Real estate managers face a unique set of challenges, whether they’re overseeing multi-tenant residential properties or commercial spaces like offices and retail centers. Their mission? Deliver security and convenience to tenants, efficiently manage foot and vehicle traffic, control operating costs, and embrace tools that enhance the property’s appeal—maintaining premium rents and keeping real estate values thriving.
Touchscreen Video Intercoms provide an all-in-one solution to these issues. They’re a cost-effective tool for managing a building’s access control without full-time door staff. They let tenants screen visitors, provide improved security, and elevate the building’s aesthetics. Swiftlane explores what these devices do and reviews several hardware models that are best in class for their categories.
Table of Contents
- Why Invest in a Touchscreen Video Intercom
- Touchscreen Video Intercom Key Features
- Top Touchscreen Video Intercom Models
- More About Swiftlane
Why Invest in a Touchscreen Video Intercom
Touchscreen video intercoms provide two major upgrades from legacy call boxes and intercom systems, which we will explore: they provide video links to your front door, and they have interactive, searchable touchscreen interfaces that replace cumbersome legacy directories.
Benefits of Video Intercoms
Many property managers are considering touchscreen video intercoms as a way to upgrade from legacy audio-only intercom systems. Video intercoms provide a few key benefits:
Enhanced security: Porch pirates and other criminals often use audio-only intercoms to impersonate delivery personnel, gaining access to steal packages or worse. Video intercoms let tenants and staff visually verify visitors before unlocking the door and, with cloud-based tools, create a photo or video log to help deter repeat offenses.
Optional two-way video: High-end video intercoms now feature two-way video, allowing visitors to see and communicate with tenants. In commercial buildings, this creates a positive impression, fostering connection from the moment guests arrive. In residential properties, it’s a hallmark of a desirable, tech-forward address. Two-way video is also becoming the standard for accommodating sign language users.
Facial recognition access: With their built-in cameras, video intercoms can offer a feature called facial recognition access control. With this capability, tenants don’t need to carry a key or memorize a PIN code. Their face unlocks the door just by looking at the intercom camera, just like a smartphone.
Benefits of Touchscreen Intercoms
Legacy intercoms had limitations before touchscreens. Some buildings used systems with a button for each tenant, while larger ones relied on printed directories, which were hard to update and space-limited. Digital directories with scrolling buttons improved this for mid-size buildings but are impractical for properties with hundreds of units.
All of these systems look dated in the current era of full-color digital devices in everyone’s pocket.
This Doorking intercom, for example, has a digital directory that you can scroll by pressing the “A” and “Z” buttons.
With touchscreens, intercoms look and feel more like a smartphone or tablet – they can display a range of keyboard or keypad types depending on the function. Visitors can type a tenant name to immediately find them among hundreds or thousands of tenants. These touchscreen systems can scale to tens of thousands of different users with no additional hardware or complicated directories.
Touchscreen intercoms can also display a numeric keypad, so that tenants or frequent visitors can enter in their personal identification number (PIN) to open the door. Touchscreens can also offer full-color two-way video. They offer a significant step up in aesthetics from legacy devices and signal that the building is investing in its tenants.
Touchscreen Video Intercom Key Features
Size of the Touchscreen
Touchscreen video intercoms come in a range of screen sizes to suit different budgets, installation locations, and building sizes. We categorize these screens into three size categories.
Small: The touchscreen is 5” or less, smaller than the typical smartphone. It may only offer a numeric keypad and a small video display. It can be good for compact spaces but usually only good for smaller buildings.
Medium: Touchscreens between 5” and 8”, similar to many smartphones, which can display a range of keyboard types and on-screen information.
Large: Touchscreens of 8” or larger, similar in size to many small tablet devices. These can offer exceptional two-way video calls and various onscreen tools for visitors and tenants. These make a lasting impression on your building’s front elevation.
Touchscreen Durability and Weatherproofing
Touchscreen video intercoms can be a significant but worthwhile investment for your building – but you want them to withstand the elements or potential vandalism so they can operate for years to come. This is why it’s important to know the IP and IK rating of your hardware choice.
IK Rating: This is a rating, from 01 to 10, for the intercom’s durability against kinetic energy, such as being smashed or slammed with any force. For indoor intercoms, we recommend at least IK08. For outdoor intercoms, we recommend a fully IK10 rated device, which can be struck with something hard like a hammer or baseball bat and not break.
IP Rating: This two-digit rating reports the intercom’s weather resistance. The first digit, from 1-6, is the dust rating. We recommend a dust rating of “5” or higher for all indoor uses and “6” for all outdoor use cases. The second digit, from 1-8, is the water resistance rating. We recommend “5” or more, which provides resistance to even the heaviest rain storms. IP65 and higher is a gold standard for devices.
Special Intercom Features
Modern touchscreen video intercoms can include or integrate with the following popular features.
Proximity readers: Many modern intercoms include a built-in proximity reader for RFID, NFC, and Bluetooth devices. This enables credentials such as tapping your smartphone or smartwatch to the reader for access or using key fobs and traditional corporate ID badges.
Facial recognition: This popular feature of video intercoms provides hands-free access control and a biometric layer of security. It works the same way as looking at your smartphone to unlock the device, but looking at the intercom unlocks the door.
Cloud Based Platform/Database: Most modern video intercoms are in a category known as IP intercoms because they communicate using Internet Protocol. IP intercoms can offer a cloud-based operating platform and database, which allows them to be remotely managed from a central office. Many legacy intercoms must be programmed by a professional while servicing the device, so Internet-enabled cloud management saves time and money and is more user-friendly.
Top Touchscreen Video Intercom Models
We scoured the web for product reviews, technical specifications, test videos, and more to identify top models of touchscreen video intercoms. We’ve categorized them into various use cases or key features.
Best Model with In-Unit Tenant Stations: Aiphone IXG Series IP Video Intercom
- Manufacturer: Aiphone is a global manufacturer known for its comprehensive range of intercom and security communication systems.
- Product Overview: The Aiphone IXG Series is designed for multi-tenant buildings, offering a touchscreen intercom system with video calling capabilities. The IXG-DM7-HID is their main entrance intercom model, pictured above. While most intercoms connect to tenant’s smartphones, the IXG Series can be linked to base stations mounted in each tenant unit.
- Key Features:
- 720p video camera
- Built-in HID reader for card and keyfob access
- IP65 and IK08 ratings, good for indoor placements
- Can connect to tenant mobile app or wall-mounted, in-unit tenant stations that are sold separately
- Power over Ethernet (PoE) connectivity.
- Screen Size: Medium size 7” LCD directory screen, 800×400 resolution
- Price range: $1,300 to $1,800 from various online sellers for the main unit. Tenant intercoms are sold separately.
What people are saying: Product reviews appreciate the system integration with access control for building amenity doors like parking areas, gyms, or pool areas.
Best Facial Recognition Intercom: Swiftlane Swiftreader X
- Manufacturer: Swiftlane is at the forefront of video intercom systems for multitenant resident and commercial buildings with built in biometric facial recognition access control. The company took off during the COVID-19 pandemic as buildings sought sanitary, hands-free access control solutions.
- Product Overview: The Swiftreader X offers a highly durable intercom with 2-way video and a large full-color screen. Swiftlane intercoms all feature high-speed, hands-free facial recognition.
- Key Features:
- 720p video camera
- Built-in HID reader for card and keyfob access
- IP65 and IK10 ratings – top anti-vandalism rating great for outdoor use
- Mobile access control via personal device apps
- Power over Ethernet (PoE) connectivity
- Two-year limited warranty and 24/7 technical support
- Screen Size: Large size 8” LCD directory screen
- Price range: $2,500-2,800, check manufacturer for specifics
What are people saying: Product reviews discuss the easy installation and fast enrollment process. The company product video demonstrates the extreme IK10 durability against vandalism.
Best Intercom With Fingerprinting: Akuvox R29CT
- Manufacturer: Akuvox is a global provider of smart intercom products, popular with residential buildings.
- Product Overview: The Akuvox R29CT intercom offers the unique capability of fingerprint biometric access control, which is not common to most standalone intercom systems.
- Key Features:
- Camera with up to 1920×1080 video resolution
- Time-stamped log of entries for security auditing
- Built-in fingerprint reader for fingerprint access control
- Also offers facial recognition, PIN entry, and keyfob/ID card, and one-time QR codes.
- Intercom features a built-in voice that provides instructions to users
- IP65 weatherproof
- Mobile app for remote access control.
- Screen Size: Medium size 7” IPS LCD touchscreen
- Price range: ~$2,400 for model without fingerprinting – contact Akuvox for fingerprint model pricing
What people are saying: Reviews of the product highlight the multilingual user interface, which can operate in English, Spanish, French, and Chinese.
Best Compact and Budget Model: Hikvision DS-KV9503
- Manufacturer: Hikvision is a well-respected manufacturer of building access control, traffic management tools, and security camera systems.
- Product Overview: The Hikvision DS-KV9503 offers one of the smallest available touchscreen video intercoms, perfect for smaller buildings and tight installation spaces.
- Key Features:
- 2MP camera
- Single push button to activate unit and place calls.
- Also offers facial recognition, PIN entry, and keyfob/ID card, and one-time QR codes.
- IK08 and IP65, good for indoor placements
- Mobile app for remote access control, or use Hikvision’s tenant unit stations sold separately
- Screen Size: Small 4” LCD touchscreen offers a compact wall unit. 800×480 resolution
- Price range: $300-$400 through online vendors
What people are saying: One product demonstration video shows that the intercom can work with a variety of tenant units made by Hikvision. Hikvision’s product demonstration video shows that the unit can enter a management programming mode so that settings can be adjusted on the device’s touchscreen.
Best Large Screen: 2N IP Style Intercom
- Manufacturer: 2N is a European company specializing in IP intercoms and access control solutions.
- Product Overview: The 2N IP Style is a high-end intercom system featuring a large touchscreen display and advanced video capabilities.
- Key Features:
- Wide-angle 5MP camera with a 138° horizontal and 114° vertical viewing angle.
- Forensic wide dynamic range (WDR) for clear images in varying lighting conditions.
- 2-way video
- Bluetooth 5.0 LE for mobile credentials.
- IK08 and IP65
- Customizable user interface with different display modes.
- High price tag
- Screen Size: 10.1 inches, with a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels. Among the largest models available today.
- Price Range: $4,000+
What People Are Saying: Product reviews praise the device’s high-resolution 5MP camera and adaptive face zooming. The company’s product demonstration video shows that the intercom screen can play videos while the unit is in standby mode, a feature that might be sought by commercial/retail buildings for outdoor advertising.
Note: We would be wary of installing such a high-end system outdoors with an IK08 rating. IK10 is preferred for outdoor installations.
Best for Smart home Integration: AlphaTouch AT700AS
- Manufacturer: Alpha Communications provides communication solutions, including intercom and access control systems. They offer integrated systems that tie their intercom into surveillance camera networks throughout a building.
- Product Overview: The AlphaTouch AT700AS is a SIP-enabled, hands-free video intercom system designed for various building sizes. The system’s app can tie into smart home devices like Alexa and Google Home.
- Key Features:
- 120° 2MP camera for clear video communication.
- PoE (Power over Ethernet) for simplified installation.
- Access control capabilities with Wiegand reader and output.
- Cloud-hosted system with monthly fees for advanced features.
- Integration with Alexa or Google Home
- Works with AlphaTouch app or optional tenant unit stations, sold separately
- Screen Size: 7 inches capacitive touchscreen with an intuitive Android operating system
- Price Range: ~ $2,400
Note: Lacks facial recognition access control. Other systems like Swiftlane’s include facial recognition at the same price point.
More About Swiftlane
Since our founding, Swiftlane’s touchscreen intercoms have offered high-quality two-way video with built-in facial recognition. Facial recognition access control is our specialty. We grew in the market during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic when building managers were looking for hygienic and hands-free solutions to provide building access.
Now, our products have performed door access over 1 billion times. Find our products in over 1,000 multi-tenant apartment and condo buildings in 45 states, available through over 200 installation partners.
