Home security has come a long way over the last few decades.
One of the most popular products in the home security market today is without question the Ring security system. This ultramodern system utilizes its built-in wifi router to inform homeowners whenever a window budges or a stranger lingers too long around your front door.
With over 2.5 million burglaries taking place every year, it is easy to understand why concerned citizens are taking measures to keep their families safe.
Like any successful product, it wasn’t long before optional additions were released to the market.
These come in the form of the Ring Chime and Ring Chime Pro – two add-ons to the Ring video doorbell, and Ring camera. These products offer an extended field of coverage for your preferred Ring device and more.
For those considering purchasing a Ring Chime or Ring Chime Pro, it might be confusing to figure out which product is equipped with what.
Thankfully we are going to cover that and more in this brief comparison!
~~~ Check Price: Ring Chime ~~~
~~~ Check Price: Ring Chime Pro ~~~
Ring Chime & Ring Chime Pro Functions
While there is little argument over which product is superior – they have designed the Pro to be a more expensive, comprehensive device – we can still decide whether or not it is a necessary upgrade.
The Ring Chime works primarily as a remote doorbell connected through Wifi. The unique thing about these two products is that due to their wireless nature, you can hook them up anywhere in your home provided it isn’t outside of the Wifi range.
It has multiple doorbell audio options to choose from, it has a convenient do not disturb mode, illuminated LED indicator, and obviously volume control. It’s under three inches from all measurable angles and weighs less than a pound in mass.
The two products don’t have a lot of differences really and the Pro has only three (arguably four) unique features that make it a superior remote doorbell.
The first is that it will extend the Wifi range so you have more freedom in where you want to place the device, especially if you live in a larger house. This is helpful because it eliminates any delays you will have when someone is at your door, making it a more responsive product overall.
Another feature is the product’s ability to offer a night light to let you better see what is happening in the immediate vicinity of your upgraded Chime device. The helpfulness of this goes without explaining and makes it much easier for you to be more fully aware of what is going on in your home when the lights are off.
Another tidbit worth mentioning about the Chime Pro is that it can connect to 2.4 GHz and 5Ghz Wi-Fi. The regular Chime can only connect to 2.4GHz, which for some could prove problematic.
Pros & Cons: Chime vs. Chime Pro
Not everyone wants to sift through an entire article to make an informed decision. To pay respects to the skimmers we are going to offer the highlights without forcing you to digest articles of information.
If you read nothing more about the Chime products than this category, you could make a reasonably intelligent decision on which product you should purchase.
Ring Chime
This doorbell does not get a ton of love from me for one reason – it feels like a lighter version of a complete product.
It does all the bare essentials that you need, it is a customizable doorbell that is entirely remote, but all of the features most techies would want from a home security doorbell are preserved for the more expensive Chime Pro.
If you have a fairly unobstructed, smaller home then you can get by with the Ring Chime. You will be doing this at a slower, less efficient pace, however.
Pros – Cheaper product, Alert Customization, Wireless features, LED Indicator, and a slightly smaller design.
Cons – Lack of Wi-Fi extension, quiet alerts, limited Wi-fi connectivity, no alert amplification and it does not offer a night light.
Ring Chime Pro
The Ring Chime Pro should be the choice of the majority of consumers who want a quality product.
It is considerably more expensive, but at a price range that won’t financially level you.
It offers more diverse connectivity, extended range, amplified alerts, and much more. I’m hardly a business-minded person, but I struggle to understand why they didn’t just release this product exclusively.
While the Chime offers a discounted price it truly feels like an obsolete alternative to the far more useful Chime Pro.
Pros – Alert Customization, Wireless Features, Wifi extender, 2.4 and 5 GHz Wifi connectivity, night light, and an alert amplifier
Cons – More expensive and a bit bulkier
Cost Vs. Convenience
While neither of these products is going to have you dipping into the savings, the Chime Pro is a good deal more expensive than the Ring Chime.
The Ring Chime MSRPs around $35, compared to the Ring Chime Pro which sits at a loftier price in the ~$60 range. Whether this upgraded device is worth the additional cost really depends on what the consumer needs from their Chime product and how their house is structured.
For most people with a more modest living situation, you can very easily get away with just having the Ring Chime, especially if it sits close to other Ring devices.
One thing that may prove to be frustrating is that the Ring Chime has been reported to be a bit quieter than several customers would have liked. This leans towards the Chime Pro’s favor as it comes with an alert amplification feature.
The Chime Pro also offers a bit more in terms of consumer customization, allowing for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, while the Ring Chime only allows for 2.4 GHz. This on top of a Wi-Fi extender means that you will be hearing notifications much quicker and at a range that covers the entirety of the house.
With this said, I will say that your Ring Chime (Pro or otherwise) should sit no further than twenty feet from your router to ensure that the signal does not get obstructed or weakened.
That probably sounds a bit ironic, but there is a fairly simple reason for it. The Ring Chime Pro increases the range at which your other Ring devices can be reached, but it does not improve the signal fortitude, meaning your signal can still be sketchy if the Chime Pro is too far from the router.
But all of this extended range is not the only strength of the Chime Pro, and even modest homes can take advantage of its 5 GHz capabilities.
If you are able to maintain a relatively short distance between your router, Chime, and Ring doorbell you can utilize the much more proficient 5 GHz which sacrifices a larger reach for improved speeds, meaning you get alerts far faster.
This flexibility in the Chime Pros’ ability to optimize its features makes the price tag feel far more reasonable. With that said, should you bite the twenty-five-dollar bullet and splurge on the Pro?
I would say in most cases, absolutely. It is the opinion of this writer that if you are going to buy a product that you will use long term, you deserve to buy the best possible option for your home.
While the Ring Chime will get the job done in most scenarios (unless you own a timeshare at the Versailles), the Ring Chime Pro simply excels at far too much that the Chime lacks.
If you are a midnight wanderer, the subtle night light might save you a few stubbed toes over the next couple of years. More importantly, you should be able to access faster speeds, wider signals, and alerts that feel appropriately loud.
If you have any of the Ring products you have already spent a good bit of cash. If you want to pull back on the purchases no one would hold it against you, but you are saving a couple of dozen bucks for a demonstrably inferior product.
Conclusion
For most consumers, the Ring Chime Pro is absolutely the direction you want to lean towards if you plan on purchasing either product. It has a far better set up to do what it is intended for – wirelessly informing you of alerts quickly and competently.
The Ring Chime will manage to do what it is made for, but slower, less intuitively, and at a volume that is hard for some folks to hear.
No one likes hoarding their pennies more than myself, but you owe it to your home and happiness to get the Ring Chime Pro.
