Best dash cams 2022: Reviews and buying advice

There’s rather a lot taking place when you drive and a second set of eyes may also help provide you with peace of thoughts on the market. Even a co-pilot can fall asleep, whereas a splash cam is ever alert to what’s taking place, recording high-resolution footage with corresponding timestamps and GPS coordinates. A splash cam may even document whereas your automotive is parked so you possibly can learn about something suspicious when you’re away.

There are some things to take a look at when selecting one of the best sprint cam on your wants. First you must contemplate if you’d like a entrance, entrance/inside, or entrance/rear mannequin. You must also contemplate how extensive of a viewing angle you’ll want. Then there are particular options to contemplate reminiscent of voice management or parking help. We perceive that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all mannequin so we have now put collectively an inventory of our suggestions for every type of sprint cams with varied options and costs under.

For much more data on what options to search for in a splash cam, scroll to our consumers information beneath our greatest picks. As soon as you purchase a splash cam, it can save you your self a while and frustration by studying our information on easy methods to set up a splash cam.

Up to date 10/07/2022: Try our newest evaluation of the Garmin DriveCam 76. It may need just a few wonky video stability points, however the massive contact display screen and first-class navigation make up for any odd visible glitches you might encounter. We additionally not too long ago reviewed the Vantrue Component 1, which has a pleasant small dimension, could be very simple to make use of, and incorporates a helpful cellphone app, even when its evening captures are a bit grainy.

1. Cobra SC 400D – Finest premium entrance/rear sprint cam

Professionals

• Glorious video captures, day and evening, back and front
• 3-inch touchscreen show
• Voice management
• Alexa help (should you care)
• 2160p (4K UHD) if you’d like it

Cons

• Very costly
• Rear digicam isn’t detachable

Our evaluation of the Cobra SC 400D left us smitten. It’s expensive, sure, nevertheless it delivers the products with beautiful photographs—4K for the entrance, 1080p within the rear—day or evening. Along with that it has all the trimmings of a premium product: a sturdy magnetic mount with built-in GPS, a crisp 3-inch touchscreen show, and Alexa help for locating companies and the like when you’re on the highway. It can be expanded with an elective 120-degree FOV cam for the inside.

Learn our full
Cobra SC 400Dreview

2. Nextbase 622GW – Finest premium entrance/rear runner-up

Professionals

• Stellar day and evening captures
• Modular add-on 1080p cameras present inside and rear protection
• Alexa voice management and computerized emergency notifications

Previous to our evaluation of the Cobra SC 400D above, the 622GW entrance/rear system was our hands-down favourite. And, actually, it shares just about all the identical attributes as its rival—good design and construct high quality, wonderful day and evening captures, drive mapping, a beautiful 3-inch show, emergency response to accidents, Alexa help, and the flexibility so as to add a 3rd digicam for inside views. Just like the 400D, it carries a premium price ticket. However in the long run, you possibly can’t go incorrect with both mannequin.

Learn our full
Nextbase 622GW Sprint Camreview

3. Viofo A129 Professional Duo – Finest midrange entrance/rear sprint cam

Professionals

• Glorious 4K UHD entrance captures.
• Nice 1080p rear captures.
• Simple to make use of

Cons

• Cameras don’t detach from mounts

One other of the 4K-front/1080p-rear digicam setups, the Viofo A129 Professional Duo was the primary to win us over to the advantages of 4K. It’s been matched in these skills by newer fashions, however the A129 comes at a aggressive worth that may’t be ignored. Plus it affords built-in GPS and a nice consumer expertise.

Learn our full
Viofo A129 Professional Duoreview

4. Nextbase 222X – Finest finances entrance/rear sprint cam

Professionals

• Good entrance/rear-view day video
• Respectable entrance/rear-view evening captures
• 48-hour, battery-supported parking mode and after-incident seize

Cons

• Modest video high quality in comparison with pricier Nextbase fashions
• Modular port, however no add-on modules
• No GPS

In case you actually wish to get monetary savings, this Walmart-exclusive Nextbase 222X front-and-rear digicam duo affords nice worth. The 1080p/720p video is a compromise, however video high quality remains to be good, it has a pleasant magnetic mount, a transparent 2.5-inch display screen, and a battery-supported parking mode.

Learn our full
Nextbase 222X Sprint Camreview

5. Miofive 4K – Finest front-only sprint cam

Professionals

• Compact, totally built-in design
• Very inexpensive for 4K with GPS
• Pleasant voice notifications
• 64GB of inner storage
• Good day and evening captures

Cons

• Inner storage is not replaceable
• macOS will not learn the interior storage

Previous to our evaluation of the Miofive 4K, we might have tapped the Automobile and Driver Eye2 Professional as one of the best front-only sprint cam with 4K, a high-quality product in its personal proper. However the Miofive prices $100 much less, and affords built-in GPS in addition to nice video captures, 64GB of inner storage, a compact design, pleasant voice notifications, and an excellent easy setup. So not solely is that this our favourite entrance sprint cam with 4K, it’s our favourite entrance cam total.

Learn our full
Miofive 4K sprint camreview

6. Garmin Sprint Cam 57 – Finest front-only runner-up

Professionals

• Colourful, detailed captures day and evening
• Sufficiently small to cover behind your mirror
• Tremendous-convenient magnetic mounting
• Cellphone and cloud connectivity

This small however mighty entrance sprint cam has all of it: nice 1440p video with a 140-degree area of view, built-in GPS and driving help, good cellphone connectivity, a simple and handy magnetic mounting system, and the backing of Garmin’s good title.

Learn our full
Garmin Sprint Cam 57review

7. iOttie Aivo View – Most stealth front-only cam

Professionals

• Simple to arrange and use
• Excellent day and evening captures
• Magnetic mount
• Minimalist styling and operation

Cons

• Requires iOttie account to arrange and use

For minimalist sorts, iOttie’s Aivo View consists of only a small digicam that magnetically connected to a semi-permanent mount. It makes use of your cellphone because the interface and viewer. It could actually seize at as much as 1600p/30 frames per second, or as little as 720p to save lots of area in your inserted SD card. It additionally affords built-in GPS. The Aivo View does require that you simply arrange an iOttie account.

If that doesn’t sit properly with you, the Garmin Sprint Cam Mini 2 is one other wonderful alternative for stealth operation, measuring simply 1.23 x 2.1 x 1.5 inches—sufficiently small to stay hidden behind your solar visor. It doesn’t have GPS, nonetheless.

Learn our full
iOttie Aivo View sprint camreview

8. Garmin Sprint Cam Tandem – Finest entrance/inside sprint cam

Professionals

• Very simple to put in and use
• Compact profile
• Glorious magnetic mount
• 360-degree entrance/inside view (minus obstructions)

Cons

• Costly
• Common captures

Garmin’s entrance/inside digicam is simple to put in, incorporates a compact physique that helps it keep away from detection, and has a wonderful magnetic mount—all helpful options that make up for the typical 1440p/720p video seize high quality. The Tandem doesn’t have a show; it properly makes use of Bluetooth (versus Wi-Fi) to hook up with your cellphone, the place Garmin’s easy-to-use app permits you to configure settings—though the defaults are spot-on.

Learn our full
Garmin Sprint Cam Tandemreview

9. Cobra SC 201 – Finest finances entrance/inside sprint cam

Professionals

• Glorious video, particularly at evening
• Entrance and inside cameras for ride-givers
• GPS with computerized setup
• Included 16GB SD card

Cons

• No captures with out 12-volt
• Buggy software program on the time of testing
• App doesn’t help smartphones working Android 7 or older

Sprint cams are all about capturing the motion, and few do it higher than the entrance/inside Cobra SC 201. The outside evening video, particularly, is unsurpassed in its potential to point out particulars in darkish environment and it affords a laundry record of options together with GPS and cloud uploads. The corporate even features a 16GB SD card. It’s properly well worth the cash for what you get—simply don’t attempt to use the cloud performance with an older cellphone OS.

Learn our full
Cobra SC 201 Good Sprint Camreview

What to search for in a splash cam

We’ll step you thru what to consider if you’re looking for a splash cam, from video capabilities, recording choices, energy connections, and extra. 

Video capabilities

• Twin-channel help: That is what you’ll want if you wish to run each entrance and rear, or inside (cabin-view) cameras. Inside cameras are typically located on the sprint cam, however rear cameras are separate and require further cabling. 
• A decently extensive area of view: You’ll see cameras with as little as 90-degrees area of view, however you’ll catch extra of what’s round you should you go for 120 to 140 levels. Some cameras provide 160- to 180-degree lenses. Observe that the broader the sector of view, the extra fish-eye distortion there may be, and extra processing is concerned to compensate.
• Day and evening video recording (evening high quality is a giant variant)
• Infrared lighting is vital if you wish to guarantee good captures of nocturnal occasions contained in the cabin of your car.
• HDR (excessive dynamic vary) isn’t needed, nevertheless it does make for extra detailed video due to higher distinction. It additionally typically signifies richer coloration.
• WDR (extensive dynamic vary) is very similar to above, besides it often refers to solely coloration and never distinction.
• Do you want 4K UHD? It’s simple to fall sufferer to the specsmanship of a higher-res picture. In our assessments, the acquire intimately from 4K video (2160p) can fluctuate, however the storage funding is persistently heavy: 4 instances the storage of 1080p, or round 1GB for each three minutes of video. For many functions,1080p is the extra frugal on a regular basis alternative. Don’t keep away from 4K UHD—which is a characteristic in our greatest total picks—however learn the opinions first so you understand whether or not the price is justified.

Recording choices

• Steady loop recording to reduce storage necessities. Video is recorded, then instantly overwritten at a specified interval until saved. Video is saved (shielded from overwriting) routinely when an incident is detected. Most sprint cams will overwrite older recordings once they run out of area. 
• Cloud storage is out there with just a few sprint cams. Importing to the cloud in actual time is a pleasant hedge in opposition to injury and theft—assuming the thief isn’t sensible sufficient to kill the sprint cam instantly. It’s helpful for these managing fleets of autos, too, as incident movies are safely stashed on-line.
• Self-powered recording when energy fails, as a way to make sure you seize all of an incident. This requires a battery or massive super-capacitor (see under in “Energy connections”). The digicam ought to have a setting that means that you can specify how lengthy the digicam runs off 12-volt earlier than shutting down. 
• Incident recording triggered by affect (G) sensors, or when in parking mode (see under), by movement detection.
• MicroSD card storage. Pricier sprint cams bundle a storage card. Some include bigger playing cards, and a few finances fashions come with out. There are sometimes bundles obtainable with the cardboard. Some cameras go for hard-wired inner storage, just like the Miofive 4K.

Energy connections

One thing most individuals don’t contemplate earlier than they purchase is that sprint cams hook up with an influence supply in your automotive by way of a bodily cable. That cable can generally be tucked out of the way in which, however extra doubtless than not you’ll have free cable hanging someplace. You’ll be able to generally repair this with an extended or shorter cable (or knowledgeable set up). Hold that in thoughts as you contemplate your energy choices:

• Auxiliary 12-volt energy (satisfactory): Most distributors have caught with powering their sprint cams by way of the auxiliary 12-volt energy socket (often known as the cigarette lighter) and USB cables. It could actually result in an unpleasant cable run, and the ability disappears if you flip off the automotive, nevertheless it’s common and straightforward.
• Exhausting-wired 12-volt energy (higher): Most distributors provide kits that join the sprint cam on to a relentless 12-volt supply in your wiring harness behind the sprint. This gives always-on energy, nevertheless it isn’t notably simple to put in.
• OBD-II 12-volt energy (higher): Outliers just like the Owl and PureCam use the OBD-II connector for fixed 12-volt energy. OBD-II-to-USB energy cables are actually obtainable individually (as an alternative choice to hardwiring kits that draw fixed 12-volt energy from the wiring harness). I like to recommend one with a USB Kind-A port, which is able to accommodate any sprint cam. Most of these with captive cables I’ve seen are mini-USB. The one draw back is an extended cable run, because the OBD-II port is often subsequent to the driving force’s left knee, beneath the sprint.
• Rearview 12-volt energy (higher): An alternative choice that incorporates a super-short cable run is powering your sprint cam utilizing your auto-dimming rearview mirror. You’ll find adapters for this at Dongar Applied sciences. In case your automotive qualifies, that is by far your only option.
• Battery (or super-capacitor) energy: Many sprint cams include super-capacitors, which permit the sprint cam to function for a short interval after dropping common energy—reminiscent of throughout a collision. They don’t document for very lengthy although, and generally by no means. A battery provides you a greater probability of recording a whole incident, even when 12-volt energy is misplaced. If run time is ample, it additionally means that you can document for some time with the automotive turned off. 

Different helpful options

• Cellphone connectivity will not be important, however could make offloading video and configuring the sprint cam simpler. We’ve observed only in the near past (12/15/2020) that cellphone apps are beginning to require later variations of Android. In case you’re rocking something older than 8, hold that in thoughts.
• GPS: This characteristic may very well be the tipping level should you use your captured video to resolve a dispute. Watermarking the video is widespread, however when embedded into the video, GPS data can be immensely helpful for mapping your travels. GPS may also routinely set the time in higher cameras.
• Parking monitoring: This will imply two issues. Working the sprint cam repeatedly in low frame-rate mode to save lots of card area and battery, or working in standby mode and awakening when movement or g-forces are detected. We’ve reviewed cameras which have a battery massive sufficient to watch the automotive with the 12-volt turned off for a number of days, however most cameras require a relentless 12-volt supply.

How we check sprint cams

Few individuals are as properly located geographically as I’m to check sprint cams. Inside two blocks there are main four- and six-lane thoroughfares, quite a few bike lanes, joggers, canine walkers, oblivious ear-budded pedestrians, and a serious bus nexus serving each private and non-private coaches. The alternatives for near-accidents are countless.

For each sprint cam, I mount it in my automotive, judging the benefit and comfort of doing so. Tip: Many sprint cams depend on adhesive for mounting to your windshield. Scorching situations could make it subsequent to unimaginable to take away the movie that protects the adhesive. Take away the movie in a cool surroundings, or place it within the fridge for a minute or two earlier than putting in it.

I put every sprint cam via a number of days’ and nights’ value of driving, recording video and judging the picture high quality. All of the sprint cams I’ve reviewed within the final couple of years take good daytime video. Nevertheless, evening video is commonly affected by murky shadows and headlight flare. That stated, high quality is enhancing quickly with the introduction of recent sensors. Take a detailed have a look at the evening photographs in every evaluation. 

I attempt all of the options: Buttons, show controls, apps. Other than rear-view help and GPS, probably the most salient variations between the merchandise are the interface controls and additional options, such because the lane departure and collision warnings that you simply get with some fashions. I attempt them…and I flip them off. In apply, they often inform me I’m altering lanes, in heavy visitors, or have simply been reduce off. I do know that. Moreover, the collision warnings typically come too late to do something however distract you at precisely the incorrect time. 

Observe that the one factor I can’t relate to you is the longevity of any sprint cam, as my testing happens over a comparatively quick period of time. Please examine consumer opinions on varied websites and take note of the guarantee.