Today we will do a comparison video between the Ring spotlight cam…specifically the “wired” version and the Nest Outdoor camera. There are 3 different types of Ring spotlight cameras BTW..there is the “wired version” which is the plug in just like the Nest…and we have the “mount” version which is directly wired using an existing light fixture and a junction box…then we have the Ring spotlight cam..battery version which is different on it’s motion detection and has some freezing and lag issues that I will not recommend at this time and is not going to be compared on this video.
I have individual reviews of these cameras and I’ll include them on the description down below. If you want to check out the unboxing, setup, features, settings and installation, then check out those videos first.
This video will focus more on comparing the features between these 2 cameras, which one does it better and ultimately you can decide on the one that will fit your needs.
Before I start, I just want to mention that both of these cameras are “wired” and needs to be plugged in on the nearest power outlet… so they will have wires exposed…I know some of you will make comments that anybody can just “cut” the wires or unplug the cameras…Yes, I agree with you…but these people are mostly oppurtunistic and they are in a hurry that they will either miss that there is a camera recording them..or if they see it..they will just walk away…and if they decide to take the camera out to destroy it…then they are going to do it even if there are no wires exposed…or even your camera is welded to your wall 20 feet up… Security cameras are mostly deterrent..they are not there to prevent burglary or a crime. Both of these cameras, record to the cloud…so before they can unplug, cut or destroy the camera, the video footage has already been uploaded.
Nest Cam Outdoor Review – youtu.be/41ytKVQOZJY
Ring Spotlight Cam Review – youtu.be/vS-QFG5VPhc
Nest Cam Outdoor – amzn.to/2p9cjNZ
Ring Spotlight Camera (Wired) – amzn.to/2HAFtwi
Ring’s Night Vision Issue – youtu.be/jfu3snsgC-c
Ring’s Night Vision Hack – youtu.be/cTqZp92qB18
Ring’s Night Vision Update – youtu.be/IszONtm9Kos
Ring has a replacement warranty due to theft or if it has been vandalized in a crime. You just need to have a police report and hopefully a video of the theft. I don’t think Nest has this warranty. You can also hide the wires, paint over it or plug it from the inside by drilling a hole through your wall…a pretty big hole for the Ring for the plug to go through…I don’t recommend cutting the wire and rewiring it because you will lose any warranty benefit and I would suggest just buying the “mount” version instead of the plug in. On the Nest cam, you can drill a hole around 7/8 inch in diameter for the USB plug to go through… Now, If I have a choice between a “wired” camera and a “battery ” powered one, I’ll go with the “wired” one 100% of the time…they are more dependable, better motion settings and their features are not dependent on saving battery..plus you will be changing batteries every hour or so if you are recording 24/7 like the nest..
With all those out of the way…let’s compare the Nest Outdoor Camera with the Ring Spotlight cam…
First, both cameras are priced the same on their respective websites and if you buy more than 1, it gets cheaper… Nest has a bundle price of $298 for 2 which boils down to 149 bucks per camera…As to Ring, you have to buy the 4 pack to get you to a $150 per camera price.
Both cameras are a 1080p HD with a 140 degree FOV for the Ring and 130 degrees for the Nest.
The Ring comes with a 20 foot cable that directly plugs in to an outlet and the Nest has a 10 feet of USB cable then you need to plug it in to the weatherproof USB adapter and from the adapter to the outlet has another 15 foot cable..totalling to 25 feet.
Both cameras record to the cloud only. No option for local recording yet. Subscription is needed on both to view recorded footage. For Ring it is $3.00/month or $30/year or you can get the protect plus plan which is only $100/year for unlimited cameras plus some perks like 10% off in your future purchases and extended warranty for your cameras as long as your are subscribed.
Now, the Nest has the $5.00/month or $50 dollars a year per camera for 5 days of recording and there are also a 10 day for 10 bucks a month and a 30 day recording for $30 dollars per month or $300 dollars per year…which does gets expensive but your second or more camera subscription is half price…
Now, remember that the Nest records 24/7 so that is why it is a bit pricier. The Ring on the other hand only records when it detects motion. It is pretty accurate though but depending on how you set the settings up, you might have missed motion activities..but in my use and testing… it is the most accurate and has way lesser false alarms than any other WiFi cameras I tested…
Both cameras have 2 way audio…but I have an issue with the Nest camera…you use it like an intercom where you push the mic icon one time then you talk and push it again to turn off the mic and to listen…this where user error and delay gets in the way… I have a hard time talking to my son in the camera…check it out…
As compared to the Ring which acts like a speaker phone…you can talk and listen at the same time…
Now, this is the Ring’s recorded footage and it records the conversation on both ends…
But, when I downloaded the footage from Nest…check it out and listen..
And you will notice that my voice or my conversation is not recorded..just my son’s or whoever is in the camera…I think it is better to have both conversations recorded…now, especially when they release or whenever they release their Hello doorbell…then this issues needs to have been addressed because recording 2 way communication is important in a doorbell camera…
Now, we go to the operating temperature and you will see that the Ring can work from -22 to 120 degrees fahrenheit… which I know mine still worked @ 110 degrees during the peak of summer last year…Now, the Nest only has -4 to 104 degrees…so, the highest temperature will definitely be tested this summer ..so, we will see…
As to night vision…Nest excels on this department because Ring really sucks on this before the update…If you are following my channel, you already know. Check out my past videos about Ring’s night vision and I’ll include them also in the description down below… and Ring listened and released an update which it got way better.
So, let’s check out the Nest’s night vision first…then the Ring’s Enhanced night vision…
This is Ring’s Enhanced Night vision..but remember that Ring’s Spotlight’s will be triggered also when it senses motion…so most of the time, this is what you will see in your footage….the spotlights will turn on but the infrared LEDs remains on for a while that is why you will see a purplish tint…Ring is still tweaking this but with a little more light from my floodlights and you will see it turn off and the footage turns to full color…Now, my Ring floodlight camera, the IR LEDs turn off pretty quick when the floodlights turn on and the footage transitions to full color and I think it has something to do with the ambient lighting…
Now, I have to try this out…With the Nest camera, you can turn on or off the night vision…which is normally in auto mode… Take note Ring… Nest has a toggle switch…so, I’ll turn this off, then I’ll turn on the spotlights of the Ring…and see what the footage looks like…
Full color…I think guys this is the ticket here for security cameras…We have to go beyond black and white during night time…For cameras that doesn’t have a light…put some bright LEDs on the cameras..Take note Nest…and for Ring, let the user choose if we want the Infrared to be on or off.. I hope both companies will see this video and learn something….
Lastly, I’m just going to show you how fast these cameras alerts us if there is motion detected….
Ring notifies you almost instantly and you can customize your alerts which on mine, I added the voice option so that I will know which camera has been triggered. With Nest, it’s alert is around 10 seconds late than the Ring’s and it only has the generic alert tone from your phone…