2GIG GC3e Vs. Honeywell PROA7PLUS

The 2GIG GC3e and the Honeywell PROA7PLUS are both wireless alarm control panels that are used for alarm monitoring. While they do have some things in common, such as both sharing a 7-inch touchscreen, they have many differences that are worth discussing. Let's check out these systems!

	2GIG GC3e	Honeywell Home PROA7PLUS
Versions	2GIG GC3e	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	7" 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 100	Up to 250 (PROTAKEOVER Required)
Encrypted Zones	Up to 100	Up to 127
Legacy Zones	Up to 100	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 - 2GIG 345 MHz Series - Qolsys & Interlogix/GE 319.5 MHz - DSC 433 MHz - Bosch Sensors
User Codes	Up to 100	Up to 96
Partitions	Up to 4 "Smart Areas"	Up to 4
Key Fobs	32 Key Fob Slots	32 Slots for PROSIXFOB and SiX Key Fobs
Keypads	Up to 8 (2GIG SP1, 2GIG SP2, 2GIG PAD1-345)	Up to 8 Per Partition PROSIXLCDKP & PROWLTOUCH - (requires PROWIFIZW which is included)
WIFI	Integrated (2.4 GHz & 5 GHz) Note: WIFI card cannot be replaced.	Integrated (2.4 GHz Networks Only) Note: Replaceable w/ PROWIFIZW
Cellular	Sold Separately: LTEA-A-GC3 (AT&T LTE) LTEV1-A-GC3(Verizon LTE) LTEV-A-GC3 (Verizon LTE) Required for Monitoring!	Sold Separately: PROLTE-A (AT&T LTE) PROLTE-V (Verizon LTE) Not Required for Monitoring
Communication	Cellular Only Dual-Path	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 the taking of Disarm photos and is always enabled. Live Lookin snapshot is not supported.
Sounder	85 dB	85 dB
Bluetooth	No	Yes (for optional automatic disarming)
Chime	Yes	Yes
Voice	Yes	Yes
Dimensions	5.70"L x 8.88"W x 1.36"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 120°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, it should be mentioned that as of April 2021, the PROA7PLUS is the current flagship security system for Resideo. However, the 2GIG GC3e has largely been replaced by the 2GIG Edge. It's possible that by the time you're reading this, the 2GIG GC3e will be unable to be purchased new, and only used models will be available. If you find a used 2GIG GC3e, then you should be able to get it monitored. Just make sure you know the Installer Code to get into programming (default 1561 for the 2GIG GC3e).

The 2GIG GC3e is basically just a slightly upgraded version of the 2GIG GC3, with the big addition being the fact that the 2GIG GC3e can support encrypted 2GIG eSeries Sensors, while the regular 2GIG GC3 has no encrypted sensor support. There are also minor cosmetic improvements. Meanwhile, the Honeywell PROA7PLUS is a completely refreshed system from its predecessor, the Honeywell Lyric Controller. In all honesty, the 2GIG GC3e was not a successful alarm system on the market. We're not saying it was a bad system by any means. But it is worth mentioning that it had a product life of only about two (2) years, before it was effectively replaced by the 2GIG Edge. Existing 2GIG GC3e Systems can still be used reliably for alarm monitoring services. But most customers looking for a 2GIG Alarm System either go all the way to the 2GIG Edge, or they go with the 2GIG GC2e, which is their budget security system.

Arguably the single biggest difference between the 2GIG GC3e and the Honeywell PROA7PLUS is the fact that the GC3e uses Alarm.com as its interactive monitoring and automation platform, while the PROA7PLUS uses Total Connect 2.0. This is important due to the fact that Alarm.com REQUIRES cellular connectivity, with internet connectivity being optional, while Total Connect 2.0 allows systems to connect across IP only, with cellular being optional. Many users who want to keep monitoring expenses as low as possible will go with a Honeywell or Resideo System that supports IP-only monitoring (like the PROA7PLUS), as IP (internet protocol) monitoring usually costs less than cellular monitoring. However, it must be mentioned that cellular monitoring is more reliable, as an internet outage will take a panel relying on IP-only connectivity completely offline and leave it unmonitored. But if you are willing to accept that risk, and you want to keep your monitoring expenses to a minimum, then that in itself is a reason to pick the PROA7PLUS. When it comes to monitoring services from Alarm Grid, the PROA7PLUS can be used with ANY Alarm Grid monitoring plan, while the GC3e can only be used with any Gold Plan, Platinum Plan, or a Cell-Only Plan. For more information, check out our monitoring page, as well as this post outlining our plans.

One other important thing to mention is that as of April 2021, the PROA7PLUS does not yet support local end-user programming. Instead, all programming must be done remotely by the user's alarm monitoring company. You must have the system monitored to get it programmed. However, it is known that Resideo is working on a firmware update for the PROA7PLUS to provide it with this feature, and it is expected to be available in the very near future. But for the time being, only the GC3e can support end-user programming locally at the panel. This makes the GC3e the "better" option for DIY monitoring, where a user sets up their own security system. This will obviously be a moot point once Resideo updates the PROA7PLUS to support the local programming feature, but it must be mentioned for the time being.

As we mentioned earlier, one advantage that Total Connect 2.0 has over Alarm.com is the fact that TC2 allows for IP-only monitoring, which is good for low-cost monitoring, while ADC requires cellular connectivity, which, while more reliable, is also more costly. For the most part, TC2 and ADC offer the same features and functionality, so there is usually little reason to choose one over the other. But one area where ADC really excels over TC2 is in its lineup of security cameras. The selection of Alarm.com Security Cameras is significantly more fleshed out and much deeper than the selection of Total Connect 2.0 Security Cameras, which is honestly, quite lacking. It's possible that Resideo will release new cameras in the future, and it is known that they are working on a new outdoor camera with a tentative release date of late 2021, but at the time of this writing in April 2021, ADC is the clear winner here. So if you have to decide between the GC3e and the PROA7PLUS for supporting security cameras, then the GC3e is the way you would probably want to go, as its remote service platform of Alarm.com supports a much better selection of cameras than the PROA7PLUS and its remote service platform of Total Connect 2.0. We do want to mention the fact that it is believed that Resideo is working on developing camera live-streaming capabilities for the PROA7PLUS Panel, and such a feature will almost certainly never be available for the GC3e. But we have no word on when, or even if, that feature will ever see the light of day. That being said, the newer 2GIG Edge System already supports camera live-streaming for compatibility with Alarm.com Security Cameras.

The last main area we will cover in this text is panel features. For this category, we recommend the PROA7PLUS over the 2GIG GC3e. The PROA7PLUS supports optional automatic Bluetooth disarming, which is not offered with the 2GIG GC3e. Also, the PROA7PLUS has a front panel camera for taking disarming photos, while the 2GIG GC3e does not have a front panel camera. However, both of these features are offered on the newer 2GIG Edge System. If you are hung up on the fact that the 2GIG GC3e is lacking these features, then you should strongly consider the 2GIG Edge instead, as it will provide you with what you are looking for, and it gives the PROA7PLUS much tougher competition than the GC3e. But in comparing the 2GIG GC3e and the Honeywell PROA7PLUS, the PROA7PLUS is the clear winner when it comes to available features.

It should also be mentioned that the PROA7PLUS supports more zones than the GC3e, but you will need to add a PROTAKEOVER Module to the PROA7PLUS if you want to use any older, non-encrypted sensors with the system. The GC3e can readily support legacy 345 MHz sensors, with no add-ons being needed, and you also won't have to choose between 345 MHz sensor lineups. The PROA7PLUS with a PROTAKEOVE Module installed technically allows for a greater selection of legacy sensors than the GC3e, but you will be forced to decide whether you want to use Honeywell 5800 Sensors OR 2GIG 345 MHz Sensors with that system. The GC3e allows you to use BOTH Honeywell 5800 Sensors AND 2GIG 345 MHz Sensors at the same time with the system. Of course, both systems also readily support encrypted sensors, with the 2GIG GC3e supporting the 2GIG eSeries Sensors, and the Honeywell PROA7PLUS supporting the Honeywell SiX Series Sensors and the Resideo PROSIX Series Sensors. Also, both panels support up to four (4) configurable partitions, which is great for businesses and multi-family homes. And both panels include built-in Z-Wave Plus controllers for smart home automation functionality.

Overall, comparing the 2GIG GC3e and the Honeywell PROA7PLUS isn't exactly fair, as the Honeywell PROA7PLUS is the newer system, and it supports significantly more features than the GC3e. The PROA7PLUS is also the clear choice if you want to use IP-only monitoring to keep expenses down, as that is not possible with the GC3e. In most categories, the PROA7PLUS is the preferable panel. But there are some little victories for the GC3e, in that its platform of Alarm.com supports a significantly better camera lineup, and the GC3e allows users to use both 2GIG 345 MHz Sensors AND Honeywell 5800 Sensors at the same time, while the PROA7PLUS forces you to buy a separate PROTAKEOVER Module, and even then, you have to choose between those two sensor lineups. If you are looking for a panel that gives the PROA7PLUS a much better run for its money, then look into the 2GIG Edge Alarm System.