Installation was mostly a breeze, but I had to check some online guides to activate some more advanced features, and performance was consistently great. The motion detector, power pack and keypad were similarly reliable, and the Ring Stick Up Cam, which we've reviewed separately, performed as expected. Ring's entry sensors give a little more latitude than others, so the two pieces can be about an inch apart before registering a door "open." I appreciated that calibration because it meant no false alarms, but it wouldn't allow any doors to be cracked open without sending an alert. In addition, some of my house's doors have unique molding around the door jambs, which has given some door/window sensors problems in the past (e.g., registering doors as open when they're not). For instance, my basement's back door is far from the base station, but I experienced no connection issues with the Z-Wave-powered door/window sensor. They were responsive and reliable, even in slightly odd conditions. Ring's devices did exactly what they were supposed to do in my testing. Ring suggests keeping the keypad wired, though its battery should last for months.īefore I talk about Ring's unique features, the first big question to answer is, "Is it a decent home security system?" The answer is a solid yes. Ditto for that Wi-Fi range extender and the microSD card, which don't make sense for other systems because those systems don't offer the same features. Likewise, you probably wouldn't spend $130 on a backup power pack for other home security systems, and you wouldn't for the Ring Alarm Pro if it didn't enable backup Wi-Fi. Remember, Ring's $250 base station is also a router, meaning you'll get a lot of extra functionality that you won't get with SimpliSafe's $115 base station. That brought me to a total bill of about $600.Ī similarly scaled build from SimpliSafe might cost $400, but it's important to understand the broader value Ring offers compared to its competitors. To give an example of one possible setup: I got the $300 Ring Alarm Pro package, along with a $100 Ring Stick Up Cam, a $130 Alarm Pro backup power pack, an $89 Eero 6 Wi-Fi range extender (on sale for $62 when I got it) and a $15 microSD card (though you can get one for free by redeeming a code after purchasing the system) for local storage. Ring's prices are close to those of SimpliSafe, one of the best DIY home security systems on the market, which clocks in at $15 and $30, respectively.Īs with other systems, the Ring Alarm Pro will have better pricing if you buy one of the packages, then add whatever standalone devices you want on top rather than buying everything a la carte. Door/window sensors, for instance, cost $20 each and motion detectors cost $30. In general, the pricing for these devices is middling compared to the competition - not quite as affordable as Wyze's super-cheap gadgets, but not as pricey as Abode's more expensive ones. You can also buy a bigger package for $380 (it adds four more door/window sensors, an extra motion detector and another keypad), or you can buy the individual sensors a la carte, expanding the system beyond these basics to include a wide range of Ring cameras, video doorbells, backup power packs, Eero Wi-Fi range extenders and so on. You can opt for just the base station for $250 - but then you won't get all the security sensors that make the system work. If you buy the Ring Alarm Pro system, you'll probably pay $300 to get a router/base device, four door/window sensors, a motion detector, a Z-Wave range extender and a keypad. In short, the Ring Alarm Pro isn't just a game-changing device for Amazon it's a ground-shaking product for the entire DIY home security market. Ring even offers admirable data security and privacy options if, like me, you're worried about the company's spotty track record when working with police and subsequently degrading community privacy. Ring Alarm Pro is an affordable system with impressive smarts, lots of flexibility and a rock-solid base that will make most happy. Even better, you get backup Wi-Fi and local processing and storage. You also get a choice of professional monitoring subscriptions. You can either pay for the base station itself (which also serves as a router) or spend just a little more for a basic package that includes the base station, several door and window sensors, motion detectors, a keypad and a siren. Ring Alarm Pro's merging of an Eero Wi-Fi mesh router with a DIY security system gives you a lot of flexibility in arranging your setup.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |