Why You Can Trust CNET TP-Link's New Tapo Video Doorbells Can Call You -- We Wish More Cameras Did
Tapo's mix of affordability and smart features looks like a great fit for the new D225 and D210 doorbells, which include unique phone call capabilities.
Tapo's new set of doorbells includes a great field of view and some clever two-way audio features.
TP-Link's Tapo brand -- which you can find across many of our smart home lists as an affordable option for smart plugs, security cameras and more -- has announced a new video doorbell line, featuring the 2K-resolution D225 and the D210. Several things immediately caught our eye.
First, the budget D210 model will likely be a contender for the best cheap video doorbells. With a Google Assistant/Alexa compatibility, color night vision, built-in spotlight and microSD card slot for no-subscription, local storage, buyers are getting quite a lot for $60. It's a notable price when even affordable doorbells still tend to hang around $100. Tapo has also built in a new 10,000mAh battery designed to last for up to 8 months, longer than the average rating for wireless doorbells.
The D225, available for $100, adds a wired option that enables 24/7 continuous recording and a "pre-roll" option to see what's happening before the doorbell detects motion. Both cams also have an impressive 180-degree field of view, particularly large for a doorbell cam.
But the most unique feature here is the Ring Call ability, a mode that will automatically call your phone when someone rings the doorbell, linking you with the two-way audio function for a quick chat. That's a lot easier than getting a notification and jumping into the app to find the audio option, and we haven't seen anything quite like it before. If you prefer not to have a conversation in person, you can create or choose pre-set recordings that your doorbell will deliver for you.
Ring Call cuts out the middleman and lets you talk to whoever is ringing your doorbell, from anywhere.
Tapo is also keeping its budget-friendly approach to subscriptions and video storage. While you can spring for a Tapo Care plan with cloud storage, the card slot allows you to customize the amount of local storage you want with a one-time microSD card purchase instead of monthly fees. AI object detection to identify people, packages or vehicles is also free (some brands lock that behind a subscription, too). There's no full Matter support here, which has lagged behind when it comes to video, but the voice assistant options will please Google and Alexa users.
Once we've tested out Tapo's new doorbells we'll be sure to give you all the details, but the resolution, spacious field of view and new two-way audio features look like a powerful combination. For now, take a look at other doorbell options to get more info.