Aqara Video Doorbell G4 Review: Affordable Smart Doorbell with No-Subscription Apple HomeKit Secure Video Storage

Aqara

``````web

``````## Aqara Video Doorbell G4: one-minute review

The Aqara Smart Video Doorbell G4 is a smart doorbell that allows you to remotely monitor and talk to visitors outside your property via your phone or desktop using Wi-Fi. The main selling point for those of us who predominately use the Apple ecosystem is its HomeKit compatibility, in addition to the more common Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility. It’s a viable option, given its competitive price, and doesn’t try and sell you a subscription service by ringfencing features as is the case with other video doorbells.

It offers the standard array of features found in some of the best video doorbells such as customizable zones for refining motion detection and facial recognition, which you wouldn’t typically expect for a video doorbell at this price point. It can distinguish between a car, a person, or an animal as opposed to the usual generic “movement was detected” type of message.

In addition to the doorbell, the G4 comes with a chime repeater, a real boon if you’re not always next to your phone - though I was a little incredulous at the inclusion to begin with. Added to that, it can house a microSD card for locally storing video footage which needs to be safe inside your home as opposed to on-device as with some video doorbells. It’s also a logical way to improve battery life, providing a separate mains-powered unit with Wi-Fi access and other services. I stand corrected.

Having a variety of options is good, and the Aqara G4 provides a subscription-free alternative to the ubiquitous Ring Doorbells. There is room for improvement, though; its paltry IPX3 rating means it’s best kept under cover from the elements, and the field of view was much too high for my liking. Read on for the full picture.

## Aqara Video Doorbell G4: price and availability

- List price: $119.99 / £119.99 (about AU$180)

The Aqara Smart Video Doorbell G4 was launched in the US in February 2023 and UK in December 2023, and is available from the Aqara website as well as Amazon for $119.99 / £199.99 (about AU$180). At the time of writing the price was reduced by 20% to $95.99/£95.99 (about AU$140) in a limited time deal, which seems to be a bi-monthly occurrence that might be worth holding out for.

There are three accessories available for the G4 if you do not have the desire to shop around for what is pretty standard stuff. The power supply boasts of a 1.5 metre cable which is not long enough given that it is recommended that the Doorbell be mounted between 1.4 metres and 1.5 metres from the ground.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

| Accessory | UK price |
| --- | --- |
| Video Doorbell G4 Power Supply Transformer (12V 1A DC) | £14.99 |
| Kioxia Exceria U1 Class 10 Micro SD Card 64GB | £9.98 |
| Kioxia Exceria U1 Class 10 Micro SD Card 128GB | £17.99 |
| Advanced Accessories CHARGE-IT PREMIUM Single USB Charger Plug 2.1 Amp | £5.99 |

At its sale price, the Aqara G4 compares favorably with something like the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro and its associated subscription fee, even when the extra purchases of a power adapter and MicroSD card are taken into account. At full price, less so.

## Aqara Video Doorbell G4: specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Dimensions | Doorbell 2 x 6.5 x 14cm, chime repeater 2.5 x 6.5 x 6.5cm |
| Colors | Black |
| Hub required | No |
| Smart home compatibility | HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 2.5 GHz |
| Mobile compatibility | iOS, Android |
| Field of view | 162 degrees |
| Video resolution | 1080p |
| Wired input | 12V-24V AC 0.2A 50/60Hz, 8V-24V DC 0.5A |

## Aqara Video Doorbell G4: design

It’s big, it’s dark - it’s a mini monolith. It is easy to spot which circular feature is the button and which is the camera. The location of the case-securing screw is strange.

The G4 has an appealing design, clad in slate grey with glossy black accents. On the front are two large circles; one is the button, and the other is the camera mount. It’s a little quirky, and upon unboxing, it chimed with me but I could not put my finger on why (both puns intended). It wasn’t until I had to measure the Aqara G4 after discovering that the dimensions on the website were wrong that I began to think about ratios, noticing that it’s sides measure not too far from 1:4:9. That’s when it hit my nerdy sci-fi-riddled brain; those are the proportions of the sides of the monolith in Stanley Kubrick’s *2001: A Space Odyssey*, and the camera on the doorbell even resembles HAL 9000. If you have no idea what I am blathering on about, please go and watch the film - it’s a classic.

Installing the doorbell can be as simple as affixing the baseplate, connecting the chime unit to the mains (you’ll need to use your own USB power supply), pairing it in the app and completing the necessary updates, and lastly inserting the doorbell’s batteries before slotting and securing it to the baseplate.

I added my review unit to HomeKit, and through doing so I was able to make use of my Apple One subscription and save HomeKit Secure Video output to the cloud - a pleasant surprise. However, the video quality was not great; anything that moved was painfully pixelated. Now, I like 8-bit video games, but I need to be able to distinguish between the postman and Super Mario.

Be warned, when you install the batteries, both the doorbell and chime repeater’s alarms will trigger, and both devices will begin to howl like a banshee. The doorbell will stop when it is slotted
``````Aqara Video Doorbell G4: one-minute review

The Aqara Smart Video Doorbell G4 is a smart doorbell that allows you to remotely monitor and talk to visitors outside your property via your phone or desktop using Wi-Fi. The main selling point for those who predominantly use the Apple ecosystem is its HomeKit compatibility, in addition to the more common Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility. It’s a viable option given its competitive price and doesn’t try to sell you a subscription service by restricting features like some other video doorbells.

It offers the standard array of features found in some of the best video doorbells such as customizable zones for refining motion detection and facial recognition, which you wouldn’t typically expect for a video doorbell at this price point. It can distinguish between a car, a person, or an animal as opposed to the usual generic “movement was detected” message.

In addition to the doorbell, the G4 comes with a chime repeater, a useful feature if you’re not always next to your phone. It also supports local video storage via a microSD card, which must be kept inside your home for security. This design also improves battery life by providing a separate mains-powered unit with Wi-Fi access and other services.

Having a variety of options is good, and the Aqara G4 provides a subscription-free alternative to the ubiquitous Ring Doorbells. There is room for improvement, though; its IPX3 rating means it’s best kept under cover from the elements, and the field of view was much too high for my liking. Read on for the full picture.

### Aqara Video Doorbell G4: price and availability

- **List price:** $119.99 / £119.99 (about AU$180)

The Aqara Smart Video Doorbell G4 was launched in the US in February 2023 and the UK in December 2023. It's available from the Aqara website and Amazon for $119.99 / £119.99 (about AU$180). At the time of writing, the price was reduced by 20% to $95.99/£95.99 (about AU$140) in a limited-time deal, which seems to occur bi-monthly.

There are three accessories available for the G4, though they are standard. The power supply has a 1.5-meter cable, which may not be long enough, given that the recommended mounting height for the Doorbell is between 1.4 and 1.5 meters from the ground.

| Accessory | UK price |
| --------- | -------- |
| Video Doorbell G4 Power Supply Transformer (12V 1A DC) | £14.99 |
| Kioxia Exceria U1 Class 10 Micro SD Card 64GB | £9.98 |
| Kioxia Exceria U1 Class 10 Micro SD Card 128GB | £17.99 |
| Advanced Accessories CHARGE-IT PREMIUM Single USB Charger Plug 2.1 Amp | £5.99 |

At its sale price, the Aqara G4 compares favorably with the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro, especially considering the latter's subscription fee, though at full price, the difference is less stark.

### Aqara Video Doorbell G4: specs

| Dimensions | Doorbell 2 x 6.5 x 14cm, chime repeater 2.5 x 6.5 x 6.5cm |
| Colors | Black |
| Hub required | No |
| Smart home compatibility | HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 2.5 GHz |
| Mobile compatibility | iOS, Android |
| Field of view | 162 degrees |
| Video resolution | 1080p |
| Wired input | 12V-24V AC 0.2A 50/60Hz, 8V-24V DC 0.5A |

### Aqara Video Doorbell G4: design

The G4 has an appealing design, with a slate grey body and glossy black accents. It features two large circles on the front: one for the button and the other for the camera mount. Its quirky design resonated with me after I realized its proportions are reminiscent of the monolith in Stanley Kubrick’s *2001: A Space Odyssey*.

Installation can be as simple as affixing the baseplate, connecting the chime unit to the mains (you’ll need your own USB power supply), pairing it with the app, completing the updates, and inserting the batteries before securing the doorbell to the baseplate. The unit supports both battery and hard-wired configurations, although the design could have been more convenient. For example, the case-securing screw is awkward to tighten, and there's no slot in the baseplate for running the power cable through, assuming the cable must come directly from the wall.

### Aqara Video Doorbell G4: performance

Compared to the Ring doorbells, the Aqara G4's video quality and field of view are noticeably inferior. However, it is a cheaper option. The video stored locally on a microSD card appears less pixelated than footage stored in iCloud. I tested both battery-powered and mains-powered configurations and found that, while the Aqara is sufficient for my needs, others might prefer higher-quality alternatives like Ring.

Object recognition is reliable, though it hasn’t yet detected any animals for review. The app is decent, offering automation capabilities without requiring a smart home hub. However, some features, such as the need to import custom sound files for doorbell tones, feel unnecessary. I also encountered occasional network-related errors.

### Should you buy the Aqara Video Doorbell G4?

| Attribute | Notes | Rating |
| --------- | ----- | ------ |
| Value | List price is high, especially with accessories, but frequent sales make it affordable. | 3.5/5 |
| Design | Sleek and stylish, but quirks like anti-tamper alarms and an awkward screw placement exist. | 4/5 |
| Performance | Video quality is decent, but noticeably inferior to more expensive competitors. | 3/5 |

**Buy it if** you’re looking for a subscription-free, Apple HomeKit-compatible video doorbell at a competitive price.

**Don't buy it if** you need the highest video quality or more refined design features.

### Aqara Video Doorbell G4: also consider

If you're not completely sold on the Aqara G4, there are other video doorbell options to consider.

### How I tested the Aqara Video Doorbell G4

I tested both battery-powered and mains-powered configurations, evaluated the accuracy of object recognition, and compared video output to a Ring Battery Pro. Additionally, I explored the phone app's automation options and assessed its usability in a real-world setting during my home renovation.

*First reviewed September 2024*
``````web

``````## Aqara Video Doorbell G4: one-minute review

The Aqara Smart Video Doorbell G4 is a smart doorbell that allows you to remotely monitor and talk to visitors outside your property via your phone or desktop using Wi-Fi. The main selling point for those of us who predominately use the Apple ecosystem is its HomeKit compatibility, in addition to the more common Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility. It’s a viable option, given its competitive price, and doesn’t try and sell you a subscription service by ringfencing features as is the case with other video doorbells.

It offers the standard array of features found in some of the best video doorbells such as customizable zones for refining motion detection and facial recognition, which you wouldn’t typically expect for a video doorbell at this price point. It can distinguish between a car, a person, or an animal as opposed to the usual generic “movement was detected” type of message.

In addition to the doorbell, the G4 comes with a chime repeater, a real boon if you’re not always next to your phone - though I was a little incredulous at the inclusion to begin with. Added to that, it can house a microSD card for locally storing video footage which needs to be safe inside your home as opposed to on-device as with some video doorbells. It’s also a logical way to improve battery life, providing a separate mains-powered unit with Wi-Fi access and other services. I stand corrected.

Having a variety of options is good, and the Aqara G4 provides a subscription-free alternative to the ubiquitous Ring Doorbells. There is room for improvement, though; its paltry IPX3 rating means it’s best kept under cover from the elements, and the field of view was much too high for my liking. Read on for the full picture.

## Aqara Video Doorbell G4: price and availability

- List price: $119.99 / £119.99 (about AU$180)

The Aqara Smart Video Doorbell G4 was launched in the US in February 2023 and UK in December 2023, and is available from the Aqara website as well as Amazon for $119.99 / £199.99 (about AU$180). At the time of writing the price was reduced by 20% to $95.99/£95.99 (about AU$140) in a limited time deal, which seems to be a bi-monthly occurrence that might be worth holding out for.

There are three accessories available for the G4 if you do not have the desire to shop around for what is pretty standard stuff. The power supply boasts of a 1.5 metre cable which is not long enough given that it is recommended that the Doorbell be mounted between 1.4 metres and 1.5 metres from the ground.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

| Accessory | UK price |
| --- | --- |
| Video Doorbell G4 Power Supply Transformer (12V 1A DC) | £14.99 |
| Kioxia Exceria U1 Class 10 Micro SD Card 64GB | £9.98 |
| Kioxia Exceria U1 Class 10 Micro SD Card 128GB | £17.99 |
| Advanced Accessories CHARGE-IT PREMIUM Single USB Charger Plug 2.1 Amp | £5.99 |

At its sale price, the Aqara G4 compares favorably with something like the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro and its associated subscription fee, even when the extra purchases of a power adapter and MicroSD card are taken into account. At full price, less so.

## Aqara Video Doorbell G4: specs

Swipe to scroll horizontally

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Dimensions | Doorbell 2 x 6.5 x 14cm, chime repeater 2.5 x 6.5 x 6.5cm |
| Colors | Black |
| Hub required | No |
| Smart home compatibility | HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 2.5 GHz |
| Mobile compatibility | iOS, Android |
| Field of view | 162 degrees |
| Video resolution | 1080p |
| Wired input | 12V-24V AC 0.2A 50/60Hz, 8V-24V DC 0.5A |

## Aqara Video Doorbell G4: design

It’s big, it’s dark - it’s a mini monolith. It is easy to spot which circular feature is the button and which is the camera. The location of the case-securing screw is strange.

The G4 has an appealing design, clad in slate grey with glossy black accents. On the front are two large circles; one is the button, and the other is the camera mount. It’s a little quirky, and upon unboxing, it chimed with me but I could not put my finger on why (both puns intended). It wasn’t until I had to measure the Aqara G4 after discovering that the dimensions on the website were wrong that I began to think about ratios, noticing that it’s sides measure not too far from 1:4:9. That’s when it hit my nerdy sci-fi-riddled brain; those are the proportions of the sides of the monolith in Stanley Kubrick’s *2001: A Space Odyssey*, and the camera on the doorbell even resembles HAL 9000. If you have no idea what I am blathering on about, please go and watch the film - it’s a classic.

Installing the doorbell can be as simple as affixing the baseplate, connecting the chime unit to the mains (you’ll need to use your own USB power supply), pairing it in the app and completing the necessary updates, and lastly inserting the doorbell’s batteries before slotting and securing it to the baseplate.

I added my review unit to HomeKit, and through doing so I was able to make use of my Apple One subscription and save HomeKit Secure Video output to the cloud - a pleasant surprise. However, the video quality was not great; anything that moved was painfully pixelated. Now, I like 8-bit video games, but I need to be able to distinguish between the postman and Super Mario.

Be warned, when you install the batteries, both the doorbell and chime repeater’s alarms will trigger, and both devices will begin to howl like a banshee. The doorbell will stop when it is slotted into the
``````Aqara Video Doorbell G4: one-minute review

The Aqara Smart Video Doorbell G4 is a smart doorbell that allows you to remotely monitor and talk to visitors outside your property via your phone or desktop using Wi-Fi. The main selling point for those who predominantly use the Apple ecosystem is its HomeKit compatibility, in addition to the more common Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility. It’s a viable option given its competitive price and doesn’t try to sell you a subscription service by restricting features like some other video doorbells.

It offers the standard array of features found in some of the best video doorbells such as customizable zones for refining motion detection and facial recognition, which you wouldn’t typically expect for a video doorbell at this price point. It can distinguish between a car, a person, or an animal as opposed to the usual generic “movement was detected” message.

In addition to the doorbell, the G4 comes with a chime repeater, a useful feature if you’re not always next to your phone. It also supports local video storage via a microSD card, which must be kept inside your home for security. This design also improves battery life by providing a separate mains-powered unit with Wi-Fi access and other services.

Having a variety of options is good, and the Aqara G4 provides a subscription-free alternative to the ubiquitous Ring Doorbells. There is room for improvement, though; its IPX3 rating means it’s best kept under cover from the elements, and the field of view was much too high for my liking. Read on for the full picture.

### Aqara Video Doorbell G4: price and availability

- **List price:** $119.99 / £119.99 (about AU$180)

The Aqara Smart Video Doorbell G4 was launched in the US in February 2023 and the UK in December 2023. It's available from the Aqara website and Amazon for $119.99 / £119.99 (about AU$180). At the time of writing, the price was reduced by 20% to $95.99/£95.99 (about AU$140) in a limited-time deal, which seems to occur bi-monthly.

There are three accessories available for the G4, though they are standard. The power supply has a 1.5-meter cable, which may not be long enough, given that the recommended mounting height for the Doorbell is between 1.4 and 1.5 meters from the ground.

| Accessory | UK price |
| --------- | -------- |
| Video Doorbell G4 Power Supply Transformer (12V 1A DC) | £14.99 |
| Kioxia Exceria U1 Class 10 Micro SD Card 64GB | £9.98 |
| Kioxia Exceria U1 Class 10 Micro SD Card 128GB | £17.99 |
| Advanced Accessories CHARGE-IT PREMIUM Single USB Charger Plug 2.1 Amp | £5.99 |

At its sale price, the Aqara G4 compares favorably with the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro, especially considering the latter's subscription fee, though at full price, the difference is less stark.

### Aqara Video Doorbell G4: specs

| Dimensions | Doorbell 2 x 6.5 x 14cm, chime repeater 2.5 x 6.5 x 6.5cm |
| Colors | Black |
| Hub required | No |
| Smart home compatibility | HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 2.5 GHz |
| Mobile compatibility | iOS, Android |
| Field of view | 162 degrees |
| Video resolution | 1080p |
| Wired input | 12V-24V AC 0.2A 50/60Hz, 8V-24V DC 0.5A |

### Aqara Video Doorbell G4: design

The G4 has an appealing design, with a slate grey body and glossy black accents. It features two large circles on the front: one for the button and the other for the camera mount. Its quirky design resonated with me after I realized its proportions are reminiscent of the monolith in Stanley Kubrick’s *2001: A Space Odyssey*.

Installation can be as simple as affixing the baseplate, connecting the chime unit to the mains (you’ll need your own USB power supply), pairing it with the app, completing the updates, and inserting the batteries before securing the doorbell to the baseplate. The unit supports both battery and hard-wired configurations, although the design could have been more convenient. For example, the case-securing screw is awkward to tighten, and there's no slot in the baseplate for running the power cable through, assuming the cable must come directly from the wall.

### Aqara Video Doorbell G4: performance

Compared to the Ring doorbells, the Aqara G4's video quality and field of view are noticeably inferior. However, it is a cheaper option. The video stored locally on a microSD card appears less pixelated than footage stored in iCloud. I tested both battery-powered and mains-powered configurations and found that, while the Aqara is sufficient for my needs, others might prefer higher-quality alternatives like Ring.

Object recognition is reliable, though it hasn’t yet detected any animals for review. The app is decent, offering automation capabilities without requiring a smart home hub. However, some features, such as the need to import custom sound files for doorbell tones, feel unnecessary. I also encountered occasional network-related errors.

### Should you buy the Aqara Video Doorbell G4?

| Attribute | Notes | Rating |
| --------- | ----- | ------ |
| Value | List price is high, especially with accessories, but frequent sales make it affordable. | 3.5/5 |
| Design | Sleek and stylish, but quirks like anti-tamper alarms and an awkward screw placement exist. | 4/5 |
| Performance | Video quality is decent, but noticeably inferior to more expensive competitors. | 3/5 |

**Buy it if** you’re looking for a subscription-free, Apple HomeKit-compatible video doorbell at a competitive price.

**Don't buy it if** you need the highest video quality or more refined design features.

### Aqara Video Doorbell G4: also consider

If you're not completely sold on the Aqara G4, there are other video doorbell options to consider.

### How I tested the Aqara Video Doorbell G4

I tested both battery-powered and mains-powered configurations, evaluated the accuracy of object recognition, and compared video output to a Ring Battery Pro. Additionally, I explored the phone app's automation options and assessed its usability in a real-world setting during my home renovation.

*First reviewed September 2024*
``````web