Adrian Dimakis
Let’s face it folks: there are so many maniacs on the road, and we witness them in our daily driving. If you’ve been on the road long enough, you can attest to the ever crazy driving that happens out there. It’s terrifying. Sometimes you even wish you had the slightest chance of capturing an accident on a video.
Sadly, you are not immune to road incidents (and accidents). Sometimes it’s not even your fault, but you face a hard time explaining yourself or proving your innocence. So, how do you ensure that this never happens? Simple — get a dash cam.
Also known as dashboard cameras, dash cams allow you to record your daily driving, giving you a legal leg up should there be an accident. The modern top-tier models offer you many more features besides recording; they give you the chance to record your driving data, warn you of lane departure or excessive speed, and even send you updates when you leave your car in the parking lot. Amazing, right?
Well, that’s the best part. Finding the ideal dash cam for your needs is the more difficult part. You have to browse through dozens of options before settling on the right one. But don’t worry, folks — we are here to help you. We have done the research for you, narrowing the best dash cams to 10 cool options you can try today. They record everything that’s ahead and sometimes even what’s behind!
Top 10 Dash Cams of 2020 Reviewed
1. Rove R2-4K Dash cam
[wt_products id=”3315″ template=”5″]2. APEMAN Mini Dash cam
[wt_products id=”3318″ template=”5″]3. Vantrue N2 Pro Uber Dual Dash cam
[wt_products id=”3321″ template=”5″]4. Dual Dash cam, VAVA Dual
[wt_products id=”3343″ template=”5″]5. Dash cam Front and Rear CHORTAU Dual Dash cam
[wt_products id=”3323″ template=”5″]6. AUKEY Dash cam
[wt_products id=”3326″ template=”5″]7. Campark Dash cam 1080P Full HD DVR Dashboard Camera
[wt_products id=”3329″ template=”5″]8. Dash cam for Cars, hyleton 1080P HD Dual Dash cam
[wt_products id=”3331″ template=”5″]9. Uber Dual Lens Dash cam Built-In GPS Car Camera
[wt_products id=”3334″ template=”5″]10. Rexing V1 Wi-Fi Car Dash cam
[wt_products id=”3337″ template=”5″]How to Choose the Best Dash Cam – The Ultimate Buying Guide
Dash cams are essential additions to a driver’s daily life give their ability to document evidence when an accident happens. Whether you are a taxi driver, driving instructor, parent, or car hire operator, having a dash cam is a must. It will help track the journeys made by your car and record some cool features on your road trip. Using the GPS functionality, dash cams also come in handy in showing the speed at which you are traveling. When you are flagged down by the police for a traffic offense, you can use the footage from your dash cam as evidence.
So you want to buy a dash cam for your car? What are some of the things you should consider before making a decision? Even though you may define a perfect dash cam differently, certain factors cut across brands and models. They include the following:
How Will You Mount It?
Did you know that dash cams can be mounted in different ways? While some cameras have only one mounting method, others provide for a choice between different methods. In most cases, it could be either the adhesive tape and suction cup or both. Of these, the use of adhesive tape is considered better because it is more permanent. However, situations that require you to move the camera from one car to another may mean using the suction cup. You need to bear that in mind as you choose a dash camera for your car.
Resolution is a Big Deal!
A camera’s resolution determines the number of details you will have in the footage. As such, a high-resolution camera will provide more details than a low-resolution one. If you want to see details such as car registration plates, you need a camera that can capture that. In fact, some of the cameras on the market are capable of providing 4K resolution. However, many can provide 1080P or full HD resolution. If you pick anything with a lower rating, you shouldn’t expect clear, detailed videos. Only that high-resolution cameras also require large storage capacities.
How Wide is The Angle of View How?
It is not enough to have footage from a dash cam. In the end, the field of view will determine if you will get all the details or not. Luckily, several dash cams have wide-angle capabilities, enabling them to capture more in a single frame. For example, some cameras can capture videos to a maximum of 120 degrees while others can go as high as 180 degrees. Those with the widest angles are usually used as front cameras. The rest can work as rear cameras.
What’s The Size of The Camera?
In the world of dash cams, size matters. Bigger dash cams may obstruct you from having a clear view of the road. Also, they aren’t as discreet. That’s why you need a smaller dash cam. Apart from providing you with a clear view of the road ahead, smaller cameras are also discreet. Some of them are so small that they can be hidden behind the rear mirror. Such miniature contraptions are hardly noticeable.
Does It Have a Rear Camera?
There are many dash cams which provide only the front camera. Yet, some have the combination of a rear and front camera. It may seem unnecessary, but buying a model with a rear camera is the best way to go. If it has a rear camera, it will be called a “dual camera”. Since they work in tandem, the two cameras record footage at the same time. Thus, if someone hit you from the back, you will be able to collect the evidence you need.
Size of The Display Screen
Dash cameras have display screens that range between 1.5 and 3 inches. But that’s only for those that do have displays. Others may completely lack these screens. For you to know if you have any footage, buy a camera with some kind of display. Ideally, the display should be at least 1.5 inches. If it has no display, then you will have to set it up through a PC. Also, you wouldn’t know if the camera is recording anything.
What Are The Lens Like?
The kind of lens on a camera plays an important role in its performance. The camera lens can be made of resin or glass. In this case, the glass lens provides superior videos. Apart from the lens itself, you should consider the body holding the lens. The best is metal, not plastic. Cameras with more lens layers ensure better image quality. For example, some dash cams feature a six-layer lens. When it comes to the price, these tend to be more expensive.
GPS Capability as an Additional Feature
For cameras without a built-in GPS unit, you have to buy one separately. That’s an additional expense that you may not want to entertain. The best strategy is to buy a camera with a built-in GPS unit. This feature is important since it helps track your location, route, time, and speed. For instance, a GPS-enabled camera can precisely describe your location in terms of longitudes and latitudes.
How Big Is The Storage?
Most of the dash cams on the market do not include a micro SD. All that’s stated is the size of storage supported. As such, some accept micro SDs of up to 256 GB. When buying a camera, pay attention to your budget, driving routine, and video resolution. All of these factors will determine the size of the micro SD you need. For example, to record 3 minutes of 1080P video, you need at least 400 MB of memory. When buying a micro SD, go only for the premium brands.
Does it support Wi-Fi Connectivity?
Another important consideration is whether the dash cam supports Wi-Fi connectivity. This feature enables the camera to connect to a tablet or smartphone. It is possible to change camera settings and also view or save recorded videos. You can easily access the camera from any location. After saving footage on another device, you will create space for storing future videos.
Things to Be Extra-Attentive To
- Parking mode: When you set a dash can to this mode, it will record happenings around your car when it is parked. This will provide evidence in case of theft, vandalism, hit and run, as well as accidental bumps.
- Length: The Lenght of the power adapter. Ideally, the power adapter should have a cord that’s 11.5 feet (3.5m) or longer. With that, you can fix the wires under the edges of the windscreen.
- Temperature: It is important to pick a dash cam with the ability to work in all kinds of temperature extremities.
- Battery or superconductor power: When the 12-volt power source is lost, the camera will require a battery or superconductor to keep recording the incident. The run time should be long enough to record the incident for longer. The problem with lithium-ion batteries is that they cannot work in extreme temperatures.
What’s The Price of the Camera?
Ideally, the price of a dash cam should be affordable. If it is too expensive, it may not fit within your budget. So, think about your budget even as you go looking for a dash cam. Choose several cameras within the price range you can afford and compare them in terms of the other features. If you find an affordable, high-quality dash cam, go for it.
Conclusion
As you can see, finding the right dash cam requires you to be very attentive. If not, you will end up with a non-functioning camera. Check through the products we have just reviewed above. If you cannot find what you are looking for, use the criteria in the buying guide to find a good camera elsewhere.
