Category: Hardwire Options

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The Best Dash Cams Of 2023

Motorists are increasingly recognising the advantages of fitting their vehicles with dashboard cameras. Besides furnishing indisputable evidence in the event of accidents and expediting more seamless insurance claims, dashboard camera footage can be utilised to contest traffic penalties and make claims for road damage caused by potholes. Remarkably, it has even played a part in aiding law enforcement in resolving significant criminal cases.

The surging popularity of this technology has also resulted in a decrease in prices, all the while enhancing the quality of the recorded footage.

For individuals new to dash cams or those looking to upgrade, the myriad features and technical terminology can be quite confusing. Devices priced under £50 may appear to provide comparable functionalities to those priced at £500. Queries about whether you require 4K resolution, the importance of WiFi connectivity, or the need for a polarising filter can be rather overwhelming. 

To offer some clarity, we have assembled our favourite dash cams after a year of extensive testing and have also included a couple of newcomers to determine the top performer.

Our recommendation

For those seeking the utmost in footage quality at a good price, the Nextbase 622GW still stands as the top-performing camera we’ve tested. However, it comes at a substantial cost, and we understand if you opt for a more budget-friendly camera that offers nearly comparable capabilities.

Budget Choice

Our recommendation for most drivers is the Nextbase 222 Dash Camera, as it strikes the best balance between overall value for money and performance. Priced at less than £100, including a memory card, it may not be a substantial investment, but it incorporates all the features we deem essential in a dash cam.

At Number 5 - F100

  • Price: around £119.00 (comes with a 16GB card)
  • Rating: 4.2 stars
  • Resolution: 1080P full HD

The Thinkware F100 is an excellent choice for a dash camera for several compelling reasons. Firstly, it represents an updated and improved version of the Thinkware F50, offering enhanced overall performance. This makes the F100 not only reliable but also affordable, delivering exceptional value for money.

One of the standout features of the Thinkware F100 is its parking mode. When the ignition is turned off, the camera automatically enters parking mode. It remains in this mode until the battery voltage reaches a certain level or the vehicle is restarted. In parking mode, the camera saves footage only when it detects movement or an impact. Alternatively, you can activate time-lapse parking mode, which records at 1FPS throughout its parking mode duration.

At Number 4 - Nextbase 322GW

  • Price: around £119.00 (Excluding memory card)
  • Rating: 4.3 stars
  • Resolution: 1080P full HD

The award winning Nextbase 322GW includes revolutionary new safety features, helping you enjoy a safer journey than ever before. The 1080p HD Model uses Emergency SOS to alert the emergency services to your location in the event of an accident. With a new IPS HD Touch screen, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi built in, the Nextbase 322GW is an extremely well connected Dash Cam

At Number 3 - Nextbase 422GW

  • Price: around £149.00 (Excluding memory card)
  • Rating: 4.3 stars
  • Resolution: 1440p

The Nextbase 422GW stands as an upper mid-tier dash cam, delivering QHD resolution and GPS tracking capabilities while incorporating a few safety and convenience enhancements. This model represents a progression beyond the impressive 322GW; however, despite its heightened resolution and expanded aperture, it doesn’t yield significantly more detailed video footage. It lands the spot at number 3 on our list.

At Number 2 - Thinkware U1000-1CH

  • Price: around £299.00 (comes with a 32GB card)
  • Rating: 4.3 stars
  • Resolution: 4K UHD Resolution

At £299 (or £399 if you include the rear camera too) the Thinkware U1000 is an expensive dash cam. You can spend half or even a quarter of the price if you want, but the U1000 has a lot going for it, from 4K video with HDR, to speed camera alerts, remote viewing, motion sensing while parked. It’s a feature-packed dash cam, in other words, and one that will suit buyers who want the very best, regardless of budget.

At Number 1 - BlackVue DR970x-1CH

  • Price: around £429.95 (plus 64gb memory card)
  • Rating: 4.5 stars
  • Resolution: 4K UHD Resolution

BlackVue’s latest flagship model upholds its esteemed reputation for exceptional image quality, courtesy of its cutting-edge Sony STARVIS sensors and premium lenses that deliver crystal-clear footage. With a 4K resolution camera that excels in low-light conditions, the BlackVue DR970x stands as the unrivalled choice for those seeking an uncompromising dash camera experience. For additional information, please click Here.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST DASH CAM FOR YOU

Dash cams commonly feature wide-angle lenses. A broader field of view enhances visibility at intersections and side streets, but distant objects may appear smaller.

4K recording offers exceptional clarity and more detailed images. However, it results in larger file sizes and demands greater storage capacity.

While some dash cams have batteries for wire-free installation, their battery life is usually limited (around 30 minutes). Alternatively, some models can be connected to a USB socket or 12V supply for continuous operation, albeit with visible cables. A tidier solution is hard-wiring…

Opting for a professionally installed, hard-wired dash cam costs more and restricts camera mobility between vehicles. Nevertheless, it offers a sleek appearance and can record events while the vehicle is parked, such as suspicious activity, attempted theft, or parking incidents.

Certain dash cams offer optional cloud services that can be valuable for fleet managers overseeing multiple vehicles or individuals who want remote access to their recordings. These services also automate backup of your footage.

Consider a rear-facing dash cam if potential hazards may arise from behind your vehicle. There are separate buying guides available for front and rear dash cams. Some front-facing dash cams even offer optional rear camera upgrades.

For drivers, especially those providing transportation services, who want to record the interior of their vehicle, our Uber dashcam guide recommends suitable options. If you need both front, rear, and interior coverage, explore our guide to the best three-channel dash cams.

In case of an accident, you might be unable to call for help. Some advanced dash cams can detect collisions and automatically alert emergency services. Those equipped with GPS can transmit your precise location to emergency responders as well.

  • High Dynamic Range (HDR): While typically associated with high-end digital cameras, HDR capture can be advantageous in scenarios with intense, contrasting lighting.
  • Wi-Fi: Dash cams with Wi-Fi can connect to smartphone apps for adjusting settings and reviewing footage.
  • Night Vision: Driving isn’t limited to daytime hours, so a dash cam with night vision enhances safety and security during nighttime journeys.
  • Driver Assist Safety Features: Some dash cams can issue alerts for lane departure or warn of stopped vehicles ahead in traffic.
  • Voice Control: Ensuring you keep your hands on the wheel while driving, voice control functions as a safety feature rather than just a convenience.
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What is Parking Mode?

Dash camera parking mode video

What is Parking Mode?

Round-the-clock protection

Although dash cameras are intended to capture your driving, did you know that they can also keep an eye on your vehicle even when the engine is off? Thanks to the Parking Mode function.

Any recording your dash cam captures while the ignition is off and your car is parked is simply referred to as on “Parking Mode. Additionally, you could hear expressions like “parking mode,” “parking guard,” or “sentry mode.” All of these expressions refer to the same thing. Consider it as 24-hour security and monitoring for your car.

If you are concerned about hit-and-runs or damage to your parked car, parking mode is a very helpful tool to have. However, not all dash cams have parking mode, and not all parking modes are created equal.

When is parking mode activated on the dash camera?

When does the dash cam switch to parking mode?

If your dash cam is in actual parking mode, it will be able to transition from normal recording to parking mode recording without any user intervention when your car is actually parked.

When the ignition is turned off, some dash cameras switch to parking mode recording; others rely on the built-in G sensor or by detecting activity.

Ignition-Triggered

The dash cameras detects the voltage difference as soon as the ignition is turned off and switches to parking mode recording. If you wish parking mode to start as soon as the ignition is turned off, or if you commute through busy regions and are frequently stationary for longer than five minutes in traffic, ignition-triggered is ideal.

G sensor triggered

After the built-in G-sensor detects the car has been struck or involved in an accident the dash cam will transition to parking mode. If you must keep your ignition on while parked, G-Sensor triggered is recommended.

Detecting activity

Every time you park and intend to leave your car stationary for an extended period of time, you must activate the Motion Detection mode on your dash cam.

When you go behind the wheel again, it’s crucial to turn off the dash cam’s motion detection feature since when the car is moving, the motion detection mode can interfere and prevent the camera from continuously recording.

 

 

 

 

 

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Do I need a Power Magic Pro or Battery Kit?

What is the difference between the Power Magic Pro & Cellink Neo 6

The Power Magic Pro is the most commonly used option and is the right choice for most requirements. It is a device that monitors the vehicles battery level once you have switched the ignition off. If your vehicles battery has enough juice the Power Magic Pro will allow the camera to remain powered up. If the vehicles battery drops too low (below 12, or 12.5v) the camera will be automatically shut off. It will remain off until the vehicle is next taken for a drive.

We are always asked how long the dash camera will stay on for when using the Power Magic Pro. Unfortunately it is almost impossible for us to provide a definitive answer. Different vehicles have different battery sizes and lots of different electronics that draw power from the battery, as a general rule of thumb, we see cameras remaining on anywhere from 1-4 hours. How much you drive and how healthy the battery is can play an important factor in determining how long the camera will stay on, we have known them to stay on for much longer.

With this option, it is important to remember that power is taken directly from your vehicles battery. The Power Magic Pro is simply a gate keeper that either allows the camera to remain on, or forces it to shut down.

Some users have reported receiving Low Battery Warning messages on the vehicles dashboard. This can be caused if the vehicle is particularly sensitive to battery drain and in most cases can be resolved by increasing the shut off level to the upper limit (12.5v). In the rare cases where this does not solve the problem, our engineers have found that we can rectify the issue by ensuring we are not drawing power from specific circuits. If you are purchasing our Professional Installation Service then you won’t need to worry about this. We’ll make sure it is running correctly.

The Battery Kit

The second option is to use the Cellink Neo 6 battery kit. Other batteries are available but we have tested them and found this to be the best currently available.

The main difference when compared to the Power Magic Pro is that the Cellink Neo 6 does not draw any power from your vehicle whilst you are parked. Instead the Neo 6 will only charge and draw power from the vehicle whilst your are driving. This has a couple of benefits, it means that you do not need to worry about triggering low battery messages, or ever running your vehicles battery low. More importantly it can provide you with a much longer, and much more predictable power supply when you park your vehicle. We have seen single front cameras remain on for approx. 35 hours and front and rear cameras remain on for approx. 17 hours.

There are a few considerations to take into account. The battery does require that the vehicle is driven in order for it to re-charge, it will take around 40-45 minutes to fully charge. This is pretty quick, which is one reason we recommend the Neo 6. However, if you are only driving the vehicle a few times each week, 2-minutes down the road to go to local shop. You shouldn’t expect the battery to get a good charge and keep your camera on for long. If your daily commute is at least 30-minutes then there is a good chance the Neo 6 will be able to keep your cameras powered up whilst you are parked for the day. This can of course provide a huge benefit, especially if you leave your car in a busy car park.

Many people ask if they can have the cameras on 24/7. This option comes pretty close and from a full charge it will get you through the night, or near enough. For those looking for 24 hours of recording then you’ll need to look at the next battery up, or adding a battery extension.

This is a much more expensive option but is arguably healthier for your vehicles battery and will provide you with the power required to meet most requirements.