One minute review
Once known for some of the best video doorbells, Ring has steadily expanded its product line to include security monitoring beyond your door. In fact, it's been over five years since Ring launched its popular Floodlight Cam, which combines outdoor lighting with security technology.
Since then it has evolved into the Floodlight Cam Pro, initially with a wired model followed by this battery powered version, offering greater flexibility in terms of installation location outside of your home. And while the concept behind the camera remains similar—its purpose is to monitor all the comings and goings outside your home—the Floodlight Battery Cam Pro has a new range of features that make achieving that goal easier, clearer and more precise.
- Ring Spotlight Cam Pro (battery) (white) at Amazon for $229.99 (opens in a new tab)
One of Ring's four permanent battery-powered outdoor cameras, the Floodlight Battery Cam Pro is at the more expensive end of the range, thanks to its advanced features and versatility. Most similar is the Floodlight Cam Plus, which lacks the Pro's main selling points of radar motion detection, Bird's Eye View (which provides an aerial view for additional context outside the perimeters of your security zones), and improved sound. We find some of these features more useful than others; however, overall, audio and video clarity from the Floodlight Cam Pro's battery was excellent.
As such, this model is more likely to appeal to those who want better video and sound quality than some of the best home security cameras offer. Those who already own a Ring product are also likely to consider the Spotlight Cam Pro Battery as it uses the existing app and can integrate with other devices.
Ring Spotlight Cam Pro battery price and availability
- List price: € 229.99 / € 199.99 / AU € 329
The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery is priced at $229.99 / £199.99 / AU$329. It's available to buy now in the US, UK and Australia direct from Ring or through Amazon. Solar, plug-in and wired versions are also available.
For the technology packed into the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro battery and the brand's typical ease of use, it's fairly reasonably priced – comparable cameras can easily cost up to a third more. However, it's a bit more expensive than Ring's Battery Spotlight Cam Plus, which is its more affordable option.
The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery includes one battery in the box, but has room for two (allowing the second to act as a backup). Extra batteries are $29.99 / £24.99 / AU$49.
Value Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery Design
- Twin LED lights
- Setup can be tedious
- Interior space for two batteries.
The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro's battery is less annoying than some security cameras with a diminutive footprint of 3,1 x 3,2 x 5,7 inches / 7,8 x 8,1 x 14,4 cm, but it's still it looks a lot like a camera rather than a light. It has a sizable speaker at its base, while a pair of LED lights flank the camera at the front. While these lights are bright enough to view at night, clear lighting is not the primary purpose of this camera. The model is available in two colours, black or white, allowing you to choose your preference in an option that blends into your exterior or acts as a visible deterrent.
In terms of design, the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery is stylish. It has a single button on top, while the speaker section at the bottom twists off to reveal a dual battery compartment. The drive simply pushes the mount in and out; no clips or pry bars required. Mounting the camera is easy enough, although you will need the correct size screwdriver as no tools are provided. Ring estimates the installation will take 5-10 minutes (there are four screws on the base plate, plus one to secure the mount). However, we found that it took longer, especially when it came to tightening the eyelet around the tricky little ball joint with the camera in place.
Linking the camera to Wi-Fi is simple, but the multiple decisions around which settings you want does lengthen the process a bit, especially since they're all available to toggle on later. An option to choose the default settings would be a welcome addition for those who just want the Spotlight Cam Pro battery to be up and running. A USB charging cable is included to recharge the battery.
Design score: 4.5 / 5
Ring Spotlight Cam Pro battery performance
- Clear and colorful night videos.
- Requires a reliable long-range Wi-Fi connection for best performance
- Limited video viewing without a Ring Protect subscription
On the whole, the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro's battery proved problem-free in terms of monitoring and alerting once it was set up, though keeping it "talking" to our Wi-Fi was a problem. The property where it was installed relies on booster units to extend the signal outdoors, and while that was enough for other outdoor tech, this camera didn't work well on the system. Often simply pushing the camera to get a better angle will cause you to lose connectivity. Essentially, you'll need a strong Wi-Fi signal to get the best performance, and you may find that while the battery doesn't limit where you put it, connectivity can have an effect. Ring says that the Spotlight Cam Pro battery requires a minimum download speed of 2 Mbps for optimal performance.
An existing camera on the property tended to pick up movement that the ring didn't (eg animals) when we changed its sensitivity to conserve battery life, although it still reliably detected people. We found the Bird's Eye View feature to be largely redundant in our small outdoor area: It tended to detect vehicles driving on the road in front of the property, leading to multiple alerts every hour. However, in a home with a large yard or long driveway (its custom motion zones extend up to 29ft 6in / 9m) it could be very useful.
We particularly liked its loud 105dB alarm that is easily activated and how crisp it sounded, thanks to noise cancellation. The field of view was also excellent at 140° horizontal and 80° vertical, allowing a view well beyond the property lines. At night, when activated by motion, the LED lights really transform video quality, from grainy black and white images to full color images. This allowed us to clearly identify urban foxes from cats, for example. However, there is no way to tell animals from something blowing in the wind or from a vehicle.
Although the camera works without it, a subscription to Ring Protect (starting at $3.49 per month) is required for some of the more useful features. Without it, you won't be able to review videos you've missed in real time or save them; You will only have access to the photos for a maximum of 7 days. We found it annoying to have motion recorded overnight without any video. You also can't tell the difference between people and motion alerts without a subscription.
Performance Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery App
- Easy to use app
- Ability to adjust sensitivity and motion zones
- Useful for multiple devices
When it comes to companion apps, Ringtone Attempt is probably one of the easiest to use. The main features seem to have been highlighted, with each option accompanied by an explanation of what it is or how it affects surveillance. However, with so many features, there are quite a few options to choose from. This is great for those who like to tailor their technology, but less appealing to those who prefer to "set and forget." You can adjust privacy zones to block certain areas, adjust the bird's eye view range, frequency of movements, and video duration, among others.
What could be useful, if you have more than one device, are the modes of the app. These let you activate all your cameras at once when you're away, for example, or just your outdoor cameras when you're home, as well as your motion schedule, which allows alerts and recordings while you're away.
Battery Spotlight Cam Pro integrates with Alexa, lighting up and sending announcements to Echo devices when motion is detected, and you can talk to people on camera with select Echo devices and Fire TV.
App rating: 5/5
Ring Spotlight Cam Pro battery life
- Easy to change the battery.
- Frequent monitoring drains battery life faster
- Charges from floor in 5,5 hours
There's no real indication of the Spotlight Cam Pro's battery life, as it largely depends on usage and the monitoring settings listed. The extra batteries say they can last for months between charges, depending on usage and weather. We found that when set for frequent monitoring, our battery lost 20% of its charge in just three days, suggesting that those who want accurate monitoring should invest in a second or third battery, and be ready to recharge every fortnight. or more. so. It was disappointing that Ring didn't see fit to include a second battery or a larger battery that holds more of a charge. Our battery took 5,5 hours to charge from zero.
Battery Life Rating: 3/5
