Wyze just dropped a wireless version of its popular doorbell camera, and it's targeting the sweet spot between convenience and cost. The new Battery Video Doorbell promises six months of juice between charges while undercutting established players like Ring and Nest by significant margins. At $65.98, it's banking on battery freedom to win over apartment dwellers and DIY enthusiasts.
Wyze is making a play for the wireless doorbell market with its Battery Video Doorbell, available today for $65.98. The move puts the budget-focused brand squarely in competition with Amazon's Ring and Google's Nest offerings that typically cost twice as much.
The new model builds on Wyze's Video Doorbell v2 from 2023 but adds the rechargeable battery that installers have been demanding. No more wrestling with existing doorbell wiring or hunting for power outlets - just mount and go. The trade-off comes in resolution, dropping from 2048x1536 on the wired version to 1536x1536 on the battery model.
What Wyze gains in convenience, it makes up for in field of view. The 150-degree viewing angle in both horizontal and vertical directions creates what the company calls a "head-to-toe 1:1 view." That's genuinely useful for catching package thieves who crouch low or monitoring tall visitors who might get cut off by narrower cameras.
Battery life becomes the make-or-break feature here. Wyze promises up to six months between charges, though real-world testing of their previous Video Doorbell Pro suggested four to six weeks was more realistic. High-traffic areas will drain faster, but even monthly charging beats dealing with wiring installation for most users.
The storage strategy shows Wyze's budget DNA. Local recording to microSD cards up to 256GB keeps ongoing costs low, while cloud storage requires subscriptions ranging from $2.99 to $19.99 monthly. Those subscriptions unlock AI-powered person and package detection - features that Ring and Google bundle differently in their ecosystems.
Installation flexibility gives this doorbell an edge over hardwired competitors. The IP65 weather rating means it can handle exposed installations without protective overhangs. Dual power options let users start wireless and upgrade to wired power later for 24/7 recording capabilities.
