There are plenty of video doorbell options to pick from, but most can set you back hundreds – and that’s before the monthly subscription. You can opt for some more affordable options, but they often offer fewer features. This Swann video doorbell offers plenty of features for a price under $100/£100, but that’s not its most impressive trick.
Swann’s Evo video doorbell has an AI feature that can talk to your visitors on your behalf, and it might be one of the most impressive features I’ve ever seen.
SwannShield is an AI voice assistant that actually talks back. It uses generative AI to engage with whoever’s on your doorstep – whether it’s a courier or someone with dubious intentions. You get to pre-programme responses ahead of time, and it delivers them with a surprisingly human-sounding voice. There are 8 accents and 3 moods to pick from, so your doorbell can sound however you’d like. It understands 100 languages, auto-detects what it’s hearing, and responds in kind.
Under the hood, Swann’s Evo doorbell comes equipped with a 1.7MP camera that shoots in 2K HD. That’s paired with a 140-degree wide-angle lens. Night vision’s crammed in as well, with infrared capturing everything up to 5 metres away when the sun’s long gone. Plus, there are True Detect sensors to spot movement and heat instead of being fooled by a gust of wind.
You also get the usual 2-way audio, a rechargeable battery that won’t conk out after a week, and an indoor chime that lets you know someone’s at the door. Storage is refreshingly straightforward – just pop in a MicroSD card (up to 256GB), and you’re good to go without forking out for a monthly cloud fee.
The Evo Video Doorbell is available now directly from Swann and third-party retailers like Amazon – it’ll set you back $99/£89.
