Ring Security Camera Review

Unboxing and Installing Ring Cameras

The lineup of Ring security cameras

Ring consistently ranks high on our list of the best cameras in numerous categories. We’re big fans of Ring’s no-frills DIY installation and the reasonable and competitive pricing of their cameras,  and we also appreciate the quality of their equipment — some models offer night vision, advanced motion detection, and record everything in 1080p resolution.

We’ll break down Ring’s camera prices and package deals a bit later on. For now, let’s go through the full hands-on experience with each Ring camera — kicking things off with the installation.

Installing Ring Cameras

Ring Stick Up Cam

While Ring’s equipment isn’t the most discreet on the market, it’s still designed really well and won’t stick out like a sore thumb in your living room or mounted above your garage. Several pieces of equipment are also available in black, if that fits your home’s interior better, and a handful of the outdoor cameras are available in premium colors like graphite and dark bronze.

Clunky size aside, we do really like the fact that Ring’s cameras all have a similar design ethos. And that style matches their other security equipment like their smoke alarms, panic buttons, door sensors, and keypads. In fact, given the large number of accessories, we were able to outfit our entire home with nothing but Ring, and because all of the pieces match so well, everything is cohesive. It seems like we’re protected by a far more expensive full-service company, but we pay a fraction of the cost we’d pay for that.

When it comes to installation, it’s a safe bet that any Ring camera will be a relatively light lift. The most difficult to install are the hard-wired floodlight cameras, but other than that, it’s usually a matter of screwing a mount into a wall or simply setting the camera on a bookshelf. Most of the time you can expect a 30 minute install time for the majority of their cameras, and even less if you’re adding more equipment to your Ring network via the app.

With Ring Stick Up Cam2 (pictured above), everything’s ready to go out of the box. It’s your choice to use the camera with the provided battery or as a wired (plug-in) device; you can also hang the camera on a wall or simply place it on a flat surface.

Ring offers several iterations of their Stick Up Cam, as well, including battery-powered models, solar models, a plug-in version with Pan-Tilt functionality, and the Stick Up Cam Elite, which can be powered over ethernet (PoE) with an available adaptor.

Ring Stick Up Cam (left) compared to Ring Indoor (right)

Ring’s indoor camera is almost identical to the Stick Up Cam, as you’ll see in the image above, with two notable exceptions: The Indoor Cam is smaller and requires a power cord.

The power cord is pretty short at only 6.5 feet. If you’re doing something as simple as placing the camera on a flat surface, for example, the short, unsightly power cord might not blend with your decor quite as nicely as the battery-powered Stick Up Cam. And, you’ll be limited in how far away you can place the camera from a power outlet – although a simple extension cord will fix that pretty easily.

Ring Floodlight

As far as the other two cameras on our list – Ring Spotlight and Ring Floodlight – you might find that those installations require more complex wiring and a little elbow grease. You have to be careful where you place outdoor cameras, and if you’re trying to install one on a brick wall, things can get a bit tricky. In the case of the Ring Floodlight, we actually sprang for a professional (third-party) installation; if you’re pressed for time and don’t mind spending a few bucks, this is always a wise option.

Ring Spotlight

Those are really the only drawbacks I ran into installing Ring cams; otherwise, you’re going to get the same easy setup and installation as many wireless security cameras available today.

Beyond installation, let’s explore the ins and outs of each camera in Ring’s suite, starting with the Stick Up Cam.

Living With the Stick Up Cam

Ring Stick Up Cam

While Ring doesn’t have the feature set of Google Nest’s Cams (see our full Google Nest Cam review here), their cameras are reliable across the board. There’s a reason why they’re one of the top-ranked security camera brands out there, after all.

There was really no difference with the Ring Stick Up Cam. It’s well-designed, dependable, and versatile. While it lacks some of the high-tech frills I’ve seen in other cameras, it’s a workhorse that’s going to get the job done without a lot of fussing about. For my family of four (plus two four-legged members) the Stick Up Cam did an admirable job keeping an eye on things.

Ring Stick Up Cam live view

With two parents working from home and both kids attending school virtually, Ring Stick Up Cam excels at keeping tabs on everyone, human or canine. During a pandemic, this was especially helpful; but crisis or not, these are just handy, reliable cameras to keep around the house.

Next, let’s discuss a few more things you’ll want to know about the Stick Up Cam – the good and the bad.

Freedom of Movement

Since it can be battery operated or hardwired, one of the Stick Up Cam’s biggest strengths is its flexibility. This is good news, since you’re probably going to want to experiment with different mounting positions to determine your best vantage point. That said, you can also set it to monitor a single target, like the cat who always knocks over your houseplants or a potential package thief3 who’s been spotted in your neighborhood.

Ring Indoor Cam Night View

Narrow Field of Vision

If you have an open floor plan like I do, you might notice that Ring Stick Up has a somewhat limited field of vision. With a lackluster 110-degrees horizontal field of view, this camera won’t give you more than standard viewing angles. You can’t set it to pan over a room like a Reolink E1 camera, for example. So with the Ring Stick Up Cam, just be aware that you’ll probably need to play with angles and positions to get the most out of the camera.

Not Weatherproof

One of the main drawbacks of the Stick Up Cam is that even though it says it’s designed for indoor and outdoor use – Ring even goes so far as to label it Weather Resistant – these cameras don’t really stand up well to the elements. They aren’t, for instance, IP rated. IP ratings can tell you exactly how much water and dust a camera can withstand. In fact, Ring doesn’t even indicate what kind of temperatures these cameras can withstand. If you are going to use your Stick Up Cam outside, I recommend mounting it under an awning or in another covered place where it will have some protection from mother nature. If you need something that’s really for outdoor use – meaning, one that can stand under the rain or endure hours of sunlight – I don’t recommend the Stick Up Cam.

Smart Home Integration With Alexa

Ring dashboard on the Alexa Show

Here’s some good news: It’s really easy to integrate a Ring camera into any Amazon smart home ecosystem. (I covered the full step-by-step Ring home automation process here, if you’re interested.) It’s not much more than popping over to the Ring app’s Alexa tab and following the prompts. With the Stick Up and all the other Ring cameras, simply pull up the full Ring dashboard using voice commands like, “Alexa, disarm my driveway camera.” If you’re a big fan of Alexa and using voice commands, I recommend Ring as one of the best security camera brands for you.

New Spotlight Cam Models

Amazon announced two new Spotlight Cam models at its hardware event in September 2022, and while we haven’t tested these new cameras yet, we have the scoop on what to expect from them.

The first Spotlight Cam model is the Spotlight Cam Plus, available in hardwired, battery, solar, and plug-in configurations. It starts at $169.99. It is a redesigned version of the Spotlight Cam we tested, with a slightly slimmer form factor. In addition, it’s capable of color night vision similar to the existing Floodlight Cam Pro.

The other model is the Spotlight Cam Pro, which retails for $229.99 for the battery operated model. Its solar-powered cousin costs $249.99.

The Spotlight Cam Pro features a completely redesigned look — it has a mesh cover on the bottom, for instance, which houses the Spotlight Cam Pro’s enhanced audio system. In addition, it features 3D motion detection similar to the Floodlight Cam Wired Pro, which uses radar motion detection and mapping instead of PIR. The 3D motion detector is best suited for homes with large yards, as it greatly improves the range and reliability of the camera’s motion detection.

Here’s a breakdown of Ring’s cameras with onboard spot or flood lights, their prices, and how their powered:

Illuminating Ring Cameras and Their Prices

Testing the Ring Indoor Cam

Ring Indoor Camera

When it comes to the industry’s top-rated indoor cameras, sometimes less is more. Ring Indoor Camera is the smallest in Ring’s lineup, standing less than 3 inches tall without its support stand. So with this one, you won’t have to worry too much about the device taking up too much space or looking awkward in your home.

For people who like simplicity and minimalism in their security technology, this Ring camera makes the grade. But, like the previously mentioned Stick Up Cam, I did come across a few areas for improvement.

Video Performance and Clarity

Glitches and delays in security camera footage are very common, so it’s important to remember that not all of your footage from your cameras – Ring-branded or otherwise – is going to look picture-perfect.

Ring Indoor Cam Video Quality

All of Ring’s cameras record video in up to 1080p HD video resolution. It’s the standard nowadays, so expect good-to-great video clarity in the majority of your recordings – but not quite at the level of a hardwired system like Vivint. (Catch up on our latest Vivint Home Security analysis.)

And since we’re talking about a wireless camera, you’re going to deal with the inevitable Wi-Fi slow down or app update that might affect the performance of the Indoor Cam. But again, this is a Ring camera, and it usually plays well with most home Wi-Fi setups.

Short Power Cord

As mentioned above, the power cord that comes with Ring Indoor is only 6.5 feet, so you might need to get creative with placement. But once everything is said and done, you’ve got a great little camera that you can set up and basically forget about. Through the Ring mobile app, you can set the indoor cam to record clips while you’re out of the house. And when you’re home, you can turn recordings off for privacy, or adjust motion settings to receive fewer alerts. It’s Ring, so you know you’ll get plenty of flexibility.

A Quick Note on Cost

The word “cheap” has negative connotations. When you buy a product that doesn’t work right, you might call it “cheap.”

At $59.99, the Ring Indoor Cam is the cheapest camera in Ring’s lineup, both in terms of price and in terms of reliability. That said, you’re still getting that impressive 1080p video quality in every recording, even at night. You also get access to Ring’s powerful cloud-based network. In short, you’ll get no complaints on the price of this camera here. It’s “cheap,” sure, but you probably don’t need premium-level features in a camera like this. It’s for indoor use, after all. And as compensation, you’re also not going to pay premium-level prices. That’s how it goes in this industry, more or less.

For context, let’s take a look at the Ring Indoor Cam’s price against some of its leading competitors.

Indoor Camera Pricing Lineup

Ring Spotlight Cam Features and Performance

Ring Spotlight Camera at Night

Spotlight Cam is Ring’s outdoor camera for all those areas outside the house you need to illuminate and capture at a moment’s notice. Note that it comes in wired or wire-free, black or white finish, and you can now use this camera (and all the other Ring cams) with a Ring solar panel for an even more convenient way to secure your home’s exterior.

Beyond that, you’ll find the same features in Spotlight Cam that Ring packs into its other cams: 1080p HD resolution, advanced motion detection, and two-way audio with noise cancellation. When I tested this camera, the motion-activated spotlight helped me make sense of the occasional mysterious activity lurking around my property. That’s news you can use – especially if your neighborhood has a history of (or a recent uptick in) break-ins. Combined with Ring’s Neighbors4 feature, the Ring app that acts as a neighborhood watch, you’ll have more insight than ever on what’s going on around your property.

Using the Spotlight Cam at Night

Ring Spotlight Night View

This is a camera that’s meant to see things you can’t. With 1080p HD resolution, the Spotlight Cam has a pretty decent range day or night – but it’s not worth much without that LED spotlight. Once you’ve set it up where you want it, be sure to set the camera to activate the spotlight any time motion is detected. This feature may come in handy in deterring would-be intruders, but also provides ample lighting when you’re getting home from a late night out.

Adjusting Motion Settings

With a Ring Spotlight perched over a driveway or garage (like mine is positioned in the above image), you might start getting a lot of unwanted or “nuisance” alerts from cars and pedestrians. If you’re self-monitoring your cameras – which the Ring app makes really easy to do – the best way to avoid unwanted alerts is to draw a privacy zone over part of the screen to block out the area you don’t want motion to trigger. As in the scene pictured below, “that kind of motion” was a car driving past my house, which happens about a gazillion times a day.

Ring Motion Activation

If you encounter this, I suggest setting the motion sensitivity slider in the Ring app to a lower motion sensitivity. In addition, though, you can pop into motion zones and black out part of the scene so the camera doesn’t detect motion there. Those two adjustments combined should do the trick; if you’d rather avoid tinkering too much with the camera during busy times, you can always set a schedule to turn motion recording on and off. (Hint: This also saves battery life.)

Ring Motion Sensitivity Slider

A Note on Pricing for Spotlight Cam Plus

The plug-in Spotlight Cam Plus costs $169.99, and you also have the option of buying a solar panel-Spotlight Cam Plus package for $199.99.

Now when you consider some of the other Ring cameras that go for substantially less than this, you might think about crossing the Spotlight Cam Plus off your list. Consider what you’re getting though. It’s actually a two-in-one device — a camera and a spotlight. This means not only will you be actively recording anything that happens at your home, you’ll also be actively deterring criminals with exterior illumination.

The Floodlight Cam Experience

Ring Floodlight Cam

Nestled firmly between two super-powerful LEDs, the Ring Floodlight Camera was the almost-perfect fixture to complement my outdoor decor. Ring also offers this model in a variety of finishes, including graphite and bronze, if you’re looking to get away from the more standard black or white design.

It’s important to note, though, that Ring is not the only company to make a floodlight camera. When it hit shelves in early 2020, the Arlo Floodlight Camera became a solid contender, but Arlo is battery-powered, while Ring’s floodlight camera is wired.

For my home, however, Ring’s hardwired setup worked best. It was the perfect opportunity to replace an old light fixture that was a little past its prime, with a shiny new floodlight-camera-in-one.

Installing the Ring Floodlight Cam

After thoroughly testing the Ring Floodlight Cam, I’m comfortable singing its praises, simply because it’s one of the strongest lines of defense you’ll have in your home security toolbox. You’re getting unprecedented range, a wide field of view, and a smooth two-way audio feature that can be used in tandem with motion-activated lighting to spook even the boldest of criminals – or just to say hi to a few unexpected visitors.

Ring Floodlight Cam Video Quality

There are a few more things you should know about this camera before making your final decision, though, starting with that previously mentioned audio feature:

Two-Way Talk

When it comes to audio on the Floodlight Cam, all was well with the exception of some interference due to background noise, usually on the outdoor end of the conversation.

It’s not the first time I’ve encountered this issue. Ambient noise5 – you know, the kind that happens outside that you can’t control or predict – can make communication difficult at times. But frankly, the issue is minor, and it shouldn’t affect the overall performance.

Durable Hardware

Ring Floodlight Cam Box

Since it’s made for the outdoors, Ring has their floodlight camera locked down with plenty of weatherproof hardware and protection from the outdoors. During my own tests of the device, I watched it sail through an intense late-winter band of snowstorms (you know, just another Ohio “second winter”) without missing a beat. After all that, the Floodlight Cam performed seamlessly and did not incur any damage, which is good, because I’d already thrown out the old light fixture.

Using the Camera With Ring App

Ring App Homescreen

The best way to get acquainted with any wireless camera is to learn everything it can do through the mobile app. With Ring, you know that’s going to be easy – and it will also help you prepare for the unexpected.

Occasionally, you might find a few rare instances of delay between the time the camera captures motion and the time you receive an alert. Again, that is standard in cameras that work with Wi-Fi, and a bit more common in outdoor cameras than indoor ones. But with a stable Wi-Fi connection, you should have no problem securing your home with a Ring Floodlight.

Ring Floodlight Cam Motion Detection

After successful sales of Ring’s first-generation Floodlight Cam, the brand recently added Floodlight Cam Wired Plus and Floodlight Cam Wired Pro. The Pro, I learned, has a couple of advanced features over the original, like 3D motion detection and two-way talk with audio+, as well as a few subtle design upgrades. With a base price of $249.99, it’s one of Ring’s most expensive cameras, but it’s definitely one of the best, too.

Speaking of price, it’s worth mentioning that the Ring Floodlight Cam Plus is another one I’ve seen marked down frequently throughout the year. It regularly retails for $199.99 (you’ll see a bigger breakdown below), but it happens to be a very popular device to snag around Prime Day, too. Look for those and other huge savings in my complete Prime Day home security deals and discounts guide.

Ranking Ring’s Cameras

With a total of four security cameras – Indoor, Stick Up, Spotlight, and Floodlight – you may find it difficult to choose which one is best for your home, especially if you’re on a budget. So I ranked the cameras based on their security value.

Snapshot of Ring Equipment Pricing

“You get what you pay for.” You’ve surely heard that expression many times, especially if you’ve ever bought home security equipment before. Like buying a car, adding security cameras can be a very personal experience – so you want to get the product that’s right for you.

Luckily, Ring cameras are for the masses. They’re made for the everyday DIY user, and generally not recommended if you’re looking for wall-to-wall home security or 24/7 monitoring. For that, I’d go with a fully wired system like Frontpoint Home Security, or even something from SimpliSafe, a super-DIY setup.

For now, let’s break down how much you should expect to pay for each Ring camera. I also recommend checking out our comprehensive Ring camera package and pricing page for more cost considerations.

Snapshot of Ring Equipment Costs

Ring Video Storage and Monitoring

When it comes to monitoring, Ring offers a number of options. You can self-monitor for free if you want. Free is always tempting. Of course, you’ll get no video recording with that plan. When you get a mobile alert, you’ll have to hope you pull up the live video fast enough to catch what’s happening.

For just $3.99, you can add video storage. That can come in handy if you ever need to turn the footage over to the police. The downside of this plan is that it only covers one camera. If you need video recording options for multiple cameras, you’ll need to bump up to the $10 Protect Plus Plan.

Of course, you can also go all in and purchase Ring’s Protect Pro with 24/7 professional monitoring for just $20 per month. That’s the plan we recommend, since you just never know when you’re going to be too busy to check an alert. Unfortunately, break-ins don’t always happen when it’s most convenient.

You’ll find a full rundown of Ring Protect’s features below. And, for a more robust home security experience, Ring also makes an affordable alarm system, Ring Alarm, that’s a nice option for basic intruder protection. Read more about that system in our full Ring Alarm review.

Ring’s Subscription Model: A Breakdown

Ring Cameras: Final Thoughts

It all started with the Ring Video Doorbell, now a fixture attached to millions of front doors around the world. These devices rewrote the rules of home security and made Ring a favorite in the industry (read our full Ring Video Doorbell analysis here). Not surprisingly, their suite of cameras has earned similar praise in recent years.

After extensively testing Ring’s indoor and outdoor security cameras for this review, I can report that the performance and appearance of these cams is easily on par with home security cameras in similar categories, like Arlo and Google Nest.

Ring Cameras Lineup

And that about wraps it up for Ring cameras. The takeaway? These cams continue to win out in overall performance and a decent set of features, making them an industry leader and a hot pick for Prime Day, Black Friday, and other seasonal sales. You’re sure to be pleased!

Ring Security Cam FAQs