Gone are the days when a doorbell was just a button that triggered a tinny chime somewhere in the house. Now, thanks to smart tech, the humble doorbell has had a serious upgrade. These days, it’s all about seeing who’s at your door from wherever you are in the world, chatting to delivery drivers remotely, and even recording footage of visitors for added security. Companies like Ring have paved the way for this tech revolution, and now others are stepping in with their own takes. Take Swann, for instance – an Aussie company that’s made a name for itself of late in the smart home security market.
Swann’s latest offering, the SwannBuddy4K, takes the concept of a video doorbell to the next level with ultra-clear 4K video resolution, built-in local storage, and even a voice assistant to handle awkward interactions for you. It’s packed with features, but does it live up to rivals like Yale and Ring, the latter of which has cemented itself as the leader in smart doorbell gadgets over the last few years.
I’ve spent the past few weeks living with the SwannBuddy4K – testing its performance, exploring its quirks – to find out whether it’s a genuinely useful addition to a smart home or just another bit of tech to show off to the neighbours. Let’s dive into what the SwannBuddy4K has to offer and whether it’s the right fit for your front door.
SWANNBUDDY4K review: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
The SwannBuddy4K is available now with an RRP of £169 in the UK, $199 in the US and AU$299 down under. However, some online retailers are offering discounts that bring it closer to the £130 mark for customers in Blighty. This places it slightly above budget-friendly models like the Yale Smart Video Doorbell (£99) but below premium offerings from Ring, which can cost upwards of £200 when bundled with accessories like chimes.
The good news is that the SwannBuddy4K doesn’t lock you into expensive monthly subscriptions. A 32GB MicroSD card comes as standard, and the doorbell supports cards up to 128GB. However, if you prefer cloud storage and extended features, a subscription plan is still available for £3.99/month or £39.99/year, which includes 60 days cloud recording. Much cheaper than rivals like Ring, who currently charges £8.99/month for a similar service.
SWANNBUDDY4K review: DESIGN
When it comes to design, the SwannBuddy4K feels practical, with a no-nonsense vibe. It’s not trying to win any beauty contests, and that’s fine – it’s built to be robust and functional. Although its mostly plastic build attracts smudge marks like no-one’s business, which can look unsightly at the best of times.
At around 14cm tall, 5.5cm wide, and just under 3cm thick, it’s on the chunkier side compared to sleeker options like Ring. On the other hand, it does feel solid and weighty, so I can imagine it’ll withstand a good knock or two (no pun intended).
In terms of finish, the SwannBuddy4K features a matte black and silver aesthetic, making it look modern and understated in the most part. It’s by no means an eyesore, but it’s also not going to fit the style of every home. That said, this device is all about resilience. With an IP65 water-resistance rating, it’s built to withstand the classic British drizzle - or even a full-blown downpour.
The doorbell’s metal mounting bracket is where things get a little tricky. Sure, it feels sturdy and secure, but it’s not the easiest to work with – especially if you’ve got a decorative door frame. The bracket simply doesn’t offer enough flexibility to install at an angle, which can be frustrating if you’re trying to position the camera for the best view.
Swann does include double-sided adhesive tape as an alternative mounting option, but let’s be honest – slapping a sticky pad on your pricey new video doorbell feels like a risky move. For added security, there’s an anti-tamper screw that locks the doorbell into place. While this is a nice addition, it’s fiddly to screw in, and you might find yourself wrestling with it if the doorbell’s already mounted.
Overall, the design isn’t about wowing you with aesthetics but rather giving you a rugged and reliable device that gets the job done. It’s practical and weather-ready – just don’t expect installation to be effortless. I found the app setup was also a bit of a pain, with the doorbell not recognising my preferred WiFi system since it was running at 5Ghz (the doorbell only runs on the 2.4GHz frequency, annoyingly).
SWANNBUDDY4K review: PERFORMANCE
In terms of performance, the SwannBuddy4K works generally well but it’s not without its downfalls. First off, the 4K video quality is genuinely impressive. When you’ve set the resolution to its highest in the app (it defaults to a lower quality initially), the images are sharp, detailed and clear enough to pick out even small features like package labels or someone’s expression from a distance. It’s equally good in low light, with night vision providing clear footage without the usual graininess you get with some other cameras.
I found the 165-degree viewing angle is a decent fit for my front porch, and will likely suit most, giving you a decent overview of what’s happening without leaving blind spots. It’s portrait-oriented, which might feel odd if you’re used to the landscape view of traditional security cameras, but it works well for a doorbell. If you’ve got a busy street nearby, you’ll probably appreciate the customisable motion zones in the app. These let you exclude certain areas from triggering alerts - so you’re not bombarded every time a car drives past.
The motion detection itself is smart, recognising and categorising different types of movement. It can distinguish between a person, pet, car or package. This is handy if you want to find specific events, like when a delivery was dropped off. It’s not perfect – occasionally a car or cat might get flagged as a person but overall, it’s accurate enough to be useful.
Interacting with visitors is straightforward. As soon as someone presses the doorbell, a notification pops up on your phone. Tap it and you’ll be streamed live with whoever’s at the door. However, in my experience, the app was rather laggy during these instances, taking a good 10 second or so to respond to my commands and catch up with what was happening. I’m using an Android phone - so this might not be the case for iOS users.
The bundled SwannShield AI-driven voice assistant isn’t great, either. It lets you play pre-recorded messages like “Please leave the package at the door” or the rather blunt but equally hilarious “The police are on their way”. And if that doesn’t do the job there’s always the siren button to scare off intruders - although something you’d realistically ever use. Nevertheless, the voice feature is fun, but it feels more like a novelty than a necessity - especially given its slightly robotic Aussie accent.
Battery life is a strong point, however. After a couple weeks of testing with regular motion alerts and recordings, the doorbell still had just over 50% charge left. That’s pretty impressive, though it’s nice to know you can hardwire it for continuous power if needed.
All in all, the SwannBuddy4K does most things well, even if a few features feel like overkill. It’s just a shame about the often glitchy and slow-to-respond companion app.
SWANNBUDDY4K review: VERDICT
The SwannBuddy4K is a decent video doorbell that does most of what you’d want. Its standout feature is the 4K video quality, which delivers crisp footage day and night. The inclusion of a MicroSD slot for local storage is a big win, too, saving you from shelling out for pricey subscription plans.
However, it’s far from perfect. The installation process was pretty hellish for me, both on the app and physically - especially with the rigid metal mounting bracket. And while the SwannShield voice assistant is fun to play around with, it feels more like a party trick than a must-have feature. And the app overall feels like it needs a serious update (on Android, at least) to be able to handle all the doorbell’s features smoothly and efficiently.
At its core, this doorbell is practical, reliable and built to last. It’s not groundbreaking, but if you want sharp video, solid performance and no monthly fees, it’s worth considering.
