Aqara Video Doorbell G4 overview: a wi-fi doorbell with nice options however not sufficient focus

Aqara’s new Video Doorbell G4 ($119.99) has so many options I’ll run out of room on this overview to cowl all of them. However I’ll begin with what it doesn’t have. There’s no native bundle detection, movement zones, or HDR imaging (so it’s laborious to see faces on sunny days). Its 16:9 side ratio fully misses my entrance porch, and I doubt its IPX3 climate ranking will make it by means of a summer season in South Carolina.

Should you can dwell with out these options in a sensible doorbell digicam (e.g., you reside in a well-lit residence constructing), you’ll be pleased with the free cloud video storage, free sensible alerts, free facial recognition, and free 24/7 recording (when hardwired). Most corporations cost month-to-month charges for these options, in the event that they even have them. The G4 contains them and prices simply $120.

The sensible doorbell additionally works with Apple Dwelling, Amazon, Alexa, Google Dwelling, and its personal huge sensible residence ecosystem (which helps Matter). It has fully native processing of video, and facial recognition can set off particular person sensible residence routines primarily based on who it sees. It could additionally play custom-made ringtones. Sure, your doorbell can sing you your favourite track once you come residence.

The G4 is the primary battery-powered buzzer to work with Apple Dwelling and considered one of solely three within the US that helps Apple’s HomeKit Safe Video (HSV). This provides sensible alerts — for packages, animals, and automobiles — plus movement zones by means of Apple’s Dwelling app and cloud storage by means of iCloud. (Though, in my testing, the doorbell by no means as soon as picked up on any packages as a result of it couldn’t see most of my porch). 

The G4 has 1080p video, a 162-degree discipline of view, and a horizontal 16:9 side ratio. These specs are considerably outdated, with most video doorbells over $100 now providing higher video high quality and a sq. side ratio for seeing your entrance door from prime to backside. They nearly all have HDR imaging, so you’ll be able to really see the faces at your entrance door — the G4 doesn’t, and it suffers for it.

However no different doorbell beneath $150 I’ve examined has free cloud storage, sensible alerts, facial recognition, and steady recording. The G4 can also be considered one of solely two doorbells I’ve examined that may both be hardwired with a battery backup or run fully on battery energy (the opposite is the Blink Video Doorbell). I at all times advocate hardwiring when you’ll be able to.

Aqara claims the G4’s six customary AA batteries ought to final about 4 months. (I used to be at 60 p.c after two weeks of heavy testing.) The G4, as with nearly each different battery-powered doorbell, will miss a number of seconds of movement because it “wakes up” earlier than it begins to document. This implies it catches the individual when they’re at your door, not as they method it. When wired, it started recording because the individual walked as much as the door.

Free domestically processed sensible alerts embody non-obligatory facial recognition and alerts for folks, movement, and “loitering” — an individual standing at your door however not urgent the doorbell. An indoor chime field / Wi-Fi repeater — a small USB-C-powered field with a speaker grill — is included with the doorbell. It acts because the system’s brains and might home a microSD card (as much as 512GB) to allow 24/7 native recording, a uncommon characteristic in video doorbells. 

Even when related to your doorbell wiring, the G4 Professional is not going to ring an present indoor chime. However the included chime field could be very loud, so that you received’t miss any guests. (You possibly can modify the amount within the app). Compatibility with Alexa, Apple Dwelling, and Google Dwelling means utilizing any sensible speaker as an indoor chime. In testing, this solely labored with one model of speaker at a time (it labored in whichever ecosystem I had arrange first). I couldn’t get all of the Nests, Echoes, and HomePods in my home to chime concurrently (that’s most likely a blessing).

As talked about, there aren’t any native sensible alerts for animals, automobiles, or packages; you solely get these for those who add the doorbell to Apple Dwelling (extra on that later). The G4 makes use of PIR movement detection, with 120 levels horizontal and 80 levels vertical sensing vary. PIR is inclined to false alerts, and I acquired a number of “folks” notifications that have been really the shadow of a tree department. You possibly can modify the movement sensitivity, which helps with false alerts, however you’ll be able to’t arrange movement zones within the Aqara app (solely privateness zones), so you’ll be able to’t zero in on a smaller space to keep away from figuring out each time a tree department blows within the wind. 

The G4 helps livestreaming from the digicam to the Aqara app, Apple Dwelling app, Amazon Alexa app, and any appropriate sensible show — together with Nest hubs and Echo Exhibits. Brief six-second motion-activated clips are saved in Aqara’s cloud free of charge, and / or you’ll be able to allow native recording to a microSD card. Two-way audio is full duplex. It suffered from some artifacting, however I may simply converse with guests. Uniquely, you’ll be able to masks your voice by means of the Aqara app, selecting from Uncle, which my daughter mentioned made me sound like her dad, and Robotic or Clown — which each gave the impression of somewhat child’s voice. 

Evening imaginative and prescient is IR primarily based and somewhat blown out, making faces nearly inconceivable to establish. An absence of HDR imaging meant that, on my backlit porch, daytime footage suffered. Faces have been usually in shadow and pictures have been darkish, particularly in comparison with footage from Google’s Nest doorbell and Ring’s Professional 2. Should you dwell in an residence with well-lit corridors or don’t have any overhang over your door, this received’t be a problem for you. However for everybody else, being unable to make out faces until they arrive up near the digicam is probably going a deal-breaker.

I used to be impressed with the pace of the G4. It processes movies domestically, and alerts for movement and doorbell presses arrived on my telephone nearly immediately — each by means of Apple Dwelling and Aqara. The Aqara app was quick to reply, and I may overview the video instantly. (The notification opens to a dwell view, however I may click on on the recorded video under to see the clip.)

Stay and recorded footage was clear, and whereas there isn’t a lot zoom — and, as mentioned, faces are laborious to see in sure conditions — the standard is sweet for this value level. The largest concern is that the doorbell solely information for six seconds at a time. It’s going to document a number of occasions nearly concurrently, and you may manually provoke a recording, however six seconds doesn’t present you a lot. (Aqara tells me it is going to add the choice to increase the clips to 12 seconds.)

When hardwired and with 24/7 recording enabled, I may go into the Aqara app and swap to Playback to view all recorded footage if I wanted to see extra. I couldn’t scroll in actual time as I can with the Google Nest Doorbell wired (which has 24/7 recording for a charge). Whereas I may go to every movement occasion, indicated by a coloured line on the timeline, this was fiddly, and it jumped round so much. Saving clips from right here is awkward, too (it’s a must to provoke a recording of the recording), and navigating the assorted spots the place movies are saved within the app isn’t intuitive.

I’m not a fan of the design of this doorbell, particularly in comparison with Google’s and Ring’s doorbells. It’s a giant rectangular hunk of gray plastic in your doorjamb. The construct feels plasticky and low cost, and I’m wondering if it is going to maintain as much as any severe parts. Its IPX3 ranking means it could possibly deal with a light-weight water spray at a sure angle. Most different doorbells have larger rankings. Aqara even recommends mounting it beneath a porch or cowl of some type, which, as famous above, will make it more durable to see faces. One resolution right here is to automate any lighting round your door to activate when movement is detected — one thing you could possibly do by means of any of the ecosystems Aqara connects with, together with its personal.

The G4 doorbell can also be very vast and actually lengthy to accommodate the six AA batteries. If in case you have a slim doorframe, this may stick out awkwardly, if it suits in any respect. Whereas there was room on my doorframe, a brick wall protrudes previous my door, and with the G4 flush to the sting, I couldn’t get to the screw wanted to connect the doorbell to the mount. This needs to be on prime or backside, as with each different doorbell I’ve examined. 

Apart from this quirk, set up and setup have been quite simple. The doorbell and chime field come pre-paired to one another, and I simply scanned the code on the chime to attach the doorbell to Wi-Fi (2.4GHz solely) by means of the Aqara app. It additionally related it to Apple Dwelling concurrently (utilizing an iPhone). From the Aqara app, I may join it to Google Dwelling and Amazon Alexa, and it labored in all 4 apps concurrently. Aqara additionally guarantees the doorbell will work with Matter when the usual helps cameras (however that could possibly be some time).  

The chime must be plugged into energy and be near the doorbell. It’s a Wi-Fi repeater, and the doorbell is not going to work with out it, as I found when somebody unplugged it. The doorbell and the chime include preattached adhesive, so you’ll be able to peel and stick them for those who don’t need to mess with screws or wiring. Aqara features a wedge mount within the field for those who want extra angle to catch your entrance door.

To strive steady recording, I needed to hardwire the doorbell to my present doorbell wires (handily, the batteries can keep in and act as a backup in case energy goes out). I additionally needed to insert a microSD card into the chime field after which activate recording within the Aqara app’s settings. This took some time to determine because the Aqara app isn’t properly designed and is a wild world of countless menus and numerous choices. As soon as I discovered it (Settings > Extra Settings > Doorbell Settings > SD Card Storage > Report Mode), I may select from recording solely on exercise, recording repeatedly, or disabling recording. 

Along with voice disguising, the G4 has another distinctive options:

• Facial recognition could be tied to Aqara’s automation engine to set off any Aqara system related to its app. I set it to activate the Aqara lights in my workplace once I come residence and to show an Aqara gentle swap off when a stranger approaches. When these automations labored, they have been actually quick, due to native processing. However they weren’t dependable until I caught my face proper within the digicam’s view, and so they by no means labored at night time.
• The G4 comes with three default ringtones, however you’ll be able to add any appropriate MP3 audio file as a customized ringtone to your doorbell — and it sounds from the chime and the doorbell itself. There may be simply a lot enjoyable available right here. Utilizing Aqara’s automation engine and facial recognition, you’ll be able to have a customized ringtone play as particular folks arrive at your door and one other one for anybody the doorbell doesn’t acknowledge. You possibly can even create fast replies for when anybody presses the doorbell.
• The chime’s built-in 95dB siren can be utilized as an alarm siren by means of Aqara’s app and options an array of alarm sounds, together with sniper rifles, ghost calls, and a canine barking.

One other method across the six-second recording restrict is to attach the doorbell to Apple Dwelling (for those who use an iPhone) and allow HomeKit Safe Video. The doorbell works in Apple as a battery-powered or hardwired doorbell and information limitless motion-activated movies to your iCloud account, the place they’re saved for as much as 10 days. To make use of HSV you want an Apple Dwelling hub (HomePod or Apple TV) and the 50GB iCloud Plus plan or larger, beginning at 99 cents a month. 

HSV provides sensible alerts for automobiles, animals, and packages to the G4 in addition to folks plus movement zones. As talked about, I didn’t get a single bundle alert in my testing (regardless of receiving a number of packages). I put this all the way down to the very fact the doorbell’s view barely catches a small nook of my porch, as Apple’s alerts for automobiles and other people did work in testing. 

There’s additionally the choice of enabling facial recognition utilizing my Pictures Library. This despatched alerts saying who was on the door pretty persistently — though not confidently: (“somebody who is perhaps Sarah Ferguson is on the door”). If in case you have an Apple TV or Apple Watch, alerts present there, too, and you may see a dwell view of your doorbell feed in your TV. 

Nonetheless, in testing, the HomeKit integration was unreliable. This isn’t distinctive to Aqara; I’ve had a number of points with cameras shedding connectivity in HomeKit and lacking total movement occasions. However it simply appears worse right here. The doorbell persistently confirmed “No Response” on the homescreen of the Dwelling app, regardless of working once I clicked by means of (more often than not). It generally missed movement occasions fully, I approached the door with a big bundle to check HomeKit bundle alerts, and the digicam didn’t even see me in Apple Dwelling (the Aqara app caught the entire thing). This wasn’t a one-off, both. It’s laborious to inform if that is on Aqara’s aspect or Apple’s, nevertheless it doesn’t matter; it’s a irritating expertise. 

On the plus aspect, Apple has in-built a number of instruments for managing cameras, together with the choice to have all of them flip off once you arrive residence. The digicam also can detect exercise utilizing its movement sensor even when the digicam is disabled, which is helpful for sensible residence automations. (The movement sensor is uncovered as a separate set off in Apple Dwelling.)

In addition to these helpful privateness choices, HSV can also be a safe technique to retailer video footage (it’s proper there within the identify). Video is processed domestically on an Apple Dwelling hub and saved in your private iCloud account, it’s end-to-end encrypted, and solely you’ve gotten the keys. Aqara’s app sends footage to the cloud, and you may’t flip all of it off, even for those who use the native storage choice. The corporate tells me it does plan so as to add the choice to disable all cloud recordings in a future replace.

Moreover, whereas Aqara’s facial recognition characteristic (fully separate from Apple’s) is saved and processed domestically on the system, to show and label a face within the app, it has to connect with the cloud server. All of this implies for those who’re utilizing the Aqara app, you’ll be able to’t use the doorbell fully domestically. 

In case you are on the lookout for a battery-powered Apple Dwelling-compatible doorbell that helps HomeKit Safe Video, the Aqara G4 is the one choice (until you employ third-party providers). As a wired doorbell, not solely is it considerably cheaper than the competitors (by a whopping $80), it’s the one one to supply 24/7 video, and you can also make up for these HSV points as a result of it has its personal app,

The Belkin Wemo ($250) and Logitech ($199) doorbells have comparable connectivity points and missed movement occasions because the Aqara however don’t have one other app to fall again on. They do supply a clearer view of my porch, nevertheless. Plus, bundle detection labored. Arlo’s wired doorbell and the Netatmo Video Doorbell are appropriate with Apple Dwelling and have their very own apps however don’t assist HSV. The Arlo is an efficient choice if you would like a extra user-friendly app, however you pay $4 month-to-month for something aside from a livestream. Netatmo’s doorbell additionally information domestically and doesn’t use the cloud, nevertheless it prices almost $300. 

Exterior of Apple Dwelling, the competitors will get more durable. The Google Nest Doorbell wired is $180 and has lots of the identical options because the Aqara: free sensible alerts, native processing of video, free clips (however solely during the last three hours), and the choices of 24/7 recording and facial recognition. You pay for these final two, and there’s no native storage. The Google buzzer has a greater design, and its app is so much simpler to make use of. Plus, its bundle and facial recognition is superb, and the video view sees your entire porch in a better decision.

On the cheaper finish, the Blink Video Doorbell is each battery-powered and hardwired, has native storage (with a separate $35 hub and USB stick), and is barely $50. It lasts for much longer on its two AA batteries (as much as a 12 months) however has the identical 16:9 side ratio and 1080p video. It additionally doesn’t supply any alerts exterior of movement detection, and there’s no free cloud storage (a subscription begins at $3 a month). Ring’s latest battery-powered doorbell — Battery Doorbell Plus — seems to be promising. (I’ve not examined it but.) It has a extra full discipline of view and higher video high quality. For $180 plus $4 a month, you get folks and bundle alerts and cloud storage. 

These choices are additionally a lot simpler to make use of due to cleaner, much less complicated apps (though Blink’s may use some work). However in case you are snug with a extra sophisticated — and extra highly effective — app and need to play with customized ringtones, tailor-made automations primarily based on facial recognition, and all the different choices the Aqara ecosystem brings, then the Aqara G4 is unquestionably value contemplating.

Pictures and movies by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge