Aqara · Reviewed by Eric Welander · Published 2026-03-17
Based on a review by Eric Welander (accessed 2026-03-17).
Based on this review alone: buy it if you care about sleek and small design — just accept no integration with existing mechanical chimes.
The reviewer concludes that the Aqara G400 is "the best option for most people who want that same kind of best Apple Home experience with a doorbell." He finds the "whole package is a very good product, and one you wouldn't regret putting on your front door," despite some minor missing features like mechanical chime integration and color night vision.
This review covers the Aqara G400 doorbell, detailing its design, power and connectivity options, installation process, and integration with Apple HomeKit Secure Video. It also discusses its video quality features, chime box functionality, and comparisons to other smart doorbells.
The Aqara Doorbell G400 is the best wired smart doorbell for Apple Home users due to its sleek design and reliable HomeKit Secure Video integration. It offers vertical 2K video for a full head-to-toe view, which is superior to previous landscape options, and provides flexible power options including PoE or standard wiring with Wi-Fi 6. However, it lacks color night vision and cannot directly trigger mechanical chimes. If you prioritize deep integration with Apple Home and excellent vertical video quality, this doorbell is an excellent choice. If color night vision or support for existing mechanical chimes are critical, you might need to look elsewhere.
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visual_inspectionneutralt=01:14–01:23
The reviewer notes that taking it out of the box, the doorbell G400 is a lot sleeker and smaller than previous Aqara doorbells, praising the new front button design for clarity.
visual_inspectionpositivet=01:26–01:37
The reviewer shows that the doorbell has a Power over Ethernet port in the back, offering flexibility to power it with standard doorbell wiring or PoE for a hardware connection.
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The reviewer states that if standard doorbell wiring is used, the device connects to the smart home over Wi-Fi 6, which is an upgrade compared to other HomeKit Secure Video doorbells.
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The reviewer points out that the doorbell does not include any mechanism to integrate with a home's existing mechanical chime, relying solely on its included chime box or smart home integrations for sound.
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The reviewer describes the installation as straightforward, involving screwing a plate to the door (or using adhesive), connecting wiring, and snapping the doorbell onto the mount.
visual_inspectionnegativet=03:10–03:19
A minor annoyance noted by the reviewer is that the adhesive backing on the mount is slightly visible after the doorbell is installed, suggesting it should be completely hidden.
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The reviewer explains that the G400's chime box functions primarily as a speaker and is largely optional, as the smart home connection is now handled directly by the doorbell.
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At launch, the doorbell includes a 90-day free trial of Aqara's Home Guardian cloud surveillance plan, which sends video feeds to Aqara's servers.
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The doorbell features local AI for detecting people, animals, or packages, recording clips with audio and saving them to Aqara's cloud for up to 90 days during the trial.
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The reviewer notes that there is currently no apparent way to opt out of the 90-day cloud surveillance trial if users prefer not to have their videos saved to Aqara's cloud.
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When using HomeKit Secure Video, 1080p versions of detected clips (people, packages, vehicles) are recorded to iCloud, not counting against storage limits but tiered by iCloud plan.
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The doorbell features a 2K vertical video sensor, providing a 2x3 aspect ratio image to see visitors head-to-toe, though the 1080p HKSV limit is noted as a downside.
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Unlike some other Aqara cameras or the Logitech Circle View, the G400 does not have color night vision, instead using black and white infrared night vision, which the reviewer finds looks "pretty good."
hands_on_demopositivet=07:22–07:37
The reviewer demonstrates that the chime box has buttons on top to cycle through and select different doorbell sounds, allowing users to choose their preferred sound.
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The reviewer confirms that the doorbell supports RTSP, enabling users to share a live video preview to a network-attached storage device or other compatible devices.
The G400 offers flexible power options, allowing it to be powered by traditional doorbell wiring or Power over Ethernet. If using standard wiring, it connects to your smart home via Wi-Fi 6, which is an upgrade from many other HomeKit Secure Video doorbells. PoE provides a direct hardware connection for both power and data.
The G400 does not include any mechanism to trigger a home's existing mechanical chime. Instead, it comes with a separate chime box that acts as a speaker for doorbell sounds. Any other notifications or sounds would need to be set up through integrations like Apple Home.
The Aqara G400 is Aqara's first doorbell with vertical 2K video, offering a 2x3 aspect ratio for a full head-to-toe perspective. However, when integrated with Apple HomeKit Secure Video, detected clips of people, packages, and vehicles are recorded to Apple servers in 1080p, not the full 2K resolution. These HKSV recordings do not count against iCloud storage limits.
Unlike some other Aqara cameras (like the G5) and competitors (like the Logitech Circle View), the G400 does not offer color night vision. It features black and white infrared night vision, which the reviewer notes looks "pretty good" for both recorded and live footage.
The G400 utilizes local AI on the device to detect people, animals, or packages. These detected clips, along with audio, are recorded and saved for up to 90 days on Aqara's cloud servers as part of a free trial. Users can also manage recordings to a microSD card, and Apple HomeKit Secure Video also provides its own detections and recordings.
The Aqara G400 includes support for RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol), which can be enabled through the Aqara Home app settings. This feature allows the live video feed to be shared with a network-attached storage device or another RTSP-compatible device for local recording or previewing elsewhere in the home.
The reviewer states that the G400 is "the best option for most people who want that same kind of best Apple Home experience with a doorbell." While he notes minor drawbacks like the lack of mechanical chime integration and color night vision, he concludes that the overall package is a "very good product" and a worthwhile investment for Apple Home users.
100/100 source quality
The Aqara G400 is presented as a sleek, powerful doorbell designed for Apple Home users with HomeKit Secure Video. It features vertical 2K video, Wi-Fi 6, and Power over Ethernet, aiming to improve upon older models like the Logitech Circle View. The reviewer details its straightforward installation, setup with the Aqara Home app, and integration with HomeKit Secure Video, noting the 1080p HKSV limit despite the doorbell's 2K sensor. While it lacks color night vision and mechanical chime integration, the reviewer highly recommends it for its overall package and strong Apple Home ecosystem integration.
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This page converts Eric Welander's review of the Aqara Aqara Doorbell G400 into structured evidence — timestamped claims, pros & cons, and buyer questions. It is not the original review and does not replace watching or reading the full source.
Brand relationship disclosed as: gifted