There are so many quality dashes cams out there, that it can be confusing to navigate between the different specs and functions that they offer. so with all the options available how can you tell which one actually delivers a quality product that would be best for you? Here we break down the top five best dash cams on the market based on price versus performance and situations they’ll be used in. we’ll be taking a look at products in every budget range. so whether you’ve got a few bucks to spare and want the best value or you’re looking for the best of the best we’ll have an option for you. if you’re interested in finding out which dash cam will be best for you stay tuned.
The Vantrue N2 Pro
Best dash cam for front and rear
the Vantrue N2 Pro is a dual dash cam that will capture activity on the road as well as everything going on inside your car. This makes it an ideal option for ride-share drivers. it attaches to your windshield without obstructing your view using a suction cup mount. it has a 1.5-inch LCD display and the cameras record in full HD. the front lens captures good imagery in low light conditions and a secondary lens facing the interior is backed up with an array of IR LEDs to light up the interior when recording. so you’ll always get good footage. whether it’s during the day or at night. However, if a dual camera system is what you’re looking for but the convenience of a backup camera better meets your needs stick around for the Verratek DC1000.
The footage from each camera is written as two separate files, so if you need to go back to get the footage from a particular incident locating it is going to be much easier. you also have the option to disable the interior camera. this helps get better resolution using just the front-facing camera for recording in either 2.5 k at 30 fps or 1080p at 60fps. if you’d prefer full-time 4k resolution in a dual camera system have a look at the think-ware u1000.
when you park your car and leave it unattended you can switch to the N2 pro’s parking mode. when enabled the front and interior cameras will be triggered by motion and will automatically start recording. t to do this you’ll have to provide a constant power supply from either an external power bank or by hard wiring the dash cam to your vehicle’s power supply. the dual camera system on the Vantrue N2 Pro is a good solution for ride-share drivers and with it installed you’ll have the ability to document belligerent passengers or disputes. Also can protect yourself from potential at-fault situations like proving you weren’t on your phone if you get pulled over.
The Garmin Dash Cam 67W
The best extra wide dash cam.
Capture more details of the road ahead and around you including objects off to the side and road signs with the extra wide shooting angles of the Garmin dash cam 67w. with a stealthy black plastic body, this dash cam is small enough to mount behind your rearview mirror and its design makes it almost undetectable when installed. the wide-angle 180-degree lens shoots in 1440p with support for HDR giving you better clarity in poor lighting conditions.
However, if you want something a bit cheaper that still offers a stealthy mini design with a 140-degree field of view you could save a lot with the Garmin dash cam mini 2. you have several options when it comes to interacting with the 67w use voice commands or the side-mounted buttons on the body of the camera or you can use the Garmin drive app.
The camera records in loop mode and works with the built-in g-sensor to save footage where any type of impact was involved. saved videos can be automatically uploaded via wi-fi to the secure online Garmin vault to view later or saved to the included 16-gigabyte MicroSD card. the safety features work well and make good use of the 2-inch display turning it red to warn of a forward collision yellow when you drift out of your lane and an alert sounds when you fail to notice the vehicle ahead of you has set off.
Parking mode is also available with the 67w but requires hard wiring. when properly set up parking mode will maintain surveillance of your unattended vehicle and start recording when motion is detected. if you’re looking for a compact dash cam that can shoot wide-angle video and offers a good set of safety features the Garmin dash cam 67w is a great choice for you.
The Verratek DC1000
The best dash cam for most people like the Vantrue N2 Pro.
The Verratek DC1000 is a dual dash cam system. but instead of monitoring the front and interior of your vehicle, it complements the front-facing camera with the convenience of a backup camera. it offers a good balance between price and performance. the front-facing camera features a metal body shell and mounts to your windshield magnetically. the backup camera mounts in the area of the license plate.
power for the front-facing camera is tapped from the vehicle’s cigarette lighter or other power points. because of the intermittent use of power. for the rear camera is tapped off one of the reverse light terminals. so it’s only active when the vehicle is in reverse gear. all the necessary wiring to connect both cameras is included in the box.
The front-facing camera has a 3.16-inch colour LCD touchscreen and uses a 150-degree wide angle lens with a sensor that captures 2k video. while the rear camera captures in full HD. recorded video is written to a micro sd card that you supply. For this, cards with capacities between 8 and 128 gigabytes are supported. like most dash cams the dc1000 has g-sensor support and parking mode with a continuous power supply. the Verratek DC1000 is a good choice for most people who are looking for an affordable dash cam system that will cover both the front and rear of their vehicle. installation is relatively easy and everything you need is included in the box just apply for a MicroSD card.
The Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2
best mini dash cam
if you’re looking for the best mini dash cam the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 is incredibly versatile. It has a 140-degree hdr enhanced field of view for crisp detail day and night. its small body won’t clutter up your windshield, the mini 2 is around the size of an average key fob. But, don’t be fooled by its tiny frame it holds all the safety features you expect like crash detection and a parking guard. the mini 2 will save a video to the online Garmin vault if an incident is detected. alternatively, the mini 2’s live view feature will let you keep an eye on your vehicle through your smartphone when you’re away from your car.
A small adhesive pad provides a mount and can be placed just about anywhere on your windshield. the camera comes with a dual USB charger meaning that you could charge your phone while the mini 2 records even if you only have a single power point in your vehicle. you can also tinker with all of the mini 2 settings through Garmin’s drive app as there’s no display on the camera itself. the app is nicely laid out and easy to use and lets you save videos take still pictures load a live feed or send saved videos to the Garmin vault.
Image quality is good with balanced colour and video is captured in full HD using a 140-degree lens and it holds up well even in darker conditions. The built-in mic does a good job of picking up audio and is able to recognize your voice commands even with music playing at medium volume. if you’re looking for an extremely compact dash cam with a good feature set, the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 is a very good choice for you. it’s easy to set up and won’t get in your way once it’s installed.
THINKWARE U1000 Dual Dash Cam
Best 4k dash cam – best overall dash cam.
If you want the best in a dual dash cam, the THINKWARE U1000 takes the dual cam system. It’s similar to the Vantrue N2 pro and bumps up the resolution. the U1000 is feature packed with a clean sleek appearance that once installed looks like factory equipment. It delivers sharp 4k video with super night vision technology. you’ll get impressive low-light videos even on dark roads or in dimly lit parking lots.
Front and rear-facing cameras record everything happening in front of you and everything going on inside your vehicle. like the Vantrue N2 Pro, it’s a valuable tool for rideshare drivers. the front-facing camera has an 8.42-megapixel Sony sensor that’s outfitted with a 150-degree wide-angle lens. To minimize blind spots and captures more of the road. the rear camera uses a 5.1-megapixel sony sensor that records in 2k with a 156-degree field of view.
A micro sd card slot is easily accessible on the side of the U1000 to store recordings. and a 32-gigabyte card is included. Aesthetically, the U1000 is built to look like part of your car’s original factory equipment. the front camera mounts to your windshield using 3m tape and a 12-volt cable is included for hardwiring to your vehicle’s electrical system.
The control panel gives you buttons for power, wi-fi and for the microphone and indicators for wi-fi and GPS. there’s also a manual record button to trigger on-the-fly capture. However, this dash cam is hardwired, you can use parking mode without the need for a separate power bank. with parking mode enabled, the U1000 will detect motion and start recording to capture potential attempts of vandalism or theft. Also, red light and speed cameras are also detected.
If you’re looking for the best 4k dual dash cam the think-ware U1000 is an excellent choice especially if you’re a ride-share driver. in addition to wide-angle high-resolution recording, you’ll get all the standard features including g sensor parking mode and even red light and speed camera detection and once installed the camera has a factory-installed look.
