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Doorbells

Google Nest Doorbell: Wired vs Battery, Which One Fits Your Home?

2022 · From the Tech with Asher channel · Watch below or read on

These two Google doorbells look so similar that you could mix them up on a store shelf, and there is a reason for that: the battery doorbell came first, in 2021, built for homes with no wiring at the front door, and the wired second generation evolved directly from it. Same family, same face. But the differences underneath decide everything about which one belongs on your door.

What they share

Both use a 1.3 megapixel camera with 6x zoom, both cover a 145 degree diagonal view, and both record in HD at up to 30 frames per second. Both come in the same four colors, and the wiring terminals on the back are identical. From six feet away, guests will never know which one you chose.

Difference one: how long they record

This is the big one. The wired doorbell records continuously, 24/7. The battery doorbell keeps only about three hours of event-based history, because recording around the clock would flatten the battery. And here is the wrinkle most buyers miss: even if you connect the battery model to existing wiring, it still cannot record 24/7, because the wiring only trickle-charges it. If continuous recording is the reason you are buying, only the true wired model delivers it.

Difference two: what your house needs to provide

The wired doorbell must be connected to a 16 to 24 volt AC transformer rated for at least 10 VA, or it will not perform at its maximum. Most homes in the USA already have this behind the existing doorbell button, but some older homes need a transformer upgrade first. The battery doorbell needs nothing at all: charge it, mount it, done.

The small stuff

• The wired model is about an inch shorter, roughly five inches tall against six.
• The wired model mounts with a screw at the top; the battery model uses a release mechanism, and has a USB charging port the wired one lacks.
• Look closely and the battery model has a visible split line near the camera; the wired one is seamless. That is the quickest way to tell them apart on someone's door.
• The box also says it plainly, battery or wired, in the lower corner.

How to choose in one minute

No wiring at your door and no electrician on the calendar? Battery, without hesitation. Existing doorbell wiring and any interest in full recording? Wired, every time. And if you are setting this up for an older parent so family can see who came to the door, the wired model's around-the-clock recording is the version that answers questions after the fact, not just in the moment.