Founded in 2001, Yealink is a video conferencing, voice communications, and collaboration solution provider with offices in 140+ countries around the world. The company has built an established footprint, bolstered by several recognitions over the years. In 2018, Frost & Sullivan named the company a Leader in Business Telephony, ranking No.1 in SIP Phone Shipment market share.
Interestingly, Yealink doesn’t limit itself to businesses of a specific scale. It has solutions for small meeting rooms and huddles, as well as mid-to-large-sized conference sites. The company has partnered with UC giants such as Microsoft and Zoom to deliver a seamless, business communication experience. Yealink is a publicly-traded company, listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.
Today, we are reviewing their flagship video conferencing product – Yealink VC800 for mid to large rooms.
Inside Yealink VC800
This is the second-gen full HD system from Yealink, following the previous VC200. The new addition brings support for 24-site HD video conferencing as well as two virtual meeting rooms. Yealink has updated its user interface significantly, making it intuitive and easy to control. What’s more, the solution is powered by Harman Kardon speaker technology, making it simply matchless in terms of audio quality. Let’s look at the VC800’s robust feature set:
- Unboxing and accessories – Inside the box, you get an exciting array of devices beyond just a business telephone. There is the VC800 Codec integrated camera, two wireless expansion units, a remote control, a cable hub, and the video conference phone. The last device steals the show with a fully-functional touchscreen interface, making it easy to control in any office scenario
- The camera – Yealink’s full HD camera comes with an impressive 60 frame rate and 12X optical zoom. It can be tilted at a 30-degree angle, and rotated by 100 degrees – this gives the camera component maximum flexibility to capture even the largest meeting rooms. As a bonus, there is a Beauty mode which might come in handy during customer conferences
- The phone and audio – The 5-inch touchscreen telephone is mounted on the central hub which has a built-in three-microphone setup. The addition of Harman Kardon’s technology means that audio quality is excellent, with acoustic echo cancellation and noise-proof support. You can add up to 2 expansion mics in case you want to scale
- Calling – You can view up to 1+7 participants on Yealink, with all the standard functionalities like Group Dial, DND, Local directories, Call Histories, and Call Waiting available out-of-the-box. You can choose to share screenshots in a USB flash drive, and even access a virtual keyboard for ad-hoc collaboration needs
- Cloud compatibility – The VC 800 offers a range of hosting options including Yealink’s own Cloud Management Service and Meeting Server, a well as StarLeaf, Pexip, and a bunch of others. If you’re hosting the Yealink Meeting Server, you get the additional ability to mute and unmute participants
- Network & security – VC800 comes with built-in certification and a number of network diagnosis tools. You can trace network routes, achieve 128-bit encryption and opt for an anti-attack communication setup
- Connectivity and physical dimensions – The cable hub that’s part of the solution includes two RG45 ports, one HDMI input, one MiniDP input, and a USB port. We found the USB particularly useful as it allows lengthy call records without limiting file size. The Yealink VC 800 can be wall-mounted via screws and consumes a maximum of 21 W. And like most UC hardware it has an upward operating threshold of 40-degree Celsius
Why Yealink VC800 Makes a Difference
VC 800 brings all the capabilities of a wired business telephony system at a fraction of the hassle. The different components of the solution are seamlessly integrated and we felt that the inclusion of Harman Kardon speakers was a nice touch. The company also has its own hosting service, in case you’re wary of disturbing your existing cloud infrastructure. Here are a few other stand-out benefits you can expect from the VC 800:
- The solution comes with a complementary camera, but you can add up to 9 cameras at the same time
- The 24-site video conferencing capacity can be divided between two virtual meeting rooms, streamlining remote collaboration
- The touchscreen available on the central telephone makes Yealink a modern and elegant collaboration tool
- The microphones can pick up audio at a 20 feet range – ideal for mid-to-large-sized rooms
What we Think
If you’re in the market for a collaboration tool that does it all – hardware and software, video and audio – Yealink VC 800 is an obvious choice. At the time of writing this review, the solution is priced at USD 5,544, and this covers the five discrete components in the box. With Yealink, you’re ready to get started from day one or take your time to customise and scale as required – and it also supports your existing third-party meeting room systems without blinking an eye.
