The $180 (£180) Ring Stick Up Cam Wired is a significant improvement over the first-gen model. It has all of the basic specs you want from a DIY home security camera, but this version is designed to go inside or outside (the original was outdoor-only). 

That added flexibility isn't unique to the Stick Up Cam -- Arlo, Logitech and Canary already sell indoor/outdoor cameras -- but we've been waiting for an indoor version from Ring.

My main hesitation with this model is that Ring still doesn't offer free cloud video storage. Even though the subscription starts at just $3 per month, all three competitors I mentioned above offer at least 24 hours of free video storage. This Ring camera doesn't work with Google Assistant either, just Alexa .

The Stick Up Cam is a fine camera, but its lack of free cloud storage and Google Assistant support is frustrating. Consider it if you already have a bunch of other Ring products and want everything to work in the same app. Otherwise I'd look at the Canary Flex for a similarly priced camera with free cloud storage and a rechargeable battery.

Getting to know the Stick Up Cam Wired

How does the Stick Up Cam Wired compare to the competition? Let's take a look:

Comparing indoor/outdoor security cameras

	Ring Stick Up Cam Wired	Logi Circle 2 Wired	Arlo Pro 2	Canary Flex
US price	$180	$180	$480 (two-camera kit, plus required hub)	$200
Color finish	Black, white	White	White	Black, white
Type	Indoor/outdoor	Indoor/outdoor	Indoor/outdoor	Indoor/outdoor
Power source	Power adapter, Power over Ethernet (PoE)	Power adapter	Rechargeable battery, power adapter	Rechargeable battery, power adapter
Resolution	1080p HD	1080p HD	1080p HD	1080p HD
Expected battery life	N/A (must use power adapter)	N/A (must use power adapter)	Six months	Two months
Field of view	150-degree viewing angle	180-degree viewing angle	130-degree viewing angle	116-degree viewing angle
Live streaming	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Continuous recording	No	No	No	No
Cloud storage	Optional 60-day event-based video history for $3 or $10 per month	Free 24-hour event-based video history (Optional 14- or 31-day event-based video history for $4 or $10 per month)	Free 7-day event-based video history (Optional Arlo Smart cloud service subscriptions ranging from $3 to $15 per month)	Free 24-hour event-based video history (Optional 30-day event-based video history for $10 per month)
Local storage	No	No	No	No
Mobile app	Yes, Android and iPhone	Yes, Android and iPhone	Yes, Android and iPhone	Yes, Android and iPhone
Web app	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes, with cloud subscription
Night vision	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Alerts	Motion	Motion (person alerts with Circle Safe Premium subscription)	Motion, audio (person alerts wtih Arlo Smart)	Motion and person (package detection with cloud subscription)
Activity zones	Yes	Yes, with Circle Safe Premium subscription	Yes, with Arlo Smart	No
Two-way audio	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes, with cloud subscription
Operating temperature range	-5 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 to 48.5 degrees Celsius)	-4 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 to 50 degrees Celsius)	-4 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 to 45 degrees Celsius)	-4 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 to 45 degrees Celsius)
Third-party integrations	Amazon Alexa, Wink	Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant	Amazon Alexa, Apple TV, Google Assistant, IFTTT	Amazon Alexa, Apple TV, Google Assistant, Wink

As far as design goes, the Ring Stick Up Cam Wired reminds me of Ring's Spotlight Cam, just without the built-in lights.

The Stick Up Cam Wired comes with two power adapters, one geared toward indoor use and the other weatherproofed for outside use. You can also power the camera via Power over Ethernet (PoE).

Ring makes the installation and in-app setup pretty painless. Mount the included base to a wall or a ceiling -- or set it on a table. The box includes all of the mounting hardware you should need, a small screwdriver and even a drill bit.

I started off by downloading the Ring app, which is typically my first step when I'm installing any DIY smart home device. Once you've created your Ring account and signed in, Ring walks you through the entire configuration process, including naming your device and entering the Wi-Fi information for your local network.