ring didn’t just stop after the Ring video doorbell one and two. Ring has also introduced the Ring Video Doorbell Elite and Pro doorbells.
The newer doorbells obviously are top of the line with even more adjustable features and improvements from the Ring 2. The Ring Pro receives power via Ethernet making it the fastest video doorbell device that Ring has on the market.
Both of these newer doorbells have much higher prices than the Ring 1 and 2 so it is more of investment.
| Ring 1 | Ring 2 | Ring Pro | Ring Elite | |
| Motion Detection | 5 selectable zones and customizable sensitivity scale. | 5 selectable zones and customizable sensitivity scale. | customizable motion detection zones | customizable motion detection zones |
| Detection Angle | 180 degrees | 180 degrees | 160 degrees | 160 degrees |
| Detection Method | Infrared | Infrared | Camera | Camera |
| FOV Horizontal | 180 degrees | 160 degrees | 160 degrees | 160 degrees |
| Power | Battery powered | Removable battery pack or hardwired | Power over Ethernet | Hardwired |
| Price | $99 | $199 | $249 | $499 |
Related Questions:
How much does Ring video recording cost? The basic plan costs $3 per month per camera or $30 per year at minimum. The protect plan costs $10 per month with unlimited cameras, or $100 per year.
How far away can Ring detect motion? Ring can detect motion from 30 feet away. If you have a ring subscription that video footage will be stored for 60 days.