2GIG GC2e Vs. Honeywell PROA7PLUS

The 2GIG GC2e and the Honeywell PROA7PLUS are both wireless alarm control panels that are used for alarm monitoring. But while the PROA7PLUS is generally considered to be a high-end "luxury" alarm panel, the GC2e is more of a "budget" option. And it shows in the specifications.

	2GIG GC2e	Honeywell Home PROA7PLUS
Versions	2GIG GC2e	Resideo PROA7PLUS Honeywell Home PROA7PLUS Note - Both versions are identical, but one says "Resideo" across the front, and the other says "Honeywell Home" across the front.
Panel Type	Wireless All-In-One	Wireless All-In-One
Display Screen	5" Touchscreen	7" Touchscreen
Power Input	14VDC, 1.7A	9VDC, 2.5A
Backup Battery	24 Hr Rechargeable Lithium-Polymer 3.7VDC, 2500mAh	24 Hr Rechargeable Li-ion 3.6VDC, 5200mAH
Total Zones	Up to 60	Up to 250 (PROTAKEOVER Required)
Encrypted Zones	Up to 60	Up to 127
Legacy Zones	Up to 60	Up to 123 (PROTAKEOVER Required)
Encrypted Sensors	2GIG eSeries Sensors	Resideo PROSIX Series Sensors Honeywell SiX Series Sensors
Legacy Sensors	Honeywell 5800 Sensors AND 2GIG 345 MHz Series	One (1) of Five (5) w/ PROTAKEOVER: - Honeywell 5800 Series (not 2GIG 345 MHz) - 2GIG 345 MHz Series (not Honeywell 5800 Series) - Qolsys & Interlogix/GE 319.5 MHz - DSC 433 MHz - Bosch Sensors
User Codes	Up to 64	Up to 96
Partitions	Single-Partition	Up to 4
Key Fobs	8 Key Fob Slots	32 Slots for PROSIXFOB and SiXFOB Key Fobs
Keypads	Up to 4 (2GIG TS1, 2GIG PAD1-345)	Up to 8 Per Partition (PROSIXLCDKP & PROWLTOUCH - (requires PROWIFIZW which is included)
WIFI	None	Integrated (2.4 GHz Networks Only) Note: Replaceable w/ PROWIFIZW
Cellular	Sold Separately: LTE-A-A-GC2 (AT&T LTE) LTEV1-A-GC2(Verizon LTE)	Sold Separately: PROLTE-A (AT&T LTE) PROLTE-V (Verizon LTE) Not Required for Monitoring
Communication	Cellular Only	WIFI Only (PROWIFIZW included) Cellular Only (Cellular Radio Required) Dual-Path (Cellular Radio Required)
Platform	Alarm.com	Total Connect 2.0
Automation	Z-Wave Plus (Card Cannot Be Replaced)	Z-Wave Plus (Replaceable PROWIFIZW)
Amazon Alexa	Only possible through the Alarm.com integration. Requires monitoring service.	Embedded into the panel. Does not require monitoring. Can be disabled if desired.
Front Camera	None	2MP, supports Disarm photos and is always enabled. Does not support a Live Lookin snapshot.
Sounder	85 dB	85 dB
Bluetooth	No	Yes (for optional automatic disarming)
Chime	Yes	Yes
Voice	Yes	Yes
Dimensions	6.0"L x 8.5"W x 1.56"D	5.75"L x 7.875"W x 1.0"D
Mounting	Wall Mount or Table Stand (Sold Separately)	Wall Mount or Table Stand (Sold Separately)
Microphone	Built-in	Built-in
Backlit Screen	Yes	Yes
Weather Display	Yes	Yes
Scene Control	Yes	Yes
Operating Temp.	32°F to 104°F	32°F to 122°F
Panic Buttons	Yes	Yes
OTA Updates	Alarm.com	AlarmNet
Panel Camera Live-Streaming	None	No panel camera streaming as of April 2021. This feature may be added in the future.

First and foremost, it must be stressed that the 2GIG GC2e is the current "budget" system from 2GIG, while the PROA7PLUS is the flagship, "high-end" panel from Resideo. The 2GIG GC2e is actually heavily based upon the classic 2GIG Go!Control GC2 Security System. The GC2e and GC2 are basically the same panel, but the GC2e has a larger touchscreen of 5", compared with the GC2's smaller touchscreen, and also the GC2e supports the encrypted 2GIG eSeries Sensors, while the GC2 offers no encrypted sensor support. For much of its early lifespan, the GC2e lived in the shadow of the more advanced 2GIG GC3e. But the GC3e was later replaced by the 2GIG Edge as the flagship panel from 2GIG. So while the GC3e has largely "kicked the bucket", the GC2e has actually continued to live on and thrive as an affordable entry-level security system.

Ironically though, the PROA7PLUS is actually the significantly superior option when compared with the 2GIG GC2e for anyone needing affordable, low-cost monthly monitoring service. This is because the PROA7PLUS uses Total Connect 2.0 (TC2) as its interactive monitoring and automation platform, while the 2GIG GC2e uses Alarm.com (ADC). This is important because TC2 allows for internet-only (IP-only) connectivity, while ADC requires that all systems using its platform have a cellular communication path activated. Cellular monitoring usually costs more on a monthly basis than IP-only monitoring, so if you are looking to keep monthly expenses down, then you should go with the PROA7PLUS or at least some other panel from Honeywell. Just keep in mind that if you opt for internet-only monitoring without any cellular backup, then an internet outage will take your panel offline and leave you without monitoring service until the internet is restored.

Really, the PROA7PLUS just gives you much greater flexibility in choosing your communication path than a GC2e. The PROA7PLUS has built-in WIFI, and you can use that to get the system monitored right out of the box. And if you want to upgrade the system to support cellular monitoring, then you can easily do so by adding either a PROLTE-A (AT&T LTE) or a PROLTE-V (Verizon LTE). Using internet and cellular communication together is often referred to as "dual-path" connectivity, and it is great because your system will stay monitored even if one communication path is down or unavailable. Meanwhile, the GC2e has absolutely no communication when it is fresh out of the box. Per Alarm.com requirements, a cellular communicator must be added to get the GC2e monitored. And that will serve as the panel's only communication path, as IP (internet protocol) connectivity is not possible for a GC2e in any manner.

Overall, the PROA7PLUS is just a more robust security system than the GC2e in almost every way. The PROA7PLUS supports more wireless zones, more user codes, more key fobs, more keypads, and it has more features and capabilities than the GC2e (e.g. optional automatic Bluetooth disarming, disarm photos from a front panel camera, having a camera in the first place, etc.). The PROA7PLUS even has a larger touchscreen than the GC2e. Also, the PROA7PLUS supports partitioning, while the GC2e is a single-partition system. It's not necessarily even fair to compare these two systems, as the PROA7PLUS is a high-end panel, while the GC2e is more of a budget panel. However, if you dig deep enough, you can find some areas where the GC2e is the victor.

First, as of April 2021, the PROA7PLUS does not support local end-user programming. All programming must be completed remotely by the user's monitoring company. And if the user does not have the PROA7PLUS System monitored, then it cannot even be programmed. This is not the case for the 2GIG GC2e, as that system readily supports end-user programming, and a user can start enrolling sensors and configuring zones as soon as the system is powered on. It is known that Resideo is working on releasing end-user programming for the PROA7PLUS in the form of a system firmware update, and once that happens, then this point will be irrelevant. But for the time being, it must be stated that the GC2e supports end-user programming, while the PROA7PLUS does not.

Also, if you are interested in using security cameras with your system, then it needs to be mentioned that the Alarm.com Security Camera lineup is significantly more robust and offers many more options than the lineup of Total Connect 2.0 Security Cameras. While Alarm.com (ADC) and Total Connect 2.0 (TC2) are largely equal in terms of supported features, ease of access, and overall capabilities, the one area where they differ greatly is in camera support. And in that department, ADC wipes the floor with TC2. The ADC platform offers a vast and wide selection of excellent security cameras, giving customers a plethora of great options to choose from. As of April 2021, for TC2, now that their only outdoor camera has been discontinued, there are only two (2... yes, 2) supported high-definition cameras available for use with the TC2 platform, those being the IPCAM-WIC1 and the IPCAM-WIC2. It is known that Resideo is working on releasing new cameras, including a brand-new outdoor security camera for a slated release in late 2021, but for the time being, their camera lineup is shockingly small. So if security camera support is important to you, then technically the GC2e is superior. It is also worth mentioning that the PROA7PLUS may one day support live-streaming for compatible TC2 Cameras, while such a feature will almost certainly never be supported with the GC2e. But until that happens, the GC2e is clearly the better option when it comes to cameras.

In almost all aspects, the PROA7PLUS is the much better panel than the GC2e. The only areas where you can make a case for the GC2e are the fact that the GC2e supports local end-user programming (though the feature is coming soon for the PROA7PLUS), and the fact that the GC2e's interactive platform of Alarm.com supports a much better camera lineup than the PROA7PLUS' interactive platform of Total Connect 2.0 (though the PROA7PLUS may one day support panel camera streaming, while the GC2e will likely never support this feature). One area where the two systems are unequivocally equal is in smart home automation, as both systems offer their own built-in Z-Wave Plus controller, as well as the ability to perform smart scenes locally. But in most cases, the PROA7PLUS is superior over the GC2e. A much "fairer fight" for the PROA7PLUS is to compare it with the 2GIG Edge, the current flagship panel from 2GIG. That system stacks-up much more favorably to the PROA7PLUS than the GC2e. But as far as the GC2e is concerned, it is beaten pretty much hands down by the PROA7PLUS.