The Ring Pro launched back in 2016, which in tech years, was forever ago. This also makes for a decent product life since Ring is just now coming out with its successor, the Ring Pro 2 video doorbell.
Ring has had a lot of time to reflect on the design and performance of the original Pro, thus we have a lot of expectations for this next model. As you can see from the image above, the visual design of the doorbell looks to be spot on with the original. However, the features within have had a number of improvements.
The most noticeable feature is the move from 1080p to 1536p resolution. A 1536 x 1536 resolution gives you a square image vs the usual widescreen video size. The purpose of this is to expand the vertical POV to include more of the area in front of the camera, giving you a 150 x 150 degree view (as you can see in the following image)
By giving you a wider vertical POV, you are able to see more of an individual approaching your door, as well as any packages they have placed on the ground. At least, as long as the position of the packages and the camera work out.
At the same time, you are getting a bit more resolution than 1080p, bringing the image just past 2K in quality (2K = 1440p). It isn’t 4K, but it is a step in the right direction, while also not putting a lot of strain on your internet connection (since ISPs aren’t big fans of giving you much of an upstream/upload value).
It then gets more advanced under the hood from there with 3D Motion Detection, which Ring promises will result in more accurate detections for anything moving around within a motion perimeter of up to 30ft distance from the door.
The Ring Pro 2 is also making use of this 3D Motion Detection to create a virtual aerial view of the space in front of the camera, giving you a birds-eye view of the path taken by these triggers (people).
Finally, they are promising HD audio for the two-way audio features of the doorbell. This part has our interest due to the issues some users have had with the other doorbells affecting communication via the app. Hopefully, this means stable two-way communication that allows both parties to clearly hear each other without any break-ups in the audio.
The new doorbell will start shipping on March 31st, beginning with the pre-orders. You can pre-order it here on Amazon for $249.99, placing it at the same price as the previous Ring Pro when it launched in 2016. If you already have the original Ring Pro, it might not be much of a draw to upgrade though. You may want to wait for the 3rd gen (when it comes out likely 5-6 years from now) to get the most out of your investment. That is unless you have been having issues with two-way audio and if this new model does indeed resolve this problem (which would make this a very dominant product in the market).
Images/Video: Ring
