The Ring Alarm has been one of our favourite DIY alarm systems since it launched last year, but there were a couple of minor issues that the company is looking to fix with the launch of the Outdoor Siren and 2nd Generation Alarm.
First, the Outdoor Siren, which is compatible with the new and old alarm systems, is very welcome in the UK market. Not only does the Outdoor Siren give would-be-thieves a clear sign that your home is alarmed, but it’s also more likely to attract attention if it’s triggered. The Outdoor Siren can be wall mounted outside of your house and connects to the main system wirelessly.
Ring has also announced a revamped version of its Alarm, with the Alarm (2nd Generation). Although the first product was good, the new Alarm has been revamped, with smaller, easier to install contact and motion sensors. The biggest change is reserved for the new Keypad.
For starters, the new Keypad is cleaner and easier to see, with the mode buttons (Disarmed, Home and Away modes) placed across the top where they’re easier to spot. This should make arming and disarming the system easier.
Ring has also added three new buttons to the side of the Keypad: alert, fire and medical emergency. Provided you’ve subscribed to Assisted Monitoring via Ring Protect Plus (well worth the £8 a month), pressing either of these keys will let your three listed contacts know of the particular emergency.
That’s on top of Assisted Monitoring, which carries on working as usual: when an alarm is triggered, your three contacts are phoned to let them know that the alarm has been triggered at your property. It’s a step up from a smartphone notification, which can easily be missed, but not quite full-on monitoring with a call centre in charge of your alarm system.
You can pre-order the Ring Alarm Outdoor Siren now for £69, and it comes out on March 31 2021. The Ring Alarm (2nd Generation) is also available for pre-order starting at £219 for a five-piece kit (keypad, base station, contact sensor, motion sensor and range extender), and it launches on April 28 2021.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
