Google Nest Doorbell Review and Specs

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Google Nest Doorbell Review

Three years since the launch of its first smart video doorbell, the Nest Hello, Google has finally released a battery-powered video doorbell.

While the Nest Hello was and still is an awesome video doorbell, not many people fancy it, given its hardwiring setup requirements.

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This is why Amazon’s Ring Doorbell was so effective as an alternative to the Nest Hello.

So if you don’t fancy a hardwired video doorbell and haven’t switched to Amazon’s Alexa ecosystem, we give you the Nest Doorbell Battery.

We know you have questions such as; what’s the battery life like? What’s the camera’s resolution? What’s the resistance rating?

In this review, we’ll answer all those queries and so much more; in the end, you should be able to tell if this is the video doorbell for you.

Battery Life

Google Nest Doorbell Review – Battery Life

A 6,000mAh battery powers the Nest doorbell battery. You can set it up on your front door, and it will notify you when there is activity at the door.

It allows you to see what’s happening in real-time and scan footage from the previous 3 hours.

Design

The Google Nest Doorbell battery shares design traits with the Google Nest Hello. However, it’s considerably larger and available in black and white finishes.

The Nest Doorbell battery has a protruding black lens and housing on its upper side and a massive white button on the lower side with an LED light ring around it.

The exterior is made from hard plastic though it’s made from sustainable material.

Hardware

Google Nest Doorbell Review – Hardware

When it comes to other hardware components, the Nest Doorbell battery has a microphone and speaker for communicating with people who’ve rung your bell.

The microphone has built-in noise cancellation, which comes in handy when speaking to someone as it keeps their voice crisp even when there’s some interference.

Installation

When it comes to installation, the Nest Doorbell Battery can be hardwired using existing wiring or powered by its non-removable battery, which is charged via the USB-C port on the back.

If you decide to install the Nest Doorbell Battery using the existing wiring, you can add an electronic chime that isn’t available when it’s running on the battery.

Resistance Rating

The Nest Doorbell Battery has an IP54 dust and water resistance rating, so a bit of rain or some dirt and dust won’t make it malfunction.

Image Sensor Features

Google Nest Doorbell Review – Image Sensor Features

Aspect Ratio

The Nest Doorbell features a 3:4 aspect ratio meaning it captures a head-to-toe image of anyone who approaches your door as well as any packages left on your doorstep.

The Nest Hello had a 4:3 aspect ratio which offers a wider view than the Nest Doorbell Battery. So basically, Google has turned the sensor to make the camera more practical.

Sensor Resolution

The Google Nest Doorbell Battery has a 1.3MP image sensor with 6x digital zoom and a 145-degree FoV (field of view).

It’s significantly lower than the 3MP sensor on the Nest Hello, and the difference is more evident when you compare the footage side-by-side.

The Nest Doorbell Battery’s image isn’t as clear, and the color representation isn’t as good as the Nest Hello, but it still does a good job compared to rival products.

Other Features

Google Nest Doorbell Review – Other Features

Chime

The Nest Doorbell Battery has several features that make it a top-notch video doorbell. One of these features is an electronic chime, but it only works when the doorbell is hardwired.

Otherwise, you’ll have to rely on the alerts the video doorbell sends to your smartphone, which have a couple of seconds of delay.

You can also use the ‘Visitor Announcements’ feature, which we’ll discuss below.

Quick Response

Another solid feature of the Nest Doorbell Battery is ‘Quick Responses’ via the Home app. This feature allows you to send a pre-set message to the person at your door if you can’t answer.

The messages aren’t customizable, so you’ll have to settle for what’s provided.

Talk and Listen

The Nest Doorbell Battery also has a ‘Talk and Listen’ feature, which allows you to interact with anyone at your door via the Google Home application.

Keep in mind that if you’ve used the Nest Hello, you might notice some delay here because processing is done by the doorbell rather than the Google Home app.

Visitor Announcements

The ‘Visitor Announcements’ feature will allow devices such as the Nest Hub and Nest Mini to notify you when someone at the door rings your bell.

In the case of the Nest Hub, the doorbell’s live feed will also appear on the screen.

Final Thought

The Nest Doorbell Battery is a perfect addition to a home already using Google’s smart home ecosystem.

This is because it communicates well with other Google devices, such as the Nest Hub and Nest Mini, and you don’t need to perform a hardwired installation.