Ezviz DB2 Wireless Video Doorbell review

We're spoilt for choice when it comes to smart doorbells right now, but it's always interesting to see what the brands not named Ring have on offer. The Ezviz DB2 is the brand's latest offering, with top-tier features and some extras such as local storage and a chime/Wi-Fi extender included.

Ezviz is a company that specializes in security, so you won't be surprised to hear that its new doorbell prioritizes this as well. One of the best things about smart video doorbells is their ability to double as convenience-boosters and a home security add-on, so we wanted to test the device in both of these areas.

Read on to see what we thought and, to see how the Ezviz DB2 measures up against the competition, take a look at our guide to the best wireless doorbells currently available.

Ezviz DB2 Wireless Video Doorbell: Set-up

• Resolution: 2K
• Night vision?: Yes
• Field of view: 176-degrees
• Chime included?: Yes
• Dimensions: 15 x 5.8 x 3.2cm
• Weight: 0.24kg

Set up for the Ezviz DB2 is extremely simple, which is a good thing because the instructions included leave quite a bit to be desired. Inside the box are the doorbell itself and the chime along with various options for fixing it to the wall.

There are screws and mounts provided should you want to use them but, for the purposes of this review, we used the sticky panel to temporarily attach the device to our front door.

Before doing this, however, you should ensure that the Ezviz app is set up correctly. To do this, you simply scan the QR code on the back of the chime with your phone's camera, which is a lot easier than with many other doorbells we have tested in the past. During the setup process, you will also have the option to allow fingerprint logins, which makes securely accessing the app easier going forward.

Once the app, doorbell, and chime are all paired, you can mount the DB1 to the wall outside. There are a variety of options on how to do this, and two mounts are provided should you need to angle the camera for the best view.

Ezviz DB2 Wireless Video Doorbell: Features

You can tweak settings within the app whenever you want and, because of the sheer number of options, it took us a few tries to get it right. Intelligent detection, for example, gives you not only sensitivity options but also the choice between infrared and 'human shape' detection.

The former uses the heat of people and animals to determine when someone is at the door, while the latter is a little more low-tech (but no less effective).

Battery life

'Loitering detection' is also available, alerting you if someone is hanging around for longer than you'd like. The use of this feature and others will impact the rate at which battery life depletes, but there are power-saving and super power-saving preset modes if longer battery life is important to you.

This is perhaps especially relevant because, unlike more recent smart doorbells from Ring where the battery pack is easily removable without disturbing the device itself, the Ezviz DB2 must be plugged in to recharge and thus needs to be removed from the wall. This would pose a problem if, like us, you choose not to fix the doorbell using the screws.

As for how long between charges you will have, Ezviz promises four months. Our usage in a six-person houseshare put this to the test with all of the various comings and goings throughout the day, and it dropped around 40% over the course of a week. This only puts the expectancy at two and a half weeks but, as said, our house is especially busy.

Sensitivity

Sensitivity is admirably customizable, with a choice between high, medium, and low (pictured) settings. The low setting ensures that the motion sensor doesn't get activated until someone is close enough to actually press the doorbell, so this is preferable if you living on a busy street with lots of passersby. 

Smart doorbells often double as security devices, so it's a nice touch that Ezviz has included a tamper alarm for when someone might be trying to remove the doorbell to steal. You can switch this on and off as needed.

Alerts

You can choose how the DB2 alerts you to someone at the door, with the option to receive a push notification or a phone call. We tried both, ultimately settling on the push notification, but it's good to have the additional option.

The DB2 also works with Alexa, Google Home, and IFTTT, though we were unable to test this functionality.

Of course, there is also a plug-in chime included with the Ezviz DB2, and this might be one of the best things about it. Very easy to set up, the chime also acts as a Wi-Fi extender for those with a less than reliable internet connection. Whereas other doorbells we have tested have struggled to remain connected over the whole testing period, we had zero problems with the DB2.

It's worth noting that we had the chime plugged in on the first floor of our relatively large home, whereas the router (and obviously the doorbell) are on the ground floor. We also have a particularly patchy internet connection, yet no issue with the three devices communicating with each other.

The chime is also loud and clear without being annoying, and you can change how the doorbell sounds within the app. There's also space for an SDCard if you don't want to pay to store footage in the cloud.

Image quality

This is all before we get to the 2K resolution, which is pretty great on its own. Incredibly clear for us even at night, should you need to capture footage, you won't need to worry about quality.

Looking at past 'events' in the app sometimes presented for us more like a series of snapshots than smooth footage, but this may have had something to do with the motion from mounting the doorbell to the door, rather than the wall outside. 

Ezviz DB2 Wireless Video Doorbell: Design

Compared to fresher releases like the Google Wire-Free doorbell, the Ezviz DB2 is quite chunky, but no more so than the popular Ring doorbells. White with a black covering for the camera, we like how clear it is for visitor where they need to push and, if they're not sure, the device will light up when they approach. 

Charging will be a problem for some, but only for those who can't be bothered to completely remove the doorbell every time it runs low. For renters who prefer to fix it with the sticky back (as pictured), it's even more of an annoyance.

There is also a beeping sound that accompanies the light indicating someone is close to the doorbell, which seems unnecessary but which we couldn't figure out how to turn off within the app. It's possible that it can be done, but it would have been preferable to go without this. A small quibble. 

Ezviz DB2 Wireless Video Doorbell: Our verdict

The Ezviz DB2 is a seriously impressive doorbell, giving users choice over pretty much everything on offer. Some features present in competitors' offerings are missing, but those looking for a reliable doorbell with smart features, significant battery life, and a dose of customization in the app will be satisfied. The presence of a chime and the ability to use local storage on an SDCard is also welcome, eliminating the need for additional costs or subscriptions.

About this review

Caroline writes about everything tech and smart home for Livingetc, sifting through the products that are all flash to find the ones that are genuinely useful and worth buying. All products are tested in a real home environment, primarily in a small studio within a larger house, to see how different environments impact the function of speakers, doorbells and everything else.