The Best 70mai dash cam
Photo: Rozette Rago
Wham! A car crash can happen in an instant. And as frightening as that may be, it can be just as distressing to be blamed for a crash that’s not your fault. That’s why a dash cam can be a critical aid if the unexpected happens. After researching more than 360 models and testing 52, we’ve found that the best overall dash cam is the Vantrue N4. It delivers the sharpest video we’ve seen, it’s the easiest dash cam to use, and it has handy features that you don’t get from most other dash cams in its price range.
Our pick
Vantrue N4
The best dash cam
This dash cam delivers crisp, super-high-resolution footage day or night. It also has key features such as 24-hour parked-car monitoring and GPS tracking despite costing half as much as some other contenders.
The Vantrue N4 is packed with premium features such as 2160p (4K/UHD) resolution in its main camera, night vision, and 24-hour parked-car monitoring to catch hit-and-run perpetrators, yet it costs half as much as some comparable models. In addition to a front-facing camera, it has interior and rear cameras, so it documents your car’s movements (and your surroundings) from three different perspectives. It’s compact (a little smaller than most point-and-shoot cameras) and relatively unobtrusive on a windshield, and its 3-inch screen is bright and easy to read. It has an intuitive menu, and its control buttons are clearly marked and readily accessible. And although it isn’t as well suited for sub-freezing temperatures as our other picks, it is designed to work even in extremely hot climates such as in the American South and Southwest. Unlike some of our other picks, the N4 lacks app connectivity for you to view and download video remotely. But we think most people wouldn’t miss that feature, as it’s still fairly convenient to view footage on the camera itself or with a microSD card reader. The N4 also lacks built-in GPS tracking, but you can easily add that by buying a GPS mount ($20 at this writing) from Vantrue.
Upgrade pick
Nextbase 622GW
Pricier, but packed with features
This dash cam has all the bells and whistles of our top pick (4K resolution, night vision, 24-hour parked-car monitoring, GPS tracking) and adds Bluetooth and app connectivity, built-in Alexa support, and emergency calling. Plus, its capacitor power supply allows it to operate in temperatures as low as -22 degrees Fahrenheit, so it’s your best bet for extremely cold climates.
If you want even more capabilities than the N4 can provide—such as a built-in Wi-Fi network to connect to a smartphone app, Bluetooth connectivity, Alexa support, and an emergency-calling feature that automatically sends help in the event of a crash—the Nextbase 622GW is worth splurging on. Like the N4, it has an easy-to-use interface and mount, as well as 4K resolution, night vision, GPS tracking, 24-hour parked-car monitoring, and more. Its maximum operating temperature is 140 degrees Fahrenheit, compared with the sweltering 158-degree heat our top pick and budget pick are designed to withstand. But since it’s rated to operate in temperatures as low as -22 °F (colder than an average Minnesotan winter night), it’s your best bet for extremely cold climates. It comes with only a front-facing camera, but at this writing you can add a 1080p rear camera for $100 and/or a 1080p interior camera for $100.
Also great
Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2
If you want a dash cam that people won’t notice
Garmin’s Mini 2 is one of the smallest and most discreet models we’ve tested, but its lack of a display means you have to use Garmin’s smartphone app to view video and adjust settings. Its lone camera faces the front of the vehicle and has 1080p resolution.
If you prefer a dash cam that people aren’t likely to notice, we recommend the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2, which is one of the smallest and most discreet models we’ve tested. About the size of a key fob, the Mini 2 virtually disappears on the windshield. Still, it provides surprisingly good video quality for a 1080p single-camera model, and its windshield mount is one of the best we’ve seen—it sticks firmly to the windshield with adhesive, but magnets allow you to easily remove everything but a small plastic circle when you want to throw the camera in the glovebox or move it to another vehicle. It has many of the same features you get with the bigger (and, in most cases, pricier) models, including night vision, 24-hour parked-car monitoring, built-in Wi-Fi, and voice control. Because the Mini 2 has only two physical buttons and no display, though, you have to use Garmin’s smartphone app to view video, to adjust settings, and even to aim the camera properly.
Budget pick
Vantrue N1 Pro
The best dash cam under $100
Vantrue’s N1 Pro has a single, front-facing, 1080p-resolution camera. It costs much less than our other picks, yet it has key features like night vision and 24-hour parked-car monitoring, a bright display, and a well-designed mounting system.
The Vantrue N1 Pro is the only dash cam under $100 we’ve ever recommended. Despite its relatively low price, it meets all our required criteria, including 1080p resolution, night vision, and 24-hour parked-car monitoring. It has the same convenient mounting system that comes with our top pick (and, as with the N4, you have the option to add GPS tracking by buying a separate mount). It also has easy-to-use controls and a bright display, and it’s nearly as compact as the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2. Like the Mini 2, it doesn’t offer the option to add an interior- or rear-facing camera—so you can’t record what’s going on inside the vehicle or behind you—but a front-facing camera is plenty of protection for most people.