Google Nest Doorbell (battery) vs Nest Hello Doorbell 1st Gen (wired): What's the difference?
Google Nest first introduced a video doorbell in the form of the Nest Hello back in 2018. It was a wired doorbell, meaning installation wasn't suitable - or more difficult - for some households.
Three years later in 2021, Google Nest added a battery-powered doorbell, with a few extra features compared to the Nest Hello. If you're wondering which Google Nest doorbell is best for you, you're in the right place.
Here is how the Nest Doorbell (battery) and Nest Hello Doorbell (wired) compare.
Price:
Google Nest Doorbell Battery $129 CAD Only
Google Nest Hello Doorbell Wired 1st Gen $129 CAD Only
you need to factor in installation costs as both are almost the same price. Wired Doorbell might cost a bit more to install.
Design
- Nest Hello Doorbell (wired): 116.8 x 43.2 x 25.4mm, IPX4
- Nest Doorbell (battery): 160 x 46 x 24.1mm, IP54
The two Google Nest doorbells share similar design traits, though they aren't identical. The original Nest Hello comes in black only and features a button at the bottom with an LED ring around it, camera at the top, and a slim design with a rounded top and bottom.
The Nest Doorbell (battery) comes in white only and while it too features a button at the bottom with an LED ring, camera at the top and a slim design with rounded top and bottom, it is taller and wider than the Nest Hello (wired) and it is also made with more sustainable materials.
Both are around the same thickness though, with the Nest Doorbell (battery) being slightly slimmer than the Nest Hello, despite the battery. The wired option has a IPX4 rating, while the battery option has a IP54 rating.
The camera lens is also more obvious on the Nest Doorbell (battery) as it is on the white background, and the button is larger than the Nest Hello.
Features
- Nest Hello Doorbell (wired): Talk and Listen, Quick Response, HD video, HDR, Night Vision, Chime, Motion and Person alerts, Parcel and Sound alerts with subscription
- Nest Hello (battery): Talk and Listen, Quick Response, HD video, HDR, Night Vision, Chime (when wired), Motion/People/Animal/Parcel/Vehicle alerts without subscription, Recording when power cut
Both Nest Doorbells offer a Talk and Listen feature, allowing you to communicate with someone at your door through the Nest app and they also both offer Quick Responses, which are preset messages that you can send quickly if you can't get to your door.
They also both have HD video with HDR and Night Vision, 24/7 live streaming and they will both offer up to 60 days of event video history with Nest Aware. You can also set activity zones and pair either up with a Nest Hub or Nest speaker for visitor announcements.
There are a couple of differences in the rest of the features offered by the two doorbells though. The Nest Hello Doorbell (wired) offers a chime, 10 days of 24/7 video history with Nest Aware Plus and motion and person alerts without a Nest Aware subscription.
The Nest Doorbell (battery) meanwhile, has person, motion, parcel, animal and vehicle alerts without a subscription, three-hours video clip event history rather than still images like the Nest Hello, and it will continue to record during a Wi-Fi or power cut. It only has a chime when wired in though and there is no option for video history.
Hardware and specs
- Nest Hello (wired): 3MP color sensor, 8x digital zoom, 4:3 ratio, 160-degree FOV
- Nest Doorbell (battery): 1.3MP color sensor, 6x digital zoom, 3:4 ratio, 145-degree FOV
The Nest Hello Doorbell (wired) offers a 4:3 aspect ratio and a 160-degree diagonal field of view. It's a wider view than the battery-powered Nest doorbell, fitting in a group of people for example, though you will still be able to see packages on the floor.
It has a 1/3-inch, 3-megapixel color sensor that offers 8x digital zoom and it offers 1600 x 1200 video at 30fps.
The Nest Doorbell (battery) has a 3:4 aspect ratio and a 145-degree diagonal field of view. It has a taller view than the Hello wired doorbell, enabling you to better see things on the floor in front of your doorbell, as well as people.
It has a 1/3-inch, 1.3-megapixel color sensor that offers 6x digital zoom and 1280 x 960 video at 30fps.
Both have a speaker and microphone on board, though the battery-operated doorbell offers noise cancellation.
Of course, the biggest difference is the Nest Hello Doorbell is wired and therefore needs to be professionally installed unless you already have a wired doorbell, while the Nest Doorbell (battery) can be battery powered or wired. You will need to charge the battery if you opt for battery powered so bear that in mind. A one-meter charging cable comes in the box.
Conclusion
The first decision between the two Nest Doorbells will come down to your home and which is more suitable in terms of installation. For some, the wired doorbell won't be practical and therefore the battery option is your only option.
That's not to say the battery-powered Nest Doorbell is the lesser option though. It has a couple of extra features over the Nest Hello wired doorbell, like more alerts included without a subscription and the ability to continue recording even in a power cut or Wi-Fi cut. It's also cheaper, especially if you consider installation costs of the Nest Hello wired doorbell.
The Nest Hello wired doorbell is an excellent choice too though, and it offers slightly better video resolution, as well as a chime.
Buy Google Nest Doorbell Battery
Buy Nest Hello Doorbell Wired 1st GEN