So, you’re looking at your front porch and realizing it’s a bit of a blind spot. We’ve all been there. You get a notification that a package arrived, but when you check the feed, all you see is the top of a delivery driver's head and a whole lot of empty driveway. This is exactly where the Ring Video Doorbell Plus enters the conversation, and honestly, it’s about time someone fixed the "letterbox" view problem.
For years, smart doorbells gave us a wide, cinematic look at our front yards. Great for seeing the neighbor's dog across the street; terrible for seeing if a small box is tucked right against your door. The Ring Video Doorbell Plus changed the math by shifting to a 1:1 aspect ratio. It’s a square.
That square view is the whole point.
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Why the Head-to-Toe View Actually Matters
If you've ever owned an older Ring model, you know the frustration. You can see the person's face, but you can't see their feet. Why does that matter? Packages. Most thefts don't happen because someone saw a person's face; they happen because a package was left in a literal dead zone that the camera couldn't reach.
The Ring Video Doorbell Plus features 1536p HD video. That’s a significant bump over the standard 1080p found in the older generations. It’s crisp. You can actually read the text on a vest or see the details on a delivery slip. But the real "hero" feature here is that vertical FOV (Field of View). By capturing 150 degrees both horizontally and vertically, the camera effectively eliminates that annoying gap between the bottom of the frame and your doorstep.
It's not just about security, though. It's about convenience. Think about those times you're at work and a contractor shows up. With the Plus, you aren't just guessing if they brought the right equipment; you can see the whole picture.
The Battery Dilemma
Let's talk power. This is a battery-powered unit, which is a blessing for renters or people who don't want to mess with 50-year-old doorbell wiring that may or may not be live. However, "battery-powered" is often code for "I have to take this thing down every month," right? Not necessarily.
Ring uses a quick-release battery pack. You don't have to unscrew the whole unit from the wall. You just pop the faceplate, slide the battery out, and charge it via USB. If you're smart, you'll buy a second battery to keep on the charger so you have zero downtime. Or, if you have a sunny spot, the Ring Solar Charger is a legitimate life-saver. It trickles enough juice to keep you from ever touching the thing.
Night Vision That Isn't Just "Green Blobs"
Most cameras claim "night vision," but what you usually get is a grainy, black-and-white mess that looks like a horror movie from the 90s. The Ring Video Doorbell Plus uses Color Night Vision.
It works by using whatever ambient light is available—street lamps, porch lights, even a bright moon—to fill in the blanks. It’s not going to look like broad daylight, obviously. But being able to tell if a car is red or blue at 3:00 AM is a massive advantage if you ever need to provide footage to the police.
The Ring Protect Subscription Reality Check
We need to be real for a second. If you buy this doorbell and don't pay for a subscription, you are losing 80% of the value. Without Ring Protect, you get live alerts and you can see through the camera in real-time, but that’s it. No saved videos. No looking back at what happened ten minutes ago.
- Person Alerts: This is part of the AI processing. It filters out the swaying tree branches and only pings you when a human shape is detected.
- Package Alerts: This is the big one for the Plus model. You can set a specific "package zone" on your porch. If a box is dropped there, you get a specific notification.
- Cloud Storage: Usually 60 to 180 days of video history depending on your region.
Is it annoying to have another monthly bill? Yeah. But in the current smart home landscape, local storage (like what Eufy or Reolink offers) is becoming the exception, not the rule. Ring is a cloud-first ecosystem.
Installation: Can You Actually Do This Yourself?
Yes. Seriously.
If you can use a screwdriver, you can install the Ring Video Doorbell Plus. It comes with a mounting bracket, all the screws you need, and even a little level to make sure it's not crooked. If you're replacing an existing wired doorbell, you can actually hook the wires into the back of the Plus. This won't "power" the camera in the traditional sense, but it will trickle-charge the battery and, more importantly, it will trigger your existing internal chime.
Nothing is weirder than having a smart doorbell that doesn't make a sound inside your house.
What Most People Get Wrong About Motion Zones
I see people complaining all the time that their Ring battery dies in three days. Usually, it's because they haven't touched the Motion Zones. By default, the camera might be looking at the sidewalk or a busy street. Every time a car passes, the camera "wakes up," records, and sends a ping. That kills the battery.
You have to go into the app and draw your "Bird’s Eye Zones." This tells the camera: "Ignore everything except the six feet directly in front of my door."
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The Ring Video Doorbell Plus also includes "Pre-Roll." This is a neat trick where the camera is constantly capturing a few seconds of video in a low-power buffer. When motion is detected, it attaches those few seconds to the start of the clip. It means you actually see the person walking up to the door, rather than just seeing their back as they walk away.
Privacy Concerns and the "Neighbor" Effect
It’s worth mentioning that Ring has had its share of headlines regarding privacy and law enforcement access. In recent years, they’ve moved toward end-to-end encryption, but you have to turn it on manually in the settings. If privacy is your top priority, take ten minutes to go through the Control Center in the app.
You can also set "Privacy Zones" to black out your neighbor's windows or yard from your recordings. It's a good way to stay on good terms with the people next door.
How It Compares to the Pro 2
You might see the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 and wonder if you're missing out. The Pro 2 has "3D Motion Detection" using radar. It's cool, but it's also much more expensive and requires a hardwired connection.
The Ring Video Doorbell Plus is basically the "sweet spot." It gives you the high-resolution, head-to-toe view of the Pro 2, but keeps the flexibility of battery power. It's the "Goldilocks" of the current Ring lineup.
Getting the Most Out of Your Hardware
To actually make this thing work for you, don't just stick it on the wall and forget it. Start by checking your Wi-Fi signal at the front door. Metal doors and brick walls are signal killers. If your app says the "RSSI" (Signal Strength) is in the 60s or 70s, your video is going to be choppy. You might need a Chime Pro, which doubles as a Wi-Fi extender for your doorbell.
Next, customize your "Quick Replies." If you're in a meeting, you can have the doorbell tell a delivery person to "just leave the package by the door" when they ring it. It’s basically an answering machine for your house.
Lastly, play with the "Motion Frequency" settings. If you have a busy household, set it to "Regular" or "Periodic" so you aren't getting a buzz on your wrist every 30 seconds when the kids are playing outside.
The Ring Video Doorbell Plus isn't a perfect device—no battery-powered camera is—but it finally addresses the literal biggest gap in home security. Seeing the floor matters. Seeing the package matters. If you’re tired of seeing only the top half of your porch, this is the upgrade that actually makes sense.
Actionable Steps for New Owners
- Charge the battery fully before you mount the device. Out of the box, they are usually at about 50%, and starting at 100% helps the software calibrate the battery life estimate correctly.
- Map your Motion Zones immediately. Do not wait. If you live on a busy street, your battery will be dead by morning if you don't mask out the road.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). It’s 2026; there is no excuse for not securing your home camera feed.
- Check your doorbell chime compatibility. If you're wiring it to an existing digital chime, you might need to install the included jumper cable, or it might just hum constantly.
- Test the "Package Zone" feature. Place a box where you usually get deliveries and see if the AI picks it up. If not, adjust the sensitivity.