Ring Stick Up Camera Review

[Editor’s note: Amazon announced a new version of their popular Ring Stick Up Cam that will replace the version that was reviewed below. The new Stick Up Cam can be preordered from Best Buy.]

You can mount it on your walls, ceiling, or pop it on a shelf; it offers 1080p high-definition video; and it works both inside and outside. What is this magical device? It’s the Ring Stick Up Cam Wired, and after using it for a few weeks, I’m so impressed that I want to mount these cameras all over my house and yard.

If you’ve been looking for an indoor or outdoor security camera, the Ring Stick Up Cam will give you the flexibility to choose both. Here’s what it’s like to set up, use, and what I thought of the features.

The Appearance of the Ring Stick-Up Camera

The Ring Stick Up Cam Wired is a small device. It’s made of plastic, but it feels durable, and because it’s so small, it’s easy to hide on a shelf or in a corner.

On the back of the camera is a hinge, and that hinge attaches to a base you can use to mount the camera. When you unpack the box, you’ll find a plate to let you attach it to a wall or ceiling, as well as a plate to let you just set it on a shelf.

This is the latest version of the Ring Stick Up Camera, and it’s definitely a different look than the previous generation.

Powering the Camera

There are two ways to power this camera. You can use the included power cord and plug it into a USB port you have on the wall, or a standard outlet. This camera can also be connected via a Power over Ethernet cable. Or, you can choose a simple Ethernet cable to plug it into your router while powering it with the power cord.

If you’re inside and you’re placing the camera near your router, Power over Ethernet is the way to go. It lets you plug right in to your router, but it also supplies the power for the camera. This is the best way to maintain a steady stream of video, and it’s nice because you only need one cable.

The Power over Ethernet cable isn’t included with the Ring Stick Up Camera, and when you’re choosing a cable, you’ll need to make sure it meets the IEEE 802.3af (PoE) or IEEE 802.3at (PoE\+) standard.

What’s in the Box?

Ring never disappoints with what they put in the box. You don’t need to search around for the right screwdriver or screws, because everything is included and labeled right in the box. In the Ring Stick Up Cam box, there were several packages of screws, mounting plates, a screwdriver with two heads, and a drill bit.

I choose to place the camera on a shelf, but it would be just as easy to pop on the corresponding plate and mount it on the wall or ceiling. The hinge on the back will move the camera around so it’s exactly the way you want it.

Installing the Ring Stick Up Camera in the Ring App

Once you’ve unpacked the camera and decided how you’ll power it, you can install the camera in the app. Ring makes it easy too by creating an install process that’s just as easy as scanning a QR code. It detects the camera, installs it, and you’re live before you know it.

The Ring Stick Up Camera is installed in the Ring App, so all of your Ring devices are available in one screen. They won’t all work together yet, but according to Ring, it’s in the works.

Just as an example, right now you can’t get your Ring Alarm to turn on your Stick Up Camera when there’s a breach of a door or a window. You can only click on them independently and use them separately within the app.

Ring Stick Up Cam has Features to Spare

Several different features on the Ring Stick Up Cam set it apart from other cameras.

Indoor and Outdoor Camera

This is an indoor and outdoor camera. You can connect to Wi-Fi or Ethernet and easily set it up anywhere inside, but you also have the option to set it up outside.

The way the backplate attaches to the camera offers protection for the power cables, and it’s water-resistant so you don’t have to hide it under cover of a porch. You will be limited as to where you install it simply because of the power cable, but it’s nice to know it’s versatile and can stand up to the elements.

Crystal Clear 1080p

The 1080p video is crystal clear and, in my opinion, offers a pretty impressive view of whatever you have the camera trained on. What sets this camera apart, even more, is the 150-degree horizontal (and 85-degree vertical) field of view.

I had the camera up on a shelf in my kitchen, and I thought it was providing great video. Imagine my surprise when I moved the breadbox sitting next to it and discovered the extensive field of view. Check out my Ring Stick Up video to see it in action.

I also brought the camera outside and placed it near my chicken coop. I thought the video quality outside was even better than inside, with only a slight glare from the sun blurring one of the corners of the camera.

Two-Way Audio

Audio on this camera is clear, and you can turn it off and on from live view just by tapping your phone screen. I tested out the two-way audio a few times too, and while it comes through loud, it’s also a bit choppy.

No matter how many times I tried it, I found some part of my voice cut out slightly. It could be due to placement in my house and distance from the router. I didn’t test it out while connected to Ethernet, but it could work better connected that way.

Night Vision

A security camera isn’t a security camera unless it offers night vision, and I think Ring’s night vision works great. You can clearly tell who is in front of the camera, and it was pretty crisp even from a distance.

Settings within the Ring App

There are several different settings within the Ring App you can use to create a custom experience. You can turn motion detection on and off, or you can choose to snooze it for different time increments. There’s a spot you can tap to link up your Ring doorbell chime, and you can test the device health or tap to watch live video.

You can look at your event history and see when a motion was detected, watching the clips for all captured video. You can also download the captured video to your phone or share it on social media. I have a MacBook, and it was very easy just to tap AirDrop and add the clips to my computer from there.

Alexa Integration

Ring Stick Up Cam works with Alexa. If you have a smart hub/speaker like the Amazon Alexa Show, you can ask Alexa to stream your Stick Up Cam video straight to your speaker. I don’t have Alexa, so I can’t test it, but I’ve read that better integration with Google Home may be coming in the future.

Ring Stick Up Cam’s Built-In Siren

There is a siren built into the Ring Stick Up Cam, and it’s loud! I show a clip of it in my review video, and I was impressed with the decibel level this camera can put out. If someone you don’t recognize appears inside or outside your home, you can hit the siren and scare them off.

You can tap the siren on the main app screen, or hit it when you’re watching live view.

Ring Protect Plans

You can use the free Ring plan and always watch your video via a live feed, but if you want to store your clips and access them at any time, you’ll need to purchase a Ring Protect plan. The Protect Basic plan is $3 per month or $30 US per year. That covers one Ring doorbell and one security camera.

Overall Thoughts on the Ring Stick Up Camera

Other than the slightly fragmented two-way audio, there are no downsides to this camera. It streams crystal clear video, can be placed anywhere—even on the ceiling, and there’s no lag or delay when streaming the clips.

The field of view is a key feature because of how expansive an area the camera captures, and you can set your target field of view just by selecting an area on-screen.

Ring Stick Up Camera is a great choice if you’re looking for a new home camera, and it’s an even better choice if you’ve already selected other Ring products including the Ring Alarm and Ring Doorbell.

You can find the Ring Stick Up Camera (new version is available to preorder)and other great Ring products at Best Buy right now.