A Backyard Spotlight Camera Impressed Me In The Best Way (and It's At Its Lowest Price Ever)

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery typically sells for $230 but is presently connected waste for $140
• This Pro-level Ring camera has a removable rechargeable artillery pack, top-of-the-line audio performance, and supports dual-band Wi-Fi, 2.4 and 5.0 GHz
• Unfortunately, nan Ring Spotlight Cam Pro's spotlights only scope 300 lumens successful brightness, and nan Pro features are only disposable pinch a subscription.

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The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro was released successful 2022 arsenic portion of nan company's high-end merchandise lineup. It has since been updated from 1080p to 2K solution and is presently connected sale. Ring cameras from nan Pro statement thin to support much precocious video qualities, dual-band Wi-Fi, and prize app features, for illustration Bird's Eye View and 3D Motion Detection. 

In summation to these features, nan Ring Spotlight Cam Pro besides has Audio+, 2K HDR video quality, and 2 LED panels connected either broadside of nan camera lens that ray up erstwhile mobility is detected. 

Setting up nan Spotlight Cam Pro is arsenic easy arsenic uncovering a spot for it. Because it's battery-powered, you don't request to instal it adjacent a powerfulness root aliases a spot pinch nonstop sunlight entree -- though you tin get a separate star panel. The included removable Quick-Release Battery Pack ensures you don't person to return down nan camera erstwhile it's clip to recharge, making that process easier compared to different brands.

I group up nan Ring Spotlight Cam Pro connected nan backmost obstruction to look complete one-half of my backyard. My backyard is very acheronian and only has a ray fixture connected 1 side, wherever I person a floodlight camera, truthful I admit immoderate other ray I tin get erstwhile taking nan canine retired earlier bed. 

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

I already had an Arlo Pro 5S covering this area but decided to switch it retired for nan Ring Spotlight Cam Pro to get much ray connected that side. I besides person a Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight Camera covering a ample portion of this broadside of nan yard, but nan area wherever I installed nan Ring Spotlight Cam Pro is further backmost and 1 that nan Blink doesn't reach.

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The Spotlight Cam Pro's spotlight has 2 mini LED panels flanking nan camera that travel connected erstwhile mobility is detected. I for illustration a stronger spotlight characteristic for nan price, but this isn't a floodlight camera, truthful I can't kick astir 375 lumens arsenic a secondary characteristic connected a battery-powered device. The lights connected this Ring Spotlight Cam Pro screen nary much than 30 feet of area during nan night.

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

This Ring Spotlight Cam Pro besides shines a ray connected nan warmer side, astatine 3000° Kelvin, an balanced of a lukewarm achromatic tint. I for illustration nan warmer colour for outdoor illumination, but if you for illustration daylight aliases cool achromatic outdoor lights, overmuch for illustration accepted floodlights, this Ring Spotlight Cam is astir apt not nan champion prime for you. Unfortunately, you can't set nan colour of nan lights, though you tin set brightness and group a schedule for nan lights to move on. 

Also: A battery-powered floodlight camera was precisely what my acheronian backyard needed

The spot wherever I group up this Ring Spotlight Cam Pro is simply a bully 50-60 feet from my backmost door, truthful I was worried nan camera wouldn't beryllium adjacent capable to support a unchangeable Wi-Fi connection, but that hasn't been nan case. The camera remains responsive and connected, and is speedy to notify erstwhile mobility is detected. 

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

The high-quality audio is 1 of this camera's champion features, barroom none. I utilized it to talk to my hubby from 40 feet distant and could person a normal speech without yelling aliases struggling to perceive him, pinch nary inheritance sound interruptions. 

Also: Ring's Battery Doorbell Pro is 1 of nan champion information systems I've tested (but there's a catch)

Some Ring Spotlight Cam Pro features are only disposable pinch a Ring Protect plan, which you can't get astir by utilizing your microSD paper for illustration you tin pinch different brands. The Ring Protect subscription gives users entree to unreality retention to position and stock recorded video clips and past events, on pinch further features specified arsenic colour pre-roll video, Bird's Eye View, and 3D Motion detection. 

The Ring Protect scheme ranges from $5-$20 monthly, and speech from nan mentioned features, it includes personification alerts, nan expertise to limb and disarm nan Ring strategy digitally, rich | notifications, snapshot capture, and video history stored successful nan unreality for up to six months.

ZDNET's buying advice

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

After utilizing nan Ring Spotlight Cam Pro for complete a year, I recovered it a reliable location information camera pinch each nan other features worthy nan price. The two-way talk audio value was nan astir awesome I've ever tried, delivering crystal clear audio without echo. 

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At launch, this camera's solution topped retired astatine 1080p. A information camera of that solution is not disappointing connected its own, but it's a noticeable quality compared to nan 2K-resolution Arlo Pro 5S that I antecedently had overlooking that area of my yard, though nan Arlo is simply a small pricier, astatine $250. However, Ring has since upgraded nan Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery's solution to support up to 2K, and nan video value quality is noticeable. 

Additionally, galore smart location users aren't prepared to salary monthly subscription fees to entree plan-exclusive features, but plentifulness of users for illustration nan convenience of not having to interest astir section retention and bask nan other perks a paid scheme offers. 

Latest updates

• This reappraisal was initially published successful March 2024 and updated successful September 2025 to bespeak that the Ring Spotlight Cam Pro Battery is presently connected waste for $140, a $90 discount from its original unit value and nan lowest we've ever seen for this camera.