Video doorbells
Which one shows the parcel on the step?
Both were designed by people who understood that a doorstep is a vertical scene. The Tapo does it with a 180° head-to-toe view and can run either way; the Reolink does it with a square sensor and dual-band Wi-Fi.
| Compared on | D235 | Video Doorbell (Battery) |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 2K 5 MP | 2K 4 MP |
| Image format | 180°, head to toe | 1:1 format, head to toe |
| Power | 10,000 mAh battery or 8–24 V wired | Battery, or wired for continuous power |
| Pre-roll | When wired | Not stated |
| Storage | microSD up to 512 GB, or Tapo Care | microSD up to 256 GB, cloud or Home Hub |
| Detection | Person, pet, vehicle and package | Person, vehicle and package |
| Chime | Included | Sold separately |
| Night vision | Color, with spotlight | Not stated |
| Weatherproofing | IP66 | Weatherproof, no rating published |
| Wi-Fi bands | Not stated | Dual-band |
| Listed on amazon.com | Yes | Yes |
A tick marks the better answer on that line only. Counting ticks does not decide the page — the two verdicts below do, because these products answer different questions.
Prefer the D235 if there is a doorbell transformer. Wired means never charging it, and pre-roll means the clip starts before the bell rather than after it.
Buy the Reolink where the Wi-Fi at the door is marginal — dual-band is what a front door most often needs — and if the square frame suits you better. It can be wired too, but Reolink does not state pre-roll.
It is the few seconds before somebody pressed the button, recorded because the camera was already awake. A battery doorbell sleeps until motion wakes it, so its clip begins with somebody already at the door — and the approach, which is the informative part, is missing.
The D235 expects a doorbell transformer between 8 and 24 V, which most existing chimes have; the Reolink can also be wired for continuous power. An old mechanical chime usually needs a bypass module to stop it buzzing continuously.
2K 5MP · 180° head-to-toe · 10,000 mAh or wired 8–24 V · pre-roll when wired · card to 512 GB
A doorbell that works either on its 10,000 mAh battery or wired to an existing 8–24 V transformer — and when wired, TP-Link states it records pre-roll, the seconds before the trigger.
Best for: A door with existing bell wiring, where the seconds before somebody rings are the ones you want.
2K 4MP · 1:1 head-to-toe aspect · dual-band Wi-Fi · card to 256 GB · two charging methods
Reolink uses a square 1:1 sensor rather than a widescreen one, so the frame is as tall as it is wide and shows a caller head to toe with the step included. Local storage to 256 GB, with no subscription required.
Best for: A doorstep where the parcel matters as much as the caller.
≈ $120
