Protecting yourself from insurance scams and ensuring accountability on the road are paramount in today’s driving environment. A dash cam serves as a crucial tool for these purposes, acting as an unbiased eyewitness in various situations. Whether it’s documenting accidents, recording instances of road rage, or providing evidence against fraudulent claims, a reliable dash cam offers invaluable peace of mind. As we approach 2024, the market is flooded with options, ranging from budget-friendly models to high-end devices packed with advanced features. This comprehensive review evaluates ten different dash cams across various price points, rigorously testing their video and audio quality, field of view, parking surveillance capabilities, and impact resistance to determine the best dash cam choices for December 2024. This review remains unbiased and unsponsored, focusing solely on delivering honest assessments to help you make informed decisions.
Budget Dash Cam Video Quality Showdown
Our video quality testing began by comparing four budget-friendly dash cams, focusing on field of view, clarity, and license plate capture during both day and night conditions.
The most affordable option in this category is the 70mai A500s, priced at $69.99. This single-channel dash cam features a built-in display and a 1944P camera utilizing a Sony IMX335 image sensor.
Next, we tested the Viofo A119 Mini 2, available for $98.99. This single-channel camera also includes a built-in display but boasts a superior 1440p Sony Starvis2 IMX675 image sensor with HDR.
Moving slightly up in price, the 70mai X200 OMNI, at $139.99, stands out with its unique motorized panning lens. This 1080p single-channel dash cam features a built-in display and is compatible with 70mai’s 4G UP05 Hardwire Kit for remote monitoring functionalities.
The most expensive in the budget group is the Vantrue S1 Pro, priced at $159.99. This dual-channel dash cam includes a built-in display and shares the 1440p Sony Starvis 2 IMX675 image sensor with the Viofo A119 Mini 2. It further includes a 1080p rear camera and compatibility with Vantrue’s optional LTE Module for remote live view and parking alerts, expanding its features beyond basic recording.
In terms of field of view, the Viofo A119 Mini 2 offered the widest coverage, capturing both a yield sign and a one-way sign within the frame. In contrast, the 70mai A500s provided a taller vertical view, showing more of the sky and the car’s dashboard.
Analyzing dynamic range, the Viofo A119 Mini 2, 70mai Omni, and Vantrue S1 Pro all demonstrated excellent HDR capabilities. They effectively managed bright highlights and deep shadows, preserving detail in both areas. The 70mai A500s, however, showed clipped highlights in bright areas like clouds and reduced detail in darker regions, such as tree branches.
License plate capture proved challenging for the 70mai A500s, even with stationary vehicles. Its focus issues resulted in blurry images, making plate identification difficult.
During daytime testing, the Vantrue S1 Pro and Viofo A119 Mini 2 exhibited nearly identical video quality, unsurprising given their shared image sensor. The Viofo A119 Mini 2 slightly edged out the Vantrue in capturing pedestrian details, while the Vantrue S1 Pro performed marginally better in capturing license plates from passing cars, though neither achieved perfect legibility in this dynamic scenario.
Nighttime performance revealed the Viofo A119 Mini 2’s HDR tuning to be superior for license plate capture. It effectively avoided blowing out the reflective coating of license plates when illuminated by headlights. The S1 Pro, A119 Mini 2, and OMNI all utilized HDR to enhance license plate visibility at night, producing images where plates appeared sharply defined. Ultimately, the Viofo A119 Mini 2 emerged as the clear winner in this budget category due to its superior overall image quality, wide field of view, and competitive pricing, progressing to the next round of testing against midrange dash cams.
Midrange Dash Cam Video Quality Face-Off
The midrange dash cam category introduces enhanced features and performance. The SJCAM M60, priced at $162, is a dual-channel front and rear dash cam. It boasts a top-tier 4K Sony Starvis 2 IMX678 sensor for the front camera and a 1080p rear camera.
The Wolfbox X5, costing $199, is a three-channel camera system. It features 4K front recording with the same Sony Starvis 2 IMX678 image sensor, a 1080p cabin camera integrated into the main unit, and a 1944p rear camera. The Wolfbox X5 also includes a built-in touchscreen, a first in this review.
The Rove R2-4K Dual, also claiming 4K recording capabilities, uses a Sony Starvis 2 front sensor. However, it utilizes the IMX675 sensor, which natively supports only 1440p resolution, suggesting software upscaling to achieve 4K. Despite this potential marketing discrepancy, the Rove R2-4K Dual has shown strong sales figures on Amazon.
Comparing field of view in this group, the SJCAM M60 exhibited the widest view, capturing a yield sign on the left and significant space beyond a one-way sign on the right. The Wolfbox X5 appeared to have the tallest vertical field of view, showing more of the skyline, though this could be influenced by camera aiming.
License plate capture during daytime revealed the Wolfbox X5 as the clear leader, consistently providing the best clarity. The Viofo A119 Mini 2, SJCAM M60, and Rove R2-4K Dual performed closely, vying for the subsequent positions in image quality. This trend continued throughout the daytime testing, with the Wolfbox X5 consistently outperforming the others in license plate capture.
Nighttime performance highlighted the Viofo A119 Mini 2’s HDR capabilities, producing the most HDR-like image in low-light conditions. It also demonstrated superior resistance to motion blur, as seen in footage of pedestrians walking a dog. However, for license plate capture specifically at night, the Wolfbox X5 again excelled, consistently capturing plates in various scenarios, including stationary and moving vehicles in different directions, securing its place in Round 3. Notably, the budget-priced Viofo A119 Mini 2 remained competitive even against these midrange options.
Flagship Dash Cam Video Quality Testing
The flagship category features the highest-priced and most feature-rich dash cams. Leading this group is the Vantrue N4 Pro, priced at $299 and last year’s top pick. This three-channel dash cam includes a built-in screen, a 4K Sony Starvis 2 IMX678 front sensor, a 1080p adjustable cabin camera, and a 1080p rear camera.
Also at $299 is the Vantrue E360, a unique dash cam employing two fisheye lenses to capture a 360-degree panoramic view, encompassing the road and the vehicle’s interior. For testing purposes, the E360 was set to output separate front and rear camera feeds, each at 1440p resolution. Like the Vantrue S1 Pro, the E360 supports Vantrue’s optional LTE Module for remote access and alerts.
The most expensive dash cam in this review is the Viofo A329 4K, priced at $399. It features a 4K Sony Starvis 2 IMX678 front sensor and a 1440p rear camera. Upgrades from the previous A229 Pro model include a 4K 60fps mode (when HDR is disabled), USB-C external SSD recording support, and an HDMI micro output.
Both the Vantrue N4 Pro and Viofo A329 4K come with circular polarizing filters (CPLs) to minimize dashboard reflections. The Vantrue N4 Pro’s CPL is a $20 optional accessory, while the Viofo A329 4K includes it as standard. All cameras were updated to the latest firmware for testing.
Field of view comparison showed the Wolfbox X5, Vantrue N4 Pro, and Viofo A329 4K to have virtually identical fields of view, expected due to their shared image sensors. The Vantrue E360, with its fisheye lenses, offered an exceptionally wide horizontal and vertical view, ideal for comprehensive coverage but less conducive to capturing fine details due to distortion and distance scaling.
As anticipated, the Vantrue E360 struggled with license plate capture due to its wide-angle distortion. Among the other three cameras, daytime video quality and license plate capture ranked as follows: Viofo A329 Pro (first), Vantrue N4 Pro (second), and Wolfbox X5 (third). The Viofo A329 Pro also exhibited the least artificial image sharpening, evident in the power lines in the footage.
Nighttime performance saw the Vantrue E360 improve slightly due to its wider field of view gathering more light, but it remained poor at capturing fine details like license plates. The Starvis 2 sensor dash cams excelled at nighttime license plate capture. The Vantrue N4 Pro performed best in capturing plates from stationary cars while the test vehicle was moving, minimizing distortion and motion blur. The Wolfbox X5 excelled when the test vehicle was stationary and other cars were moving. In scenarios with both vehicles moving, all performed well, with the Vantrue N4 Pro slightly leading.
The primary differentiators in night video quality stem from the camera software’s HDR processing. Over-reliance on longer exposure times can lead to motion blur. The Vantrue N4 Pro demonstrated superior ability in minimizing streaking in bright areas. A notable issue with the Wolfbox X5 was mount bounce, causing HDR misalignment and increased motion blur.
Rear camera testing showed the Vantrue models having wider fields of view and slightly better HDR implementation, while the Wolfbox X5’s more zoomed-in lens captured finer details. The Viofo A329 offered a balance, with good detail and a reasonable field of view.
Video Quality Results Summary
In daytime video quality, the top four dash cams ranked as follows: Viofo A329 Pro (1st), Vantrue N4 Pro (2nd), Wolfbox X5 (3rd), and Viofo A119 Mini 2 (4th). For nighttime video quality, the Vantrue N4 Pro took the top spot, followed by Viofo A329 Pro (2nd), Viofo A119 Mini 2 (3rd), and Wolfbox X5 (4th).
Parking Mode Feature Evaluation
With the top four video quality performers identified, the focus shifted to parking mode capabilities. Utilizing parking modes requires hardwiring the dash cam to the car’s electrical system with an optional hardwire kit. This setup provides constant power and ignition-based power, enabling the dash cam to switch between driving and parking modes.
Four primary parking modes are commonly available:
Impact Detection: This most common mode uses the dash cam’s accelerometer to trigger recording upon detecting impacts, such as car collisions or even door slams. The Vantrue and Wolfbox models offer a dedicated impact detection mode. Viofo dash cams use an “auto mode” that detects both motion and impact, leading to higher power consumption but lacking a specific impact-only mode.
Power consumption tests in impact mode revealed the Wolfbox X5 to be the most power-efficient, entering a deep sleep state and drawing minimal power. Vantrue dash cams consumed moderate power, while Viofo models used approximately double the power due to continuous motion detection. However, Viofo dash cams demonstrated superior event capture, triggering recording roughly 15 seconds before an impact, while Vantrue triggered about 4.5 seconds after, and the Wolfbox activated approximately 30 seconds after the impact.
The Vantrue N4 Pro also offers a motion-specific parking mode, which consumes significantly more power but includes a pre-roll buffer to capture events before motion is detected. A warning message on the N4 Pro advises using low-power impact detection in hot conditions to prevent overheating. Viofo A119 Mini 2 reduces resolution and crops the field of view in parking mode, and the Wolfbox X5 lacks motion detection entirely.
Timelapse Mode: All four dash cams offer timelapse recording, continuously recording at a lower frame rate. Vantrue and Viofo allow frame rate adjustments, while Wolfbox uses a fixed 10 FPS.
Low Bitrate Mode: Viofo and Vantrue offer a low bitrate mode, recording in a lower quality format to conserve SD card storage space.
The Viofo A329 4K emerges as the leader in parking mode features, offering the most modes, flexibility, best event capture, and good field of view, all with reasonable power consumption.
Impact Resistance Test Results
A new impact resistance test was added this year to assess dash cam durability during collisions. Testing involved front, rear, and side impacts. The Wolfbox X5 demonstrated the best performance, recording continuously through all 16 impacts and only detaching from its mount once during a side impact. Its power supply design, separate from the windshield mount, contributed to its resilience.
Quick-release windshield mounts proved to be a weakness for the other dash cams. Both Viofo cameras easily detached on side impacts, and the Vantrue models failed on both front and rear impacts. This mount detachment issue is a significant concern, potentially causing recording to stop during an accident.
A temporary workaround for Viofo cameras is to power the unit directly, bypassing the windshield mount. However, the Vantrue N4 Pro’s power connection is through the rear camera port when not using the windshield mount, disabling the rear camera. A 3D-printed clip was designed to secure the Vantrue N4 Pro’s quick-release mount, and the file is publicly available online. A more robust, locking quick-release mount design is needed in future dash cam models.
Final Dash Cam Recommendations for 2024
Despite minor shortcomings, the dash cams from Viofo, Wolfbox, and Vantrue remain top recommendations for December 2024.
For budget-conscious buyers seeking a front-only dash cam under $100, the Viofo A119 Mini 2 ($98) is an exceptional choice. It offers excellent 1440p video quality with HDR, a wide field of view, effective parking modes, and a discreet design, outperforming competitors in its price range.
The Wolfbox X5 ($199) three-channel dash cam is a remarkable value, offering comparable sensors and features to the more expensive Vantrue N4 Pro. Its impact resistance is a standout feature, and it includes a 128GB SD card. Its drawbacks include less sophisticated parking modes, weaker HDR processing, and a mount prone to vibration.
Last year’s winner, the Vantrue N4 Pro ($299), remains the leader in nighttime video quality, further enhanced by firmware updates. Choosing between the Vantrue N4 Pro and Wolfbox X5 depends on prioritizing nighttime image quality and parking modes versus budget and impact resistance.
The Viofo A329 4K ($399) delivers the best daytime video quality, excellent nighttime quality, and superior parking modes. However, its higher price point and fewer channels compared to the Vantrue N4 Pro and Wolfbox X5 may not justify the marginal performance increase for all users, unless specific features like USB-C SSD recording or HDMI output are essential.
This review is independent and unsponsored. Purchase links for all dash cams are provided, and using these affiliate links supports future unbiased reviews. Thank you to Patreon supporters for enabling these in-depth evaluations. Subscribe to the YouTube channel for more unsponsored reviews. Thank you for reading.
