Best Dash Cams 2018 - Dash Cam Reviews
The research
- Why you should trust usa
- Who should become this
- How we picked
- How we tested
- Our option: Vantrue N4
- Flaws but not dealbreakers
- Upgrade pick: Nextbase 622GW
- Too neat: Garmin Dash Cam Mini ii
- Budget choice: Vantrue N1 Pro
- Other proficient dash cams
- What to look frontwards to
- How to set up a nuance cam
- The competition
Why yous should trust us
Rik Paul, who contributed reporting for this guide, has been testing and writing about automotive electronics and accessories for the by 25 years. To get the legal perspective on nuance cams, he interviewed Ben Schwartz, a personal injury chaser and managing partner of Schwartz & Schwartz Attorneys at Police.
Who should get this
If your routine drive ever turns into a life-altering event, you'll probably appreciate having a nuance cam to prove what happened. This continuously recording, windshield-mounted device tin can document an accident or other incident you're involved in, providing you lot with bear witness that could (ideally) help prove your innocence to a lawyer, an insurance company, or law enforcement.
Case in signal: One Wirecutter staffer was able to use his nuance-cam footage to prove that he wasn't at fault after he was rear-ended in a parking garage. Although the forward-facing photographic camera couldn't tape the vehicle in dorsum actually hitting his car, he said, "It showed that I was driving appropriately, and captured the audio, jolt from touch on, and mine and my girlfriend's reactions."
In addition, a dash cam can help other drivers who need objective eyewitness testify following a crash, a hit-and-run incident, a road-rage situation, or police force misconduct. You can apply it to tape dangerous roadway conditions or to monitor the driving habits of someone else in your car—with their consent, of course—such as an inexperienced driver or an older developed. A nuance cam can also come in handy if y'all just want to capture and share a funny scene, a memorable trip moment, a beautiful vista, or unusual happenings like streaking meteors (video).
"At that place are thousands of people who are injured and killed every yr by hit-and-run drivers," said Ben Schwartz, a personal-injury attorney we interviewed. "If those hit-and-run victims had a dash cam in their car, maybe the video would tape the tag number of the vehicle that hitting them, and so that would atomic number 82 police to the bad guys."
But there are potential disadvantages, Schwartz noted: "Non only will a nuance cam document other people'south mistakes, but it's going to certificate yours." Whether or not you think you're at error, Schwartz said, yous should starting time evidence the footage to your lawyer. "Permit the attorney determine whether the footage is favorable or not favorable to [your] case, and allow the attorney advise yous on what to exercise with the footage."
Finally, there are some practical considerations. Learn how to set up a dash cam, and commencement thinking about how you would install a dash cam in your machine before deciding that yous want ane. Almost all dash cams tape video on a removable microSD carte du jour, and many don't come with one, calculation price (a good microSD card costs about $35 at this writing). Likewise, yous should confirm that you lot tin legally mountain a dash cam on your windshield where you lot live, and learn your state's audio- and video-recording laws.
How nosotros picked
Earlier choosing which dash cams to test, nosotros spent hours researching the specs and features of about 380 models. We read reviews from Autoblog, BlackBoxMyCar, CNET, Digital Trends, PCMag, Pop Mechanics, T3, and TechRadar (though many of them were sparse on easily-on experience), as well every bit client reviews and ratings (afterwards nosotros checked their reliability on Fakespot). Nosotros also perused some driving legislation and insurance claims, and we watched hours of dash-cam footage on YouTube.
About nuance cams work in a similar way. They record to a microSD card and apply loop recording, and so the newest video overwrites the oldest. They take born 1000-sensors (or accelerometers) that detect an impact, and in the event of a crash they automatically save that footage from being overwritten. Typically, y'all tin as well manually save footage by pressing a button or giving a voice control. You lot can review footage on the unit of measurement's display, on a smartphone app, or on any device that can read a microSD carte. Some dash cams come with an eight, 16, or 32 GB microSD card, merely most can support up to 256 GB if yous desire to dorsum up or delete your files less oft. Nuance cams can also tape audio, if y'all want, and well-nigh models let y'all capture a still photo.
We narrowed our search based on the post-obit criteria:
- At to the lowest degree 1080p resolution: A dash cam'due south video—whether captured in lite or dark weather—has to be precipitous and distinct enough that you, a lawyer, your insurance visitor, or a member of law enforcement can read license plates and see other details conspicuously. We preferred models with 2160p (4K/UHD) or higher resolution, since their footage is ofttimes notably sharper than that of 1080p models, and we didn't consider anything nether 1080p.
- Dark vision: We made night vision a requirement for a nuance cam to be considered for testing since auto crashes and other incidents you may want to document can occur at any time of day or night (as well every bit in dark environments such every bit highway tunnels).
- 24-60 minutes parked-car monitoring: We required each model to exist capable of recording impacts or movement around your car, whatsoever time of twenty-four hours or dark, whether you're in it or not. To depict power when the car isn't running, a dash cam commonly needs to be hardwired to the automobile's fuse box, connected to an external battery, or plugged into the vehicle's OBD-II diagnostic port.
- Sufficient field of view: We required each model to have a field of view (FOV) in the range of 140 to 160 degrees—wide enough to accept in a multi-lane highway or a large intersection without creating a wide-angle effect that makes cars in front look further away and details harder to see.
We also preferred (but didn't require) models to have the post-obit features:
- Easy-to-use controls: We looked for models with clearly labeled, easily reachable controls (especially the video-lock push button). We likewise preferred models with buttons we could identify in the nighttime, as well as intuitive menus and a functional companion app.
- Easy-to-read display: Most dash cams have a brandish that's one½ to three½ inches diagonal; displays that are at least 2 inches go far easier for yous to adjust settings on the wing and to preview footage. Models without a display—generally non our preference—require you to utilise a phone or computer to ready the camera and to view video footage.
- Effective mounting organization: Nosotros looked for mounts that held the photographic camera securely yet allowed us to aim it easily, also as to remove it easily. Generally we've constitute suction-cup mounts to be the easiest to use. Mounts that adhere to the windshield with agglutinative pads are frequently more compact and very secure, only they tin can be hard to remove for repositioning or swapping betwixt vehicles. Most dash-cam makers give you a choice between mount types or sell other mount options separately.
- Wi-Fi and smartphone app: We like an integrated Wi-Fi network because it allows the nuance cam to connect to a compatible smartphone app, through which you can view, download, or share video. The best apps likewise have a map that shows the auto's location, speed, and other details. As with all internet-connected devices, using this feature comes with the risk of getting swept up in a information breach. But it could come in handy if your footage is deleted accidentally, or if the microSD card gets corrupted or damaged in a crash.
- GPS receiver: A GPS receiver lets a dash cam record a car's location, the trip history, and the speed and direction of travel—all valuable information for figuring out how an incident occurred. The best models have the receiver integrated into the camera trunk or mount, rather than needing a separate plug-in device. A nuance cam's GPS receiver doesn't provide turn-by-turn directions, though; you demand to utilize a smartphone automobile mount and a mapping app or a dedicated car GPS navigator for that. The nuance cam too shouldn't share GPS data unless you specifically opt in to doing and then in a connected app.
- Multiple cameras: In addition to a front-facing camera, some dash cams include a small, separate camera that you mountain to the car's rear window to tape video of what's behind you, and/or a 2nd lens that points toward the car'due south motel and passengers. Most people are fine with just a forepart-facing camera, but having multiple cameras gives yous even more footage that tin can be useful in the event of a crash.
- Driver assistance: Basic driver-help and safety alerts can include forward-collision warnings, which sound an alert if yous are post-obit too closely; lane-departure warnings, which allow y'all know if your car is crossing a lane marker on the road; and other features such as stop-sign recognition, reminders to plough on your headlights, and driver-fatigue reminders.
- Capacitor power supply: For power, some dash cams forgo a lithium-ion battery and instead use a capacitor, which stores energy in an electric field rather than chemicals and mostly allows them to handle extreme heat meliorate. Although we haven't had whatever issues with the lithium-ion-powered dash cams we've long-term tested—even during summer heat waves in Southern California and New York—a capacitor-based power supply can provide extra peace of mind in very hot climates.
Our option process left us with 14 models to compare against our existing picks for our 2022 circular of testing: the BlackVue DR900X-1CH Plus, the Cobra SC 400D, the Garmin Nuance Cam 57, the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2, the Garmin Dash Cam Tandem, the Rexing M2, the Rexing V1 Basic, the Rexing V5, the Sylvania Roadsight Mirror, the Thinkware F200 Pro, the Thinkware F70, the Vantrue N1 Pro, the Vantrue N4, and the Vantrue X4S.
How we tested
While setting upwards each dash cam, we first evaluated the layout of the controls, the size and location of the buttons, and the ease of navigating the menus. We checked the effulgence and clarity of the display, downloaded and connected to the app (if applicable), and performed mutual tasks. We also took notes on the camera's build quality and overall pattern.
We so set upward the nuance cams in a automobile, evaluating how like shooting fish in a barrel it was to attach the mounts to the windshield, connect the dash cams to their mounts, adapt the aim of the cameras, and so remove them. Nosotros tested the cameras in vivid sunlight and at night, and on highways and suburban streets, racking up hours of driving time. To brand certain we could accurately compare the nuance cams with one another, we drove the aforementioned routes, which we chose for the amount of detail available for the cameras to capture.
So nosotros spent many more hours playing back the video footage on a calculator and so that we could examine and compare details and overall prototype quality. Based on all of this, nosotros finally made our picks.
Our pick: Vantrue N4
Our pick
Vantrue N4
The best dash cam
This dash cam delivers crisp, super-loftier-resolution footage day or night. It also has key features such as 24-hr parked-car monitoring and GPS tracking despite costing half every bit much as another contenders.
Buying Options
The Vantrue N4 is an unfussy, all-effectually great dash cam. It offers the all-time range of features for the price—$260 at this writing—that we've constitute. It'southward minor and sleek, so it won't obstruct your view while you're driving, but its three-inch screen is big and vivid enough to allow yous to easily navigate the card. It's especially uncomplicated and straightforward to set up and utilise, and information technology reliably captures crisp, articulate video. If you lot want tri-directional visibility (front, interior, and rear) and tin can live without luxury features like app connectivity, this is the nuance cam to go.
The N4 has a forepart-facing camera with 4K resolution (the best possible resolution available in any dash cam being sold today), too every bit interior and rear-facing cameras with 1080p resolution. In our testing, the primary camera recorded clear footage with true-to-life, appropriately saturated colors. It was able to selection up on license plate numbers and other of import details even in dim or dark environments.
The mount clips onto the top of the nuance cam, and a crank on the back of the mount affixes it firmly to the windshield. A knob on the neck of the mountain lets you aim the N4 at the bending that works best for you, and the suction cup has a minor lip so you tin can hands remove information technology and adjust the placement.
The N4 comes with a 12-volt car charger, the base of which flips open up to reveal a USB-A port. This characteristic is invaluable if you desire to charge your phone or another small device from the auto port while the dash cam is in use (otherwise you need to use a socket splitter or bring along a power banking company). It also has a helpful round light that lets y'all know whether the charger is properly plugged in and powering the dash cam. The Mini-USB cable fastened to the charger is 12 feet long, as on most models nosotros tested, so yous accept plenty of flexibility every bit to where you lot place the dash cam in your vehicle. The camera likewise comes with a Mini-USB–to–USB-A cablevision, which you'll need to plug the camera into most computers or a wall charger.
The screen of the N4 measures 3 inches diagonally, and as it takes upward most of the back of the master camera body, at that place's not much actress majority. The unit of measurement as a whole is slim, too; together, the lens and trunk are just over 1½ inches deep. Information technology has a ability button on top, and so you don't have to unplug it (or turn off your car) to power information technology down. The charging cable can plug into a port on height of the unit or a port on the mount.
Located in a higher place the screen are five clearly marked and easily accessible control buttons, which permit yous to quickly plow the audio on and off, format the microSD card, and do other bones tasks. The screen is brightly backlit, and the menu interface is intuitive and simple to navigate. Also, the main photographic camera's FOV is 155 degrees, right in the sweet spot of our preferred viewing-angle range; it's wide enough to capture cars parked on both sides of almost streets, as well as traffic coming from the left or right at an intersection.
Similar the rest of our picks, the N4 has a 24-hour parked-car monitoring style to go on tabs on your car when it's parked. This espionage tool is helpful when information technology comes to documenting hit-and-runs or other harm to your vehicle when y'all're not around. The photographic camera turns on and starts recording anytime it detects motion inside or right around the vehicle, such as when a neighbor's motorcar taps your bumper (as with all our picks, you demand to buy a separate external battery pack or hardwiring kit if you want to use this feature).
Since the N4 is powered by a capacitor instead of a lithium-ion battery, it can function in extreme heat, which is a nice asset if you plan to bulldoze in places with peculiarly hot climates. Information technology'due south designed to exist able to part in temperatures from 14 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit, the latter of which is hotter than a summertime day in Death Valley, and so you should be able to rely on it in most instances.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
Although the Vantrue N4 works great in warm weather, it'southward less suitable for very common cold climates. If you think you might exist using your dash cam in temperatures below 14 degrees Fahrenheit, you'd be better off with the Nextbase 622GW (which is rated to operate in temperatures as low as -22 °F).
Another notable downside of the N4 is that it doesn't take built-in GPS tracking (though you can add that office with a GPS-equipped mount, sold separately) or a built-in Wi-Fi network to connect to a smartphone app. This means that you tin't check your motorcar'south speed and location remotely, or view, download, and share video when you're away from your dash cam, as y'all tin can with the 622GW and some other models we've tested. But the absence of these features also means that the N4 doesn't pose any privacy or security concerns related to how the company might apply collected data. And although with other dash cams a company may determine to stop supporting or updating an app at any time, causing your dash cam to lose some functionality, you lot don't run that take a chance with this model.
The N4 also lacks some of the user-friendly driver-assist features that the 622GW has, such equally Alexa back up, Bluetooth connectivity, and emergency calling. Nonetheless, every bit this Vantrue model is often one-half the price of the Nextbase, we recollect most people wouldn't miss those luxuries.
Here are samples of the testing footage from the Vantrue N4.
Upgrade option: Nextbase 622GW
Upgrade pick
Nextbase 622GW
Pricier, only packed with features
This nuance cam has all the bells and whistles of our superlative pick (4K resolution, night vision, 24-hour parked-car monitoring, GPS tracking) and adds Bluetooth and app connectivity, congenital-in Alexa support, and emergency calling. Plus, its capacitor ability supply allows information technology to operate in temperatures as low every bit -22 degrees Fahrenheit, so it's your all-time bet for extremely cold climates.
Buying Options
If your upkeep allows for information technology, the Nextbase 622GW represents a large stride upward from our top pick. For twice the price, you get every bit great image quality and a wider range of features. Built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity lets you sync the camera with a smartphone app to access speed, location, and other information remotely; Alexa voice control allows yous to play music, place calls, cheque the conditions, get directions, and more while keeping your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road; and the uncommon Emergency SOS characteristic can automatically notify emergency services in the outcome of a crash, providing your location and other disquisitional information. To boot, the 622GW has the all-time mounting system of whatever dash cam we've tested, it's rated to operate in colder temperatures than any of our other picks, and it has an assortment of handy add together-ons that don't come up with most of the cheaper models.
The Nextbase 622GW has a unmarried, front-facing camera with 4K resolution (unlike with our top pick, its 1080p interior and rear cameras must exist purchased separately). Both during the day and at nighttime, information technology can capture crucial visual information such as street signs, license plate numbers, and even car makes and models in vivid item. Although its 140-degree FOV is a fleck narrower than that of the Vantrue N4, that corporeality is still within our ideal range for viewing every bit many objects equally possible at the same time.
The 622GW comes with a suction-loving cup mounting system that's similar to the N4'southward but ameliorate in a few primal ways. Commencement, the mountain attaches to the torso of the camera with magnets, a design that's exponentially easier to attach and detach than the N4'south plastic clips, and the whole setup stays together merely every bit sturdily. To aim the dash cam, it has a brawl-and-socket hinge, which is slightly easier to use than the knob on the N4'south mount, besides as a small lever to lock the mount in place on the windshield. If you prefer a more permanent setup, yous can just remove the suction cup and swap in an agglutinative zipper. Nextbase conveniently includes extra stickers for the adhesive mount, and so you can supplant them, also as a small plastic prying tool for when y'all desire to remove it (even with the tool, unsticking an adhesive mountain is difficult, so you'll be glad to have it).
The 622GW has the everyman minimum operating temperature (-22 degrees Fahrenheit) of any of our picks, which is helpful if yous live in an especially cold climate. Information technology doesn't fare as well in farthermost oestrus, however: While our top pick and budget option are both safe to use in environments upward to 158 °F, this Nextbase nuance cam's tolerance tops out at 140 °F. And so if you plan on using your dash cam somewhere very warm—keeping in listen that a car parked in direct sunlight acts like a greenhouse and gets much hotter than its environs—you may desire to consider 1 of those other models instead.
Other than the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2, the Nextbase 622GW is the only model among our picks with built-in Wi-Fi, letting you connect to a smartphone app. The app allows you to perform bones tasks, such equally viewing, downloading, and sharing video, remotely. However, at this writing it has a dismal rating of two out of five stars on both the Google and Apple app stores, with many complaints about ho-hum or spotty Wi-Fi connections. And as with any app, the company could decide to finish providing support or updates at any fourth dimension.
Like all of our picks, this nuance cam offers 24-hr parked-car monitoring, so (with an external bombardment pack or hardwiring kit, sold separately) it can record if your motorcar gets bumped or damaged while parked. Information technology also has congenital-in GPS tracking and so you can go back and review your location, your speed, and other relevant details from the time of a critical incident. Yous can access your data from the app or upload data to Nextbase's cloud storage service, but both actions are optional (if you're concerned most beingness surveilled past your dash-cam app, don't opt in).
The 622GW is 1 of the few models we've tested with congenital-in Alexa back up and Bluetooth connectivity, every bit well as an SOS feature that (with a paid subscription through the app) can ship your location and other disquisitional information to emergency services in the upshot of a crash. The latter functionality is rare to encounter in dash cams, and that characteristic solitary would probably justify this model's relatively high cost if you ever needed to use it.
Similar our top pick, the Nextbase 622GW is sleek and compact. Its screen, merely similar that of the Vantrue N4, measures 3 inches diagonally. The display is brightly illuminated, and the menu is adequately intuitive to navigate. The controls are mostly touchscreen based except for a small dwelling push button at the bottom of the screen and a ability button on the side of the unit of measurement. A rubber port protector fastened by a tiny tether is helpful for keeping dust and moisture out of the Mini-USB port on peak of the unit of measurement, though the port on the mount lacks this feature. Also, nosotros wish the HDMI port'south protector had a tether, too, every bit nigh people are likely to notice it hard not to lose the minor slice of safety.
In addition to a Mini-USB–to–USB-A cable, the 622GW includes a 12-volt automobile charger with a lengthy cable fastened (13 anxiety, a foot longer than the N4'due south). A small light helpfully indicates when the charger is properly plugged into the machine's port and powering the dash cam. Unfortunately, Nextbase's automobile charger doesn't have a built-in USB-A port, as Vantrue's chargers exercise, and then you demand to apply a socket splitter or pack a ability depository financial institution in your bag if you lot desire to accuse your phone and power the dash cam simultaneously.
Here are samples of the testing footage from the Nextbase 622GW.
Too bully: Garmin Dash Cam Mini ii
Likewise keen
If you lot're looking for a dash cam that people aren't likely to notice, we recommend the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2. Measuring only about two inches high and 1¼ inches broad (nigh the size of a key fob), it's one of the smallest and almost discreet models nosotros've tested, about disappearing on a windshield. You should always let passengers know they're existence recorded—even if notification is non legally required in your land, it's just good etiquette—but that doesn't hateful your dash cam must be overly obtrusive. The Mini 2's streamlined expect reduces cruddy clutter, and its simplistic controls and screenless design assist minimize potential distractions.
The Mini 2 has a unmarried, front end-facing camera that records at 1080p resolution, however it delivers surprisingly good video quality compared with like models. It has the aforementioned 140-degree FOV as the Nextbase 622GW, on the narrow side but all the same within our ideal range. Like all our other picks, it has a 24-hour parked-car monitoring mode to detect motion and impacts whether the car is running or not (and as with our other picks, you accept to buy a split up external battery pack or hardwiring kit to use this feature).
In our testing with the Mini 2, nosotros constitute it harder to read license plates on parked and oncoming cars than with the all-time 4K models, just the images had bright colors and assuming highlights and shadows. At night, headlights and other bright lights had minimal glare—which can't be said for what we've seen in the night video of many other dash cams—and the footage had good contrast.
Because the Mini ii is and then modest, it doesn't have a display; you have to utilize the Garmin Drive smartphone app to aim the device correctly (through its live-view function) and to conform settings. You'll also notice only two control buttons on the Mini 2's body. An easy-to-reach button on the back of the unit saves the well-nigh recent video and takes a still photo when pressed or syncs with the smartphone app when held down. A push on the side turns the sound on and off or (with a long press) formats the SD carte. Since the Mini two has no physical power button, the simply fashion to plough off the photographic camera is to turn off the auto or unplug the power string.
The adhesive mountain that comes with the Mini 2 provides a broad range of adjustment, and you tin easily pop the device on and off, leaving only a small plastic disc on the windshield. This mountain doesn't include the handy magnetic attachment that other Garmin models and the Nextbase 622GW have, just we like that it stays in place more than firmly.
The Mini 2's charger is more like a standard car charger than the ones that come with our other picks: Instead of a built-in charging cable, it has 2 USB-A ports and comes with 2 split, removable charging cables (one is 13 feet long, the other 5 feet long). This pattern makes information technology a more versatile charger, since y'all can apply a longer or shorter cable to power your dash cam, and you tin use both USB-A ports to accuse other devices when the dash cam isn't in apply.
Like our tiptop pick, the Mini 2 is powered by a capacitor rather than a lithium-ion battery. Information technology's rated to operate in temperatures betwixt -4 °F (like our upkeep choice) and 140 °F (like our upgrade pick). Although it's not much meliorate suited to farthermost climates than our other picks, it should still work ordinarily in most places at most times of year.
Dissimilar our other picks, the Mini 2 doesn't offer built-in GPS tracking (nor the power to add it with a separate mount, equally our budget pick does). Still, it does take vox command and built-in Wi-Fi, both of which are rare features—even among dash cams costing hundreds more.
The Garmin Drive app is more limited than the Nextbase app, and in our tests the recorded video was a chip inclement when we played it back on the app. Nonetheless, at this writing the Garmin Drive app has a rating around 4.5 stars (out of five) on Google Play and the Apple tree App Shop, whereas the Nextbase app has just two stars on both those platforms. So possibly most people prefer the simplicity of Garmin's app.
In 2020, Garmin suffered a ransomware set on that took its services downwards for three days. The visitor claims that no customer data was stolen, just this incident reinforces our general concerns about how companies handle data. Garmin's privacy policy says its apps do not upload video, location, or other information to its servers (or tertiary-party servers) unless you opt in. Only since this nuance cam'southward lack of a screen makes it nearly impossible to utilize without connecting to the app, these risks are especially important to consider before you lot buy.
Here are samples of testing footage from the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2.
Upkeep pick: Vantrue N1 Pro
Upkeep pick
Vantrue N1 Pro
The best dash cam under $100
Vantrue's N1 Pro has a single, front-facing, 1080p-resolution camera. It costs much less than our other picks, yet it has key features like dark vision and 24-hour parked-automobile monitoring, a brilliant display, and a well-designed mounting system.
Buying Options
If you're on a tight upkeep, the Vantrue N1 Pro is the only dash cam listed for nether $100 that we recommend—or have ever recommended—since it cuts costs without sacrificing most of the features we prize in our other picks. Information technology has the same mounting system and charger as our top pick, it's just as easy to use, and information technology's i of the smallest and lightest dash cams we've tested.
Similar the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2, the N1 Pro has a single, front-facing, 1080p-resolution camera, and it lacks the pick to add a 2d or tertiary camera—the same is true of every sub-$100 selection we considered for testing. Although its footage wasn't every bit clearly divers or vividly colored as that of our top pick and upgrade option (both of which have 4K-resolution principal cameras) in our testing, it all the same managed to record well-baked, detailed imagery in both light and night environments. Also, its 160-degree FOV is the widest of our picks, which ways it shows more than objects from a single viewpoint than the others practise.
Measuring just 1 by ½ past ¾ inches, the N1 Pro is not much bigger than an Oreo cookie. It's slightly larger than the Mini 2, especially in combination with its mounting organisation and charger, but information technology'due south nevertheless much more than meaty than our height pick and upgrade selection (and most of the dash cams we tested). Its screen is 1½ inches diagonal, and then it fits less information than the 3-inch screens of our top selection and upgrade selection, but information technology's vivid and relatively piece of cake to read.
The N1 Pro is dead simple to apply. To the right of the screen, information technology has 4 well-marked control buttons: ability on/off, upwards, down, and select. On the meridian of the unit is a single push button that lets you hands salvage video clips and still photos while the camera is recording (otherwise, like about nuance cams, it saves footage automatically when it detects a crash).
Similar the residuum of our picks, the N1 Pro has 24-60 minutes parked-automobile monitoring, then (with the aid of an external battery pack or hardwiring kit, sold separately) it tin can help you keep tabs on your car fifty-fifty when you're non present. And, every bit with our peak pick, you can add GPS tracking by ownership a separate mountain. It doesn't have congenital-in Wi-Fi compatibility like our picks from Garmin and Nextbase exercise, just we don't think that'south a must-have feature for virtually people.
Powered by a lithium-ion bombardment, the N1 Pro is rated to operate in temperatures betwixt -4 and 158 degrees Fahrenheit. If you live in a super-cold climate, you might be ameliorate off with the Nextbase 622GW (which functions in temperatures as common cold as -22 °F), only for extreme heat the N1 Pro and our pinnacle pick are as great options.
Here are samples of testing footage from the Vantrue N1 Pro.
Other good nuance cams
If our meridian pick is unavailable, and yous want something with a similar assortment of features in the same price range:
- Like the Vantrue N4, the Rexing V5 has a 4K-resolution forepart-facing camera, dark vision, and a 24-hour parked-machine monitoring mode. Plus, it adds built-in GPS tracking and Wi-Fi connectivity. Still, it has a clunkier mounting system than our summit pick, likewise equally a less intuitive interface. Also, its 1080p-resolution interior and rear cameras must be purchased separately—they toll $60 and $twoscore, respectively, at this writing—making it a pricier option if yous want all three cameras.
- Like the N4, the Vantrue S1 and Vantrue X4S each have a 4K-resolution front-facing camera, a 1080p-resolution rear-facing camera, dark vision, and 24-hour parked-car monitoring. The S1 besides has built-in GPS tracking, and the X4S adds that besides as Wi-Fi connectivity—both features yous'd normally meet in models costing hundreds more. However, neither has an interior camera, nor do they have the option to add together one.
- Like the N4, the Vantrue N2S has a 4K-resolution front-facing camera, night vision, and 24-hour parked-machine monitoring. As well, its interior camera is a slightly higher resolution than that of our pinnacle pick (1440p compared with 1080p), and it adds built-in GPS tracking, merely information technology doesn't take a rear camera and offers no pick to add together one.
If our upgrade pick is unavailable, and you're willing to sacrifice some usability to gain a wider range of features than our other picks offer:
- Cull the Cobra SC 400D. Nosotros found this model more than difficult to set up and use compared with our picks, but information technology has many of the same features as the Nextbase 622GW, including a 4K-resolution front-facing camera, the option to add a 1080p interior photographic camera, night vision, 24-hour parked-car monitoring, voice control, Alexa back up, Bluetooth compatibility, emergency alerts, GPS tracking, and Wi-Fi connectivity. Information technology also includes a 1080p-resolution rear-facing camera (whereas, with our upgrade option, you accept to buy that component separately). Unlike whatever of our picks, this model also offers the benefits of Cobra'south iRadar app, which gives you access to user-submitted notifications about nearby accidents, construction zones, roadway hazards, police surveillance, and more than. About people don't need this characteristic, but if you lot'd like to have it, this dash cam is your all-time bet.
If our incognito pick is unavailable, and you lot don't mind a slightly larger, pricier camera every bit long as it comes with a few extra features:
- Similar the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2, the Garmin Dash Cam 57 has nighttime vision, 24-60 minutes parked-car monitoring, Wi-Fi connectivity, voice command, and a machine charger with two USB-A ports and removable power cables. We elected not to brand it a selection because information technology's about twice the size of the Mini 2 (information technology weighs 2.ane ounces compared with i.1 ounces) and at this writing it costs nigh twice as much. However, it'south yet much smaller than nearly of the dash cams we tested, and it adds built-in GPS tracking, an like shooting fish in a barrel-to-use mount with a magnetic fastener, a 1440p-resolution forepart-facing camera (the Mini 2's is 1080p), and a bright, readable, 2-inch display screen. If you recollect these extra features are worth the added bulk and toll, the Nuance Cam 57 is a neat alternative to the Nuance Cam Mini 2.
- Like both the Dash Cam Mini 2 and the Dash Cam 57, the Garmin Dash Cam Tandem provides night vision, 24-hour parked-machine monitoring, Wi-Fi connectivity, vocalisation control, and a car charger with two USB-A ports and removable power cables. It too is bigger (ii.iii ounces) and more than expensive ($300 at this writing) than the Mini 2, but it likewise adds born GPS tracking, a magnetic mount, and a 1440p-resolution front-facing camera. Additionally, it has a 720p-resolution interior camera; that's lower than our minimum requirement, but an interior camera of any resolution is rare amongst the incognito options we tested. If this range of features better suits your needs, buy the Tandem without hesitation.
What to wait forwards to
Nextbase appear in Jan 2022 that it would release a new model after in the twelvemonth chosen the iQ Smart Dash Cam. Co-ordinate to Nextbase, the iQ has three cameras—showing the front, interior, and rear of the vehicle—with impressive resolutions of 4K, 1440p, and 1440p, respectively. It'south equipped with features nosotros prize in many of our electric current picks, including night vision, parked-car monitoring, GPS tracking, wireless connectivity, and an emergency-alert system. Information technology also adds a few we haven't seen earlier, such as Witness Mode (which lets you tape and share live video with a voice prompt), Driver Enlightened (which detects when your eyelids beginning to droop or stray from the road), and Valet Mode (which allows y'all to go on tabs on your vehicle when it's being valet-parked, undergoing work at a trunk shop, or out on loan to another driver).
How to fix a nuance cam
To become the best view of the road alee, mount a dash cam high in the center of the windshield, near the rearview mirror. Y'all should be able to see the unit of measurement's screen and hands reach its controls, but the camera shouldn't cake your forwards view. Some states take regulations regarding what you can mountain on a windshield and where, so bank check your local laws. Also, don't skip the auto launder: No affair how good your dash cam'southward resolution is, it won't be able to capture crisp, detailed footage through a dingy windshield.
About dash cams accept a long cord that plugs into a car'southward 12 V DC outlet (also known as a cigarette lighter). To get the unit of measurement'due south dangling string out of your style, we suggest running it to the rider side and tucking it into the molding between the top of the windshield and the auto's headliner. From there, yous tin can run the cord downward along the border of the windshield and the front colonnade, into the gap on the side of the dash, and underneath the nuance to the ability outlet. Securing the string isn't hard to do, only it can require patience. Some dash cams come with small cable-holding clips that adhere to the glass and hold the cord, too as a modest tool for fitting the cord betwixt the trim or molding. This video does a decent task of showing how to perform a tidy installation.
If your dash cam's charger doesn't have a born USB-A port, and you want to be able to accuse a telephone or other device while the dash cam is in apply, you take a few options. If the power cord unplugs from its adapter, y'all could plug information technology into a multiport USB motorcar charger, which leaves a port open up for other devices. If not, you could use a 12-volt splitter; in our testing, we had success with these 3-outlet splitters. Most dash-cam companies likewise sell hardwire kits that can connect straight to a vehicle'due south fuse box; in fact, this is often the all-time way to get reliable power for using a dash cam'southward parking style. If y'all're comfortable doing basic automotive wiring and using a circuit tester, you can easily hardwire the nuance cam to the fuse box yourself. But any machine-stereo shop (and some big-box retailers similar All-time Buy) tin can do it for y'all.
The contest
The BlackVue DR900S-2CH has a 4K-resolution front-facing camera that delivers excellent sharpness and wide dynamic range. In our tests, the front and rear cameras both shot very good dark video, but we also saw more glare than in our upgrade selection'southward video. The unit has no brandish and minimal physical controls, so changing even bones settings requires an app, which had connectedness problems in our tests (and has been shown to publicly track users' locations).
The BlackVue DR900X-1CH Plus has many of the features we value in our upgrade option: 4K resolution in the front end-facing camera, the choice to add 1080p rear and interior cameras, night vision, a 24-hour parked-car monitoring mode, built-in GPS tracking, and Wi-Fi connectivity. It's also one of the few models we tested with a built-in mobile-hotspot characteristic. Even so, its mount is less user-friendly than that of our upgrade pick, and it lacks that model's Alexa back up, vocalization control, Bluetooth connectivity, and emergency-warning organisation.
The Cobra DASH2316D tin can link to Cobra'south iRadar app to alert you to the locations of speed cameras and ruby-light cameras, besides as live police locations. Simply in our tests, the 1080p front video lacked sharpness and was too contrasty, which resulted in too much glare at night and a lack of detail in darker areas. The 720p rear camera's video was even worse. The DASH2316D also includes forward-standoff and lane-deviation alerts, just nosotros found them to be annoyingly sensitive and switched them off.
The Cobra Road Lookout is basically a radar detector with an integrated nuance cam. With 1080p resolution and a reasonable 154-caste FOV, the Road Scout captures decent video, and a strong magnetic mount makes information technology easy to pop on and off the windshield. But at about 4 by iv inches, the Road Scout is big past nuance-cam standards, and information technology's ane of the most expensive models nosotros've tested. On top of that, yous can't review video on its small radar-detector display; you have to use the telephone app.
The Garmin Speak Plus is an unusual, voice-activated device that includes a 1080p nuance cam, Garmin navigation, and Amazon's Alexa capability. Information technology's constructive for navigation, but if you primarily desire a dash cam, you take amend choices. It has a very narrow, 82-degree field of view, the compact brandish does non prove dash-cam video, and the unit needs to pair to your phone via Bluetooth to function at all.
In our testing, video from the Geko S200 Starlit wasn't as sharp as we expected, because the camera'southward 1296p resolution. This compact unit has a inexpensive, plasticky feel, with small buttons that tend to wiggle when pressed, as well as a black-on-black design with minimal labeling that's hard to read at a glance. The S200 also lacks GPS, Wi-Fi, and a smartphone app.
The Klashwerks Raven combines a dual-cam setup with navigation, security, and vehicle tracking. But it'south hard to get both cameras aligned, and it's difficult to consistently save video using this model'south gesture controls. We also found that in hot conditions the adhesive mount had trouble holding the large, 7-inch device on our windshield.
The MyGekoGear Orbit 960 (from the company formerly known equally Geko) has a 4K front-facing camera and some premium features such every bit GPS tracking and app connectivity. You tin also buy a hardwiring kit separately to add 24-hour parked-car monitoring. In our testing, the Orbit 960 was easy to fix and use, and footage from both day and nighttime was crisp and clear. However, at this writing it has just 9 customer reviews on Amazon (and a rating of three.eight out of five stars), which makes usa hesitant to recommend it.
The 1440p Nextbase 522GW is a erstwhile meridian selection, and the 1440p Nextbase 422GW is a former runner-upwardly option, but neither can compete with the lower-priced 4K dash cams that are now available. We've also tested their less-expensive counterparts—the 1080p Nextbase 322GW and the 720p Nextbase 222—but our budget selection offers a broader range of features.
We used to recommend the Owlcam (which the company has since replaced with two like versions, the Owlcam Classic four and Owlcam Classic 5) because its ability to detect impacts or pause-ins and record video to the cloud—as well every bit to stream a live feed even while the machine was parked—made it nifty for 24-60 minutes monitoring. However, the company temporarily suspended support for existing customers when information technology went out of business in early 2020 (it has since been acquired by Xirgo Technologies). Because of this hiccup, and the fact that other dash cams now offer similar features for the same price or less, we no longer recommend these cameras.
The inexpensive Papago GoSafe 228 has the worst image quality of any model we've tested, too equally a adequately narrow, 120-degree FOV.
The rear camera of the Papago GoSafe S780 mounts on the rear window (to record behind the car) or on the windshield (to record the interior). But the rear photographic camera is only and then-so, and if there's no ambient light, the interior image is most totally black. Also, nosotros had a hard time tightening the mountain's plastic locking nut without the cam going crooked.
The Rexing M2 and Sylvania Roadsight Mirror are most identical models that, rather than mounting onto the windshield, clamp onto the rearview mirror. Information technology's a bully idea—it finer turns your rearview mirror into a touchscreen, making it almost impossible to observe unless you know it's at that place—and, in improver to the 1080p front end-facing photographic camera our incognito pick has, they add a 1080p rear-facing photographic camera. But in our testing both models produced fairly washed-out, low-dissimilarity footage, making them a poor replacement for a typical rearview mirror. Also, if for some reason the dash cam malfunctioned or lost power while yous were driving, you lot'd lose visibility out of the dorsum windshield.
The Rexing V1 Gen 3 records at 2160p (4K) resolution, but its rate of 24 frames per 2nd isn't every bit shine as the usual thirty fps. And the video, with muted colors and excessive glare, wasn't every bit crisp as the Nextbase models' footage in our testing. At night, the video was contrasty and grainy. We as well found information technology hard to conform the lens position or connect the app.
The Rexing V1 and Rexing V1 Basic are two of the least expensive dash cams we've tested. Each 1 has a 1080p-resolution front-facing photographic camera and a 170-degree field of view, besides as night vision, 24-hour parked-car monitoring, and the option to add together GPS tracking with an antenna (sold separately). However, in our testing, both cameras showed too much contrast in their video footage, especially at night.
The Rexing V1P Gen three has a 1080p-resolution front-facing camera that we found to have a lot of dissimilarity and glare in our testing. Its buttons illuminate when pressed, merely unless you touch 1, they're invisible at nighttime. Though you tin can adapt the lens in any management by physically moving it, doing then is difficult when the unit is mounted on the windshield.
The Thinkware F200 Pro offers dark vision, a 24-hour parked-automobile monitoring mode, and Wi-Fi connectivity, and it weighs simply 2 ounces. Yous tin also add GPS tracking with an antenna (sold separately). However, its cameras are a lower resolution than those of our top pick and upgrade selection: It has a 1080p-resolution front end-facing camera and gives you the option to add a 1080p rear camera for $80 and a 1080p interior photographic camera for $eighty at this writing. It's also a scrap bigger than our incognito selection (about the size and shape of a Snickers bar) and as well pricey ($140 at this writing) to be a good budget pick contender, and its mounting system is less adjustable and more difficult to remove than any of our picks' mounts.
The Thinkware F70 is almost as tiny equally our incognito pick (it weighs 1.five ounces) and as inexpensive equally our upkeep selection ($90 at this writing). It has night vision, a 24-hr parked-car monitoring way, the pick to add GPS tracking with an antenna (sold separately), and a 1080p-resolution forepart-facing camera (no option to add a rear or interior camera, though). However, as with the F200 Pro, its mounting arrangement is less adjustable and more difficult to remove than any of our picks' mounts.
The Thinkware U1000 has a 4K front camera, and you tin can add together a 2K rear camera for $100 more at this writing. But information technology's more finicky to utilise and more expensive than models we tested with a wider range of features.
The Vantrue N2 Pro Dual used to exist one of our picks, just its front end and interior cameras have worse resolutions (1440p and 1080p, respectively) than those of our top pick and upgrade pick, and it offers no additional features.
The Vava VA-VD009 has a 1600p front camera and a 1080p interior camera, both of which produced clear and vivid footage in our tests. We also found this model like shooting fish in a barrel to gear up and utilize, and relatively unobtrusive on the windshield. Only information technology costs just as much as other models with the same features and college-resolution cameras.
The Viofo A129 Pro Duo has a 4K forepart camera and a 1080p rear camera. It offers a good mix of features (including GPS tracking, 24-hr parked-car monitoring, and app connectivity), just in our tests information technology was much more than difficult to set up and apply compared with less-expensive models offering the same capabilities.
This article was edited by Phil Ryan and Erica Ogg.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-dash-cam/
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