Ring Outdoor Cam Plus review: an upgrade in every way

Ring has become a household name over the past several years, with its video doorbells gracing millions of front doors in neighborhoods around the world. But Ring doesn’t just make video doorbells — it’s also responsible for a long list of security cameras. Among these, the new Outdoor Cam Plus might be the most compelling. Offering heaps of upgraded features when compared to the old Outdoor Cam, it’s an excellent choice for anyone looking to improve their home security.

There’s a lot to love about the Ring Outdoor Cam Plus, but it’s not without a few faults. For one, you can certainly find cheaper security cameras with the same resolution. You’ll also need to buy into the Ring Home subscription if you want to access its best features. Plans start at $5 per month or $50 per year, though anyone with both a Ring video doorbell and Outdoor Cam Plus will likely want to spring for the Standard Plan and its $10 per month fee. This makes ongoing costs a serious concern for frugal shoppers. But if you’re looking for a premium security camera from a trusted brand, the Ring Outdoor Cam Plus is an easy recommendation.

More than a resolution bump

The standard Ring Outdoor Cam (previously known as the Stick Up Cam) was remarkably popular, thanks to a quick installation process and its versatile set of features. It’s a trend that continues with the Outdoor Cam Plus, as Ring offers the device in a variety of styles to fit the needs of any household. Along with the option to choose black or white colors, you can choose between a battery-powered or plug-in model — there’s even a version equipped with a solar panel for extended battery life.

Whether you want the convenience of a battery unit or the continuous power of a plug-in unit, Ring has you covered. But regardless of which you choose, you’re getting a device with some big improvements. The main attraction is its 2K resolution (bumped from 1080p on the Ring Outdoor Cam). There’s no doubt images from the camera look fantastic, but they’re not quite as dramatic as you’d expect when viewed on a tiny smartphone screen.

Jumping from 1080p to 2K means around 1.78 times more pixels. This helps when zooming in to pinpoint fine details, but larger images only appear marginally better than 1080p. Make no mistake — it’s still an upgrade. And when you consider the Outdoor Cam Plus is only $20 more than the Outdoor Cam, it becomes a bit more impressive. But don’t expect all your images to instantly become twice as vibrant when swapping from the old camera to the new one, as that hasn’t quite been the case during testing.

Aside from an improved resolution, several other upgrades were made to the Outdoor Cam Plus. This includes a wider 160-degree diagonal field of view, a new mount better suited for use on walls and ceilings, and enhanced image quality when recording in low light. The latter works to create impressive, full-color images at night. It’ll need a bit of light from a nearby source (such as a street light), but there’s no denying the images look fantastic in action. Coinciding with this is a new “Ring Vision” system to help reduce glare, enhance clarity, and balance colors.

Durable design, versatile features

There’s a lot of cool new tech in the Ring Outdoor Cam Plus, but Ring didn’t forget about the basics. That includes access to the fantastic Ring mobile app, where you can create Restricted Zones, set up motion alert settings, check in on a live feed, or search through your event history. Support for both 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz Wi-Fi 6 networks means connecting to your network is a simple process, and the overall installation process shouldn’t take more than 30 minutes. Depending on whether or not you’re mounting the device, it could be as little as 10 minutes.

The camera is weather resistant for outdoor use and comes with a built-in siren if you need to scare away intruders. There’s also a two-way audio system so you can chat with your visitors. Audio is relatively crisp and easy to parse, whether you’re talking or listening.

Advanced Pre-Roll is supported when plugged in — a cool feature capable of capturing a few extra seconds of footage before each motion event. If you get the plug-in model, be sure to check it out.

What’s arguably most important, however, is Ring’s guaranteed support for the Outdoor Cam Plus. It’s Software Update Guarantee ensures security updates will continue to be pushed to the device for at least four years after it’s discontinued. Bundled with a limited one-year warranty and Ring’s great reputation, you’ve got a camera designed for the long haul. We didn’t run into any issues during our testing — everything from setup to daily use was as smooth as expected. It’s impossible to say how it’ll hold up over time, but if it’s anything like other Ring products we’ve tested (and continue to use to this day), expect to be using the Outdoor Cam Plus for a very long time.

Should you buy the Ring Outdoor Cam Plus?

As great as the Ring Outdoor Cam Plus is, not everyone should rush out and buy one. If you already own the Outdoor Cam, all the upgrades probably aren’t enough to justify its $100 price tag. But if you’re an entirely new shopper or need a second security camera for your home, the Ring Outdoor Cam Plus is a wonderful choice. It’s just $20 more expensive than its older sibling, yet it benefits from a better resolution, better field of view, improved night vision, and a more robust mounting system. If you’re looking to stay within the Ring ecosystem, it’s hard to beat the Outdoor Cam Plus.

Willing to look beyond Ring? Then check out our roundup of the best home security cameras. This provides you with options from Arlo, Google, Wyze, and Eufy. You’ll find models built for indoor and outdoor use, as well as products with 2K resolutions rivaling the Ring Outdoor Cam Plus.