Top 6 Best Dash Cams 2023 – Dash Cam Reviews
A dash cam (dashboard camera) is a small video camera that is mounted on the windshield or dashboard of a car to record the view from the front of the vehicle.
Some dashcams come with a rear camera as well to record the back of your vehicle.
There are several reasons why you should consider installing a dash cam in your car, and in this article, we’ll discuss some of the most important ones and show you our favourite dash cams on the market in 2023.
Here are 5 good reasons to have a dash cam installed in your car – Dashcam Reviews
- A dash cam can be a handy tool as it can provide valuable evidence in case of a collision or accident. As it’s not always easy to determine who is at fault, having video evidence can help you prove your case as video evidence can be used to show precisely what happened. This is especially important when there are conflicting statements from the drivers, when there are no witnesses to the incident, or when you are in a hit and run situation.
- It can help prevent fraud. All too often people intentionally cause collisions in order to make fraudulent insurance claims. Particularly personal injury claims can be lucrative for scammers. Your dash cam can protect you from false claims being made against you and protects your insurance policy and no claim bonus.
- Your dash cam can be a deterrent against vandalism or theft. An opportunist might be less likely to touch your car when they know there will be a recording of the act. The footage can be useful in identifying them and in recovering your vehicle. Additionally, some dash cams have a parking mode, which will start recording if your car is bumped or moved while it’s parked.
- Your dash cam can record unexpected things on your journeys. From amazing scenery to unusual incidents, there are plenty of things you could encounter which you might want to remember. With a dash cam, you can capture these moments on video and relive them later (or share them with the world on YouTube!)
- Overall, having a dash cam for your car will add security and will protect you in the event of an accident. When you’re considering a dash cam for your car, it’s important to research the different options available and choose one that’s right for you and your needs.
Our Top 6 Best Dash Cams for Your Car for 2023:
Thinkware U1000 Dash Cam – 4K UHD 2160p Front & 2K QHD Rear Dash Camera
This Thinkware Camera set comes with a front and rear camera and is a top of the range dash cam!
Ultra-clear 4K recording
Capture all road conditions and surroundings in detail with the Sony Exmor R Starvis image sensor. It allows constant 24/7 crisp clean 4K UHD 2160p front cam and 2K QHD rear cam footage recording.
156 Degree Wide-Angle Range
The 156 degree wide-angle range of both cameras minimises blind spots.
Super Night Time Vision
The Super Night Vision captures the best quality footage in low lighting whilst in Parking and Continuous Modes. Paired with image signal and real-time processing, this car dash
Real-time Impact Notification
Track the safety of the driver with Strong Impact Notifications. When an impact is detected, the dash cam will send a notification to a registered contact that is logged onto the same Thinkware account. The notification will include the geographical location, time of the impact and a 20-second video (10 seconds before and 10 seconds after the incident).
Geo-fencing & Vehicle Location
Geo-fence your vehicle’s location on your smartphone. Simply set the address via postcode or pinpoint on the map and choose a zone from 100m up to 600km. Then if the dash cam leaves the area it will send a push notification to the app.
Locate Vehicle
Stay up to date with your vehicle’s location. The location is updated every 10 seconds so you can manually check the driver’s current location, speed and direction the vehicle is heading via the integrated Google Maps feature on the Cloud app.
Enhanced Parking Mode
The hardwire lead provided enables the dashcam to monitor your vehicle and its surroundings while the car is turned off.
The device will continuously monitor the health and status of the vehicle battery and shut down if any issues with the battery are detected
£399.00 on Amazon
The Nextbase 622GW is one of the top cameras and records in 4k at 30 frames per second (FPS).
Ultra-clear 4K recording
This camera has a fanstastic video quality with ultra-clear 4K recording so you can capture those finer details like number plates and faces. Optional recording of 1440p HD at 60fps and 1080p HD at 120fps is also available.
Exact Location Recovery
The what3words integration provides your precise global location, even when you are offline, to help the emergency services or friends locate you quickly. It is embedded into the 622GW, meaning that even if you do run out of data, you are safe in the knowledge that you can still make that call and give your location.
Enhanced Night Vision and Extreme Weather Mode
The new sensor used in the 622GW has larger pixels, allowing more light into each one, plus the camera automatically detects light levels and enhances the image as its being recorded.
Extreme weather mode allows you ‘see through fog’. Whether you are involved in or witness an incident in misty conditions, this is the only dash cam which will use its inbuilt algorithms to provide the clearest image.
Image Stabilisation
The 622GW reduces vibrations from your vehicle and improves footage clarity to ensure a super smooth, crystal clear image. This allows you to see finer details such as number plates, signs, and crucial details. Also, super-slow-motion feature allows you to view your footage in slow motion to see all the critical details.
£225 on Amazon
The Nextbase 222 is a hight quality entry level dash cam for smaller budgets.
1080HD Resolution Recording
The 222 records in 1080p HD resolution at 30fps with a 6G lens to provide high quality images and footage for your journey on the road and for insurance claims. The quality ensures numberplates and other important information will be clearly recorded.
Wide Angle Lens
The 140° wide viewing angle ensures that a wide coverage of the road ahead will be recorded. This is 6 lanes wide.
2.5” HD IPS screen
View footage on the 2.5” award-winning IPS screen with upgraded picture resolution and clarity for high quality recordings.
Intelligent Parking Mode
Nextbase Dash Cams know the difference between normal driving and being parked. Record any bump or physical movement on the vehicle when left unattended thouygh it does require the Nextbase Hardwire Kit to function.
Connect With One Hand
The exclusive wireless Click&Go PRO mount is a patented design by Nextbase allowing the user to connect the Dash Cam to the mount using just one hand. It uses high strength neodymium magnets, instantly linking the mount’s power source to provide a strong, wireless connection.
Budget
This is one of the more affordable high quality dash cams for your car, which can safe you a lot of money in the long run as it will deter vandalism and theft just like the more expansive dash cams.
£79 Dashcam Amazon
This set contains both a front and back camera for your car so you are covered all round.
High Performance Chip and Reliable Car dash cam
Both the front and rear camera have super HD 1920x1080P / 30FPS full HD resolution. This means y0u can be sure all details are captured clearly so you will have clear evidence of any incident should you need it.
High Qualith Wide Angle Lens
The 170° wide angle lens simultaneously captures all details on the whole road in super clear definition to give you complete peace of mind while driving.
Super Night Vision
Both dash cameras are loaded with a super high quality Sony Sensor, which has better night vision than many other sensors, combined with a F1.8 Aperture 6 Elements Glass Lens, to provide a super clear view in low-light conditions.
Premium Functions
It also has loop recording, G-sensor, parking monitoring, motion detection, HDR function.
A 12 months guarantee and 100% Satisfied Service is included. If you have any questions of dashcam, you can contact customer service (service@orskey.com).
Supports high-endurance micro SD memory cards up to 32GB(Included) in memory size. SD CARD INCLUDED
£51.00 on Amazon
This set contains both a front and back camera for your car so you are covered all round so this is therefore a VIOFO A229 Duo Review.
High Performance Video Resolution
This dual dash cam innovatively features a Quad HD 2K high resolution rear cam, with up to 30fps recording to give you enhanced driving safety protection from not just front but also behind. With a 2K high-res rear camera, you can easily capture license plate numbers even if you’re caught in an accident that takes place behind you, or provide evidence if another car is harassing you on the road
2.4 Inch HD Screen
The dash cam is built with a larger 2.4 inch HD display which delivers a more direct effortless live view and improved performance in heat dissipation and better durability. In addition to” REC”, ”MIC”, ” Wi-Fi” , two new LED indicators, ” PWR” and ” GPS”, have been added on the front panel to help you easily catch the status of the cam and the functions enabled.
Super Night Vision
The Duo Dash Cam is equipped with a high-performance Sony STARVIS IMX335 5MP for the front and rear cam. Enhanced with WDR technology, the dashcam can automatically change the bright and dark areas of the image. Your driving view can be perfectly restored from both front and rear cam in poor lighting conditions at night.
Advanced Buffer Parking Modes
Equipped with 3 parking modes when you choose Auto Event Detection, A229 Duo car camera front and rear will automatically record for 45s when detecting moving objects or impacts during parking. Optimized with buffered function, its 45s-video recording starts 15 seconds before and ends 30 seconds after the defected event.
£259.00 on Amazon
This is a discreet key sized dash camera which is high-quality while being compact.
Tiny and Discreet
This key-sized dash camera is compact. The design also features two power cable options, upward or downward routing, a tidy and discreet installation.
Crisp HD Video with Night Vision
With 1080p HD video, 140-degree lens and Garmin Clarity HDR optics, you’ll be able to record crisp, clear video of important details, day and night.
Parking Guard and Remote Viewing
This feature monitors activity around your parked vehicle and automatically alerts you with video clip notifications to the Garmin Drive app. You can also use the app to access the camera remotely for Live View monitoring when away from your parked car.
Voice Control
Keep your hands on the wheel, and use voice commands to tell the camera to save video, start and stop audio recording, take still pictures and more.
Incident Detection
The camera automatically saves video when it detects an incident. With built-in GPS to stamp recorded video with location details.
Vault Storage
Saved videos are stored securely in the online Vault and can be accessed using the Garmin Drive app on your compatible smartphone.
Premium Functions
It also has loop recording, G-sensor, parking monitoring, motion detection, HDR function.
A 12 months guarantee and 100% Satisfied Service is included. If you have any questions of dashcam, you can contact customer service (service@orskey.com).
Supports high-endurance micro SD memory cards up to 32GB(Included) in memory size. SD CARD INCLUDED
£118.00 on Amazon
What to look out for when buying a dash cam?
There are 5 main things to look for when deciding on the best dash cam for you:
High Recording Resolution
High recording resolution is important in a dash cam for a several reasons.
The higher the recording resolution the crisper the details recorded. This can help in the case of an accident where it shows what happened clearly and accurately which can be very helpful when the footage is needed as evidence by your insurance company or the police. Many low budget dash cams have unclear recordings which are unusable to proof your case as the details of what happened are unclear.
High end dash cams will have 4K resolution. In the middle you will have 2K resolution and on the budget end you will have around 1080PX resolution.
Motion Sensors
Driving safety experts also recommend going for cameras with motion sensors.
This will mean any bumps or scratches will be recorded.
Camera’s will need to have high resolution in order to reduce the motion blur and possible other distortions in the recording.
Wide Lens Angle
A wide angle lens means a wider area is covered, so in turn that means you can record more detail and have more view over what happens on the road before, during and after an incident. The lens is measured in degrees and the larger the number, the wider the view of the camera.
High end dash cams will have 150° and up view. In the middle you will have 110°-150° view and on the budget end you will have around 114° view or lower. Having said that, more and more mid-range dash cams will have a wider view.
Loop Recording and Cloud Storage
Enabling loop recording saves you having to manually delete footage. The loop recording features will help you record everything you need without worrying about space left on your memory card.
Cloud Storage means you can store more video, which means you don’t accidentally record over important footage.
Night Vision
If you’re prone to traveling at night, it’s best to opt for a dash cam with a trusted and proven night vision feature.
How well the night vision is, depends on the lens and sensors of the camera. The better the lens and sensors, the better the footage is at night and in adverse weather conditions.
Dash Cam FAQ
How Long do Dash Cam Batteries Last?
In recording mode internal dash cam batteries are only expected to last for about 3 to 5 minutes. However, that should be enough time to record the vital information in the case of a collision while your car is parked.
How many Dash Cams in the UK?
There are approximately three million dashcams on UK roads.
Why has my Dash Cam Stopped Working?
In one sentence – Lack of power. This can be as simple as the power cable not being fitted correctly into either the dash cam, or the 12V power supply in your car. Check both ends for loose connections or if the cable needs to be pushed in a little further
Why isn’t my Camera Powering up when Connected?
Check that the LED indicator is illuminated when your car is running, or you’re connected to a power supply. If not, try replacing the USB cable.
What do I do if my Dash Cam Screen is Frozen on a Particular Display?
Reset your dash cam or try turning your dash cam off, wait about a minute, and then turn it back on again.
Unplug your dash cam, if it’s plugged into your cigarette lighter. Wait a minute, then plug it back in.
Make sure the screen saver setting is not active.
Why Does my Dash Cam Keep Falling Off?
Most dash cams use suction cups to ‘stick’ to your dashboard or windscreen. Using your windscreen will work better.
To prevent your dash cam from falling off, here are some things you can do.
- Choose a lightweight dash cam which will help the suction cup to remain firmly secured.
- Before you attach your dash cam to your car for the first time, clean the area thoroughly to remove any dust and dirt. Avoid using a cleaning product with too many chemicals as this could leave a residue. Simply a wet cloth should be able to do the job.
- Over time, your dash cam suction cup can lose stickiness. Clean the suction cup itself with a wet cloth and try sticking the dash cam to a different (but still clean) area of the windshield or dashboard.
Should I remove my dash cam at night?
If your own dash cam doesn’t have parking mode, leaving it in the car overnight may only attract the wrong sort of attention. Remove the dashcam from the windscreen in this scenario.
Do Dashcams Reduce your Insurance?
All leading motor insurers are now accepting dash cam footage as evidence to be used in the event of a claim, some insurers even offer annual discounts of up to 20% to drivers who use a dash cam.
Can a Dash Cam Record in the Dark?
All dashcams will be able to record at any time of the day or night. However, if it doesn’t have night vision technology and features, the footage it records at night will be dark and difficult to see.
Is it Best to Hardwire a Dash Cam?
Hardwiring your dash cam into your car will allow you to get the most out of technology, avoid trailing wires and ensure that your dash cam is working whenever your engine is turned on.
What are the best dash cams front and rear recording?
There are several dash cams which are duo packs and contain both a front and rear camera for your car. A high end duo dash cam is the Thinkware U1000 which records in 4K at the front and in 2K at the rear of your vehicle.
The VIOFO A229 Dash Cam is also a duo dash cam and records both the font and the rear in 2K
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