Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus review

Ring is a brand that has become synonymous with video doorbells, so it’s no surprise that the company’s most advanced (and expensive) model is leading the way on features. The Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus gives users the ability to view the area around their house, get doorbell notifications sent to their mobile devices, and use 2-way audio to speak with anyone without having to physically open the door.

We tested the smart doorbell/security device to see whether it lived up to its promise, looking at the ease of set-up, advanced live view, motion detection features, and more.

If you want to see how the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus did against competitors, check out our rundown of the best wireless doorbells.

Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus: Set-Up and Specs

Video:1080p Full HD

Live view: Yes

Night vision: Yes

Motion detection: Yes

Field of view: 160 degrees horizontal, 84 degrees vertical

Power: Wired or wireless

Water-resistant: Yes

Colors: Satin Nickel, Venetian Bronze (both included)

Dimensions: 12.8 x 6.2 x 2.8cm

The set-up process for the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus depends on whether you are opting for the wired or wireless options. For the purposes of this review, we opted for wireless.

Wired

If you already have a doorbell that your Ring 3 Plus will be replacing, it’s pretty simple to achieve this without enlisting the help of professional installation (which Amazon quotes £100 per unit for). The two screws on the back of the unit need to be connected to existing wiring, but you’ll need to charge and insert the battery pack for seamless set-up before installation on the wall in any case.

Wireless

Included with your doorbell is the battery pack and USB-C cable to charge, which you’ll need to do before anything else. While this is happening (which takes a few hours), you can download and install the Ring app on your phone. To link the doorbell to your new account, you need to scan the QR code at the back of the unit.

When you’re ready, you can insert the battery pack back into the unit, choose your favorite cover (both Satin Nickel and Venetian Bronze come included) and you can mount your new doorbell! If your door is elevated or you want to place the Ring at an angle, there are mounts that help better position the camera. There’s even a drill bit and screwdriver included to make it as easy as possible.

All in all, the set-up is super-seamless and user-friendly, and it’s really great that users have the option of using the Ring 3 Plus wirelessly if they prefer. With steps leading up to this reviewer’s doorway, the angled mount is also a lovely touch.

Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus: Features

The Ring app feature-set is bursting at the seams, offering customization for motion detection, alerts, and linked devices such as security cameras and chimes.

Motion sensors

Motion sensitivity takes a bit of fiddling to get right, but the usefulness of the advanced settings will depend largely on what type of driveway you have. Working to the best of its abilities, the Ring 3 Plus can be set to alert you either if there is any motion at all or only if it detects a person. You can also change the areas that this function covers, for example, if you want to cut out a nearby road.

With a busy path situated directly in front of this reviewer’s door, even the most restricted area perimeters did nothing to remove the occurrence of alerts for people simply walking past. But if you have a proper driveway, the ability to choose your own area for motion detection could prove invaluable and really sets the doorbell apart.

Live view and pre-roll footage

Even on an admittedly patchy Wi-Fi connection, the live view works brilliantly with little to no wait time between selecting and getting a view of the action outside. This is what makes the Ring Doorbell a genuine security product as well as a very good smart doorbell, allowing you to monitor your surroundings with ease.

The image quality is also as good as promised, with a wide field of vision that is capable of capturing a huge area. Best of all, the pre-roll feature exclusive to the Plus model means you’ll be able to review footage from before someone approaches - useful even if said footage is quite grainy and monochrome.

Modes

The Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus has three modes - home, away, and disarmed. While the default has motion detection and live view enabled for both home and away, this can be changed to suit your particular needs and preferences. Disarmed is self-explanatory but, again, you can change the settings should you wish to.

Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus: Design 

Some will be disappointed by the bulk of the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus when compared to the Doorbell 2 or wired options but, once installed, it isn’t a big problem in practice. For this review, we fixed the unit to the door itself with heavy-duty 3m tape, and it has endured everything from snow to wind and rain like a champ. 

The corner and slanted mounts will also solve a lot of problems for those with busier driveways, and the wireless build will suit either renters or those planning to move in the near future.

Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus: Our Verdict 

One of the best video doorbells out there, perfect for building an entire smart home around or using as a standalone security camera, the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus packs in enough features and customization to justify its price tag. 

About our review

 Caroline covers technology and smart home devices for Livingetc, testing the best and most popular products to see what is worth paying for and what is not. All reviews are based on real experiences of using technology as part of daily life, making sure they perform in a real-life context.

For this review, Ring provided the Video Doorbell 3 Plus for testing purposes, and the unit was tested over a period of several weeks.