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Social media channels are flooded with uploaded dash-cam videos, showing everything from meteor storms to cats on pedestrian crossings. But they have a serious role to play in the event of an accident or crime, often saving hours of wrangling with insurance companies and paying for themselves many times over.
In the event of an incident, then, any camera will be better than none at all, but there is a huge choice facing the first- time buyer. The quality of the footage captured also varies massively from model to model, while the specifications and features offered can be confusing.
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Do you need filters, hardwires, Alexa and WiFi? Although there are cameras that cost as little as £15 and as much as £1,000, we have gathered the eight best options in the most popular price range, from £60 to £300, to see what works and what matters.
How we tested them
The most important feature of any dash camera is to capture clear footage in a wide variety of weather and light conditions. To test this, we drove a route in bright sunlight and at night.
Most cameras have an app for viewing footage, so this was used, along with a check for clarity on a larger computer screen.
The greatest importance was placed on being able to read registration numbers clearly in all conditions. Finally, we took value for money and additional useful features into account.
Bear in mind that some cameras have an SD card included in the package. If they don’t, then don’t forget to budget between £10 and £20 for something suitable to store footage on.
Verdict
While the Nextbase 622GW still sets the benchmark in terms of the quality of its footage, a price rise means it is starting to look expensive, especially when rival Kenwood is dialling up the value.
It’s enough to see the Nextbase knocked off the top spot by a newcomer in the form of the Ring RSDC3000. It will cost less than £100 even with the additional expense of an SD card, yet it has all of the features we think are essential in a camera. The RSDC3000 also takes surprisingly good-quality footage, too.
- Ring RSDC3000
- Nextbase 622GW
- Kenwood A601W
Reviews
Ring RSDC3000
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- Price: around £85 (plus memory card)
- Rating: 5 stars
- Resolution: 1296p
- Contact: ringautomotive.com
If your priority above all else with a dash cam is to have the very best-quality footage, the Ring isn’t going to provide it. But for a package that costs less than £100, it offers an unbeatable combination of features and value.
The compact RSDC3000 has a resolution of 1296 pixels, giving it a useful step up in quality from the 1080p resolution of most cameras in this price range. It dealt well with changing light conditions, too.
It also has GPS tracking data to log speed and location, and a two-inch screen to make navigating menus easier. It will connect to Ring’s app using a WiFi connection to view and download files.
Nextbase 622GW
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- Price: around £250 (plus memory card)
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- Resolution: 4K
- Contact: nextbase.com
In terms of footage quality, the Nextbase 622GW is still the benchmark for dash cams. It has the clearest images in all conditions, even compared with rivals we’ve tried costing twice as much.
The 622GW also has some interesting – if gimmicky – extra features included, such as What3Words location data and Alexa voice activation, which work better in theory than they do in practice.
But we can’t ignore that the Nextbase’s price has risen by £30 since it won our last test, so adding extras such as an SD card and a rear camera will take the total price to £319. It’s still the best cam, but you pay for it.
Kenwood DRV A601W
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- Price: around £200 (includes 64GB memory card)
- Rating: 4.5 stars
- Resolution: 4K
- Contact: kenwood-electronics.co.uk
Kenwood’s range-topping 4K camera almost matched the Nextbase 622GW for footage quality, but can’t quite repeat the image stabilisation in darker conditions, especially on rougher roads.
It also has to make do without the Nextbase’s Alexa and What3Words features, but in exchange it costs less than £200, and that includes a 64GB memory card.
You can also buy the Kenwood as part of a bundle that includes a hardwire kit, an SD card and a rear camera for the same price as the basic Nextbase 622.
Kenwood DRV A501W
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- Price: around £140 (includes 16GB memory card)
- Rating: 4 stars
- Resolution: 1440p
- Contact: kenwood-electronics.co.uk
If you don’t need the full 4K resolution quality, but want a step up from 1080p, Kenwood’s A501W offers all of the useful functionality and features of the company’s A601W camera (see page 59), at a usefully lower price.
The £139.95 cost includes a 16GB SD memory card, too, but what lifts the Kenwood above similarly priced rivals is the inclusion of a polarising filter as standard. This works like sunglasses in bright conditions and noticeably reduces the glare on footage. Factor in the camera’s WiFi, GPS and magnetic mount and it makes the A501W a decent package.
Ring RSDC4000
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- Price: around £100 (plus memory card)
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Resolution: 1440p
- Contact: ringautomotive.com
Ring’s range-topping DC4000 lacks a screen, which is a feature we always appreciate on a dash cam, because it makes the device far easier to set up and to check footage.
But we can almost forgive it, because connecting the camera to the Ring app is simple and means the RSDC4000 is tiny. This could be a real bonus if you have a shallow windscreen and want to hide the cam behind the mirror.
The footage can’t challenge the 4K cameras and lacks the detail of the Kenwood’s 1440P A501W, too, but the Ring is good value, even taking into account the lack of an SD card.
VANTRUE X4S
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- Price: around £170 (plus memory card)
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Resolution: 4K
- Contact: amazon.co.uk/vantrue
The Vantrue is the cheapest way we could find to get full 4K dash- cam footage, and the X4S also has a three-inch rear screen to view it on. As you’d expect from a dash cam at this price level, there’s a WiFi connection and a simple app to download and manage your video.
But there are a few surprising omissions, too, the biggest being a lack of GPS location and speed stamps. To add these features, you must buy a module that costs an extra £23.99. That, plus an SD card, will take the total price to the same as the superior Kenwood 601.
Garmin Dash Cam 57
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- Price: around £130 (includes 16GB memory card)
- Rating: 3.5 stars
- Resolution: 1440p
- Contact: garmin.com
This compact Garmin 57 has the usual GPS, a neat screen and app, but it also has a couple of innovative gadgets that we really liked the sound of.
The first of these functions is the option to use voice activation to save clips, and the second is the ability to connect to a WiFi hotspot and view the camera’s feed even when you are away from the car.
Unfortunately, neither of these features worked smoothly in our tests, making it difficult to justify the extra cost over the other 1440p cameras here.
Mio C312
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- Price: around £60 (plus memory card)
- Rating: 3 stars
- Resolution: 1080p
- Contact: halfords.com
The Mio has two big points in its favour: the price and the size. The downside is that the C312 lacks features, too, with no GPS, smartphone link or other useful gadgets. It does have a two-inch screen, however, which makes it easy to navigate menus and check the camera is pointing the right way.
But that screen is also a hindrance because it is permanently on, which can prove distracting, especially at night. The footage also suffers in the dark. While the Mio will capture acceptable detail during daylight hours, its tiny lens struggles at night.
Continue ReadingBest dual dash cams
In this review
- 1Best dash cams 2022 - currently readingEight cameras line up for their screen test as we test the market's leading dash cam soloutions
- 2Best dual dash camsIf you want to record both the front and rear of your vehicle, then check out a dual dash cam
- 3Best factory and dealer fit dash camsWith dash cams becoming such big business, some manufacturers have got in on the action too
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FAQs
Which is the best dash cam to buy? ›
After researching more than 360 models and testing 52, we've found that the best overall dash cam is the Vantrue N4. It delivers the sharpest video we've seen, it's the easiest dash cam to use, and it has handy features that you don't get from most other dash cams in its price range.
Can I reduce my car insurance with a dash cam? ›Is there a dashcam car insurance discount? Insurance companies generally don't offer discounts for dashcams, but they can help you avoid an increase in your insurance rate by providing evidence that you weren't at fault in an accident.
Do Thieves target Dashcams? ›It is often the case that criminals won't target a car which has a Dash Cam or car security camera of any sorts as the risk isn't worth taking, the Dash Cam acts as a deterrent.
Are 4k Dashcams worth it? ›A 4k car camera usually has better quality than other cameras that might be cheaper and don't have HD image quality. It's also better for recording evidence. There are lots of different dash cams out there and they each serve a slightly different purpose.
How much should I spend on a dash cam? ›A good quality dash cam price will typically run between $100 and $400. At this price point, you can buy a car camera from a trusted brand name, built with reliable components, and covered by a warranty. This is a pretty wide price range, but the higher you go, the more features are included with the product.
What do I need to know before buying a dash cam? ›- Field of View (FOV) One of the first things you should consider is how wide the dashcam can see. ...
- Number of Cameras. ...
- Video Resolution and Quality. ...
- Audio Recording Option. ...
- Storage Capacity. ...
- Mounting and Placement. ...
- Transferring Files. ...
- Longevity.
The dashcam footage may not be conclusive evidence of the events that occurred, but it can certainly assist in your claim. Dashcam footage can provide strong evidence in your car accident claim. When you submit the footage to the insurance company, they will take what it shows into consideration.
What are the disadvantages of dash cam? ›Cons of a Dashcam
Dashcams could be a distraction for some drivers. Whether just by looking at it too much while you are driving or reaching to fiddle with it while you are on the road, any attention diverted away from driving and onto the camera is a danger.
This sounds obvious, but insurers and the police need to be able to see what's happening on the road in the footage. If you've told your insurer you have a dash cam but later make a claim without having the footage to support it, you may have to repay any discounts you've had. It could also invalidate your policy.
Should you leave dashcam in car overnight? ›It is a good idea to remove your dash cam once you have left the vehicle to avoid your car being broken into. If you have parking mode on your camera or want to keep it in the vehicle it is best to place it in a discreet place.
Do Dashcams drain car battery? ›
To sum it up, although a dash cam can drain your car battery when your car is parked, there are simple ways you can prevent that from happening. You can get a Parking Mode hardwiring kit for your dash cam, a dash cam with a built-in voltage monitoring system or opt for a dedicated battery pack.
Do burglars avoid homes with cameras? ›Security cameras will generally deter and reduce burglary. If you install a security camera, your home is 300 % safer from break-ins than a home without a camera. Criminals don't want to be watched or recorded-this is one of the major reasons they are so effective.
What are the disadvantages of 4K? ›The higher the resolution, the larger the number of pixels present; and the more pixels present, the sharper and more defined the image will be. On the downside, there's a higher chance of items appearing smaller than before, such as icons and logos, as they no longer need to stretch to fit the screen resolution.
How many GB is good for dash cam? ›Usage Time – Generally, one hour of 1080p recording uses approximately 6GB. Driving two hours a day, five days a week would need about 60GB worth of storage or a 64GB card. Frame Rates – Dash cams generally shoot 30 to 60 frames per second.
Is dash cam full HD better than 4K? ›In practicality, recording in 4k is 4 times more detailed than the resolution of 1080p. An image from an Ultra HD dashcam consists of 8 million pixels whereas a normal HD dashcam provides only 2 million pixels for the exact image. In 4k video footage, even zooming in does not result in any blurriness and distortion.
Is an expensive dash cam worth it? ›The differences between cameras are much easier to notice at night. It cost more to create a dash cam that offers great nighttime video quality and that's one area that the premium cameras outshine their budget counterparts.
Can police take your dash cam footage? ›In short, yes, the police can seize your dashcam and footage. They will likely ask you to give it to them. If you refuse, they may go a step further and obtain a warrant to seize the evidence.
How much does it cost to professionally install a dash cam? ›Dash cam installation should cost between $35 and $50.
How long will a 32GB last in a dashcam? ›A 32GB card is great for value for those who use their dash cams for driving recording. Typically this translates to about 3-4 hours of 1080P recording, which is more than enough for most drivers.
Do you need a professional to install dash cam? ›You don't need to be a specialist to install a dashcam. If you can route cables, use adhesives, and plug things in, you can install a dashcam.
Do you have to pay a monthly fee for a dash cam? ›
In general, there is no monthly fee for simply using a dash cam. However, some manufacturers may charge a monthly fee to use specific dash cam features.
Does installing a dash cam void warranty? ›Installing a dash cam in your car will not void your warranty. Extensive modifications to your vehicle, such as a lift kit, new wheels, or bigger tires, will not void your warranty.
Which is better dash cam or mirror dash cam? ›As we've seen, the useability, feature list, and performance of dash cams are superior to mirror cams, or at least equal to them for much less money. This makes it a little easier when you're on the hunt for a dash cam because it filters out some options.
Do dash cameras use a lot of electricity? ›On average, our Series 2 Dash Cams use approximately 60mA (Milliamp) of power while turned on, recording and charging, 20mAh while in standby mode (charging) and around 10mA in standby mode (fully charged).
What is the lifespan of a dash cam? ›A good cam will last several years- exactly how long is hard to say as there are variables, but many of us here are still using cams over 3 and 4 years old with no problems. Many old but still-working cams go out of service simply because newer and much better cams come to the market so we upgrade.
Why not to use a dash cam? ›Dashcam video may be used as evidence if you're involved in a crash. While you may think you're not at fault, the video could prove otherwise! Additionally, if the footage does prove your innocence, it's not guaranteed that it would be admissible should you end up in court.
Will insurance companies look at cameras? ›If you suffer serious injuries or damage in an accident, there might be video evidence of the accident from nearby surveillance cameras. Insurance companies will access any video evidence of the accident to clue them in on what occurred and either prove or disprove your claim.
Which is better a dashcam or a GoPro? ›GoPro undoubtedly has the best image and video quality but is let down by its battery life. Comparatively, dashcams do not rely only on battery power. The majority of dashcams are either directly connected to the electrical system or include a connector for a 12v connection in your automobile.
Are Dashcams worth the money? ›Capture First-hand Accident Evidence
Having a second set of eyes on the road through a dash cam recording can help prove fault in accidents and is a great way to make sure your insurance premiums don't increase. Another great reason to have a dash cam is to be able to catch hit-and-run drivers.
Hardwiring a dash cam to a car/fleet's fuse box is the most effective installation method to power up your dash cam 24/7, even when your vehicle's engine is turned off. It eliminates the need to have your dash cam plugged into the cigarette lighter socket of your car, providing a constant flow of electrical power.
Do you remove dash cam when parked? ›
It is a good idea to remove your dash cam once you have left the vehicle to avoid your car being broken into. If you have parking mode on your camera or want to keep it in the vehicle it is best to place it in a discreet place.
What is the lifespan of a dashcam? ›- Generally capacitor based, has a thermal cut off, over all build quality higher, and better Quality Assurance in manufacture. - 5+ years generally.
How long does a 128GB SD card last in a dash cam? ›The higher the megabyte capacity, the more footage it can store, thus the 64GB U3 can record 8 hours of HD footage, while the 128GB U3 can easily manage 16 hours of HD footage. Keep in mind, these storage numbers are halved if using a Rear Camera Module.
How long will it take a dash cam to drain a car battery? ›A healthy car battery should be able to keep a dashcam operating safely in parking mode for at least a day or two, if not more, before reaching the low voltage cutoff level.
Is 32GB or 64GB better for dashcam? ›Best for Parking Mode Recording
If you're using a parking mode dash cam, a 64GB size and higher improves durability and gives you extended parking recording.
Similarly, the police can request dash cam footage in order to prosecute the driver. The use of a dash cam has been described as a “two-way street” as the police can use someone's own footage to prosecute them.
Do you have to tell insurance about dash cam? ›This sounds obvious, but insurers and the police need to be able to see what's happening on the road in the footage. If you've told your insurer you have a dash cam but later make a claim without having the footage to support it, you may have to repay any discounts you've had. It could also invalidate your policy.
How long does 32GB last in dash cam? ›A 32GB card can hold up to four hours' worth of dash cam footage when recording at 720p HD, or full 1080p HD at 30 frames per second. It will record approximately two hours' worth of footage when recording at 1440p Quad HD footage.