EZVIZ is also enjoying increasing success in this country. This is not surprising. After all, the Chinese manufacturer of smart home gadgets and security technology scores with a great price-performance ratio. The EZVIZ DB1C Doorbell Kit (test) proves that the company now also has great expertise in the field of smart video doorbells. In today’s EZVIZ DB2 test, we want to take a look at the latest version. Minimal design changes and wireless operation are the two most important differences to the DB1C.
Technical data
| Device type | Video doorbell |
| Doorbell size | 150 × 58 × 32 mm |
| Size Chime | 100 × 55 × 35 mm |
| Camera resolution | 2,000 x 1,504 pixels |
| Field of view | 176° (diagonal) |
| Accumulator | Up to 110 days battery life (5,200 mAh) |
| Night vision | Yes, IR night vision (up to 5 meters) |
| Network | 2.4 GHz |
| Protection against dirt and moisture | IP65 certification |
| Photo and video storage | EZVIZ Cloud or local (microSD up to 256 GB) |
| Voice assistant | Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant |
| Price | € 109.99 * |
Scope of delivery
- EZVIZ DB2 doorbell
- Chime
- 3x mounting plate
- Screwdriver
- Screws and dowels
- Adhesive surface
- Drilling template
- U-shaped wire connector
- Power cable
- Quick start guide
- Manual
EZVIZ DB2 test: design and availability
In my opinion, the appearance was a minor weakness of the DB1C. With the DB2, however, EZVIZ has obviously carried out a fresh cell cure – the plan works. The wireless video doorbell has a contemporary design and fortunately sheds the somewhat outdated look of the DB1C. However, the basic design has not really changed. You can tell straight away that this is a video doorbell. The large circular bell button is located on the underside. Thanks to the bell symbol, it is immediately recognized by visitors. This is also the case in the dark. Finally, EZVIZ has given the button a light effect, as we know it from well-known models such as a Reolink Video Doorbell (test) or a Ring Battery Doorbell Plus (test).
However, no ring lights up around the bell button here. Instead, the bell symbol itself lights up. The counterpart is the large, circular camera module, which is almost borderless. The company logo is emblazoned between the two elements. On the right-hand side is the USB port, which unfortunately relies on micro USB and not USB-C. This is a shame and not really up to date. One big advantage, however, is that you can charge the doorbell battery through the connection on the side even when the device is mounted. Provided you have a mobile energy storage device such as a power bank. The microphone, which is used for two-way audio, is also located there.
The counterpart is located on the left-hand side in the form of the loudspeaker. The rear panel of the doorbell is located on the back. This gives you access to the on/off button. You will also find the option to connect the video doorbell using a bell wire in the upper area. This means that the DB2 can also be operated without a battery. Our test model comes in a white housing. Alternatively, the 3.2 x 5.8 x 15 cm doorbell is also available as a dark gray model. The build quality is of a high standard. The same applies to the resistance and robustness. This is made clear by the IP65 certification, which provides reliable protection against damage from water or dirt.
EZVIZ DB2 test: installation and commissioning
The EZVIZ DB2 comes with a 5,200 mAh battery. The battery operation makes it clear that this smart video doorbell does not need to be connected to your power supply. The installation of the gadget is correspondingly uncomplicated. EZVIZ also includes practical little helpers in the scope of delivery to make installation even easier. In addition to a drilling template, you also get suitable screws and wall plugs. You can even find a suitable screwdriver in the scope of delivery. This saves you having to rummage around in your toolbox at home. If you don’t feel like drilling holes in the wall, you can also glue the DB2 in the desired position.
You don’t need a separate adhesive for this either. Instead, EZVIZ also includes a practical adhesive surface that you can use to attach the bell to the wall. Two mounting plates are also supplied ex works. With their help, you can tilt the camera by either 5° or 15°. Even non-professionals should only need a few minutes to install the video doorbell. The adhesive installation in particular is quick and easy. However, you should avoid this if possible if the surface is unsuitable. This is particularly the case for walls with coarse-grained exterior plaster.
The adhesive simply has no grip here, which is why you should prefer drilling. If you don’t want to drill at all, I would advise you to stick it to the door frame or the door itself. You will usually find a smooth surface here. Commissioning via the EZVIZ app is just as straightforward. I already know from the DB1C test that there are no hurdles here. The convenient step-by-step instructions provided by the software make setup child’s play. It also explains how to install the included Chime and pair it with the doorbell. All in all, the complete installation and commissioning of the smart home gadget took me no more than a quarter of an hour.
EZVIZ DB2 test: EZVIZ app
Once you have successfully set up the doorbell and Chime, you can also make settings directly in EZVIZ’s own app. The overview in the app is good rather than very good. The most important settings can be found via the main menu. These include the detection sensitivity or access to the live image. Other settings, on the other hand, you have to search for first. These are by no means just unimportant settings. Quite the opposite. I first had to fight my way through several submenus until I found the settings for so-called privacy zones.
Here you can set areas in which the camera should be blind, so to speak. In particular, you should keep the public road area and neighboring properties in mind. Once you have found the desired setting, the rest is easy. You can simply define up to four colored boxes that are declared as private zones. To alleviate the problem of the sometimes confusing structure a little, I don’t think EZVIZ needs to rework the entire app. A simple search function would suffice.
Then you would quickly find the setting you are looking for. Once you have made all the settings, the app does what it should. For example, you are notified via smartphone when someone rings the doorbell. You can then use two-way audio to correspond with the person at your front door. This is particularly useful if the parcel carrier is at your door and you are not at home. Apart from the app, you can also control the DB2 by voice. Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant are the two market giants for this.
EZVIZ DB2 test: Local storage
When I first looked at the EZVIZ DB2, I was a little surprised. After all, I was looking in vain for the slot for the microSD card. When I then picked up the Chime, I found what I was looking for. Here, EZVIZ has placed a suitable slot for memory cards up to 256 GB in size.
Unfortunately, the scope of delivery does not yet include a suitable card. From a strategic point of view, however, this would be a little incomprehensible for EZVIZ. After all, the company also offers its customers a practical subscription model as an alternative to the SD card, which allows you to store your recordings in a cloud. There they are available for you to access at any time.
EZVIZ DB2 test: camera quality
The EZVIZ DB2 offers solid camera quality. Here you get images with a resolution of 2,000 x 1,504 pixels. Thanks to a viewing angle of 176° diagonally, you get a good field of view. This allows you to see your visitor clearly. The IR sensor comes into play in low light conditions.
This ensures that you get black and white night vision. I would have been happy to have colored night vision. This would have been possible with an integrated LED, as offered by the TP-Link Tapo D230S1 (test), for example. In view of the large housing, EZVIZ could certainly have accommodated one.
EZVIZ DB2 test: Problems with people detection
Smart video doorbells don’t just forward a chime to you. They have now also become a genuine security gadget. This is thanks to the permanent monitoring of your entrance area, which you can access permanently using a camera. However, the DB2 offers you motion detection so that you don’t have to keep looking at the video surveillance image. Thanks to this, you receive a notification on your smartphone when the camera detects movement. After the first hour of using the DB2, I was shocked at how often a notification was sent via the smartphone app. So I turned down the sensitivity. But that didn’t change much either.
That’s why I set an alarm to only be triggered when a person is detected. After all, the AI differentiates between object and person detection. Now I encountered a real problem. The app continued to alert me to cars and other objects. As a solution, I simply set the street as a blind zone for the doorbell. After that, I only received a notification when a person was at my front door. You can also specify that a notification should only be sent when a person has been at your door for at least 15 seconds. I think this is a very good idea. It’s the perfect solution, especially for people who live on a busy and busy street.
After all, you only receive a notification when it makes sense. The purpose of a surveillance camera is not to monitor public road traffic, but to track down people who are obviously interested in your front door. You can also use a timer to set when an alarm from the doorbell is forwarded to your smartphone. Incidentally, this doesn’t just apply to motion detection notifications. You can also choose to mute the doorbell. This is useful at night, for example. All in all, the DB2 may have a few problems in the form of over-sensitive motion detection. However, the doorbell offers setting options that can be used to mitigate the problem.
EZVIZ DB2 test: Practical features
While smart features such as motion detection make the DB2 a smart gadget, one thing should not be forgotten: The bell function. The smart video doorbell also shines in this basic feature. Hardly any time passes between pressing the bell button and the subsequent ringtone via the chime or smartphone. The notification on the smartphone is particularly practical. There is no simple notification that someone has rung your doorbell. Instead, a call is received on your cell phone. If you answer it, you can immediately use the intercom function and speak to the visitor at the door. Incidentally, you can access the live image of the smart doorbell not only when your doorbell rings. Instead, you can view your entrance area at any time and from anywhere.
You can take a photo or record a short video at the touch of a button. During video recording, you not only get moving images. Audio is also recorded. The DB2 has an amazingly good range. Sounds are recorded up to a distance of 10 meters. However, it is difficult to record conversations over long distances. After all, words are difficult to understand in this case. However, if someone is right outside your door, the intercom function is really easy to understand. Incidentally, EZVIZ surprises you with a small but nice gimmick. You can use certain voice filters to allow yourself a little gimmick. From a frighteningly deep voice to a funny high-pitched voice, a lot is possible here.
EZVIZ DB2 test: battery life
A battery-operated video doorbell has a decisive advantage. As it does not require an active power supply, you can install it pretty much anywhere. The only requirement is sufficiently good Wi-Fi reception. However, the lack of wiring via bell wires also results in an Achilles heel. You have to charge the battery regularly. Once the battery is empty, the doorbell will of course no longer work. This makes a long battery life all the more important. The DB2 cannot keep up with the up to 180 days offered by a TP-Link Tapo D230S1. Instead, according to the manufacturer, it offers up to 115 days. How long it ultimately lasts depends on how it is used.
If the EZVIZ app constantly overwhelms you with motion detections, you can also assume that the battery will certainly not reach its maximum runtime. If you want to get the maximum out of it, there is probably no way around the energy-saving mode. The fact that you cannot remove the DB2 battery for charging is annoying. Instead, you have to charge it on the device itself. If you don’t want to remove the doorbell for this, it’s best to use a mobile energy storage device such as a power bank. The charging time of seven to eight hours is respectable.
EZVIZ DB2 test: price-performance cracker
A major selling point of the EZVIZ DB2 is undoubtedly the price. After all, the smart video doorbell is quite inexpensive despite its good features. Here you get many features that other manufacturers offer at a significantly higher price. Probably the most striking addition is the practical chime, which also serves as a microSD slot. Now, you might even argue in favor of EZVIZ that not offering a design with a removable battery is also a sign that the manufacturer is offering the fairest possible price-performance ratio. Personally, I would have liked that. After all, this is not a case of making money. Instead, it avoids the problem of not having a working doorbell for the hours of charging time. If the features of the DB2 are not enough for you, you can also opt for the Pro model. The EZVIZ DB2 Pro scores above all with a better camera quality, which is characterized by a higher resolution.
Conclusion
Are you looking for a smart video doorbell with good features at a fair price? Then you should definitely put the EZVIZ DB2 on your shortlist. The high-quality smart home gadget impresses with its uncomplicated setup, long battery life and wide range of functions. I also particularly like the separate chime. This not only transmits the ringing signal to your ear. You can also save your recordings locally using a microSD card. Alternatively, you can choose a cloud service for a fee. However, the app gave me cause for complaint. I found it a little confusing. Perhaps EZVIZ can remedy this with a suitable software update. I also found the somewhat over-sensitive motion detection a little annoying during the test. Apart from that, however, the DB2 is a good video doorbell that impresses with its core functions.
EZVIZ DB2
Design & workmanship
Hardware
Usability
Camera
Value for money
87/100
The EZVIZ DB2 is a good video doorbell that scores above all with flexibility and a great price-performance ratio.
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