There\u2019s a lot happening while you drive and a second set of eyes can help give you peace of mind out there. Even a co-pilot can doze off, while a dash cam is ever alert to what\u2019s happening, recording high-resolution footage with corresponding timestamps and GPS coordinates. A dash cam can even record while your car is parked so you can know about anything suspicious while you\u2019re away.<\/p>\n
There are a few things to look at when choosing the best dash cam for your needs. First you should consider if you want a front, front\/interior, or front\/rear model. You should also consider how wide of a viewing angle you\u2019ll need. Then there are special features to consider such as voice control or parking assist. We understand that there isn\u2019t a one-size-fits-all model so we have put together a list of our recommendations for all types of dash cams with various features and prices below.<\/p>\n
For even more information on what features to look for in a dash cam, scroll to our buyers guide under our best picks. Once you buy a dash cam, you can save yourself some time and frustration by reading our guide on how to install a dash cam.<\/p>\n
Updated 10\/07\/2022:<\/strong> Check out our latest review of the Garmin DriveCam 76. It might have a few wonky video stability issues, but the large touch screen and first-class navigation make up for any odd visual glitches you may encounter.<\/em> We also recently reviewed the Vantrue Element 1, which has a nice small size, is very easy to use, and features a handy phone app, even if its night captures are a bit grainy.<\/em><\/p>\n Pros<\/p>\n Cons<\/p>\n Our review of the Cobra SC 400D left us smitten. It\u2019s pricey, yes, but it delivers the goods with stunning images\u20144K for the front, 1080p in the rear\u2014day or night. In addition to that it has all the trappings of a premium product: a sturdy magnetic mount with integrated GPS, a crisp 3-inch touchscreen display, and Alexa support for finding businesses and the like when you are on the road. It can also be expanded with an optional 120-degree FOV cam for the interior. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full Pros<\/p>\n Prior to our review of the Cobra SC 400D above, the 622GW front\/rear system was our hands-down favorite. And, really, it shares virtually all the same attributes as its rival\u2014nice design and build quality, excellent day and night captures, drive mapping, a wonderful 3-inch display, emergency response to accidents, Alexa support, and the ability to add a third camera for interior views. Like the 400D, it carries a premium price tag. But in the end, you can\u2019t go wrong with either model. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full Pros<\/p>\n Cons<\/p>\n Another of the 4K-front\/1080p-rear camera setups, the Viofo A129 Pro Duo was the first to win us over to the benefits of 4K. It\u2019s been matched in those abilities by newer models, but the A129 comes at a competitive price that can\u2019t be ignored. Plus it offers integrated GPS and a pleasant user experience.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full Pros<\/p>\n Cons<\/p>\n If you really want to save money, this Walmart-exclusive Nextbase 222X front-and-rear camera duo offers great value. The 1080p\/720p video is a compromise, but video quality is still good, it has a nice magnetic mount, a clear 2.5-inch screen, and a battery-supported parking mode. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full Pros<\/p>\n Cons<\/p>\n Prior to our review of the Miofive 4K, we would have tapped the Car and Driver Eye2 Pro as the best front-only dash cam with 4K, a fine product in its own right. But the Miofive costs $100 less, and offers integrated GPS as well as great video captures, 64GB of internal storage, a compact design, friendly voice notifications, and a super straightforward setup. So not only is this our favorite front dash cam with 4K, it\u2019s our favorite front cam overall.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full Pros<\/p>\n This small but mighty front dash cam has it all: great 1440p video with a 140-degree field of view, integrated GPS and driving assistance, good phone connectivity, an easy and convenient magnetic mounting system, and the backing of Garmin\u2019s good name. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full Pros<\/p>\n Cons<\/p>\n For minimalist types, iOttie\u2019s Aivo View consists of just a small camera that magnetically attached to a semi-permanent mount. It uses your phone as the interface and viewer. It can capture at up to 1600p\/30 frames per second, or as low as 720p to save space on your inserted SD card. It also offers integrated GPS. The Aivo View does require that you set up an iOttie account. <\/p>\n If that doesn\u2019t sit well with you, the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 is another excellent choice for stealth operation, measuring just 1.23 x 2.1 x 1.5 inches\u2014small enough to remain hidden behind your sun visor. It doesn\u2019t have GPS, however.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full Pros<\/p>\n Cons<\/p>\n Garmin\u2019s front\/interior camera is easy to install, features a compact body that helps it avoid detection, and has an excellent magnetic mount\u2014all useful features that make up for the average 1440p\/720p video capture quality. The Tandem doesn\u2019t have a display; it nicely uses Bluetooth (as opposed to Wi-Fi) to connect to your phone, where Garmin\u2019s easy-to-use app lets you configure settings\u2014although the defaults are spot-on.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full Pros<\/p>\n Cons<\/p>\n Dash cams are all about capturing the action, and few do it better than the\u00a0front\/interior Cobra SC 201. The exterior night video, especially, is unsurpassed in its ability to show details in dark surroundings and it offers a laundry list of features including GPS and cloud uploads. The company even includes a 16GB SD card. It\u2019s well worth the money for what you get\u2014just don\u2019t try to use the cloud functionality with an older phone OS. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRead our full We\u2019ll step you through what to think about when you\u2019re shopping for a dash cam, from video capabilities, recording options, power connections, and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n Something most people don\u2019t consider before they buy is that dash cams connect to a power source in your car via a physical cable. That cable can sometimes be tucked out of the way, but more likely than not you\u2019ll have loose cable hanging somewhere. You can sometimes fix this with a longer or shorter cable (or a professional installation). Keep that in mind as you consider your power options:<\/p>\n Few people are as well situated geographically as I am to test dash cams. Within two blocks there are major four- and six-lane thoroughfares, numerous bike lanes, joggers, dog walkers, oblivious ear-budded pedestrians, and a major bus nexus serving both public and private coaches. The opportunities for near-accidents are endless.<\/p>\n For every dash cam, I mount it in my car, judging the ease and convenience of doing so.\u00a0Tip:\u00a0Many dash cams rely on adhesive for mounting to your windshield. Hot conditions can make it next to impossible to remove the film that protects the adhesive. Remove the film in a cool environment, or place it in the fridge for a minute or two before installing it.<\/p>\n I put each dash cam through several days\u2019 and nights\u2019 worth of driving,\u00a0recording video and judging the image quality. All the dash cams I\u2019ve reviewed in the last couple of years take good daytime video. However, night video is often plagued by murky shadows and headlight flare. That said, quality is improving rapidly with the introduction of new sensors. Take a close look at the night shots in each review.\u00a0<\/p>\n I try all the features: Buttons, display controls, apps.\u00a0Aside from rear-view support and GPS, the most salient differences between the products are the interface controls and extra features, such as the lane departure and collision warnings that you get with some models. I try them\u2026and I turn them off. In practice, they usually tell me I\u2019m changing lanes, in heavy traffic, or have just been cut off. I know that. Additionally, the collision warnings generally come too late to do anything but distract you at exactly the wrong time.\u00a0<\/p>\n Note that the one thing I can\u2019t relate to you is the longevity of any dash cam, as my testing occurs over a relatively short amount of time. Please check user reviews on various sites and pay attention to the warranty.<\/p>\n The use of dash cams in consumer vehicles is a relatively recent trend, and people have been driving just fine without them for a long time. However, while it might not be necessary, there are legitimate benefits to using a dash cam in your car.\u00a0<\/p>\n Many people who purchase and install dash cams use them as a type of insurance policy for their actions and those of others on the road. Dash cams can protect you from other drivers in a number of ways. They can help you prove your innocence in the event of an accident. They may also act as a deterrent against aggressive drivers. And some dash cams come with features that have motion-sensor parking modes that can record any possible hit-and-runs or thefts while you are away from your car.<\/p>\n In the end, it\u2019s ultimately up to you as to whether you believe the possible benefits of buying and using a dash cam are worth the investment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Yes, in all U.S. states, dash cams are legal. However, it\u2019s best to check with your particular state\u2019s traffic laws to determine what type of dash cam you should use. For example, not all states allow a dash cam to be mounted to a windshield\u2014it\u2019s best to do a little research before you buy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Probably not. And by that, we mean almost certainly not. A standard dash cam with front and rear coverage, motion detection, and Wi-Fi all operating while your car is parked will only consume about 0.25 to 0.45 amps per hour. A typical small or midsize car battery is rated at 45 amp hours. This means that while your car is turned off it will take a few days for your car battery to get low from powering your dash cam.<\/p>\n Another feature that\u2019s becoming more common in dash cams is a low-voltage cutoff as a safeguard against dead batteries. This feature automatically shuts-down your dash cam if it senses that the power drops below a certain threshold. So you can rest assured knowing that your dash cam won\u2019t kill your car battery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Dash cams use removable SD or microSD cards to store recorded data. Unlike your phone or mobile device, which stops you from adding more pictures or videos when the memory is full, a dash cam instead just uses an overwrite function to record over old data. Therefore, you shouldn\u2019t have to worry about your dash cam shutting off because the memory card is full.\u00a0<\/p>\n That being said, if you want to ensure that you aren\u2019t overwriting valuable old data, you\u2019ll want to get an adequate-sized memory card, and consider the resolution at which the camera captures the video. 4K recordings take up a lot more space than 1080p recordings. <\/p>\n We believe that the sweet spot for a memory card is somewhere around 128GB. Even if you are recording in 4K, this will allow you to record continuously for around five hours, or around 20 hours if you record at 1080p. Thankfully though, memory cards are relatively cheap and you won\u2019t need to break the bank if you opt for even more storage capacity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There\u2019s a lot happening while you drive and a second set of eyes can help give you peace of mind out there. Even a co-pilot<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1428,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[270],"tags":[1193,1192,1190,1189,1191],"class_list":["post-1427","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editors-choice","tag-advice","tag-buying","tag-cams","tag-dash","tag-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.txd9.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1427","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.txd9.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.txd9.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.txd9.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.txd9.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1427"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.txd9.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1427\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.txd9.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1428"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.txd9.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.txd9.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.txd9.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t1. Cobra SC 400D \u2013 Best premium front\/rear dash cam\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Cobra](\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/Cobra-SC400D-main.jpg?quality=50&strip=all\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\tCobra SC 400Dreview\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2. Nextbase 622GW \u2013 Best premium front\/rear runner-up\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Nextbase](\"https:\/\/images.idgesg.net\/images\/article\/2020\/08\/nextbase-622-front-100855441-orig.jpg?quality=50&strip=all\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\tNextbase 622GW Dash Camreview\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3. Viofo A129 Pro Duo \u2013 Best midrange front\/rear dash cam \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Viofo](\"https:\/\/images.idgesg.net\/images\/article\/2020\/01\/1000x1000-1-100826167-orig.jpg?quality=50&strip=all\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\tViofo A129 Pro Duoreview\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t4. Nextbase 222X \u2013 Best budget front\/rear dash cam\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Nextbase](\"https:\/\/images.idgesg.net\/images\/article\/2021\/03\/nextbase-222x-front-100879830-orig.jpg?quality=50&strip=all\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\tNextbase 222X Dash Camreview\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t5. Miofive 4K \u2013 Best front-only dash cam \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Miofive](\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Front-Forward-hero.jpg?quality=50&strip=all\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\tMiofive 4K dash camreview\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t6. Garmin Dash Cam 57 \u2013 Best front-only runner-up\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Garmin](\"https:\/\/images.idgesg.net\/images\/article\/2021\/06\/garmin-dash-cam-57-front-100892058-orig.jpg?quality=50&strip=all\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\tGarmin Dash Cam 57review\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t7. iOttie Aivo View \u2013 Most stealth front-only cam\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
![\"iOttie](\"https:\/\/b2c-contenthub.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/iottie.com-aivo-view_hero.jpg?quality=50&strip=all\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\tiOttie Aivo View dash camreview\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t8. Garmin Dash Cam Tandem \u2013 Best front\/interior dash cam \t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Garmin](\"https:\/\/images.idgesg.net\/images\/article\/2020\/02\/dash-cam-tandem-100831577-orig.jpg?quality=50&strip=all\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\tGarmin Dash Cam Tandemreview\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t9. Cobra SC 201 \u2013 Best budget front\/interior dash cam\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Cobra](\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/4103XXhGUXL.jpg?quality=50&strip=all\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\tCobra SC 201 Smart Dash Camreview\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nWhat to look for in a dash cam<\/h2>\n
Video capabilities<\/h3>\n
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Recording options<\/h3>\n
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Power connections<\/h3>\n
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Other handy features<\/h3>\n
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How we test dash cams<\/h2>\n
FAQ <\/h2>\n
\nDo I really need a dash cam?<\/h3>\n
Is it legal to use a dash cam?<\/h3>\n
Will a dash cam drain my car battery?<\/h3>\n
How much storage should I have for my dash cam?<\/h3>\n