Asking “Blink or Ring?” is a perfectly fair question on Prime Day. If you've already got Amazon Prime, you've no doubt seen amazing deals on both Amazon-owned brands already.
If you've not got Amazon Prime yet, then you definitely shouldn't forget that signing up gets you access to Amazon Prime's other features, like the TV streaming service which was home to this year's stand-out show Fallout (which even my mum liked!)
Anyway, let me propose that there are two other ways you can approach the 'Blink vs Ring' conundrum during this special occasion, assuming you're willing to spend just a tiny bit more than the bare minimum (but still a lot less overall).
Option 1: It's a trial opportunity
Why not buy one camera from each line and see which you feel most comfortable with? Both have a lot of similarities, of course, but both retain individual stylistic touches too.
If you like experimenting with tech, now's your moment. Is there a latent product reviewer in you? Perhaps you've always wanted to make unboxing videos? Either way, it's going to cost less, and you get to do a comparison.
Both Blink and Ring also offer 30-day trials of their advanced features. Here, then, are the cheapest ways to get started with each brand:
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Blink Mini 2 | was $39.99 | now $19.99
Save $20 at Amazon The new version of the tiny Blink Mini brings an LED spotlight and the power of water resistance to this popular put-it-anywhere security camera, which already boasts day-and-night HD view and two-way-talk. (You do need an extra power adapter to use it outdoors, though).
Ring Indoor Cam (2nd Gen) | was $59.99 | now $29.99
Save $30 at Amazon The Ring Indoor Cam boasts a feature that is very reassuring for many – a physical privacy guard which can be placed in front of the lens. The camera is 1080p, boasts pre-roll recording, a variety of mounting options, and two-way-talk via the app.
Neither of these is the most sophisticated camera out there, but for a minimal spend you'll get a good understanding of how the app operates – a valuable experience for less expense, today anyway!
Option 2: Buy a brand that won’t keep charging you forever
There is another reason both of the Amazon-owned companies' cameras are so cheap (it's also the reason that these devices are discounted frequently during the year – even if today is extra-special). Both Blink and Ring cameras work best with a paid subscription, so to get the best out of them you need to constantly trickle money into a cloud subscription fee, and it does add up.
If you spend a bit more on day one, though, you can neatly side-step that and have your own subscription-free security system.
My recommendation is the eufy system, which has also got some great discounts for Prime Day. There’s a variety of brilliant floodlight and even pan/tilt cameras, so that you can take advantage of a single hub.
This isn't just a random suggestion either: it’s what I use at home.
eufy S300 2x bundle | was $469.99 | now $269.99
Save $200 at Amazon This clever system comes with no ongoing costs thanks to the powerful storage hub (which accepts up to 16GB of memory). The cameras have a 4K resolution – beating most – but work well without a subscription because of the BionicMind AI hub. You can even expand the storage.
eufy S330 2x bundle | was $549.99 | now $349.99
Save $200 at Amazon This equally brilliant security system matches the one above – but with solar charging to keep the cameras topped up. There are still no ongoing costs thanks to the powerful storage hub. The cameras have a 4K resolution – beating most – but work well without a subscription because of the BionicMind AI hub, and you can even expand the storage.
You can read a more thorough review of the Eufy S330 system, but I'll happily add that it continues to impress.
