H4sh

Just to set the stage for this review, it might be a little biased because I'm a Google fan boy. I've 2 x Google Home, 1 x Google Home Mini, 1 x Google Max and 1 x Google Nest Hub (previously named Google Home Hub). Not to mention I've converted my wife from an iPhone to Pixel 3 XL so that she can simply ask "Hey Google, where is my phone" (Something that she used to ask me few times a day). I'm also using Pixel 2 XL waiting for Pixel 4 to be launched later this year but I digress.

I ordered a Nest Hello Doorbell from the US to see how well it would work with my home full of Google stuff. So here's how the unboxing looks like:

The box comes with everything you needed to install the doorbell even the drill bit!

However, like Ring Pro, the Nest Hello must be run from the mains, which will potentially require a new transformer powerful enough for the doorbell. 

Apartments in Singapore do not have main powered doorbell system. As such, I'll need to install a power supply at my chime area (this is usually in the walkway or kitchen of the apartment) install a transformer in the picture above. This will supply power through the doorbell wires out to the main door. Please note that, as Nest Hello do not have distributor in Singapore, this transformer is not available out of the box. For products like Ring Pro, as the packaging is customised to Singapore market, they included a transformer to power the RIng Pro.

Here's some screenshots of the Nest:

    

As Nest Hello is not available in Singapore, in the country list, Singapore cannot be found in either the Asia or Asia Pacific region. We can only select China and Australia now and some features of the Nest Hello such as home detection may not work as well.

    

The full instructions of installing the Nest Hello is available in the next few screens in the wizard but most of them are more applicable to US users. We will skip those screenshots to the more relevant ones.

             

Once the Nest Hello is all setup, you can setup notification when there is motion or when someone pressed the doorbell. If you have a Google Nest Hub (Home Hub), you can also say "Hey Google, show me my Front Door".

 

Now, unlike Ring Pro that comes with a wifi chime, the Nest Hello does not come with one but is capable of using your Google Home as a chime. You will need to activate the visitor announcement in the Nest app to enable that feature and link your Nest account to Google account as follows:

  

With this, you will be able to hear the announcement when someone press the bell. Here's how my Google Max do when the bell is pressed:

 

Final Tip

Initially, I was only able to get all my Google Home speakers work with the visitor announcement. I wasn't able to get my Home Hub react to the doorbell and show the video upon pressing the bell. It took me sometime to realise that for Google Home Hub, you need to turn on the notification option (it is off by default). With that working, you can talk to the visitor on the Home Hub before unlocking your door.

Conclusion

As a smart home company, we do not carry nor install Nest Hello. As an individual, I do recommend the Nest Hello doorbell if you already have Google Home products in your place. For Amazon Echo users, I'd recommend going for Ring Pro instead. In the most recent Google I/O event, Google announced the end of Works with Nest program. This might mean that Nest Hello may only work with Google Home products in the future.

The Nest Hello, despite having a lower resolution compared to Ring Pro, has a video quality turned out to be equal or better in some lighting condition due to HDR. My only qualm about it is that when I asked to view the front door on my Home Hub or Chromecast to TV, the video does not fill up the screen as it is 4:3 instead of 16:9. It is also not available in Singapore. Otherwise, the Nest Hello doorbell is quite a strong competitor to the Amazon backed Ring Pro.

Automate Asia Team