In many ways, the original Ring Doorbell was the market leader in smart video doorbells. The second improves on a couple of areas that needed it, and adds customisation. There's no massive compelling reason to upgrade if you have the first generation.

Removable battery is a necessary addition; Camera footage is vibrant and clear; Additional mounts/fascias included for unusual doorways

Slight delay in motion/ring alerts; Needs to be fairly close to router; No in-home chime/ring without buying Chime or Chime Pro

A neat way to keep an eye on your front door, boosting security when you're at home or away.

Smart design; Removable battery; Smart motion detection; Clear audio and video

Quite large; No choice of ringtone; Internal chime an optional extra

Easy to set up, effective and reasonably priced, the Ring Video Doorbell 2 is the best product of its type

Easy to set up and use; Good video and audio quality; Reasonable price compared with Nest Hello

Motion "zones" not precise enough; Those with larger homes will need to add £50 Chime Pro

The Ring Video Doorbell 2 has its drawbacks, but its excellent app and great motion tracking may make it the best choice for you.

Nice design; Great motion tracking; App is easy to use

No free video storage; A little bulky

The Ring Video Doorbell 2 is one of those rare smart home devices that just works and works at least as well as the “dumb” equivalent, but with much more capability. It acts as another barrier between you and the outside world, and works perfectly well simply as a video doorbell and impromptu live...

easy to install and set up; solid app; great as basic doorbell; great as a camera from your door; attractive; no wiring required; lots of accessories and options

battery needs charging once a month; can’t use local storage for video; quite large for some door frames; expensive for a doorbell

We've spent some time with the smart Ring Video Doorbell 2 to see if it's worth paying £179 for a doorbell (Spoiler: it is).

“The hassle-free Ring Video Doorbell 2 is a smart choice.”

Wireless or wired configuration; Easy installation; Versatile motion alerts; Rechargeable battery; Friendly; simple app control

Chunky design; Cheap plastic finish; Coarse speaker

If you’re currently searching for a video doorbell that’s easy to setup and doesn’t really need any wiring, then we highly suggest the Ring Video Doorbell 2. It gives you a colorful and rich 1080p daytime video while its black and white night video is relatively sharp and clear.

The Ring Doorbell 2 adds an extra layer of security to your home. This is a very neat video doorbell and it is indeed better than the original, but not by much.

You can power your Ring Video Doorbell 2 via a wired connection or with the rechargeable battery pack; Records at 1080p with a wide angle lens + has night vision + two-way audio; Easy to install + weather-proof design; Instant alerts when someone rings the doorbell; Affordable subscription plans

1080p footage is slightly underwhelming compared to what you’re used to from other full HD cameras; Requires strong Wi-Fi connection and relatively fast internet speeds; Larger and thicker than the original Ring Video Doorbell

In the weather that prevailed just before Christmas fixing a new doorbell was not the most pressing thing on my mind, or course once fitted the various groups of carol singers that seem to materialise can safely be ignored from your indoor comfort.