You need GPS coverage: The Thinkware X1000 does support GPS functionality, but only through a module that’s sold separately. In our tests, the front camera’s footage was generally good enough in most scenarios. Viofo utilizes Sony Starvis image sensors, which perform well in low-light conditions. The lower resolution does compromise quality in subpar driving situations though, with fuzzy detail putting it behind the best 4K competitors. The interior and rear cameras offer a wide 170-degree field of view, and the interior camera is equipped with six LEDs for infrared capabilities. Even in the darkest driving conditions, visibility inside the car remained clear in our tests. You may prefer to have your dash cam hardwired in, so will need to consider whether you want it installed professionally. Setup was slightly fiddly and the 3-inch touchscreen does require obvious swipe inputs. We also had some trouble connecting to our smartphones to transfer video clips. That said, we still think the 622GW is a simple camera to use overall. We found its interface intuitive, while the display is big, sharp and clear. Footage is automatically saved when an incident is detected, while a big red button lets you manually save moments. More information on quality can be found in this old but still very helpful article from Harvard Business Review.

When it comes to finding the best dash cam for you, there are several that contribute to making a model the right one for your needs. Loop recording allows dash cams to continuously record video footage to their built-in storage or memory card. The setting automatically overwrites the oldest clips on your camera with new ones when its storage becomes full. This way, it can keep recording without requiring you to pull over and manually delete unneeded clips. This gives you the reassurance that there will be no gap in your driving log. GoPro cameras are some of the best action cameras you can buy. They can be easily mounted to your dashboard and set to record video on a rolling loop. Because GoPro cameras are compact, they shouldn’t obstruct your view of the road ahead, while the latest models are capable of capturing videos at resolutions sharper than 4K. If the worst were to happen, and you need to prove your innocence, the dash cam’s footage could do exactly that. This footage can also be set to include your speed, along with the time and date to help reinforce the validity of your evidence if blame is disputed by the other party. As well as monitoring the road ahead, dash cams can be used to record out of the rear windscreen too, recording footage if you are unfortunate enough to be rear-ended by another motorist.You don’t like wires: Three cameras means a lot of wires to guide and hide. Cabling in the rear camera means removing the headliner or carpet. Dash cams that come with accompanying apps for your smartphone or tablet will enable you to save your footage onto your phone. You’re on a tight budget: Its multiple talents mean the DriveCam 76 demands a fairly high price. If you won’t use all of its features, you’ll find better value in standalone cameras. You want seamless connectivity: Connecting to a smartphone isn't always straightforward, with the Wi-Fi connection often failing to establish during our testing.

You don’t drive for a living: Most road users don’t need interior recording, so unless you’re ferrying passengers for pay, you might find better value elsewhere. You don’t get the driver assistance systems of other dash cams, so it’s up to you or your vehicle to spot speed cameras and potential collisions. That said, you still get Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity, and we like that Vantrue has focused on video quality over unnecessary extras. Cheap dash cams are often reasonably priced for a reason. This can be because of fewer features or a more fiddly setup. But a cheaper model can certainly be worth the extra effort if you're looking to save money. The same goes for the dash cam installation. You can plug the cam into your cigarette lighter and go, which is what most of us do. It's the easiest option. Hardwiring Some dash cams have internal power, or can easily be charged using external power sources. However, the rest use the cigarette lighter/USB port in your vehicle or need to be hard-wired, meaning they do use your car's battery. Some dash cams, including models from Garmin and Nextbase, now come with voice assistants or Alexa.Although you shouldn't be overly swayed by bells and whistles, it is important to consider what features you're getting for your money.

A rise in popularity of voice control has also made its way over to the humble dash cam, so expect Alexa integration and other such voice-activated technology at the very pinnacle of the range. The next step was to try and narrow down our search even more. So we’ve already looked the prices of products in the Dash cams category. Then we’ve also looked at the prices of products from Binatone. So this step combines the two and looks specifically at the price you’d expect to pay for Binatone branded products in the Dash cams category. The first is brand. Looking at the brand of the product is often a really good indicator for judging product quality. For example you’d expect a much higher quality product from a brand known for providing excellent quality than you would from an unknown or even a budget brand. There are also dash cams that boast additional features that, just like any other technology, translate to a higher asking price. In addition to better video quality like 4K, night vision and built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth for easy file transfer may also be included. Neat and relatively compact, the Vantrue E1 is an attractive dash cam that’s capable of recording 2.5K video at 30fps. It can also record Full HD footage at a smoother 60fps, for enhanced detail while you drive. Results in our review proved sharp night and day, with accurate colors and acceptable noise in low light. Our testing also revealed that the optional polarising filter usefully reduces dashboard reflections.

The popularity of dash cams has been growing over the past decade, especially with so many good quality budget dash cams becoming available. There are probably more benefits to owning a dash cam than you've realised, and they currently represent peace of mind to over a million UK motorists and counting. The main specification that you need to look out for here is the video resolution, so for this, the recording needs to be 1080p at least - 720p just isn't good enough. All of the dash cams mentioned here are 1080p or above, but other image quality features come into play to make them a quality product. Parking mode – your dashboard camera will automatically start recording if it detects a collision or impact while you're parked. Useful for finding out who bumped your car in a busy car park. G-force sensor (most have this) when the sensor is triggered, it specifically saves that segment Optional but useful features: While older models typically required the user to manually save or tag the appropriate clip in the event of an accident, new G-Sensor-based incident detection technology has taken over, and now takes care of this automatically.

We reached out to the biggest brands to find out more about support policies, and some are far better than others. Most dash cams fall within this middle price range, and as you might predict, they're often middle-of-the-road when it comes to recording resolution and features. MAIN MENU 7) Frequency setup Press down button to select Frequency menu, then press OK button, and then press Up or Down button to select light frequency “50Hz” or “60Hz” , then press OK button to confirm your selection and return to the menu. When your dash camera working under the light, please make sure what frequency of the light and set your device accordingly. You want built-in rear recording: There are rivals for a similar price with rear-view cameras as standard, but it's an optional add-on for the 622GW. You expect a polarizing filter as standard: Some dash cams include a polarizing lens to reduce reflections from the hood, but it’s an optional extra for the E1.The Nextbase 622GW, one of the brand's most expensive dash cams, records in Quad HD and comes with built in Alexa. Read our full review to see its score. Helpfully, both the display angle and camera lens are adjustable, so you can find the right position between road and driver. Full HD footage is shot in HDR at 30fps, delivering balanced exposure and enough detail to make number plates legible. That said, we found that video suffers from noticeable stabilization wobble. This distortion doesn’t reduce the detail, but footage is worse than from other Garmin dash cams. All dash cams come with a power cord that plugs in to the cigarette lighter. These range from around 1.4 metres up to 6 metres.