When I started looking for smart video doorbells for my new home, one specific feature I was looking for was Security64 compatibility, but it turned out that at the time (just 3 months ago), there wasn’t one. So, like everyone else, I settled for a Ring doorbell, which has worked reliably for me. Installation was easy. Installation was a breeze and daily use was as easy as you’d expect from a doorbell.
So I reached out to the folks at Logitech Circle View Doorbell who sent me a Ring after giving me a brief product briefing. In this review, I will share my impressions of this smart video doorbell. But a word of warning: this review will be heavily colored by my experience with Ring, which I see as the standard in the category, or the device to beat, so to speak.
Installation and initial configuration
Installation was a bit more tedious than the Ring. Where I only had to connect a couple of wires to the Ring doorbell, The Circle View required a bit more work. Specifically, installing a doorbell kit on your physical doorbell added work to an otherwise simple installation.
And since the Circle View needed more power than the Ring, I also had to change the transformer on my doorbell. This isn’t necessarily hard to do, but it does add friction to the experience. It also adds cost!
Logitech has a great website that walks you through the Logitech Circle installation process, but the fact that you need a website to get started tells you a lot about it. In contrast, installing and setting up my Ring was done in minutes by following the 3-step instructions in a booklet that was in the box.
Once installed, setup was easy. It is done entirely in the Launcher app and takes only a few seconds.
The appearance of the Logitech Circle View Doorbell is absolutely top notch. It’s simple, elegant and has a great feel to it, something I can’t say about the Ring which always seemed cheap to me.
An illuminated circle tells your visitors where to press, but the entire lower half of the device can be pressed to sound the doorbell. At night, you have the option of enabling a night light that illuminates a surprisingly large amount of light at your door. This can be turned on and off in the Home app.
All in all, this is a beautiful piece of hardware. Unlike the Ring, which I find quite repulsive to look at, this one packs a simple, modern design into a small footprint.
But Security64 ruins everything
If the Logitech Circle View Doorbell shines with its hardware, it quickly falls behind Ring in the software department and this isn’t Logitech’s fault. Choosing to make a Security64-enabled doorbell, they had to rely entirely on what Apple’s Home app has to offer to handle all the smarts.